The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1914-12-16
VISITORS LAVISH IN.
PRA|S|NG NEW PLANT
OF ACME LAUNDRY
Formal Opening Held Yes
terday-Following Gar
ment Through Every
Process

Hundreds of Birmingham ladies' many
of them accompanied by male members
of their family visited the plant of the
Acme laundry, Avenue r and Nineteenth
street, south. yesterday, which was the
occasion of the formal opening of the
laundry in its new home. One of thel
ceanest, best lighted and best ventilated
! laundry plants in the south is the plant
/ of the Acme company. and visitors yes
! terday and up to 9 o'clock last night
were lavish in their praise of everything
| they saw.
| The average citizen has little concep-
ton of the many movements necessary
to be made in order that his collar or
shirt may come back from his laundry
| in spotless condition. startched to that
point which 'dressy' men like. They
learned yesterday just how it all was
done beginning with the sorting room.
proceeding to the washroom, thence to
| the drying closets, the ironers, the wrap
pers and finally to the wagons to be
transported to every part of the city.
| The system for keeping the clothes of
Birmingham's citizens sufficiently sep
arated that a man who resides on the
Northside will not get the clothes of a
Southside resident is perfected to such
an extent that it would make a bank
clerk envious. The bundles from the
various wagons are received and thrown
into huge pile that appears not to have
| op,- haoipr,ipo o- apdip, mi absolutely
no system of numbers. However, each
! pile is lettered and is sent to the wash
room under certain letter, the letter
| remaining with the bundle during its en-
| tire journey from washing machines to
wagon. In the wrapping department the
| lettered bundles are taken and sorters Sc
| lect those of the same mark for the
packages. Previous to the washing of
| the garments they are billed and whep
| they are returned to the wrappers all
! that is necessary is to search through
81 bundle and take therefrom what is
billed
Washing Machines Like Churns
/ Several huge washing machines are
used in washing Birminghams clothes
Instead of the usual friction machine the
|
process like churning, rocking the clothes
from side to side until the dirt loses its
tenacious hold.
From the washing machines the clothes
go to a circular machine, are placed here
for a few minutes, where the water is
Forced out by electric fans, pumping hot
air. From this machine they are placed
into huge hot air closet, which is re-
volving continually In order that the heat
may be evenly distributed. the clothes
ldry and are given' to the ironing ma
lchines. -
L The ironing machines are so large they
can iron bed sheet or a table cloth as
easily as a napkin or a handkerchief.
| Every machine is equipped with a safe
| ty Device which is an iron rod, attached
to which are prongs, the entire device be-
| ing placed on the ironing machine at
point three inches from the roll that
irons the clothes Should an operatives
finger so much as touch the safety rod
tho entire machine is instantly stopped,
| thus obviating any danger of an acct
dent. A similar device is attached to
every motor-driven machine in the plant
From the machines that iron the arti-
ces other than wearing apparel are taken
!. to the collar starching department.. Here
the collars are made stiff with cold
starch, and placed in a drying closet.
from which they are automatically
al elected as. they become sufficiently dry
! to be ironed They then go to the shap-
= ing machines, and are ironed into the
: natural shape. .HG
Ironing One Shirt
Five machines are used to iron one
shirt. The first of a series of machines
: irons nothing but the cuffs. another
: irons the neckband still another irons
the bosom of the shirt; a four machine
irons the sleeves only, while the fifth
: irons the body.
From the machine room visitors yester-
n day were carried to the first floor. where
is situated the restrooms of the en-
: ployes. A lunchroom for the white
e ladies. fitted up as nicely as any cafe In
the downtown district. attracts the eye
immediately The tables are covered
with linen tablecloths. the room is large,
J. well lighted and we'll ventilated, and is
a most attractive place to eat. A SINH
lar room is fitted up for the colored en-
l
employed, and a dressing room.
= The engine room of the plant is as
/ clean as the restroom of the ladies'. The
+ electricity used is generated in the plant
/ The building is said to be of fireprooi
: construction, being built entirely of re-
/. inforced concrete and steel. Practically
the entire two floors can be converted
J into "out DOORS, 80 numerous are the
windows The windows together witt
!. the skylights make it unnecessary to use
It electric lights until the street lights arc
n turned OH in the late afternoon
The entire plant, according to many
: who were visitors yesterday. il the very
last word in laundry equipment and tn,
y Acme's service to the people of Bir'
minghanl should be even better hence
: forward than it has in the past.
|