The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-01-16
IS OWNER
Of HUGE
PLAN
Government $50, 900 Equip
nnent Can DO $50, 900 Pieces
of Laundry Weekly.
By GEORGE FRANKLIN,


mately $4,000 a year, the govern.
ment viii operate the Hotel Laun.
dry, established in connection with
the women's dormitory unit oppos.
tie Union Station, on capacity
basis.
Commencing February /, laun-
drying Of government towels will
be added to the work already
handled by the plant when the
first Of the contracts, heretofore
held by local laundries, will be
taken over by the hotel laundry at
q saving, it is understood, OF
fifteen cents a hundred.
With the beginning Of the new
fiscal year, July 1, forty thous-
and additional towels will be added
to the weekly wash list.
Little Added to Cost.
Decision to laundry as far as pos
Rifle its own washable equipment
was reached by the government
when Ii was found that the hotel
laundry owned by the government
could handle considerable ADDITIONAL
work. When the cost OF washing
government towels was figured out
by Frederick II. Malk1e, super1n-
tendent of the laundry, it was found
that 4 saving Of nearly $4,000 a
wear could be effected without in
creasing cost OF operation and the
government bid was promptly &C
cepted. Although the exact figures
submitted by the hotel laundry have
not been made public IL IS under
stood they represented a saving OF
fifteen cents on each hundred
towels laundried.
Eyes, il is true, we viii laundry all
government towels" said Superins
tendent MaIIsie today. I'VE have
the equipment and will about reach
capacity operation by doing the
work. Taking over the contract m;
creases the work handled by $1,000
pieces a week. At present we do
all of the laundrying for the Won1-
ems hotels besides that Of the 1000
aBut laundrying is not all we do
here. We have become sort OF
industrial enterprise as well. For
instance, we make all Of the unis
forms worm by the hotel employees,
the dining room girls, kitchen help
and housenaids. In addition we
make ali of the draperies and cur
tains used in the 1000 sleeping
apartments, in the Railways, music
rooms and sitting rooms. Besides we
renovate the carpets and rugs and
nut All bedding, including mattresses
and pillows through q sterilizing
treatment once q year.
Incidentally, we also do all Of
the re-upholstering for the hotels
besides furnishing the dust cloths
used. Then, of course, we do the
mendfng."
where Nothing IL Wasted.
According 70 superintendent Nal.
he nothing goes to waste around
the laundry. In the mending pro-
cess, when It Il discovered that a
sheet has outlived its usefulness it
n promptly converted into dust
clothes. Tablecloths re-appear sew
eraI times. First as dish towels.
then as scrub cloths and finally as
dustrags. Counterpains undergo a
like fate, while old towels disappear
after doing their bit among house
keepers accessories. Nothing goes
70 waste at the laundry.
Taking on the laundering of
Government towels will not increase
the expenses of operating the
laundry to any great extent. No
additional help will be required
nor viii other equipment be needed.
One washing machine. not in use
at present, will be linked in and
with the full equipmet of the
laundry in operation the additional
work, II ID declared, will be easily
handled.
Plant Cost $4,000.
Originally the equipment IN
stalled IN the laundry, accepted as
who have inspected 1t, cost ap-
DronaiateIy $4,000. It L. practically
as good today as when installed and
no replacements will be required, 1t
is said, for several years. Add
tional equipment may be added If
other Government work is secured,
but any such development Is for
future consideration.
An interesting revelation In con-
nection with the laundering for
the 1000 hotel guests came out
when q comparison Of prices be-
tween the hotel laundry charge and
that Of outside laundries was made.
An approximate saving Of 80 Ia per
cent IL enjoyed by the women Gov.
eminent employees domiciled in the
hotels. This advantage, enjoyed by
them, IL not extended to outsiders.
In addition to laundering guests
lingerie the laundry does all Of the
required mending. Particular at
tention % paid to the laundering of
hosiery. The latter Is dried over
form shaping irons which returns
IT to the owners exhibiting all of
the appearances of being brand
new" This method of treating IT,
It is said, prevents its becoming
iron-gIossed while it increases the
''life" of the stocking.
Economy In operation IL the key
note at the laundry. Illustrating
this ts the placement Of the steam
pressers which are arranged in
sets Of two making IT possible for
the operator to handled twice the
number Of pieces possible where one
operator attends to single machine.
$50, 900 Pieces q Week.
An idea Of the quantity of wory,
handled by the laundry is. seen in
the weekly report. The weekly
been 1s2 $50 pieces. Some weeks,
during the summer, more than
$50, 200 pieces are handled.
Index the system in operation
/