The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-03-19
ABOUT PROSPEROUS
BIRMINGHAM PEOPLE
by PERCY CLARK.

by PERCY CLARK.
Browns Is the placs in Birmingham
where the lovers of the weed do some-
times gather for n cheering smoke and
an Interchange Of the light gossip Of the
day. Mr. J. r. Brown came to Birming-
nam from St Clair county about fifteen
years ago. He has been In his present
line OF business some twelve years. For
nine years he has catered to the epicu-
reans OF this town and visitors In the
cigar business; what he does not know
about the taste of men In the various
Kinds OF the weed, both smoking and
chewing tobacco, a man need not try to
learn. 1t is doubtful If there is in Biz
minsham any man who has more com
pletely mastered the details of his trade.
AS the years have past lsir. Brown has In
creased his patronage among the discrim-
mating class of men by rules of integrity
and fair dealing, first finding out just
what a mans taste is catering thereto,
and never undertaking to misrepresent or
mislead
Browns has added one attractive fea-
Il
complete soda fountain in the city Here
the patrons of the establishment can be
served with all the popular light drinks.
only the very choicest of materials are
used and the service will always be kept
| UP to the standard of the best.
The Albert Restaurant, enc of the most
popular places in Birmingham, has re-
established its business, after the unfor-
tunate experience of a close call from a
fire. 1t is said that the happost of men
are those who have a profound respect
| for their stomachs. The Albert Restaurant
caters to people who like pure, whole
some food, politely served. Its prices are
popular, and ...e mana cement takes
particular pride in their regular meal
| service. By the system OF commuters
tickets, which enables patrons to have
either the regular meal or the liz of fare
service, one can board at the Albert for
| about the same price as at private ta-
bles; then, too, there is the nice feature
of a variation at any meal to suit the
appetite, where cal ricious
In 1887 the Avondale Laundry was put
| into operation in that suburb of Birming-
ham. In 1894 Mr.. M. Reed came to Bir-
mingham and took an interest in the en-
terprise, and during the eleven succeeding
years has assiduously devoted his ener-
gies and talents to the upbuilding of tho
enterprise. He has seen 1t steadily grow,
! year after year. improving its plant, and
has finally become the sole owner of the
same. About two years ego the demand
for better location necessitated the NOV
ing of the plant from Avondale to Biz
mingham proper, and the laundry now
occupies large building at 2012 Avenue
| A, Southside. just off of Twentieth street.
| When the move was made an entire new
set of machinery was installed. convert
ing 1t into the most popular style of fin
ish. the domestic" instead of a high
gloss finish; the plant now does only
domestic finish work.
The business has grown to such an ex-
tent that already plans are on foot for an
enlargement and additional machinery. to-
gether with more wagons and skilled
labor. The plant TT present employs more
than sixty people and keeps eight wagons
closely engaged. from morn until night
attending to their patrons throughout the
city and suburbs.
About fifteen hands are employed espe-
cially on ladies' clothing.
II will no doubt be interesting to many
people to know just exactly how mod
ern first-class laundry, such az the Avon
dale Is conducted. When the linen is
received 1t goes to the marking room. is
counted, and, If not already marked the
initial Is placed on with indelible ink.
The clothes are then put into the washer,
operated by machinery. giving an auto
matte rotary motion reversing. At the
Avondale nine OF these washers are used.
They are charged with refiltered water,
and the highest class OF laundry soap,
free from acid. This soap Is largely ocm-
posed of tallow and comes in the form of
fine chips. After being thoroughly washed
the articles next go to four extractors:
axyfr 4alro ..1a - n
style of twisting and wringing the gar
ments. and have a momentum of 1900
revolutions per minute: the time occupied
IN thus drying Is about 40 minutes. From
the extractors the garments go to the
starch room, and from there to the dry
ROOM after subsection to steam heat
they are dampened to give uniformity of
distribution and are put under presses
to distribute the moisture. After this
treatment they go to the several ma
chimes. The following shirt machines are
used: bosom ironer, one for the neck
band another for the wrist band, then
the s1eever and finally a bodier After
leaving these machines the work goes to
the finishers. who complete with hand
irons. shape up fold up and place the
bands of the Laundry upon the same, thus
completing an artistically laundried shirt.
In handling collars and cuffs several
different kinds of machinery are used.
first the cuff machine and ironer, then
they go to the saw edge machine, which
takes off the rasping edges, that some
times makes a man swear, where neglect
ed. From this machine they go to the
dampener, and from thence to the shaper,
for both rundown al standing collars.
After these details they are ready for the
asserting table. At the asserting table
persons are kept steadily employed sep
| arating the several pieces of linen ac
cording to initials and owners. Then the
laundry list Is checked out, the bundles
are mace up, and the pacakes of absolute
ly clean laundry fir m the Avondale are
ready to be delivered by the wagons.
| There is yet another class called fiat
work, which Is handled in an entirely
different way, after 1t has come from the
washers. This work, such as table linen,
sheets. counterpains and bed linen is put
through a mammoth mangles and then
carefully folded by hand.
| Throt1 oh hn aet Mt