Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1910-01-16

| IN SpCe Oh 0etoASHS o's"'~'SN S>S
! Laundry Has Made Wonderful Pro
aress in Last Yetrs.
About May /, 1884, man by the
name of Higgins opened small
laundry in a building. which stood on
the lot Immediately south of the one
now occupied by Austin Logan's
store. He called his plant the Bis
marck Laundry. The original build
ing which he occupied was destroyed
by fire in 1898. In the spring OF
1886 w. c. Steiber came to Bismarck
and went to work for Higgins. In
the fall of 1886 steiber purchased
new equipment for himself, and
started the Troy Laundry in the
building on Fifth street now used
as a pool hall by Pat McHugh.
March /, 1888, A. F. Marquett
reached Bismarck and entered Steib-
er's employ. June 4, 1888, Steiber
and Marquett formed a partnership.
They purchased additional machin-
cry and moved to building which
stood on the present site of Homan's
Bakery They continued in bust
ness under the name of the Troy
Laundry. April l, 1892, Marquett
and Steiber dissolved partnership,
Steiber continuing the business.
About March 1, 1898, steiber sold the
Troy Laundry to Mrs. Ed. Sloan. At
a later date VIM. B. Couch entered
Mrs. Sloan's employ, and he has con-
tinued in the laundry business ever
since.
Oct. l, 1894, A. F. Marquett started
a laundry in the old Grand Pacific
building. He called his plant the
Bismarck Steam Laundry. Sept. l.,
1896, the Troy and Bismarck Steam
Laundries consolidated under the
firm name of the Bismarck Steam
Laundry, with A. F. Marquett and
W. B. Couch as proprietors. They
moved Marquett's equipment from
the Grand Pacific building to the
Troy Laundry building, and remain
ed there until the big fire of August,
1898, wiped them out. But they met
defeat with true western indomit-
ableness, and, phoenix-like, rose
from the flames with the masterful
purpose to win success in their I'M
dertaking. They went back to the
Grand Pacific building temporarily,
and in October, 1898, moved to the
building now occupied by the Pallad-
ium Publishing Company. Here they
remained until Octuber, 1900, when
they were obliged to seek still larger
quarters. At this juncture they re-
moved to the building on Fifth street
which is at present occupied by the
grocery store of Mandigo & Son.
May l, 1908, the Bismarck Steam
Laundry Company was incorporated
under the laws of tHe state of North
Dakota. C. A. Burton was elected
president of the new corporation;
but in November Of the same year he
disposed of his holdings to Messrs.
Marquett and Couch, and Mrs. Rose
E. Wright, who are the present own
ers of the company.
The gross business of the new firm
increased so rapidly that in 1907 they
were obliged to look for still larger
quarters. They procured site at
the corner of Fourth and ROsser
streets, and erected thereon fine
new building. They installed the
very latest machinery to be had, and
moved into their new home August
9, 1907, just nine years, lacking one
day, from the time that their little
plant was totally destroyed by fire.
Their present plant is one of the
most modern and best equipped
steam laundries in the entire north
west. The arrangement of the In
terror is conducive to the very best
work with the least possible attend
ant confusion. The concern has
grown from a small hand laundry
earning a few dollars each week to
a powerful firm with a gross business
today of nearly $1,000 per week.
This result has been attained by
hard work, conscientious efforts, and
painstaking attention to even the
most minute detail of the business.
The success Of the proprietors forms
one more link in the chain of proof
that to those who sabor, and labor
diligently and faithfully, with only
the best interests of their neighbors
and patrons at heart, shall come the
merited guerdon. It is but another
instance of young men coming out
into this great and glorious west with
the joy of living in their breasts. and
hopes for the future running high