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THE^ 
 
 STEAM LAUNDRY 
 
 -AND- 
 
 ITS MElTtiODS 
 
 -BY- 
 
 C. A. ROYOE 
 
 —AND— 
 
 ESSAYS READ AT THE LAUNDRYMEN'S 
 NATIONAL CONVE^ITIONS 
 
 PRICE S5.00 \ [ 
 
 **^ 
 
 
 \, '.- ^/,^' 
 
 PUBLISHED ay t * 
 
 NATIONAL LAUNDRY JOURNAL 
 30 S. Clinton Street 
 CHICAGO 
 
THE. 
 
 STEAM LAUNDRY 
 
 ITS MEIOTHODS 
 
 -BY- 
 
 C. A. ROYGEl 
 
 —AND— 
 
 ESSAYS READ AT THE LAUNDRYMEN'S 
 NATIONAL CONVENTIONS 
 
 PRICE S5.00 ( ; ! f 
 
 % <> 
 
 PUBLISHED BY 
 
 NATIONAL LAUNDRY JOURNAL 
 
 30 S. Clinton Street 
 
 CHICAGO 
 
PREFltCB. 
 
 In the early days of the I^aundry business the men wha 
 embarked in it, those who to-day are known as the vet- 
 erans, were, for the most part, men whose business train- 
 ing had been in other directions. In other words these 
 men were obliged to learn their chosen business in the 
 dear school of experience. This condition describes the 
 position in which the author found himself some seven- 
 teen years ago. 
 
 No more need be said to show that there has Deen, and 
 is now, a need of some work upon the I^aundry business, 
 to which the novice, as well as the experienced Laundry- 
 man, may turn for help in time of trouble. While the 
 author does not wish to lay claim to an exhaustive knowl- 
 edge of all the intricacies of his chosen business, he has 
 snatched a few leisure moments from a busy life, to com- 
 pile the following pages, and he presents them to the 
 Laundry trade in the hope that they will, in a measure at 
 teast, supply a long felt want. 
 
 The Author. 
 
I^ocatlon. 
 
 When one decides to engage in business, the first point 
 for consideration is location. By location we do not 
 mean such a street, or such a number upon such a street, 
 but we use the term location in its fullest sense. The 
 manner in which this question is usually settled is some- 
 thing as follows: Mr. Smith is conducting a success- 
 ful laundry business in the town of Breakwater. Mr. 
 Jones (for the time being a gentleman of leisure) takes 
 note of Smith's success and says, "Smith is making 
 money, why should not I ?" Straightway he buys his 
 outfit and planks himself down as close to Smith as pos- 
 sible. Thus we have overproduction in laundries, so to 
 speak. If, for instance, the business was the manufac- 
 ture of some article of universal utility, with the whole 
 world for a market, this plan of grouping competition 
 would not be objectionable; but alas! such is not the case. 
 The patronage of the laundry is and must be in the main, 
 purely local. Hence, if Jones succeeds, he must do so at 
 the expense of Smith, that is, providing the market is not 
 amply large enough for both, and the success of the one 
 is cramped by the success of the other. 
 
 While there is no law compelling Jones to have regard 
 for the welfare of Smith, and while he may in a measure, 
 meet with success, yet he has made a mistake, for we may 
 readily suppose that he could have found a location where 
 his success would have been greater, with less outlay of 
 time, strength and money. 
 
 Thus we say, in seeking allocation, go where the de- 
 mand issuper abunda nt and the supply is lacking or in- 
 complete; in short, go where the laundry business is not 
 overdone. Possibly the time may come when to find 
 
6 
 
 such a place will be difficult, but to-day there are hun- 
 dreds of communities where there are no laundries, and 
 where the conditions for success are ample. 
 
 Having found the place, the second point is whtrL to 
 locate in that place. Every city or town has its business 
 center or centers. Upon general principles it is advisable 
 to locate as near such points as possible . Quite frequently , 
 however, it is well nigh impossible to get very near. 
 Either there is no desirable building for rent, or the rent 
 is too high in price, or if a building is to be erected there 
 is no land available; so we come to the only advice of 
 value, "Do the best you can." If you must go far away 
 from the business centers, there is simply more depending 
 upon your business push and sagacity. A good location 
 is not absolutely essential to success. It is simply a help. 
 We may be in danger of contradicting ourselves when 
 we say that there are some reasons why a location in a 
 business center is a detriment. A good location benefits 
 your office, it may be anything but a benefit to your 
 "shop." To do clean and satisfactory work you must 
 have clean and wholesome rooms, and it is very difficult 
 to have clean rooms in the midst of dirty surroundings. 
 Where else will you find dust more plentiful and more de- 
 termined to come in to make your life miserable than amid 
 the ' 'Hives of Industry. ' ' We see, then, that a ' 'central' ' 
 location has its drawbacks. With this view of the case 
 we may venture to say it is better to seek seclusion in the 
 suburbs, "far from the mad'ning crowd," in the midst of 
 fragrant meadows, or by the side of a tranquil river. In 
 the latter case you could sink a well near the bank, the 
 water would leach through and the question of pure water 
 would be solved. The disadvantages are obvious, but 
 may they not be overcome ? For instance, an office alone 
 might be secured in the business section. Again, very 
 large dependence will be necessary upon your teams 
 wherever you are, and the suburban location will make 
 
teams and drivers imperative, but will not freedom from 
 dust and dirt, and the comparative ease with which you 
 may do good work, more than compensate for the disad- 
 vantages ? This is the question which you must solve. 
 
 Building. 
 
 Location having secured sufficient of our attention, the 
 question of the Building, or the rooms, must next be con- 
 sidered. We assume in the first place that the reader 
 who intends to embark in the laundry trade, intends to 
 do so for good and all, or at least until his fortune is 
 made. The first year he says, "I will cover expenses." 
 The second, "I will make one thousand dollars." The 
 third, "I will make it five thousand dollars," and so on. 
 In short, he proposes to build for the future. What 
 should we then say of a man who would start business in 
 a seven by nine room and move to larger quarters from 
 time to time as the exigencies of business demanded. If 
 you have followed our advice as to location and then have 
 not sufficient faith in your business abilities to secure 
 rooms that will allow you to grow, you would best stop ■ 
 right where you are. You won't succeed, or if you do it 
 will be the rankest luck and no credit to you, and when 
 the time comes that a better man comes into competition 
 with you, a man with energy, push and faith, you will 
 very soon learn just how smart you are. 
 
 As has been before said, clean surroundings are essen- 
 tial. So also are good air and plenty of God's sunshine. 
 Never start business in a damp, dark, musty hole, only 
 fit for a toad or a tramp. 
 
 But after all the sagacious man, the man who is work- 
 ing. for the future, will let no small obstacle stand in the 
 way of putting up a building of his own. In no other 
 way can he be perfectly independent and have just what 
 
lie wants. When you get to this point do not make any 
 mistake. You do not want to erect a building which is a 
 model of convenience ? and then, after it is completed, be 
 constantly reminded that in many ways it might be im- 
 proved. What will you do ? Well, unless you are very 
 sure of your ability to lay out a laundry building as it 
 should be, your best plan will be to secure the services of 
 some good architect or builder. Lay out carefully your 
 ideas and then go with him to visit other establishments. 
 Keep your eyes open and your thinking cap on. While 
 you may find no establishment you wish to copy as a 
 whole, you will hardly find one' in which there may not 
 be a valuable suggestion. In concluding this part of our 
 subject, we give you the following hints: 
 
 First — Be sure to get plenty of light and air. Why 
 light, every one knows. The question of pure air we will 
 treat of later on. 
 
 Second — Before starting not only have your floor plans 
 and elevations, but have the place of every machine, 
 table, etc. , traced and according to scale. Leave plenty 
 of room to grow, and study carefully. Be sure you are 
 right before you go ahead. 
 
 Third — Place your boiler, engine, dry room and ma- 
 chinery of all kinds so as to reduce necessary piping, 
 shafting, pulleys and belting, etc., to the minimum. 
 This is a point you cannot study too carefully. There is 
 great chance for economy here and a corresponding 
 chance for loss. 
 
 Fourth — If land is cheap have your laundry all upon 
 one floor. No other plan is so convenient. Arrange to 
 have your work start at a given point and keep going 
 forward until done, never turning and going over the 
 same ground twice. 
 
 Fifth-^'^hea. it is necessary to build toward the heav- 
 ens, run your work to the very top and work down. A 
 wash room upon the top floor, sa,v you? Yes, by all 
 
means; the best place in the world for it. The drainage 
 may easily be arranged so as to avoid all leakage to the 
 the floors below. The numerous smells will pass off into 
 space without annoying you or anyone else. The steam 
 will not permeate the whole building and your work will 
 come back to the office almost by gravity. This idea 
 that the wash room must be in the basement or upon the 
 ground floor is all a mistake. We will make no excep- 
 tion, unless it be that you have but two floors, and one of 
 those the basement. Then perhaps you must use the 
 basement as a wash room. 
 
 Sixth — Get your wash room as far from the office as 
 possible. The ordinary wash room oders should never 
 reach the office. 
 
 The Office. 
 
 The office is the figurehead of the business; hence it 
 demands considerable attention. There are laundry offices 
 where considerable sums of money have been expended 
 in finish and artistic decoration. Doubtless all this is an 
 excellent advertisement, and the laundryman in affluent 
 circumstances may well give free play to his fancy in the 
 embellishment of his office. Plate glass windows, with a 
 free intermingling of stained glass, paneled ceilings, car- 
 peted floor, carved hardwood counters and shelves, silver- 
 plated show cases, glass or wire screens about the desk, 
 etc. , etc. ; in short a beautiful laundry office is perfectly 
 fit and proper, but hardly a necessity. There are some 
 things, however, that are necessary. The Connecticut 
 laundryman who hung a sign in his office reading, "No 
 one will be allowed to open packages of soiled clothes in 
 this office, ' ' was doubtless more nice than wise in his 
 method of accomplishing a certain end. His object was 
 to have his oflice at all times neat, sweet and clean, so 
 
10 
 
 that the most fastidious person who entered would never 
 see or sviell anything offensive. This is the right idea. 
 Kveryone knows that there must be more or less of a dis- 
 agreeable nature about a laundry, but everything of such 
 nature should be religiously excluded from the ofiice. A 
 man may look with perfect equanimity upon his own 
 soiled linen, but when he runs up against that of another 
 — unless he be a laundryman — it is with feelings akin to 
 disgust. Therefore, soiled linen must have no place in 
 our office, or at least a very temporary place; remove it 
 as quickly as possible. We see then that while the of&ce 
 need not be extravagant in its fittings, it must be neat 
 and clean; add to this such attractiveness as conditions 
 will allow. It seems needless here to speak of office help; 
 it may be said, however, that the man who puts incom- 
 petent, impolite, heedless persons in his office, makes a 
 sad mistake. What system shall be followed in the re- 
 ception and delivery of goods over the counter, is the next 
 question. On all accounts, that of taking the name is 
 preferable. A package of lists should be upon the counter 
 or desk. The customer' sfull name is taken and put upon 
 the list and fastened securely to the bundle. Be very 
 particular in all cases to take the given name or initials, 
 so as to avoid confusion in case of similar names. If the 
 customer demands a check, take the package to the mark- 
 ing room and give him a duplicate list in lieu of a check. 
 If this could always be dohe, many claims would be 
 avoided. How often it occurs that a man leaves six col- 
 lars and in some strange manner becomes possessed with 
 the idea that he left seven, etc. , etc. The duplicate list 
 prevents such nonsense. It is also a good idea to provide 
 a desk for the use of patrons, always supplied with lists 
 and pencils, so that any customer who desires to make 
 his own list may step to the desk and do so conveniently. 
 Every list should have a coupon. In entering upon the 
 record, number the entries consecutively and place a cor- 
 
11 
 
 responding number upon the coupon, together with the 
 amount of the bill. When the package is given out, re- 
 move the coupon. This becomes your cash account, and 
 with them you may check up your record and see that 
 every package is accounted for. This takes considerable 
 time, but is exceedingly satisfactory. Another plan is to 
 give each customer a numbered check. This may include 
 a complete list of the goods left or not, as you prefer. In 
 this plan the customer's name is not necessary (it is 
 always desirable, however). The number is placed upon 
 the laundry list. When the customer calls he presents 
 his check, and you look for the package bearing the cor- 
 responding number. If the customer loses his check, 
 then the fact that you also have the name will be a con- 
 venience. In such a case the customer should receipt for 
 the goods to avoid a demand for goods when the missing 
 check turns up. In the first system the goods are ar- 
 ranged upon the shelves alphabetically; in the second 
 numerically. Packages should always be placed upon 
 the shelves in good order, and be rearranged as often as 
 necessary. Nothing looks more shiftless than to see a 
 lot of bundles sprawling all over the shelves without any 
 apparent attempt at order. One thing must be insisted 
 upon, and that is prompt and courteous attention to 
 patrons. The customer who is kept waiting needlessly 
 may not express his feelings, but he has them and may 
 decide to go where his wants will be attended to more 
 promptly. Again, a short, thoughtless answer may be as 
 hurtful as incivilty. j Prompt and polite attention pays) 
 
 Book=Keeplng. 
 
 The keeping of some sort of books is essential. Just 
 how complete the accounts should be and what system 
 should be followed, must depend upon circumstances. 
 While the larger laundries will find it advisable to employ 
 
12 
 
 book-keepers and keep a very complete and elaborate set 
 of books, the smaller establiskments cannot afford tlie 
 necessary outlay, and must of necessity reduce their sys- 
 tem of book-keeping to the point requiring the least pos- 
 sible outlay of time and labor. 
 
 Most assuredly every laundry should keep a complete 
 and accurate record book. The reasons are so obvious as 
 to need no explanation here. The record should include 
 the name of the customer in full, the date, the address — • 
 in case of delivery, a list of pieces and the amount of the 
 laundry bill. In case the coupon system is used, as 
 noted in another chapter, the book may be checked by 
 the coupons, these coupons showing in the first place the 
 amount of cash received, and in the second place afford- 
 ing a convenient method of accounting for any package 
 that passes through the laundry. 
 
 There are various record books prepared and sold by 
 different dealers in laundry supplies, most of which are 
 convenient and all are similar. Probably these books are 
 as cheap and convenient as could be prepared by the 
 laundryman himself. In case the laundryman finds it 
 necessary to do more or less credit business, this record 
 may be arranged to take the place of journal or ' 'blotter. ' ' 
 In order to do this it will be necessary to enter the goods 
 that are delivered separate from those that are delivered 
 over the counter. It is assumed that the office business 
 is very largely cash, the accounts coming for the most 
 part from the team business. In case the driver uses a 
 book the various charges may be carried directly to the 
 ledger, but this is not considered the best way. Very 
 often the original entry is called for. The driver's book 
 may not be at hand, while the record always is. The 
 record may be checked so as to get at the charges, either 
 by the driver's book or by coupon. 
 
 The author uses a record book properly ruled. All 
 shelf or office lots are entered in black ink, while the 
 
IS 
 
 delivery work is entered in red ink. This plan makes 
 the separation between office and delivery work marked, 
 so as to be shown at a glance. An extra column is pro- 
 vided, to be used in extending and footing charges. These 
 extensions are used for the purpose of balancing. This 
 column is necessary only in case of double entry book- 
 keeping. It may be added that by using this column the 
 necessity of journalizing Is largely obviated. 
 
 A very convenient ledger for the small credit business 
 may also be obtained of the supply dealers. This ledger 
 is headed with the months of the year, the entries run- 
 ning across the page rather than up and down. It is con- 
 sidered better for laundrymen to purchase these books 
 than to have them made. Hence a more full description 
 of them is unnecessary. 
 
 The larger establishments will keep a complete set of 
 books upon the double entry system, having a trial 
 balance every month, and an inventory and complete 
 balance every year. 
 
 In no other way can the laundryman have his business 
 so well in hand and not only always know whether his 
 business is profitable or not, but also just how profi- 
 table. 
 
 Collection and Delivery. 
 
 Too much attention can hardly be bestowed upon this 
 branch of the laundry business. What laundryman is 
 there that knows every customer, or does not have many 
 patrons he never sees? These come in contact with the 
 colleotion and delivery part of the business. Again, 
 what is called the ' ' drop ' ' trade grows smaller year after 
 year, and must be made up by corresponding growth in 
 team business. How important, then, that great care be 
 bestowed upon this part of the business. We need not 
 
14 
 
 particularly emphasize the necessity of neat wagons and 
 harness, good horses and gentlemanly and competent 
 drivers in uniform. 
 
 First, in regard to the so-called unique delivery vans, 
 washing machines, wash boilers, etc., niounted upon 
 wheels. Doubtless all these abominations have a cer- 
 tain advertising value (limited by time) and will have 
 their day. A neat covered wagon, nicely painted and 
 lettered and moderately ornamented, is also an adver- 
 tisement and never loses its value until old and worn 
 out, and for practical purposes is far superior to the 
 device above mentioned. The wagon should not be too 
 heavy. It is a truism that "wagons are cheaper than 
 horses." You have a wagon that just suits you. It 
 y.ears out and ceases to be what you want. You are able 
 to go to the builder and order a duplicate. Not so with 
 horses. "When your honest, faithful equine servant has 
 become broken down and disheartened . from dragging a 
 needlessly heavy van at the top of his speed, you sell 
 him for a song to the kindling wood peddler and proceed 
 to get taken in by the horse jockey. If you have a good 
 horse, cherish him as the apple of your eye, and do not 
 take the heart out of him by cruel, hard, abusive work. 
 
 The pavements of the city necessitate somewhat heavier 
 wagons than are needed in the country towns, but the 
 heaviness need not be carried to the extreme. If there 
 are horse car lines in your city, have the gears of your 
 wagons the same width as the horse car tracks. Avoid 
 wooden doors in the rear. They very materially increase 
 the draft. A wire door is better every way. There 
 should, with such doors, be a curtain upon the inside, 
 which may be lowered in wet weather. The top should 
 be of wood framework, cloth-covered. The full wood 
 tops are handsome, but increase the weight without cor- 
 responding advantages. The wood work may be carried 
 up half way at the sides if desired. The cloth sides and 
 
16 
 
 top should be renewed occasionally, which may be inex- 
 pensively done. It is best to fix upon some particular 
 style of wagon that seems to be just what you want. 
 Select some distinctive color or colors and style of letter- 
 ing, and stick to it year in and year out. If you have 
 twenty wagons, more or less, have them all exactly alike, 
 unless it be that you need a special wagon for some 
 special work to which your ordinary wagon is not adapted. 
 Think it over and see if the idea is not good. Have 
 wagons varnished twice each year. Brass trimmed har- 
 ness is the best in the long jun, easier kept in trim than 
 nickel or silver plate. Rubber is good, but not showy 
 enough. For uniform, in summer, white cap, coat (brass 
 buttons), navy blue pants; in winter navy blue 
 throughout. As your driver must buy clothing any- 
 way, he should bear his share of the cost of the 
 uniform. 
 
 The collection and delivery should be so systematized 
 as to leave little depending upon the memory of the driver, 
 and also so that if the driver is sick or leaves your em- 
 ploy some one else may step into his place. We know 
 of no better system than the following: A book is kept 
 in which is entered the names of every customer whose 
 work is usually called for. The names rhay be arranged 
 alphabetically or according to streets or trips. The day 
 upon which the call is made is entered opposite the name 
 and other particulars deemed advisable, such as mark, 
 style of finish, etc., etc. Next we will provide pieces of 
 card board, say 2)4 hy 4 inches. These may be printed 
 in blank if desired. A card will be made for each custo- 
 mer, an exact copy of the entry upon the book. These 
 cards are arranged in packages according to trip and day 
 and given to the driver, who proceeds to make his calls 
 according to the cards. Upon receiving a package the 
 proper card is tied (of secured in some way) to it. When 
 the package com&s to the marker thie list is made in 
 
16 
 
 accordance with the directions upon the card. The cards 
 are then taken to the office, checked off by the book to 
 see that all calls are made;, and rearranged in packages as 
 before for use the following week. In esse any cards are 
 lost or destroyed, the book shows the fact and new ones 
 are made. If the driver fails to return a package for each 
 card, it is quickly discovered and the reason therefor 
 obtained. In case of transient calls by telephone or 
 postal a separate book is kept. Orders are entered as 
 soon as received, a card is made and given to the driver 
 for immediate attention. These cards should be also 
 checked upon return. It frequently happens that some 
 man leaves a package at the laundry with orders to be 
 delivered. It should be the duty of the driver to secure, 
 if possible, such an one as a regular patron. A good way 
 to accomplish this is to enter the names of all such parties 
 upon the book and make cards exactly the same as if an 
 order for regular call had been received. If after one or 
 two calls are made no more work is received, the order 
 may be erased and the card destroyed. This work of 
 record and checking should be the especial duty of some 
 one and the drivers should not be allowed to meddle with 
 it. In these days of sharp competition a great deal 
 depends upon the driver. If he is a good hand to solicit 
 work in addition to his regular duties he is able in this 
 way to increase the value of his services materially. It is 
 an excellent idea to stimulate the driver to such work by 
 the payment of a moderate commission upon all new 
 trade so secured. Some drivers are what we call bundle 
 stealers. That is to say whenever and wherever they see a 
 laundry package they grab it without regard to the rights 
 or wishes of others, incltxding the owner. Often this kind 
 of meanness is done by direct order of the employer. 
 Such practice is not only dishonest but poor business 
 policy. Go for all you can legitimately, and leave sharp 
 practice to your competitors. 
 
17 
 
 The system in many laundries is to have route books 
 upon which are entered the names of the customers upon 
 the several routes. These books are given to the driver 
 and his work checked upon his return from any given 
 route. The advantages of the card system over this plan 
 may be seen at a glance. 
 
 Coming now to the delivery; there are various plans in 
 vogue. Absolutely the best is the system of charging up 
 to the driver each package he takes out and making him 
 responsible, for the same. Of course, in case more or less 
 credit is given, the system . needs modification. In such 
 case all packages are entered upon a book. Those that 
 are usually left without pay are designated in some con- 
 venient way. All other goods must be accounted for in 
 cash or returned bundles. In case of any package 
 neither returned or paid for, the amount of the bill is 
 charged to the driver, who is given a suitable time in 
 which to make his return for the same, after which, if the 
 cash is not forthcoming the amount is deducted from his 
 pay. Another plan is to have upon the delivery book a 
 blank space for the signature of the owner, to be filled 
 out upon receipt of the goods. The so-called coupon 
 system consists in having a coupon attached to each list, 
 bearing a number and amount of the laundry bill, the 
 same corresponding to the entry upon your record book. 
 Upon deUvery the driver removes the coupon and returns 
 it to the office, the sum of the coupons being the amount 
 of cash due from the driver. The record is then checked 
 by the coupons returned. This makes a very convenient 
 system, but it is faulty in several important points. The 
 same will readily occur to the reader without particular 
 mention. 
 
18 
 Drivers. 
 
 Upon the whole, there is no employe of the laundry who 
 from time to time causes so much worry and oftentimes 
 loss, as the driver. He occupies a position of peculiar 
 responsibility, standing, as he does, between the proprie- 
 tor and the patron. From the very necessities of the case 
 the laundryman is very greatly dependent upon the driver. 
 Many customers are strangers to the proprietor, while 
 they are we^ known to the driver. Hence unprincipled 
 men upon our teams are qtiite apt to consider the custom 
 of the laundry as, in a measure their stock in trade. 
 
 "I control so many customers, ' ' says the driver, 
 " hence you must pay me accordingly." Or he may say 
 to your competitor, ' ' I control so much trade, pay me my 
 price and I will hand it over to you. 
 
 This sort of thing happens frequently. What are we 
 going to do about it? In the first place, we must be ex- 
 tremely careful whom we employ as a driver. Surely the 
 conditions in the labor market are not such that we must 
 take what we can get and be content. Usually honorable 
 men are obtainable, and a strictly honorable man will not 
 steal the trade of an old employer and hand it over to the 
 new. We may also add, the. new employer, if honorable, 
 will not stoop to obtain patronage in that way. But be 
 as careful as we may, there are weak spots in our system 
 of hiring drivers. 
 
 In many lines of trade the employe who is hired to fill 
 a position of responsioility must give bonds to render 
 honest and faithful service. Why may not drivers, be 
 hired in the same way, the contract being for a specified 
 time, neither to withdraw from the contract without a 
 specified notice being given ? Then cover all the other 
 weak spots in the driver system and have the contract 
 secured by a bond of indemnity in case of violation. 
 
19 
 
 The Marking Room. 
 
 We sometimes say that the marking is the key to the 
 situation. If the work in this room is correctly done, 
 sorting out becomes an easy matter and mistakes will be 
 reduced to the minimum. Correct work in the marking 
 room means: correct counting and entering j proper 
 division of lots, and neat and legible marks upon the 
 goods. In many laundries almost any one is considered 
 good enough to work in the marking room, when the 
 packages come in they are hurried to the wash room as 
 rapidly as possible, and the result at the end is confusion. 
 It is true that as long as goods remain in the marking 
 room they are making no progress, and this should not 
 be allowed, yet ample time should be taken at this 
 point; hurry here makes delay elsewhere. 
 
 The first thing to consider is the room and its arrange- 
 ment. This must always depend upon circumstances. 
 The custom of doing the marking in the office is unwise; 
 if no other place is available there should be a curtained 
 recess, at least, where the work may be done, away from 
 the "vulgar gaze" of the public. It is, of course, a con- 
 venience tb have the marking room adjacent to the office, 
 for in some cases office help are expected to do at least a 
 portion, if not all the marking, but in large laundries, 
 where each person is engaged for some special and dis- 
 tinct line of duty, proximity to the office is not essential. 
 The marking room, however, should be so placed as to 
 insure convenience in passing the goods on to the wash 
 room. If the wash room is below, a shute may be con- 
 structed through which the goods are passed at once after 
 marking. If upon the same floor, suitable receptacles 
 should be provided in which to place the work. Boxes 
 and baskets take up room and are not wholly convenient, 
 canvas bags are better. Suitable, holders may be con 
 
20 
 
 structed to hold the bag in an upright position, with the 
 mouth wide open, when a bag is full it is easily con- 
 veyed to the wash room and another takes its place. The 
 marking room should be light and roomy. The markers 
 should stand. We know of no better arrangement than 
 tables of suitable height provided with bins underneath 
 for the reception of waste paper. Baskets or bags may 
 be used in place of bins. We know of but one way to in- 
 sure absolutely correct counting and entering, which is 
 as follows: The package is opened and. its contents 
 sorted, shirts in one place, collars in another, socks in 
 another, and so on, the goods are now counted and 
 entered upon the list, always beginning at the head of 
 the list and counting and entering in regular order as the 
 articles are named upon the list; the list is then footed 
 to get the total number of miscellaneous pieces, and the 
 goods are counted in a lump, if the two totals agree, 
 your work is proven to be correct; if there is a discrep- 
 ancy it will show and you are able to correct your work 
 before it passes out of your hands. All this takes time, 
 but in the end it pays. Now comes the marking. Each 
 piece is examined to see if it is properly marked, such 
 as are marked are thrown at once into the bags, while the 
 pieces to be marked are put together until the whole pack- 
 age has been examined. Then the marking takes place. 
 This idea of doing but one thing at a time is scouted in 
 many laundries, sometimes the counting and examina- 
 tion for marks is done at the same time and the idea of 
 proving the work is never thought of, there are hun- 
 dreds of markers so expert that they will do the work in 
 this way and so correctly that it is simply a waste of time 
 to prove the work, yet generally speaking, it is best to do 
 so. The question now arises: What system of marks is 
 the best ? Systems are numerous, some simple and some 
 complex. It would be a waste of time and space to go 
 into details in this matter. With some the full name is 
 
21 
 
 used, others use initials only, others combine numbers 
 and letters, while others use numbers exclusively. Some- 
 times, in the case of numbers, they are used in regular 
 numerical order, the first package received is marked i , 
 the second 2, and so on. It is evident that where a reg- 
 ular system is insisted upon the work becomes much more 
 arduous, and goods soon become covered with a multi- 
 tude of marks. The best system that has come to our 
 notice, except the most common, of which we shall speak 
 later on, consists in marking upon each customer's goods 
 a number prefixed by the initial of the Christian name, 
 for instance, Anderson's goods would be marked A 160, 
 Brown's B 190, Smith's S 200, etc., etc. In sorting out, 
 pigeon holes are provided and the pieces are first sorted 
 by letter, the A's are put in one place, B's in another, 
 etc. Now the sorter takes the list. Coming to Ander- 
 son's list, she knows his goods will be found in the A box, 
 accordingly she sorts out all the goods marked A 160, 
 which is likely to complete the list. The same routine is . 
 followed by Brown's and Smith's goods. It is evident 
 that there is value in this system, when we come to the 
 sorting, the sorter has nothing to remember but the 
 letters of the alphabet, and the preliminary sorting may 
 be done very rapidly. Again, if the lots are reasonably 
 small, it takes but very little time for the one with the 
 list to go to the B box and sort out Brown's goods. These 
 are the merits of the system, now for the demerits. It 
 is obvious that such a system has no value unless it is 
 strictly adhered to, there must be no exception. Brown's 
 goods may come in with every piece neatly marked 190, 
 but we must go through and attach B to every piece. 
 Thus we see that this system must of necessity entail a 
 great deal of extra work in the marking room. 
 
 A modification of this system may be followed even if 
 the letters are not used as above provided. We will sup- 
 pose that in marking such marks are used as are upon 
 
22 
 
 the goods when they came in to the marking room with- 
 out the addition of the first letter of the name; in this case 
 some goods would be marked with numbers and others 
 with letters. Now we will provide pigeon holes about 
 twelve inches square by twenty inches deep. Unless the 
 lots are unusually large, sixty pigeon holes will be suf- 
 ficient. We will number these pigeon holes something 
 as follows: i — 5, 6 — 10, 11 — 15, 16 — 20, 21 — 50, 51 — 
 100, loi — 150, etc., etc., up to, say 5,000. There begin- 
 ning with letters we will mark the boxes A-B, C-D, E-F, 
 etc., etc. In sorting anything marked any number from 
 one to five goes into the first box, from six to ten into 
 the second box, and so on. All goods marked 5,000 or 
 upwards going into the 5,000 box. Now we take our 
 lists and go to the boxes and select out the goods as im- 
 der the preceding system. It will be readily seen that 
 after a sorter becomes accustomed to the boxes, which 
 will be done quickly, the sorting may be done very 
 rapidly, probably five times as quickly as upon the table. 
 In these instructions it is assumed that the shirts and 
 other articles will be sorted in duplicate boxes or pigeon 
 holes, but if desired the boxes may be made larger and 
 one set of boxes used for all sorting. 
 
 It is seldom nowadays that a package comes to the 
 laundry which does not have in it one or more pieces 
 bearing a mark; quite frequently all pieces are marked, 
 is it not as well, then, instead of having a regular system 
 of marks, to simply use the marks upon the goods ? This 
 saves very much time, and if your lots are small, the 
 danger of getting in two or more lots of goods under the 
 same mark is slight. We have always used this system 
 and never have had any desire to change. 
 
 The majority of people do not object to an indelible ink 
 mark upon their goods, providing the marks are not too 
 numerous and are neatly put on, hence it follows that 
 markers should be capable of doing the work neatly. The 
 
23 
 
 iBgures may De perfectly legible without being large. Care 
 should be used in placing the marks where they will not 
 show when the goods are in use. Especial care is neces- 
 sary in the marking of handkerchiefs and ladies' fine 
 wearing apparel. Oftentimes goods are received which 
 cannot be marked with a pen. • In such cases nothing is 
 more convenient than the marking tags made for this 
 purpose. If you desire, however, strips of cloth may be 
 sewed upon the goods, or brass checks may be used. The 
 division of the work into lots properly comes under this 
 head. The smaller the lots the easier handled and the 
 more expeditiously the work may be turned out. Various 
 plans may be followed. One plan is to make a certain 
 number of shirts (say loo) with the other pieces that 
 come with them a lot. Another plan is to go according to 
 the hour of receipt of goods. For instance, all goods 
 coming in between 7 o'clock and 9 o'clock become one 
 lot, between 9 o'clock and 12 o'clock another, and so on 
 through each day. The advantage of this plan is the fact 
 that when a customer leaves a package he may be told 
 just when it will be ready for delivery. Another plan is 
 to divide the lots according to the team routes. It does not 
 make so very much difference which plan is followed, 
 providing the lots are not so large as to be unwieldly. 
 The nearer together the several pieces of a man's lot come 
 ihrough ready for sorting, the less time is required for 
 the sorting and the more promptly the bundles of clean 
 work may be gotten ready. Therefore it is an excellent 
 idea to bunch the collars and cuffs, i. e. , the collars and 
 cuffs of each customer are tied by themselves. For this 
 purpose a coarse cotton twine is used which is drawn 
 through the button hole (with collars the back button 
 hole should be used) and loosely tied. No more than 
 twelve to fifteen pieces should ever- be included in one 
 bunch, so if a certain man has more than that number his 
 lot is divided into two or more bunches, and in case of 
 
24 
 
 small lots, two or more may be added together. The 
 strings are not cut until the collars come to the starch 
 table, and after that a very little care will serve to keep 
 the various bunches well separated. The objection is 
 sometimes urged that this plan of bunching tends to tear 
 out the button holes. This may be true in the case of 
 old goods, but if the stringing is properly done there will 
 be very little trouble of this kind, and it is evident that 
 the saving in time is considerable, while the bundling 
 may begin as soon as the ironer starts. 
 
 Sorting and Bundling. 
 
 The method of sorting out depends very much upon 
 the method of marking in. In some cases tables only are 
 used, while others prefer the pigeon holes. This is an 
 unimportant matter. If pigeon holes are used, the lists 
 are sorted numerically or alphabetically and suspended 
 over the pigeon holes in regular order. The sorting 
 should follow the ironing as closely as possible. The 
 more quickly the goods are bundled after ironing the 
 better. Make your bundles neat and compact, using care 
 not to get the goods out of shape in bundling. Nothing 
 but the best of manilla paper should be used. 
 
 Soap. 
 
 It is a question whether or not it pays the laundryman 
 to be his own soap maker. In the case of the small 
 laundry it probably does not, but the large consumer may 
 find a saving in this way, not as large, however, as many 
 suppose. In these days of sharp competition the soap 
 maker looks rather for large sales than large margins. 
 "Quick sales and small profits" is of necessity the watch- 
 word where competition holds sway. The soap maker 
 
25 
 
 with his extensive plant and large output can of course 
 produce his commodity cheaper than the small manufac- 
 turer or laundryman. Hence the chance for saving is 
 not so large as formerly. 
 
 What is soap? We will quote from Youman: "Oils 
 and fats are saline bodies, consisting of fatty acids com- 
 bined with a common base, glycerin. When other bases, 
 as potash or soda, are made to act upon the fatty sub- 
 stances, they expel the glycerin and take its place, unit- 
 ing with the acids and forming soap. The consistency of 
 soap depends chiefly upon the alkali. Hard soaps are 
 made of soda, or a mixture of soda and potash, while in 
 soft soaps potash alone is used. The consistency of the 
 oil 'or fat also influences the quality of hardness, those 
 containing a large proportion of stearin and margarin, 
 like tallow, form hard soaps, while those in which oleine 
 predominates produce soft soap. Soap has a powerful 
 affinity for water and may retain from fifty to sixty per 
 cent, of it and still continue solid. As water has no 
 affinity for oily substances, it will not dissolve them, it 
 can only remove them from surfaces to which they. adhere. 
 The alkali of the soap acts upon the oil; partially saponi- 
 fies it, and renders it freely miscible in water, so as to be 
 easily removed. Alkalies not only act upon greasy mat- 
 ters, but dissolve all organic substances. In the case of 
 soap, the solvent power of the alkali is in part neutral- 
 ized, thus preserving both the texture and color of fabric 
 exposed to its action." 
 
 There are two common methods of making soap, i. e. , 
 the boiling process and the cold process. It is sometimes 
 claimed that the former is the only perfect process. This 
 is not true. Perfect saponification is all that can be 
 accomplished and this is done by the cold process per- 
 fectly. As in the cold process less apparatus is needed 
 and less depends upon skillful manipulation, this is the 
 proper process for laundrymen to . use, Before giving 
 
26 
 
 formula for the fabrication of soap we may profitably 
 pause for a moment and consider the merits of the various 
 alkalies and greases commonly used. Potash being a 
 vegetable alkali is the natural detergent for all vegetable 
 fabrics. Wool, alsp, containing a percentage of potash, 
 the same fact holds good in the cleansing of woolens. 
 Goods washed in properly prepared potash soaps tend to 
 be soft and pliable. Soda being a mineral substance the 
 reverse is true. Yet a properly prepared soda soap will, 
 with proper handling, produce as good results as can be 
 obtained with the potash. We may say that the reason 
 of the common use of soda may be found in economy and 
 convenience. The most satisfactory and economical re- 
 sults may be obtained by the use of a combination of pot- 
 ash and soda in about the proportion of one part of the 
 former to three parts of the latter. The somewhat com- 
 mon idea that satisfactory wool scouring cannot be per- 
 fectly done with soda soap is a mistaken notion. While 
 the potash soap is preferable, it is not necessary, in fact, 
 soda soaps will be found more generally used by woolen 
 manufacturers than any other. 
 
 Very little need be said upon the subject of fats. Pure 
 tallow long since demonstrated its right to first place in 
 value for use in soap making. This is especially true of 
 soap for laundry use. In some cases cocoanut oil is com- 
 bined with the tallow. The result is a soap that lathers 
 very freely. This is the only advantage in using the oil. 
 We will now follow with various formulae for the fabrica- 
 tion of soap. Before doing so, we note that the temper- 
 ature at which the fat and the alkali are mixed is an 
 important point. As considerable heat is produced by 
 dissolving the alkali in water, it is always best to prepare 
 this solution some little time before use. Then if neces- 
 sary it may be readily heated to the desired temperature. 
 Any formula given may be varied to produce a larger or 
 smaller batch, providing the proportions are followed. 
 
27 
 
 Formula No. i: 
 
 loo lbs. of tallow. 
 15 lbs. pure caustic soda. 
 5 lbs. pure caustic potash. 
 
 The soda and potash are dissolved in sufficient water 
 to make the total weight about 50 lbs. This alkali solu- 
 tion should test 38° (Baume). If less, add more soda or 
 potash. Having melted the tallow, let it cool to about 
 1 10" of heat. Bring the alkali to the same temperature, 
 when the two are poured together and thoroughly mixed. 
 The mixture is then poured into tubs or vats, covered up 
 with cloth, kept in a warm place for two or three days, 
 when saponification will have taken place. 
 
 Formula No. 2: 
 
 Dissolve 20 lbs. of pure caustic potash in 20 lbs. of 
 water. Melt 40 lbs. of tallow, have the alkali at about 
 80° of heat and the tallow at 110° to 120°, mix and set 
 away as before. Four to six days are required for 
 saponification. 
 
 Formula No. j : 
 
 (A mild soap, excellent for woolens. ) 
 20 lbs. caustic potash. 
 80 lbs. tallow. 
 
 Exactly the same method is followed as before. 
 
 Formula No. 4: 
 
 10 lbs. pure caustic soda. 
 
 40 lbs. water. 
 
 65 lbs. tallow. 
 Method of mixing same as before. 
 
 In soap making, purity of material is absolutely essen- 
 tial. The caustic soda used should be 98 per cent, and 
 the tallow free from salt and other impurities. As for 
 apparatus, it may be of the most crude, such as ordinary 
 
28 
 
 tubs and barrels, but it is always best to have especial ap- 
 paratus. The tallow should be melted in a jacketed ket- 
 tle, the alkali in earthen pots. The cooling or mixing 
 vats should be of galvanized iron. A hydrometer and 
 thermometer are desirable, and the best thing for the 
 mixing is a soap maker's crutch. 
 
 Soft Soap from Chips. 
 
 The neutral chip soap of commerce is more generally 
 used by laundrymen than any other. This soap, if pure 
 and of best quality, is composed of tallow and an alkali of 
 about one part caustic potash to three parts caustic soda. 
 Sometimes a small percentage of palm oil or cocoanut oil 
 is used also. These oils do not add anything to the value 
 of the soap. In fact, if any considerable portion of these 
 oils is used they detract from its value. 
 
 P'or Convenience and economy these , soaps are melted 
 and made into soft or jelly soaps by the addition of water 
 and an alkali. The alkalies are either caustic, potash, 
 caustic soda, carbonate of soda, or sal soda. 
 
 For fifty gallons of soft soap we would use about 
 twenty-five pounds of the chips, about two pounds of 
 caustic potash or the same amount of caustic soda, or five 
 pounds of the carbonate of soda. Or ten pounds of the sa) 
 soda. 
 
 The modus operandi is as follows: Dissolve the alkali 
 in say five gallons of water. Pour in the soap and draw 
 in sufficient water to cover it. Turn on steam and boil 
 slowly until the whole seems to be melted. Shut off 
 steam and start in cold water. Stir continually while 
 filling. 
 
 The best thing for .stirring is a soap maker's crutch. 
 This may be made of wood or metal. If the latter, it may 
 be made as follows- 
 
29 
 
 To the center of a flat piece of steel, copper or brass, 
 cut in oval form, say six by four inches, an upright han- 
 dle, say one-half inch in diameter, is brazed; The handle 
 should be of sufficient length to make the stirring 
 convenient. 
 
 Starch. 
 
 Starch is very common in the vegetable kingdom. 
 That procured from corn or wheat is commonly used for 
 laundry purposes. Starch is insoluble in water. It is, 
 however, composed of minute grains, if heated in water 
 to 140°, these grains burst or swell up and produce a 
 jelly-like mass. Hence the necessity of cooking. 
 
 Starch is commonly produced from the grain (corn or 
 wheat) by one of two processes: The chemical process 
 (so called) or the unchemicalled. The starch commonly 
 sold by the grocer is of the former process, but for laun- 
 dry purposes the latter has been found preferable. It 
 usually has a slight acidity, hence does not conflict with 
 the use of aniline colors, while with the unchemicalled 
 process the opposite is true. 
 
 There is a difference of opinion as to the relative merits 
 of wheat and corn starch. The latter has the merit -of 
 cheapness, costing generally about one-half as much as 
 wheat starch. Where stiffness alone is sought after, the 
 corn starch will be the most satisfactory, while for the 
 very best results wheat starch is without doubt superior. 
 This applies to color, finish and flexibility. The lattei 
 quality is very desirable and is exceedingly difficult to 
 obtain with corn starch, while with wheat it comes 
 naturally. 
 
 There is also a difference of opinion as to the time 
 starch should be boiled. We have seen that the grains 
 swell and burst at 140°. Hence, as the boiling point is 
 312°, it would seem that a very slight boiling would suf- 
 
30 
 
 fice. This is undoubtedly true, yet a longer boiling can 
 do no harm, and it also increases the strength of the 
 mixture by evaporation. There need be no fear, how- 
 ever, of using starch that has not been boiled to exceed 
 ten minutes. 
 
 The common plan of cooking starch is to mix in luke- 
 warm water to about the consistency of cream and then 
 pour into boiling water. This plan works satisfactorily 
 if the pouring is done slowly, and is carefully stirred in. 
 Unless considerable care is taken the mass is likely. to be 
 lumpy. The best plan is to heat the full amount of 
 water to about 80°, put in the starch and mix thoroughly, 
 turn on steam and keep stirring until it begins to boil. 
 
 As to the relative merits of live steam turned into the 
 starch or the use of a jacketed kettle little need be said. 
 The former is satisfactory providing care is taken to re- 
 move the condensation before the steam enters the starch. 
 Usually the kettle will be found the most satisfactory. 
 
 The next question is, what shall be used for the gloss. 
 A great "many different things are used, white wax, 
 Japanese wax, spermaceti, paraffine, tallow, lard, borax, 
 combinations of borax and gum arable, combinations of 
 glue, glycerine and oxide of zinc. These are a few of 
 the many. The most convenient of all is kerosene oil. 
 Where this is used the odor is quite strong before the 
 goods are dry. After drying it is not noticeable. It 
 gives a very pretty finish, the gloss depending upon the 
 amount used. Try kerosene oil. 
 
 As to the amount of starch to use per gallon of water, 
 no invariable rule is possible. Starches vary in strength, 
 hence the proper amount to use of any given starch must 
 be determined by experiment. Approximately we may 
 say the proper amount will be from three-fourths of a 
 pound to one pound of starch to each gallon of water. 
 
 Nowadays starching is so universally done by machin- 
 ery that rules for the use of starch are needless. We may 
 
31 
 
 say, however, that trouble often comes from the water 
 being imperfectly extracted from the goods. See that the 
 wringing is perfectly done. In case the centrifugal 
 moves at the rate of i , 200 times per minute, shirts, col- 
 lars and cuffs, and other starched goods should be wrung 
 at least ten minutes. 
 
 To test the comparative strength of different starches, 
 cook, of each a small amount, using the exact weight of 
 water and starch in each case and the same length of 
 time in cooking. Pour into common bowls. In the 
 meantime prepare small pieces of tin of about one-half the 
 diameter of the bowl. When the starch has become cold 
 (thickened) , place a tin upon the top of each and ascer- 
 tain the weight the starch will sustain by placing small 
 weights upon the pieces of tin until it begins to sink, into 
 the starch. Another test and generally used by buyers: 
 Place a small lump of starch upon the tongue and let it 
 dissolve gradually in the moisture of the mouth. A weak 
 starch will dissolve away very quickly, while a strong 
 starch will adhere to the tongue for some little time. 
 
 NOTE. 
 
 The necessity of having pure water for best results in starch 
 making is perhaps not fully understood. The purer the water 
 the clearer the starch and the more satisfactory the work done. 
 Water that looks clear to the unaided eye may be very Impure, 
 and oftentimes filtered water, while having no impurities of any 
 account in suspension, may retain enough of "poor color" to 
 detract from the quality of your work The best agent to use 
 for the clearing of water is alum. The amount necessary de- 
 pends somewhat upon the quality of water to be treated. One 
 ounce to 30 gallons of water will probably be suflS.cient in any 
 case. Suitable tanks should be provided so that the water may 
 be prepared in advance of the time of use. As a test, on Satur- 
 day draw into a clean barrel sufficient water for use in starch 
 making the following Monday. Stir in the alum, and on Monday 
 use this water exclusively. Always strain your starch through 
 cloth before use. 
 
32 
 
 W^ater. 
 
 Of the importance of pure water in the laundry little 
 need be said; it is obvious to all. Water is a compound 
 of eight parts, by weight, of oxygen to one of hydrogen. 
 Water evaporates at all temperatures, boils at 212°, and 
 freezes at 32°; a gallon of water weighs ten pounds. 
 Water is perfectly neutral; its perfect neutrality enables 
 it to take on the properties of other substances. The sol- 
 vent power is variable upon different substances and at 
 different temperatures. Heat increases the solvent power 
 of water (generally). As water dissolves a little of 
 nearly every substance with which it comes in contact, it 
 is never found perfectly pure in nature. Rain water is 
 the purest that nature produces, but becomes very quickly 
 contaminated, except under tne most favorable conditions. 
 The mineral impurities of well and spring water are, for 
 the most part, lime, magnesia, soda, and oxide of iron. 
 The most universal ingredients are carbonate and sul- 
 phate ot lime. A single grain of sulphate of lime will 
 convert 2,000 gallons of soft into hard water. Soap put 
 into hard water will, not dissolve, but curdles or is decom- 
 posed, and a new soap is formed which rises to the sur- 
 face in a greasy scum. This is what we generally 
 designate as lime curd. The organic impurities of water 
 are too numerous to mention. Usually water thus impure 
 may be rendered sufficiently pure for laundry use by 
 Alteration and coagulation. The latter is usually accom- 
 pUshed by the use of alum. This method requires 
 extreme care, as the alum tends to make the water hard. 
 Boiling precipitates carbonate of .lime, and will also, to 
 some extent, precipitate sulphate of lime. Water con- 
 taining carbonate of lime is sometimes designated as 
 temporarily hard, that containing the sulphate as perma- 
 nently hard. 
 
33 
 
 From the foregoing we see that the water problem is 
 not so simple as one would naturally suppose. While, 
 perhaps, in many places the water approximates purity 
 so closely as to require no special attention in the great 
 majority of cases, it should receive the most careful study. 
 Water that is perfectly -clean and beautiful to look upon 
 may be so filled with lime as to be totally unfit for laun- 
 dry use, while water apparently soft and good may con- 
 tain some impurity which troubles the laundryman while 
 he looks in vain for the source of his trouble and gropes 
 in the dark vainly for a remedy. The old recipe for 
 cooking a rabbit began as follows: "First catch your 
 rabbit." So we should say to laundrymen: First under- 
 stand your water. We might fill pages with various 
 theories for the testing and purification of water; but, 
 after all, the wisest plan for each to follow is to obtain a 
 chemical analysis of the water he must use. After that 
 there is no working in the dark. The malady is clearly 
 fixed. The remedy needs only to be applied. 
 
 In the great majority of cases, even when to appearance 
 the water is clear and good, some system of filteration is 
 at least desirable. There is no difiiculty about filteration. 
 Any one may construct a filter which will metamorphose 
 water of the mud puddle to water as clear as flows in the 
 mountain stream. The trouble lies in constructing a 
 filter that may be readily cleaned. A filtering bed that 
 cannot be frequently washed and purified soon becomes 
 an abomination; hence it is hardly worth while to exper- 
 iment with home-made apparatus. We know of no 
 system so complete and convenient as the Hyatt system. 
 In this system, by a simple manipulation of valves, the 
 filtering material is thrown entirely out of the filter and 
 is washed and then settles back into place, receiving a 
 second wash while in transit. It is unnecessary to say 
 that the result is thorough and satisfactory; in fact the 
 same material, after years of use, seems as effective as at 
 
34 
 
 the start. Very many filtering systems depend for their 
 efficacy upon what is called the reverse current wash. 
 While this is without doubt, in a measure, effective, no 
 system is perfect that does not permit of the whole filter- 
 ing material being qliickly removed. This is only ac- 
 complished in the Hyatt system, the time required being 
 very slight. It is wrong to suppose that the Hyatt can 
 only be cleansed by this throwing out of the material ; 
 the reverse current wash may also be used. Hence this 
 system supplies two methods of cleansing, while others 
 depend upon the reverse current alone. 
 
 Coming now to the softening of water, here again the 
 chemical analysis is the first step to betaken. This not 
 only reveals the cause of the hardness, but enables you 
 exactly to determine what purifying agent is needed and 
 the amount of the same. The usual method of softening 
 water is by the use of caustic soda, this being both 
 effective and economical. Water should always be soft- 
 ened upon a large scale. L,et us suppose you are pump- 
 ing your water from au artesian well, which is hard from 
 the presence of lime. You will supply yourself with two 
 or more tanks, the number and capacity depending upon 
 the amount of water u.sed. Your pipes and valves will 
 be so arranged that you can pump into either and draw 
 from either at will. Your analysis enables you to ascer- 
 tain the exact amount of soda per gallon of water 
 required. Your number one tank holds, we will say, 
 1,000 gallons of water, and, therefore, when full, you in- 
 troduce the exact amount of soda necessary. Precipita- 
 tion takes place very quickly, and you can commence 
 using from this tank. In the meantime you turn your 
 supply into tank number two, which is filled and treated 
 wnik the water in number one is being used. In follow- 
 ing this system there is no delay. The water is always 
 ready when wanted, and there may be an exactness about 
 your work that is certainly desirable. Of course you 
 
35 
 
 can throw caustic soda into your tanks and washing 
 machines haphazard if you so desire, but such a plan is, 
 to say the least, faulty. Usually auxilliary tanks are 
 provided, the softening tanks being used for that purpose 
 alone. The object of this is to enable you to heat one or 
 more tanks of water for immediate use, thereby saving 
 the expense of live steam. 
 
 When water is hard from carbonate of lime alone the 
 lime system of softening is commonly used. In this case 
 a certain amount of lime is held in solution with carbonic 
 acid. If we add more lime the acid refuses to take it up 
 and precipitation takes place. It is evident that in follow- 
 ing this system there must be exactness, else a portion of 
 the lime will remain in the water and the last condition 
 will be worse than the first. In using lime, exactly the 
 same modus operandi may be followed as with the use of 
 soda, but frequent tests are necessary to make sure that 
 the precipitation is being properly done. Upon the 
 whole, the caustic soda system of softening water is con- 
 sidered preferable for laundry purposes, providing the 
 hardness comes from the presence of lime alone. 
 
 It may be added that boiling will sometimes soften 
 water. In this case the lime rises to the top in the form 
 of scum. We may pump our water through a heater 
 which is sufficiently large and effective to raise the water 
 to or above the boiling point (212°). It is then conveyed 
 to tanks and for use is passed through a filter. 
 
 The filtering system, to which allusion is made on page 33 is also 
 operated with a filter having a method of reversing the current and 
 washing in sections. This system is highly esteemed where used. 
 An aliun tank is also included in each plant set up. The use of 
 alum is sometimes necessary, but may be used or not, as the user 
 desires. The arrangement of pipes and valves is such that the flow 
 of alum may be regulated to a nicety. 
 
36 
 
 Caustic Soda. 
 
 We unhesitatingly pronounce this article of commerce 
 the bane of the laundry business. No other agent ever 
 used in the laundry is guilty of so many crimes as is 
 caustic soda, and it should never be used except to soften 
 water. To those who look upon it as a useful and harm- 
 less detergent under proper use, our ground may seem 
 somewhat extreme. Nevertheless, we believe we are 
 correct. Caustic soda is an extremely active agent. It 
 is never idle. If it can get hold of anything of a greasy 
 or oily nature to work upon it is satisfied, but in the 
 absence of such matters it will work upon something else, 
 and in the laundry that something else is the customers' 
 clothing. If caustic soda must be used it should be used 
 sparingly and carefully. In regard to its use in the soap 
 barrel and the bleach vat we shall speak later on. 
 
 Carbonate of Soda or Soda 
 5tsh. 
 
 This is a useful article in the laundry and an excellent 
 detergent of considerable strength and very little corro- 
 sive quality. It is also comparatively cheap. The cus- 
 tom among laundrymen of buying neutral soap — so 
 called — makes the use of some alkali necessary, either 
 caustic soda, potash, soda ash, carbonate of soda or sal 
 soda. We believe carbonate of soda to be the best for 
 the purpose, combining, as it does, usefulness with lack 
 of harmful quality. 
 
37 
 
 Sal Soda. 
 
 This article is very largely used in laundries but has 
 very little merit. We incline to the opinion that clothing 
 washed in soap containing a large percentage of sal soda 
 tends very strongly to yellowness. The caustic soda 
 carefully used is preferable, and the carbonate of soda 
 better on all accounts. Some misunderstanding may- 
 arise from the fact that we make a distinction between 
 soda ash, sal soda and carbonate of soda, while each are 
 sold under the head of soda carbonate. The sal soda of 
 commerce, as we understand it, is commonly called by 
 chemists "soda crystals," it is usually very impure and 
 contains a large percentage of water. The soda ash is 
 the crude carbonate which has been evaporated to dry- 
 ness. It is a powerful detergent and costs about two 
 cents per pound in quantities. When we speak of car- 
 bonate of soda we allude to what is sometimes called con- 
 centrated soda, and is the corbonate in its purest form, 
 costing about two and one-half cents per pound. 
 
 Turpentine. 
 
 Turpentine has its place in the laundry. It is useful 
 in removing soap specks, also in removing many stains. 
 It is also used as a detergent, haying also somewhat of a 
 bleaching effect. A small amount may be added to each 
 wash with the soap, or it may be incorporated with the 
 soap. To forty or fifty gallons of soft soap, use one pint 
 of turpentine well stirred in before the soap cools. 
 
 Jtmmonla. 
 
 Ammonia is a powerful detergent and has considerable 
 utility in the laundry. It is sometimes incorporated with 
 
38 
 
 the soap, but owing to its extremely volatile nature the 
 full benefit is not thus obtained. The better plan is to 
 use a little, clear, in each wash. 
 
 In washing woolens, if a neutral soap is used, the addi- 
 tion of a little ammonia will be found advantageous. 
 
 Borax. 
 
 It is one of the best of alkalies, but too expensive for 
 very general use. It may be used, however, to good ad- 
 vantage in the washing of woolens. 
 
 Marking Ink. 
 
 An excellent marking ink is made as follows: A lump 
 of drop black ground in Japan the size of an English wal- 
 nut is liquified by the use of turpentine. The liquid 
 should be of the consistency of molasses. Mix this 
 thoroughly with one pint of asphaltum varnish. Thin 
 to the proper consistency for use with crude carbolic acid. 
 
 VSTashing. 
 
 It is said that the washing of fabrics is partly chemical 
 and partly mechanical action. While we do not consider 
 this an exact diagnosis of the case, the theory is unim- 
 portant. The main point is results. It is well to remem- 
 ber, however, 'certain particulars. In washing, soap is 
 the solvent. Water is the vehicle through which the 
 solvent is applied, and also serves to carry away the dirt 
 (we know of no plainet or more proper term to use) after 
 it becomes detached from the fabric. Generally speaking, 
 the solvent is more active in moderately warm water than 
 in cold or hot water. This statement may be disputed. 
 At all events, we know that gll wearing apparel is more 
 
39 
 
 or less stained by the exudations from the skin and by 
 coming in contact with matters outside. Heat so operates 
 upon many of these stains as to make them become ' 'fast' ' 
 or fixed to the fibre. Hence, soiled goods should never 
 be subjected to heat until the detergent has had abundant 
 time to loosen all soil and stains.* The object of heat in 
 washing is to open up the fibre to allow the dissolved 
 matters to escape. When the power of the chemical ( i. e. , 
 soap) has been sufficiently applied, the detersive liquid 
 (z. <?., suds) will have become filled with the matters re- 
 moved from the fabrics being operated upon, held for the 
 most part in suspension. This liquid is allowed to go to 
 waste, taking away with it- the dirt removed from the 
 goods. The object of rinsing is to remove the residue of 
 dirt. Hence the rinsing must continue until the goods 
 are saturated with clean water rather than dirty. Theo- 
 retically this point is a difficult one to reach. Practically, 
 from three to five rinsings will be found sufficient for ap- 
 proximation. Obviously if goods in flie process of scour- 
 ing are plunged from a hot bath to a cold one, the fibre 
 will be immediately contracted, so much so as to prevent 
 the free passing out of the matters that have been loos- 
 ened by the solvent. Therefore it is plain that after the 
 goods have been once subjected to heat, the same temper- 
 ature should be maintained until the washing operation is 
 completed.* 
 
 The first step in washing operations is to sort the goods 
 tobe washed as follows: Shirts and other white goods, 
 into much soiled and slightly soiled lots. In large laun- 
 dries three distinctions are sometimes made, i, e. , slightly 
 soiled, considerably soiled and much soiled. Collars and 
 cuffs are not generally sorted, except from other goods, it 
 being best, in so far as possible, to handle them separately. 
 Underwear, colored goods, etc., are sorted as follows: 
 Siiirts, collars and cuffs and other cotton and linen goods 
 of fast colors, weak or suspicious colors, ordinary under- 
 
 *See page 43. 
 
40 
 
 wear, all wool goods. We will consider first the washing 
 of collars and cuffs. First, run ten to fifteen minutes in 
 clear cold or slightly warm water. The more dirt there 
 is to be removed the more of the solvent (soap) is neces- 
 sary, it is certain that clear water will rinse away consid- 
 erable of the dirt adhering to the goods, hence it is con- 
 sidered wise to use this clear water. It can do no hurt 
 and beyond question is a benefit. lyukewarm water is 
 now drawn in and sufficient soap to make a good live 
 suds. The wash should be closely watched. If at any 
 time there seems to be a tendency on the part of the suds 
 to fall away, more soap should be added. This operation 
 should be carried on for from thirty to forty-five minutes, 
 depending upon the amount of dirt to be removed. (In 
 case of goods only slightly soiled twenty minutes will be 
 found sufficient.) The water is gradually heated, care 
 being taken not to raise it to the point of ebullition until 
 at the end. There is no benefit in boiling goods. In 
 fact, continued boiling tends to weaken and discolor the 
 fabric, but the last five minutes of washing may profitably 
 be done in very hot water. Now follow with three hot 
 rinses and one cold. Some dispense with the fourth rinse 
 and use hot water only. We favor the cold rinse and in 
 experience find it advantageous. We must remove the 
 solvent as well as the dirt, and cold water will do this 
 more quickly than hot. The only object of the hot water, 
 as we have seen, is to hold the fibre well open until the 
 dirt is carried away.* The next step is the bleach. For 
 this purpose pure chloride of lime solution is used, the 
 amount and time depending upon the strength of our 
 solution. If prepared by mixing ten pounds of drj' chlo- 
 ride of lime in forty gallons of water, two to four quarts 
 and fifteen to twenty minutes will be found sufficient. In 
 this operation we start and run in cold or lukewarm water. 
 At the end (say the last five minutes), full steam is turned 
 on and the solution heated as quickly as possible and to 
 
 • See page 43. 
 
41 
 
 considerable heat. The object of this is to discharge the 
 chlorine and get the full benefit of it. We now rinse once 
 and then sour. The sour may be sulphuric (cheapest), 
 muriatic, oxalic or acetic (least harmful) acid. This is 
 usually done in cold water, though some claim a better 
 result from the use of hot sour. If oxalic acid is used, 
 we should recommend the hot sour, otherwise not. The 
 sour should continue at least ten minutes. Regarding 
 the necessary amount of acid this depends, of course, upon 
 the kind used. The best plan is to ascertain the exact 
 amount necessary of the kind used to produce in the water 
 a slightly 'acid taste. Of course a more accurate plan 
 would be to fix the amount by chemical test, but this is 
 hardly necessary. The sour is followed by three rinses, 
 which may be either hot or cold. We usually recommend 
 one hot and two cold. Finally comes the blue. This is 
 always a matter of taste, yet we think laundrymen more 
 frequently use too much than too little blue. The goods 
 should show when dry a slightly blue tint when held be- 
 tween the eye and the light. In such case when lying 
 upon the table they will look perfectly white. Many pre- 
 fer a stronger tint, but to the general trade we think the 
 lesser will be more satisfactory. There are many blues 
 in the market of such a nature that good results may be 
 had without the use of sour. Where pure aniline colors 
 are used the sour seems to be a necessity, and from a 
 chemical standpoint it is always advisable to use a sour 
 after chlorine has been used, the acid serving to neutralize 
 the corrosive effect of the chlorine, and to carry away the 
 matter dissolved by the chlorine. 
 
 In washing shirts no better results are obtainable than 
 by following exactly the same routine as in the case of 
 collars and cuffs. Of late years the so-called soft bleaches 
 of commerce have come into quite general use («. e., Chlo- 
 rozone. Diamond Bleacher and Washer, etc. , etc. ) While 
 we are not advocates of thede various chlorine and alkali 
 
42 
 
 solutions, there is in their use considerable of economy in 
 time and convenience. In their use the bleaching may 
 be made a separate operation as in the case of chloride of 
 lime, but as their object is primarily to permit of the 
 bleaching and washing being done at one and the same 
 time, it is advisable that they be so used. Hence it fol- 
 lows that after the suds and the three or four rinses we 
 come at once to the sour and then rinse and blue as in the 
 case of collars and cuflFs. The same general principles as 
 previously described obviously apply to the washing of 
 shirts by the soft bleach process. Coming now to the 
 colored goods, such as shirts, collars and cufiFs, the same 
 system is followed with the following modifications: — 
 First, the suds is not carried to an extreme heat. Second, 
 the bleach and sour are very much reduced or entirely 
 cut out. We have found that if care is taken in the sort- 
 ing of the goods (removing blues and other weak colors) 
 a weak bleach may be used with safety and certainly to 
 good advantage as far as results are concerned. Weak 
 colors are generally washed by hand. A machine may 
 be used, however, but a mild soap is necessary, and at no 
 time must the water be very hot. Ordinary underwear 
 (exclusive of all wool goods) needs very thorough wash- 
 ing. We know of no better plan than to follow the 
 system as given for white goods, cutting off the one cold 
 rinse, the bleach, the sour, the blue and the intermediate 
 rinses. Finish with a hot rinse and don't blue. The 
 handling of woolens will be treated in another place. 
 
 While the wringing is essentially a part of the washing 
 process, -very little more need be said upon the subject. 
 However, very thorough wringing is necessary. It is 
 presumed' that most laundrymen use the centrifugal 
 wringer. About 1,200 turns per minute is the usual 
 speed at which these wringers are run. At this speed all 
 starched goods should be run in the wringer from eight to 
 ten minutes, at a higher speed a trifle less time will 
 
43 
 
 sufiBce, and at a less speed more time is necessary. The 
 great advantage of thorough wringing may be easily 
 demonstrated. Run one lot six minutes and another lot 
 ten. In starching and finishing follow the same course 
 with each, and note carefully the result in each case. 
 
 Since the foregoing was written the opinion of laundry- 
 men has changed somewhat, relative to the value of the 
 hot rinse. It is claimed that while heat does expand, it 
 expands material, not space; hence the hot rinse has an 
 effect contrary to that heretofore claimed. In other 
 words, the heat expands the material and therefore closes 
 up the interstices; hence the material we wish to get rid 
 of in rinsing passes away more slowly in the hot rinse, 
 and less effectually, than in the cold. A little study of 
 this matter seems to prove the ground well taken, and 
 results in doing away with the hot rinse entirely.* 
 
 There has been recently an effort on the part of laun- 
 drymen to reduce the time of washing. This effort is 
 based upon the belief that the old system is needlessly 
 long. It is evident that a short or quicker system of 
 washing is preferable, providing equally good results are 
 obtained. The wear upon goods in the wash is consider- 
 able, and by reducing the time we save a portion of this 
 .wear. Of course, the saving in time is valuable, and 
 there is also a saving in water which in many cases is a 
 desideratum. t The following is given as a quick system: 
 I St. Run for five minutes in cold or slightly warmed 
 
 water. 
 2d. Draw into the machine of lukewarm water enough 
 to just cover the goods; put in sufficient soap to 
 make a good suds, but not enough to foam over; 
 turn on full steam, start the machine, and run 
 twenty to twenty-five minutes, or until the suds is 
 boiling hot. There must be a good suds all the 
 time, hence it may be necessary to add soap from 
 time to time. 
 
 ♦This is nol conclusive. The real value of the hot rinse is in the fact that 
 thus the soap is held in solution until the rinsing is completed. 
 fSee page 45. 
 
44 
 
 3d. Rinse once in cold water. 
 
 4th. Bleach ten to twenty minutes. 
 
 5tli. Rinse once in cold water. 
 
 6tli. Sour and blue in same water. 
 
 7tli. Rinse one or more times for color. 
 
 This process may be shortened somewhat by using the 
 bleach with the soap, a soft bleach being necessary for 
 this purpose. It is also claimed that if the goods are 
 properly sorted before the wash, the comparatively clean 
 from the dirty. In those loads containing the clean 
 work the bleach may be left out entirely. This is the 
 system usually followed when the various cleansing pow- 
 ders (advertised) are used. 
 
 Ncvsr INAethod of Washing. 
 
 A new system of washing for which much is claimed 
 is as follows: 
 
 The goods are first run in clear cold water for fifteen 
 minutes. This water is drawn off and water . either cold 
 or slightly warmed is drawn to a depth of one to two 
 inches in the inside cylinder. It will be noticed that this 
 is very much less water than is generally used, and this is 
 where the system differs essentially from other systems, 
 the usual depth of water being from six to eight inches! 
 Soap is now introduced and the goods are run with a 
 slight inflow of steam. After about ten minutes intro- 
 duce the bleach (soft) and continue running and gradu- 
 ally heating for twenty to thirty minutes. Then open 
 steam wide and let it run so for five minutes. Next scald 
 in a suds of neutral soap. Rinse and finish up as usual. 
 
 Any of the ordinary soft bleaches may be used, or a 
 bleach may be prepared by using one part of chloride of 
 lime to two parts of sal soda. For instance, fifteen 
 
45 
 
 pounds chloride of lime, thirty of sal soda, fifty gallons 
 of water. Twenty pounds of carbonate of soda maj? be 
 used in place of the sal soda. One gallon ot this bleach 
 will be sufficient for one hundred shirts, or their equiva- 
 lent in other goods. 
 
 The tendency of recent years has been to decrease the 
 time in washing and the number of waters used. If we 
 admit that the washing process is more chemical than 
 mechanical, this tendency may not be in the direction of 
 progress. We know that laundries having to do with 
 new work alone take very much more time in the wash- 
 ing process than does the average custom laundry. It is 
 generally supposed that the stock laundryman, so called, 
 has a more accurate knowledge of his business than the 
 average custom laundryman; hence it may be fair to con- 
 clude that he is nearer right in his process than the other. 
 
 Again, there is a tendency to cut short the sour, and 
 in some cases to leave it out entirely. This matter has 
 been spoken of in another place. If we refer again to 
 the stock laundry, we will find there that more time and 
 care are given to the sour than to the bleach. 
 
 Again, we find that the custom of using an alkali at 
 the beginning of the washing process is, in the stock 
 lavtndry, universal. This alkali solution is prepared by 
 the use of either caustic soda or caustic potash, and is 
 generally of 30° (Baume) strength. With these facts in 
 view, the following system is proposed to those whose 
 aim is exclusively fine work, and who can afford the time 
 required: 
 
 ist. Run 15 to 20 in alkalrwater, cold or only slightly 
 warmed, about one pint of the alkali solution being used 
 to each 50 shirts. 
 
 2nd, Suds. One hour. The suds is started with the 
 water at about 100°, care being taken to hold this tem- 
 perature until the last few minutes, when steam may be 
 turned on, but there should be no boiling. 
 
46 
 
 3rd. Bleach 15 minutes, temperature not over 100°. 
 It is assumed that soft bleach will be used; if not, one or 
 more rinses should come between the suds and bleach. 
 
 4th. Three or more rinses. 
 
 5th. Sour, 30 minutes; temperature, 100° to 120°. 
 
 6th. Two or more rinses. 
 
 7th. Blueing. 
 
 Washing Without Bleach. 
 
 It is sometimes said by lauudrymen: "If we could 
 only do nice work without the use of bleach, our troubles 
 would come to an end." This is not altogether true. In 
 the first place the use of bleach under proper conditions 
 and with proper care is not particularly harmful; or, per- 
 haps more correctly speaking, is so slightly harmful as to 
 be of no great importance. In the second place, fault 
 finding is of necessity, an adjunct of our business. I/Ct 
 the laundryman be ever so discreet in the use of chemi- 
 cals, let him exercise all possible care in the handling of 
 goods, yet there will always be some to claim that their 
 goods are too rapidly worn out. The reasons for this are 
 too obvious to require particular mention. Rest assured, 
 this kind of complaint will follow the laundryman until 
 he "wraps the drapery of his couch about him and lies 
 him down to pleasant dreams, ' ' in eternity. Thus we 
 may argue that the first thing for the laundryman to do 
 is to be sure that his work is good. 
 
 As a laundryman recently said: "My first point is to 
 turn out work that suits myself. If I succeed in doing 
 this I shall suit the great majority. In order to do so I 
 may be obliged to use considerable bleach. Well and 
 good, I will use it. My customers may complain that I 
 wear out their goods, but they cannot complain that the 
 
47 
 
 work is not well done. When I reach this point, then I 
 may very carefully work to reduce the use of chemicals 
 to the minimum." This is a sensible view of the case. 
 Good work first, reform in methods (in so far as the use 
 of chemicals is concerned) second. 
 
 But may not good work be done without the use of 
 bleach? The answer to this must "not be too explicit. It 
 is generally maintained that when work is dried indoors, 
 some considerable bleaching is necessary. "We incline to 
 that opinion. Sometimes men who claim to be honest 
 say that they are doing good work without the use of 
 bleach. For instance, a certain laundryman rings the 
 changes upon this claim year in and year out, and flat- 
 ters himself that he is a man of veracity. But he uses 
 oxalic acid and lots of it. It will strike the average 
 reader that the advantage in this case is more imaginary 
 than real. First, the acid is not as effective. Second, it is 
 more expensive than chlorine. Third, it is fully as harm- 
 ful if not more so. Again, we find a man who makes the 
 claim of no bleach and yet good work, who actually does 
 not use the chlorine or the acid. But the trouble in his 
 case is in the two words, good work. It may seem good 
 to him, and it may suit his trade. If so, that is enough, 
 but this ' ' good work ' ' will not pass muster in many 
 places. If you will examine the work of the best custom 
 laundry with that of the best stock laundry, you will find 
 a striking similarity between the two in color and clear- 
 ness. Yet the latter work has only reached its state of 
 perfection by the use of bleach, even though the fabric of 
 which the goods are made is bleached before it comes to 
 the manufacturer, and he has not the stains of wear to 
 contend against. 
 
 The geiieral public has been educated up to the de- 
 mand for such work, and unless the laundryman can 
 meet the demand he will not have large success. There- 
 fore we claim that A No. i laundry work can only be 
 
48 
 
 done with the use of bleach to a greater or less 
 extent. 
 
 Fairly good work, however, may be done without 
 bleach. We would advise a trial of the following plan : 
 
 First — Soak the goods in an alkaline bath (pearl ash or 
 soda ash) for fifteen to thirty minutes. 
 
 Second — Give a thorough washing, beginning with 
 lukewarm water and gradually heating up to about 212°, 
 taking from thirty to forty-five minutes for the operation. 
 Use a pure tallow soap with only slight causticity, and 
 for a load of fifty shirts or their equivalent in other goods 
 use eight ounces of turpentine. 
 
 Third — The goods are given a scald in hot water, using 
 a little neutral soap and borax, after which the rinsing is 
 very thoroughly done (four to six different baths) ; then 
 blue, wring out, starch and dry as quickly as possible. 
 If a sour of oxalic acid is used, the work will be much 
 improved, but this has the same objections as a bleach. 
 Camphene or kerosene oil are sometimes used instead of 
 the turpentine. 
 
 AVashing W^oolens. 
 
 From the standpoint of experience we make the state- 
 ment that satisfactory washing of woolens lies in the use 
 of pure materials and keeping them at a uniform temper- 
 ature throughout the process. "Satisfactory" means 
 that the woolens shall not be "fulled" (shrunk), and 
 that they shall be clean and soft. The detergent should 
 always be a pure neutral soap, but in addition borax or 
 ammonia may be used, preferably the former. As to 
 the soap used, whether it shall be one having potash as 
 its alkaline base or one having soda is a much disputed 
 question. Great claims are made for the former, and 
 while we in a measure advocate potash soaps we do not 
 in experience find all these claims substantiated. It is 
 
49 
 
 true, without doubt, that potash is the natural detergent 
 for use in wool scouring. It is true that potash has a 
 less corrosive effect upon wool fibres than soda, but it is 
 also true that woolens will often shrink when handled in 
 potash soap», and it is not true that woolens handled in 
 soda soap must of necessity shrink and become harsh. 
 
 Woolens are usually washed by hand, but they may 
 be washed in the machine if sufficient care is taken and 
 the same general rules followed as in hand washing. 
 Woolens, however, should not be manipulated more than 
 necessary; hence the machine washing is more likely to 
 cause shrinkage than hand washing. Our method of 
 washing woolens is as follows: A suds is made in water 
 heated to about ioo° Fahrenheit by the use of neutral 
 soap and borax. The several garments are then taken, 
 one at a time, and soap is rubbed upon the more soiled 
 parts. The goods are then saturated in the suds, each 
 piece rolled up by itself, placed in the suds and allowed 
 to soak for from one to three hours. The object of soak- 
 ing is to avoid rubbing as much as possible. After soak- 
 ing, another tub of water (clear) is prepared of the same 
 temperature as the first. The goods are now thoroughly 
 shaken out in the suds. When necessary they are 
 rubbed upon the board and then rinsed in the tub of 
 clear water. They are now wrung out in the centrifugal 
 and dried quickly. I have never known woolens to 
 shrink when handled in this way. It is sometimes 
 desirable to give woolens more rinsing, but where pure 
 material is used it is not necessary. A soap containing 
 some palm or cocoanut oil is excellent for wool washing. 
 A soap containing rancid fats should never be used. 
 
 Hand-power machines may be used to good advan- 
 tage in washing woolens. 
 
 There is no good reason why laundrymen should not 
 increase their receipts by the cleansing of woolen trou- 
 sers. The first step is to examine each pair for spots, 
 
50 
 
 which are removed by turpentine, benzine and other 
 solvents. They are then washed exactly as a wool shirt 
 would be washed, after which they are wrung, turned 
 wrong side out, well shaken and hung in the dry room. 
 In pressing, if you cannot afford a pressman, contract 
 with some tailor to do the work for you. It is important 
 that the pressing should be well done. Trousers handled 
 in this way look as good as new and will give better sat- 
 isfaction than the ordinary tailor job. It is sometimes 
 considered a good idea to remove flannels from the dry 
 room before perfectly dry. They are then neatly folded, 
 smoothed by hand and hung in again. When dry they 
 are ready to go out, no further pressing being necessary. 
 Upon the whole, however, it will be found best to press 
 all flannels with the flatiron or in the mangle. Very fine 
 flannel coats, pants, etc. , should be very carefully pressed 
 beneath a cloth in the tailor fashion. 
 
 Bleaching. 
 
 It seems to be the conclusive evidence o*f the great 
 majority of laundrymen that first-class laundry work 
 cannot be turned out rapidly and in any considerable 
 quantity, without the use of bleach. Yet we find men 
 here and there who differ from this conclusion, at least 
 in so far as claims not to use bleach of any kind consti- 
 tute a difference. It will be admitted that most laundry- 
 men do use a bleach, and also, that they would not unless 
 they firmly believed it to be necessary. 
 
 Hence we have the choice of three conclusions: First, 
 these men do use bleach and are dishonest in their claims. 
 Second, they do not use bleach and are honest in their 
 claims, but their output is, in quality, below what the 
 average laundry patron demands. Third, these few men 
 are the wise ones, while the trade as a whole is com- 
 
61 
 
 posed of fools. There seems to be no escape from this 
 logic. We are willing to grant the two first conclusions, 
 but not the third. 
 
 We will inquire what it is to wash cotton and linen 
 (white) goods without the use of bleach? Or rather, 
 what is the best possible process, and what will be the 
 result ? We do not see how it can differ very much from 
 the following: 
 
 First — Very thorough washing, using the best soap 
 obtainable- 
 Second — Careful and complete rinsing. 
 
 Third— Bluing. 
 
 A very short and simple process, but if we are not to 
 use bleach, we cannot go one step beyond this. It is true 
 that even with this simple system one man may succeed 
 better than another. One may use too much or not 
 enough water; One may run his goods too long, another 
 not long enough. One may use too much soap (a possi- 
 bility), another not enough. Another may heat up his 
 water too quickly, etc , etc. Suppose we take a man who 
 understands the science of scouring cotton and linen fab- 
 rics perfectly, both theoretically and practically. Now 
 let him take an ordinary batch of laundry work and fol- 
 low this simple system. When he has finished what are 
 we likely to find ? Simply a load of nicely washed goods, 
 but not having that whiteness and freedom from stains 
 which is demanded by the patrons of the laundry. 
 
 If we decide to adopt this system we may improve it 
 somewhat by the use of other solvents in addition to the 
 soap. We note among these, bicarbonate of soda, car- 
 bonate of soda, borax, turpentiUe, ammonia, naphtha, etc., 
 etc. Any one of these will be a help, and yet sooner or 
 later we will find our patrons going to our competitor who 
 uses bleach. 
 
 The prejudice in the minds of some against chlorine is 
 such that they dodge the issue by using oxalic acid. This 
 
acid, perhaps, may not be properly called a bleach, 
 but it does a part of the work the bleach is intended for, 
 and if we use it we cannot honestly claim not to use a 
 bleach of any kind. Besides, we apprehend that the acid 
 is worse than the chlorine. 
 
 We therefore give it as our opinion that the laundry- 
 man is condemned to the use of bleach until some new 
 discovery is made. 
 
 That laundries do sometimes carry bleaching to an 
 excess is doubtless true, but probably in the main the 
 use of bleach will be conservative and careful. The 
 more carefully the washing and rinsing is done, the 
 less bleaching is necessary. Bleaching should never 
 be resorted to, to do that which soap and water will do 
 as well or better. Is bleaching harmful? Probably 
 always slightly so, but it need not be more than slightly 
 harmful. Bleaching is not the laundryman's fault, but 
 his misfortune. Hence he will always study to reduce 
 this misfortune to its smallest component parts. He 
 will be very sure that his washing and rinsing have 
 done everything possible in the way of color before he 
 resorts to the bleach. He will be careful in the selec- 
 tion of his agents and will be very sure to use no more 
 material and time than is absolutely necessary to pro- 
 duce the needed result. Both good, economical business 
 practice and reasonable regard for the property of his 
 patrons will demand all this. 
 
 The various bleaches and methods of use, will be 
 discussed in another place. 
 
53 
 
 Chloride of I^ime and Other 
 Bleaching Agents. 
 
 Before speaking of the practical work and value of 
 chloride of lime in the laundry, it is well to remark that 
 bleaching of cotton and linen fabrics is almost wholly 
 done by the use of chlorine. We may not use an 
 ounce of chloride of lime, but if we use any bleach- 
 ing solution whatever, we may rest assured that the 
 active agent is chlorine. Therefore if we condemn 
 chloride of lime as harmful, we must of necessity 
 include in our condemnation all the various laundry 
 bleaches. I<et us emphasize the fact, that if harm is 
 done by chloride of lime, it is done bj' the chlorine. 
 The lime is the vehicle which carries the chlorine to 
 our hand, and is harmless. So in other bleaches, the 
 agent we seek is chlorine; the various solutions are 
 simply the vehicles. If these vehicles are harmless, 
 well and good. If they are harmful, we simply add to 
 our troubles by using both a harmful agent and a 
 harmful vehicle. It may be gathered from this that we 
 are not altogether in favor of the various soft bleaches, 
 so called, which are finding such a large sale at the pres- 
 ent time. The surmise is correct. While we shall 
 speak of the use of these bleaches later on, we do not 
 place that value upon them that obtains in many quar- 
 ters. In fact, we are of the opinion that much harm is 
 done every day by mistaken ideas upon this matter of soft 
 bleaches, and manufacturers of them who have lauded 
 them to the trade as free from harmful action are guilty 
 of either ignorance or deception, probably the latter. 
 We now come directly to chloride of lime and proper 
 methods of use. 
 
 A certain chemist who is frequently quoted in laundry 
 circles says of chloride of lime, or bleaching powder: " It 
 
64 
 
 is perfectly harmless and does no damage whatever to cot- 
 ton or linen goods treated with it, if used in the proper 
 manner and not in excessive quantity." From our 
 standpoint this language is slightly misleading. Youmans 
 says: "Chlorine destroys the coloring matter by uniting 
 with its hydrogen." And again: "It is so powerful 
 that if not quickly removed it corrodes and weakens the 
 fabric. ' ' We know that if cotton, linen or woolen goods 
 be left long enough in any chlorine solution they will be. 
 destroyed, the time required depending upon the strength 
 of the solution, hence we are justified in saying that 
 chlorine is never ' ' perfectly harmless. ' ' We may reduce 
 the harmful action to the minimum by the weakness of 
 our solution (this being better than to use a strong solu- 
 tion a short time), but so long as there is suflScient 
 chlorine to have bleaching effect, just so long will it show 
 its corrosive action. We speak of this fact simply to 
 show that the bleaching should never be carelessly done 
 or left to the judgment of an incompetent person. 
 
 As has been said, bleaching is not the laundryman's 
 fault, but his misfortune. In other words it is a neces- 
 sity. In our judgment, there is nothing now within the 
 reach of laundrymen so effective and so little calculated 
 to do him injury as pure chloride of lime. We will now 
 speak of some of the methods of preparation, giving that 
 of our preference first. 
 
 Mix thoroughly ten pounds of dry chloride of lime in 
 twelve gallons of clear, soft water slightly warm. When 
 mixed pour into a forty gallon barrel, vat or tank, fill 
 with clear water, stirring meanwhile. When settled it is 
 ready for use. The clear liquor may be dipped out at 
 the top, drawn from a faucet at sufiicient height from the 
 bottom of the barrel to avoid the sediment, or it may all 
 be drawn out and put in carboys. At all events, it should 
 be kept from the air. This solution, if used according to 
 directions given later on, will always give satisfaction 
 
55 
 
 aud is, we think, as harmless a bleaching solution as can 
 be used. 
 
 Another method of preparation is similar to the fore- 
 going, except that ten pounds of pure caustic soda are 
 used in addition to the bleaching powder. It is perhaps 
 true that this solution is more rapidly effective than the 
 first, and it may rinse more rapidly, but we have here 
 added to the evil eflect of chlorine the evil effect of caustic 
 soda. For this reason we consider this solution objec- 
 tionable. It is sometimes urged that this solution is bet- 
 ter in the case of hard water. We cannot understand 
 the correctness of this claim. In our experience chlorine 
 works as well in hard water as in soft. Again, soft sur- 
 face waters frequently contain vegetable matter in solu- 
 tion. In such a case a portion of the power of the chlorine 
 Ti'ill be expended upon this vegetable matter. 
 
 Another method is to mix twenty pounds of chloride of 
 lime ino thirty-two gallons of cold water. Dissolve 
 forty pounds of carbonate of soda in eleven gallons of warm 
 water. Pour the two solutions together, settle and draw 
 into carboys. We should consider this solution superior ' 
 to the preceding from the fact that the carbonate will be 
 less likely to do injury than the caustic. 
 
 Another solution is prepared as follows: Use three 
 separate barrels or tanks. Put into each barrel thirty 
 gallons of clear soft water. Use in one barrel chloride of 
 lime, in another soda ash, in another sal soda, using 
 enough of each to bring each solution up to 24° Baum6. 
 Mix together four gallons of the chloride of lime solution 
 and three gallons each of the sal soda and carbonate solu- 
 tions. Settle and draw into carboys. We have never 
 uiied this solution, but it is highly recommended. 
 
 Another solution: Five pounds chloride of lime, ten 
 pounds of sulphate of soda, four pounds sal soda, twelve 
 gallons of water. This is an old and very common solu- 
 tion, though not very largely used in laundries, 
 
56 
 
 Another solution: Fifteen pounds chloride of lime, 
 thirty pounds of sal soda (or twenty pounds of soda ash), 
 fifty gallons water. 
 
 Another solution: Mix twelve pounds chloride of lime 
 into two gallons soft water. I<et it stand twenty-four hours. 
 Mix sixteen pounds carbonate of soda and two pounds 
 bicarbonate of soda into three gallons hot water. Bring 
 both mixtures to boiling temperature, pour lime mixture 
 into soda mixture, boil gently for ten minutes. Will 
 settle out clear in about twenty-four hours; draw off 
 clear liquor into carboys. Four pounds caustic soda and 
 eight pounds carbonate may be used for the soda mix- 
 ture. 
 
 We come now to the consideration of the various soft 
 bleachers. While we cannot consistently recommend 
 these very highly, they have come into very general use. 
 The advantages are very largely in the saving of time 
 (and possibly of soap) from the fact that the washing 
 and bleaching may be done in one and the same opera- 
 tion. If we were to look for a common name for all these 
 solutions we should arrive at the term, "chlorinated 
 soda, " from the fact that they are all simply alkaline 
 solutions charged with a varying percentage of chlorine. 
 The alkali is either caustic soda, or caustic soda and 
 carbonate of soda combined. The hydrometric strength 
 varies from 20° to 30° Baum6, while the available 
 bleaching chlorine varies from ^% to 5 %. It is some- 
 times supposed that the value of these solutions as 
 bleachers may be fixed by the hydrometer test. This is 
 a mistake. The hydrometer gives us simply the specific 
 gravity and gives no hint whatever of the chlorine 
 strength. For instance, we may prepare a caustic alkali 
 solution of say 24°. Now, if we introduce 2 % of chlorine 
 there will be no appreciable., change in the specific 
 gravity. Hence in buying these solutions we are de- 
 pendent upon the word of the seller, the test of actual 
 
51 
 
 use, or the chemical analysis, the latter being preferable. 
 Chlorine will curdle soap and make it of no use. By 
 combining the chlorine with the alkali we are able to 
 use the chlorine in conjunction with soap. This is the 
 office of these solutions. In preparation the aim should 
 be to incorporate the largest possible percentage .of 
 chlorine compatible with use in connection with soap. 
 This rule is not always followed. We find solutions that 
 are exceedingly caustic and contain a very small percent- 
 age of available chlorine (see analysis later on). It is 
 difficult to understand upon what ground the manufact- 
 urers of these various bleachers claim the virtue of harm- 
 lessness. We observe that the bleaching agent is 
 chlorine and we know this to be harmful, depending on 
 the degree of strength and length of time of use. Add to 
 this the alkali effect and the result is contrary to these 
 claims. The alkali solution may be two parts caustic to 
 one part carbonate, which would be preferable to a solu- 
 tion of caustic soda alone. Again, caustic potash may be 
 and probably is sometimes used. This alkali will allow 
 of a larger percentage of chlorine in proportion to 
 causticity, which is certainly desirable, and probably 
 a potash alkali is less injurious to cotton and linen goods 
 than caustic soda. Why then not always use the potash? 
 The answer lies in the fact that the potash solution must 
 be sold in competition with the caustic soda solution, 
 and as the cost of manufacture is greater the matter of 
 competition becomes difficult. This generally results in 
 dropping the potash and using soda exclusively. We 
 close this part of our subject by giving a correct chemical 
 analysis of one of the bleachers and washers now finding 
 a ready sale. For bvious reasons we refrain from giving 
 the commercial name by which this solution is known. 
 
58 
 
 ANALYSIS. 
 
 Caustic soda 18.00^ 
 
 Carbonate of Soda ; 7.10^ 
 
 Common salt 70% 
 
 Bleaching chlorine 38% 
 
 Potash salts, impurities 2.00% 
 
 Water 71.82% 
 
 100.00% 
 
 The hydrometer strength of this solution is probably 
 about 24%, while the chlorine (the only bleaching agent 
 it contains) is less than }^%. Laundrymen may draw 
 their own inferences, and also decide whether or not it is 
 worth while to use so mUch of alkali for so little of 
 chlorine. 
 
 In giving our ideas upon the methods of using the 
 bleach, we shall refrain from mention of all solutions 
 except the first, for in the first place, all the solutions 
 given may be used in the same manner, and in the sec- 
 ond place the manufacturers usually send printed direc- 
 tions for use with their particular solutions. Before pass- 
 ing on to the matter of specific directions, we may pause 
 to answer the question sometimes asked: "Is there no 
 harmless bleaching agent available to laundrymen?" 
 We may answer this question in the affirmative, and give 
 as this agent peroxide of hydrogen. This agent is said 
 to be a powerful bleacher, and has no corrosive effect 
 whatever. It is an unfortunate fact that very little, if 
 any, of this chemical is prepared in this country. It has 
 been made and used somewhat largely in Europe, and 
 has been imported to some small extent, largely for 
 medicinal purposes and as a disinfectant. If we look for 
 the reason why this agent has not come into use here, we 
 find it in the fact of its cost being very much in excess of 
 the cost of chlorine. We may reasonably hope that the 
 time will soon come when this agent will be within the 
 reach of laundrymen, and thereby one of the most vexa" 
 
59 
 
 tious problems will be solved. In the foregoing pages 
 this question of bleaching agents has not been exhausted. 
 There are many other powerful bleaching agents, most of 
 which have objectionable features which make their use 
 in the laundry undesirable. Hence we have refrained 
 from discussing them here. We should, however, briefly 
 allude to sulphurous acid gas, which is a valuable 
 bleacher for woolen fabrics. The method of use is as fol- 
 lows: The goods are moistened' and suspended in large 
 chambers, or they are put into inverted barrels and ex- 
 posed to the fumes of burning sulphur. The effect is not 
 produced by destroying the coloring matter as in the case 
 of chlorine, but by the union of the acid with the color- 
 ing matter, which forms a white compound. 
 
 Goods should always be thoroughly washed and rinsed 
 before bleaching is attempted, that is, if the best results 
 are desired. For purpose of illustration we will take fifty 
 shirts or their equivalent in other goods and wash them 
 io a machine, using about forty gallons of water. We 
 will take the chill from the water before introducing our 
 bleaching solution. Of this we will use from two to four 
 quarts, running from twenty -five to thirty -five minutes. 
 Then we will turn on full steam and run for five minutes 
 longer. The object of this is to discharge the chlorine 
 and to get the full benefit before allowing the liquor to 
 go to ^aste. We will now give the goods one rinse in 
 warm water and then proceed to the ' 'sour, ' ' which is 
 virtually a part of the bleaching process. For this pur- 
 pose we may use sulphuric acid (about 5 oz.), muriatic 
 acid (about 7 oz.), oxalic acid (about 8 oz.), or acetic 
 acid (from 10 to 12 oz.) The first has the merit of 
 cheapness. It is not generally used because of its great 
 strength and capacity for injury. Yet handled with care 
 it cannot inflict any great amount of damage. The sec- 
 ond acid is considerably used and very well liked. This 
 also makes a very economical "sour." The third acid is, 
 
60 
 
 upon the whole, the most satisfactory of all. Nothing 
 so perfectly ' 'clears' ' the work, taking up as it does 
 many of the stains left by the chlorine. Lastly, the 
 acetic acid makes quite a satisfactory and a harmless 
 "sour," the main objection being cost. The souring 
 should consume at least ten minutes. Finally the goods 
 are very carefully rinsed. Sometimes laundrymen de- 
 vise various means of avoiding the ' 'sour. ' ' We do not 
 think this a desirable thing to do. First, because the 
 bleaching to be as well done without the sour, requires 
 more time or a stronger solution. Second, the use of the 
 acid in a measure neutralizes or counteracts the corrosive 
 effect of the chlorine. Some laundrymen prefer to re- 
 move the goods from the washer after the washing is 
 done, the bleaching, souring, rinsing and bluing being 
 done by hand, in vats provided for the purpose. This 
 plan has some advantages. First, the various liquors 
 may be used over and over again, being "toned'' as 
 necessary by the addition of fresh material. This effects 
 quite a saving in material, as by the machine process each 
 batch of clothing has its particular liquors, the same 
 going to waste after use. Second, the life of a washing 
 machine will be somewhat longer if no bleaching is done 
 in it. 
 
 Of course the plan also has its objections. First, the 
 bleaching liquor cannot be heated, and being open to 
 the air and more or less agitated in the handling of the 
 goods, there is a constant loss of chlorine, and unless the 
 person in charge of the work understands his business 
 thoroughly, there is likely to be a lack of uniformity in 
 results. Obviously these objections do not apply as 
 strongly to the sour bath, and not at all to the blue. In 
 the second place, to follow this system more room is 
 required and more manual labor. Naturally some of 
 these objections are disputed by the advocates of this 
 plan. The bleaching, they say, may be more accurately 
 
61 
 
 and uniformly done if the opfration is always under the 
 eyes. The heating of the bleach instead of being an 
 advantage, is claimed as a disadvantage, and as far as 
 the labor is concerned, it is said about so many hands 
 must be employed anyway. While this work is being 
 done in the tubs or vats other goods are being prepared 
 (i. (?., washed in the machines), hence there is, if any- 
 thing, a saving of labor. We cannot do better than 
 leave this question with the reader. 
 
 The bleaches made under the various formulae given 
 in which alkalies are used, may be used in connection 
 with the suds. 
 
 Black Specks. 
 
 It sometimes happens that a dark-colored, gummy sub- 
 stance forms in the water in which the washing is being 
 done. This substance settles in the edges of collars and 
 cuffs, bands of shirts, etc., etc., and between the several 
 plys, in specks. These are what are commonly called 
 black specks. They are caused, usually, by an excess 
 of alkali. It is the nature of alkali to combine with 
 the fatty acids and form soap. It is a mistake to sup- 
 pose that soap is always soluble in water. An unsol- 
 uble soap is well known to the chemical art, and has its 
 proper place. It is a well-known fact that the soiled 
 clothing of man contains more or less of fatty acids, com- 
 ing from the exudations of the body. Now, if in the 
 washing process we have in our machines any amount of 
 free alkali, it will at once unite with the fatty acids and 
 form a soap. This soap settles in the goods, as we have 
 seen, and forms the black specks — so called — the proper 
 name is soap specks. The process of combination is such 
 that instead of having a perfect soap, which would cause 
 us no trouble, the soap so formed is insoluble in water; 
 hence the difficulty of removal. 
 
62 
 
 It is evident that if we have no free alkali, we will have 
 no soap specks; hence prevention lies in the direction of 
 careful attention to our alkalies. In the first place, we 
 may find that we are using an excessive amount of soda; 
 therefore, the amount should be reduced. Again, it is a 
 fact that as long as there is a good, live suds in the 
 machine, no separation of alkali will take place (i. e., 
 there will be no free alkali) ; hence we must watch our 
 suds closely. At any time that the suds seem to be col. 
 lapsing, more soap should be added. If attention is given 
 to these two points, soap specks will not form. 
 
 This insoluble soap has been found to be soluble in 
 turpentine. Hence, in case it forms at any time, turpen- 
 tine should be used to remove it. The usual plan is to 
 boil the afflicted garments fot a few moments in soap suds, 
 to which a small amount of turpentine is added. 
 
 Soap specks should not be confounded with lime curd. 
 The latter is similar in appearance, but of a different 
 nature, and may not be prevented or removed in the same 
 way. Lime curd occurs only when hard water is used. 
 The remedy lies in softening the water before use. 
 
 Family Work. 
 
 While in some cases laundrymen have made a success 
 of family work, this cannot be said to be the case in 
 general. There is a large avenue here for trade that, 
 generally speaking, has not been worked to any consider- 
 able extent. 
 
 The trouble seems to be to hit upon some plan — relat- 
 ing to price largely — by which satisfaction may result to 
 both customer and laundryman . 
 
 It is customary sometimes to fix a contract price by 
 the week. This plan does not work satisfactorily. The 
 customer may be perfectly honest, yet the tendency is 
 
63 
 
 for the washing under contract to grow. Hence the 
 time is quite likely to come when the laundryman is not 
 getting fair compensation for his work. It is a truism, 
 that while to lower a price is ' 'as easy as rolling off a log' '■ 
 — and something like it — to raise a price is^ very differ- 
 ent matter. Therefore the customer who has paid $2 per 
 week for his washing is not likely to submit gracefully to 
 a charge of $2.50. 
 
 Again, the laundryman may try the plan of charging 
 by the dozen. He figures the matter out carefully, fix- 
 ing upon a price that is likely to attract custom, and yet 
 one that will show a profit. His estimates are based 
 upon the fact that there are likely to be a large number 
 of small pieces. Take these out and his calculations are 
 all at fault. But this is just r;hat the customer may do. 
 The laundryman remonstrates, of course, but nothing is 
 settled thereby. He must do something to protect him- 
 self, so he stipulates that in order to obtain the special 
 dozen rate the customers must include in the wash all the 
 small pieces, and he also "reserves the privilege" )f 
 charging extra in case of an excess of large and difficult 
 pieces. Again he finds the problem unsettled. The 
 small pieces do not come in as large proportion as he 
 thinks they ought, and when he works the extra charge 
 combination the customer rebels. 
 
 Thus these various plans result in failure. To our 
 mind there is but one satisfactory and businesslike way 
 of doing family work, and that is to charge by the piece. 
 
 The ordinary laundry list is based upon "bye gone 
 days." That is to say, the prices are so extreme that no 
 family can afford to pay them. Thus we see that con- 
 cessions of some kind are necessary. Let the laundry- 
 man carefully estimate what discount his list will stand. 
 Perhaps he may fix upon 25 %. Very well. He says to 
 his customer, "I will do your work according to this list. 
 Upon settlemetit I will allow yon a discount of 25%." 
 
64 
 
 By this plan there is no possibility of misunderstanding. 
 In making this discount it should not apply to shirts, 
 collars and cuffs- 
 
 In most custom laundries the ironers are out on Mon- 
 day, the starchers and washers on Saturday. If. the 
 laundryman can arrange with his family patrons to let 
 him take their work on Friday and return on Tuesday, 
 he is enabled thereby to employ his washers and strachers 
 on Saturday, and his ironers on Monday. It really makes 
 very little difference to a family when the washing is 
 done., providing there is a regular time> and if the laundry- 
 man wishes to make such an arrangement as this, he may 
 secure the trade by throwing out inducements such as a 
 larger discount, etc. , etc. 
 
 ' 'Rough dry" work is usually done by weight, four 
 cents to six cents per pound, the work being weighed 
 when it comes in. Then if suitable facilities are at hand 
 no listing is necessary. The washing is simply weighed, 
 washed at once, dried and returned again to the owner. 
 
 Mangle 'Work. 
 
 A laundryman once said: "There is no use in trying 
 to work up a mangle trade until you get a mangle. ' ' 
 There is truism here which may not be seen at a glance. 
 Many a laundryman who is ironing his plain pieces by 
 hand, has thought: "Now, if I could only get a little 
 more of this work, I would ptit in a mangle. ' ' Perhaps 
 a restaurant keeper comes to him and says: "I want to 
 contract with you to do my work." The price given, 
 however, is not satisfactory. The laundryman says: 
 "Well, you hold on; as soon as my trade picks up a little 
 I shall put in a mangle, a^d then I can give you terms 
 that will suit." Or, it may be, he goes to the hotel 
 keeper and says: ' 'I want to contract to do your washing. ' ' 
 
65 
 
 "Well, how much?" "One dollar and twenty-five cents 
 per one hundred pieces." "All right; when do you want 
 to begin?" "Oh, you see, I haven't got my mangle yet, 
 but if you will promise me your work I will send in my 
 order and in a month- or six weeks I will -be ready .for 
 you." 
 
 He finds it difficult to make contracts under such con- 
 ditions. Get your mangle first, and. then you are ready 
 to talk business. The laundry of to-day that has no 
 mangle is short of a very valuable piece of machinery. 
 
 The prices for general mangle work, such as steam- 
 boats, hotels, restaurants, barber shops, etc., etc., vary 
 from 35 cents to $1.50 per 100 pieces. Generally speak- 
 ing, a price very much under 75 cents is not profitable. 
 Yet the large laundry, having perfect facilities and with 
 large contracts, may go considerably below 75 cents and 
 make a profit. 
 
 Usually we should not bleath mangle work. In case 
 of table linen it may be advisable to use a small percen- 
 tage of bleach. Ordinary mangle work may be washed 
 in about twenty minutes. It should be started in luke- 
 warm water, and at the close the water should be quite 
 hot. The rinsing — for best results— should be thorough. 
 For bluing, prepare a liquid blue with one ounce of solu- 
 ble blue and one gallon of soft water. Use very little 
 blue. 
 
 After wringing, take at once to the mangle. A mangle 
 that will not take care of the work direct from the wringer 
 has no great value. 
 
 Stock Shirts. 
 
 Stock shirts require careful washing. After leaving the 
 wringer they are passed through a thin dipping starch, 
 after which the bosoms, bands and yokes are starched 
 
66 
 
 stiffly. The round band is obtained by a metal ring, 
 wooden form, or other device. The shirts should be 
 pressed together and folded as flat as possible. 
 
 I^ace Curtains. 
 
 I<ace curtains are carefully washed, bleached, rinsed 
 and starched by hand. They are then slightly wrung 
 and stretched upon frames; when dry, the work is com- 
 plete and much better than if ironed upon the table. The 
 curtains should be carefully measured when they come in 
 and the frames set according to this measure. If cream 
 color is desired, it may be gotten by the use of cream tint 
 aniline, sold by most supply dealers. The price should 
 be by the yard, ranging from. lo cents to 15 cents per 
 square yard. It is customary to charge a higher price 
 for fine goods than for the' coarse cheap grades. 
 
 Stains. 
 
 We always approach the question of stains with con- 
 siderable diffidence. The laundry is infested with stains 
 and the laundryman who would remove them all has a 
 difficult job upon his hands and would need to be a chem- 
 ist of large knowledge and experience. Generally speak- 
 ing, however, if we know the exact character of a stain we 
 will know the proper solvent to use. 
 
 Upon general principles it is not advisable to pay very 
 great attention to stains (except in case of the most sim- 
 ple), for the reason above given. If, however, your idea 
 is to do nothing but perfect work, you must remove the 
 stains. Very nice work may be done without any espe- 
 cial attention to stains, but perfection means more than 
 
67 
 
 that; hence you must examine -every garment before itj 
 goes to the wash, and remove the stains before the washing ( 
 operation begins. It will be readily seen that this means 
 a large expenditure of time and patience. The question 
 is, does it pay ? We think not, because in the majority 
 of cases the customer does not demand such perfection, 
 and again, with proper washing many of the stains over 
 which you might spend considerable time will disappear 
 in the wash, the soap, bleach and sour being all stain 
 eradicators. Oxalic acid is the almost universal panacea j 
 for stains, removing oxide of iron (iron rust), ordinary I 
 ink stains, etc., etc. Eight ounces of water dissolves one ' 
 ounce of oxalic acid. It is best to use it in this strength. / 
 It should be hot, and only that part of the garment im- 
 mersed which contains the stain, as the acid is exceed- 
 ingly corrosive. Thorough rinsing should be done after 
 the stain is removed. It is claimed that this acid has a 
 less injurious effect if combined with saleratus in equal 
 parts. Oxalic acid is a rank poison, and should always 
 be guarded with care. Chalk and magnesia are the anti- 
 dotes. 
 
 Sour milk is often used in removing fruit and similar I 
 stains. It is said also to be effective in removing mildew, i 
 This stain will usually yield to a weak solution of chlor- 
 ine, the goods being first treated, and then exposed to the; 
 sunlight and air. Oil stains are removed by washing with 
 soap in cold water. Sometimes, if the stain is obstinate,; 
 rubbing in lard before, the scouring with soap will assist 
 the operation. Turpentine and coal oil are also some- 
 times used in the same manner. Marking ink, if of \ 
 nitrate of silver, will yield to chlorine. The anti-heat ink 
 of the laundries will yield to turpentine, benzine and 
 chloroform, if taken in time. If dry, no perfect solvent 
 has been as yet produced. It is said that the following 
 plan will sometimes take out the stain: Saturate the stain 
 with turpentine, apply heat with a flat-iron, placing an 
 
68 
 
 ordinary piece of blotting paper underneath. As the tur- 
 pentine is exceedingly volatile the experiment needs to be 
 carefully done. We do not vouch for the correctness of 
 this formula. 
 
 Fruit Stains. — Place the stained part of the cloth over 
 a bowl and continue pouring boiling water through until 
 the stain disappears. If this is done soon after the article 
 is stained there will be no trouble in most cases. Oxalic 
 acid will also remove fruit stains. When stains are to 
 be removed have a large pail of water and a bottle of 
 household ammonia on hand. Wet the stained parts 
 with the acid and then rub. When the stains have dis- 
 appeared put the article in the water. Wash thoroughly 
 in several waters and wet the parts with ammonia, that 
 all trace of the acid may be removed. Finally rinse 
 again. 
 
 Grease Spots. — To remove them from delicate fabrics 
 like silk, crepe, ribbons, etc., spread the articles stained 
 on a clean cloth and cover with powdered French 
 chalk or fuller's earth. Roll up the article and put it 
 away for a few weeks, and it will become clean. Where 
 soap and hot water can be used wash the spots in very 
 hot water, using plenty of soap. Then rinse well. 
 French chalk may be powdered and mixed with cold 
 water to make a thick paste. Spread this on the grease 
 spot and let it remain for several days, then brush off. If 
 the stain has not entirely disappeared apply the mixture 
 a second time. 
 
 Coffee, Tea and Wine Stains.— If these stains on 
 the table linen are of long standing, and have been 
 washed Vith soap, it is rather difficult to get rid of them. 
 But javelle water — which can be made at home or bought 
 of a druggist — is generally most successful. Put about 
 half a pint of javelle water and a quart of clear water into 
 an earthen bowl; let the stained article soak in this for 
 several hours, then rinse thoroughly in three waters. 
 
It is only white goods that cau be treated in this manner, 
 as the javelle water bleaches out the color. 
 
 /i Sewing- Machine Oil Stains. — To remove these, rub 
 the stain with sweet oil or lard, and let it stand for sev- 
 eral hours. Then wash it in soap and cold water. 
 
 /' Pitch AND Tar Stains. — Rub lard on the stain and 
 let it stand for a few hours. Sponge with spirits of tur- 
 pentine until the stain is removed. If the color of the 
 fabric be changed, sponge it with chloroform and the 
 color will be restored. 
 
 / / Ink Stains. — Tear blotting paper in pieces, and hold 
 the rough edges on the ink when it is freshly spilled, or 
 cover the spot with Indian meal, or the liquid ink may 
 be absorbed by cotton batting. If ink be spilled on a 
 carpet, cut a lemon in two, remove a part of the rind and 
 rub the lemon on the stain. If the ink-stained article be 
 washed immediately in several waters and then in milk, 
 letting it soak in the milk for several hours, the stain 
 will disappear. Washing the article immediately in 
 vinegar and water, and then in soap and water, is another 
 remedy which will remove all ordinary ink stains, No 
 matter what substance be used to remove ink, the stain 
 must be rubbed well. If the article stained be a carpet 
 on the floor, use a brush. 
 
 ■ ; Grass Stains.— Rub with alcohol, then wash in clean 
 water. 
 
 Dampening. 
 
 The dampening of starched work is an important part 
 of the laundry .operation. A collar or a shirt may be well 
 washed and well starched, but if the dampening is im- 
 properly done the ironing becomes difficult and the result 
 unsatisfactory. This is especially true of machine iron- 
 ing. The hand operator may, by a judicious use of the 
 dampening cloth, and by careful work, overcome the poor 
 
TO 
 
 work of the one who does the dampening, but in machine 
 work the conditions are different- 
 
 The collar (or the shirt) must be just damp enough — 
 not too damp, not too dry, and the dampness must be uni- 
 form. We will not speak of machine dampening, as this 
 method has as yet failed of general adoption. We find 
 laundrymen who hail the dampening machine as a great 
 success, while others have used it and thrown it aside as 
 a failure.* The usual method of dampening collars and 
 cuffs is to roll or fold them in damp sheets, after which 
 they are subjected to pressure for one hour or more. The 
 collars may be laid in, singly or in pairs. The following 
 plan has been found to work well: Heavy unbleached 
 cotton cloth is procured 40 inches wide. This is cut into 
 strips 4 to 6 yards long. These strips are dipped in water 
 and run through an ordinary rubber roll wringer. They 
 are then folded in the center, lengthwise, making a long 
 strip 20 inches wide. The collars and cuffs are now laid 
 down upon the sheet in pairs (two pieces thick), leaving 
 a small space between each pair. All are then rolled up 
 tightly, and the several rolls are put into the press. It 
 will be noticed that by this plan there is always two thick- 
 nesses of cloth between each pair of collars or cuffs. 
 Another plan is to use a single thickness and lay the col- 
 lars in singly. We think that more uniform dampness 
 will be obtained by the first plan. For quick dampening 
 the sheets are wrung dryer, folded in the same way, and 
 the pieces laid in singly. If rolled sufficiently tight col- 
 lars will dampen very nicely in ten minutes. 
 
 In dampening shirts the usual plan is to dampen one 
 or both flaps, fold up over the bosom, folding in the 
 sleeves. The shirts may be rolled, but the best plan is 
 to put them into the press with the single fold through 
 the centre. Perhaps a better plan is to use strips of 
 
 * since the above was written, dampening machines have been very much 
 improved, and are now quite generally used in the larger laundries. 
 
11 
 
 clnth slightly longer and wider than -the average front 
 (l-osom). These are wet and wrung out, then laid over 
 tLe front and the shirt folded up as before. More uni- 
 form dampness is obtained in this way. Usually a slight 
 sprinkling of the body in addition is necessary. It seems 
 hardly necessary to add that the various sheets must be 
 kept scrupulously clean. 
 
 The general custom is to dampen the cloths in cold 
 water, but hot water is very much better. There is 
 always more or less starch adhering to the surface. The 
 cold water has the effect of spreading it and making it 
 adhere so that it shows very plainly after ironing. The 
 hot water distributes it or takes it up. Those who have 
 uaed the hot water method pronounce it decidedly the 
 btest. 
 
 There are various presses offered for sale by the 
 nj»ichinerj' dealer. A very good press is made as 
 follows: A square frame of heavy timbers is made, hav- 
 ing a floor or bottom, and with timbers crossing at the 
 tcp. The goods are placed upon the bottom, a suitable 
 platform or cover is put over them, an ordinary jack 
 strew furnishes the pressure. The bottom of the screw 
 rests upon the cover. The top of the screw comes against 
 one of the cross timbers. By raising or lowering the 
 screw the goods are pressed, or the pressure is removed. 
 
 Sxhaust Steam. 
 
 There are a number of ways in which exhaust steam 
 may be used. First, in heating the feed water for the 
 boiler. This is almost always done, but as the exhaust 
 is usually more than sufficient for this purpose it may 
 be' used for additional purposes. Second, for heating 
 the building. As heat of this kind is needed only a 
 small part of the time, this plan is not generally adopted. 
 
72 
 
 Third, for heating the dry room. When this is done it 
 is always best to have the piping so done that live steam 
 may be used when necessary, as the exhaust may not 
 always be sufficient. Fourth, for heating water. This 
 is the most useful method of using exhaust steam in the 
 laundry. An ordinary feed water heater may be used, 
 the water being drawn directly from the service pipes. 
 The most convenient plan, however, is the use of tanks. 
 In fact, we should advise the use of tanks anyway. If a 
 heater is used the water may be conducted to a tank, 
 then the supply is always on hand when wanted and 
 may be drawn more quickly from the tank than from the 
 service pipes. The usual method is to place in the tank 
 a coil of brass or copper pipe of large size, through which 
 the exhaust passes. The inlet should be at the top and 
 the outlet at the bottom. If the reverse plan is followed 
 a suitable drip must be supplied at the lowest point of 
 the exhaust pipe, to prevent clogging and consequent 
 back pressure upon the engine. Another plan is to place 
 within the tank a hollow cylinder made of brass or 
 copper, and of' considerable size. The cylinder is closed 
 at the top and bottom, leaving at the top an opening for 
 the vapor to pass through, and two openings at the 
 bottom, one for the inlet of exhaust steam, the other the 
 outlet for the drip. As there is large space for expansion 
 and condensation, there is very little likelihood of back 
 pressure, and the large radiating surface insures rapid 
 heating. This plan is no more expensive than the use 
 of coils, and on the whole more satisfactory. 
 
 The attempt is sometimes made to return the exhaust 
 to the boiler, various condensers and oil separators being 
 advertised as suitable for use in returning the exhaust. 
 We are advised by eminent authority that none of these 
 appliances have been very successful; that the attempt to 
 return the exhaust usually results in serious complica- 
 tions. We certainly cannot advise it. The laundryman 
 
73 
 
 who desires thus to utilize the exhaust would best inves- 
 dgate the matter very carefully before expending any 
 money. 
 
 Gas. 
 
 The use of gas for heating flat-irons has come into quite 
 general use. While there is no saving in expense, there 
 is considerable saving in heat and in dirt. By all means 
 investigate the merits of gas heating. The gas stoves 
 arranged to be used without a blast of air from a blower 
 are preferable. 
 
 Color. 
 
 The question of color is very largely one of taste. 
 While you may find some among your patrons who like 
 considerable blue, the great majority would probably 
 prefer a pure white. The aim should be to use just color 
 enough so that after the goods are starched and dried they 
 will show a bluish tinge when held between the eye and 
 the light. 
 
 Preparing Bluing. 
 
 A very good method of preparing aniline blue is as 
 follows: Weigh out one ounce of the grain and tie up in 
 coarse cotton cloth. Drop into one gallon of soft water, 
 and boil for thirty minutes. Four ounces of acetic acid 
 may be added if desired. 
 
74 
 
 Carpet Cleaning. 
 
 Those who wish to embark in the carpet-cleaning 
 business will find the following hints of value. 
 
 In the selection of the proper machine one who has 
 had no experience is likely to be led astray. Our expe- 
 rience has demonstrated to our complete satisfaction that 
 the rotary machine is superior to all other designs. 
 
 The machine should be placed in a dry place, and the 
 more . heat that can be obtained the better, for the rea- 
 son that the dirt lets go more readily and the carpet is 
 less liable to shrinkage, and it cleans quicker and looks 
 brighter when done. Grease spots, also, are Jess likely 
 to show, as the heat softens the grease and thereby the 
 dirt is released. It is not the grease that spots the car- 
 pet, but the dirt that is held by it. The machine should 
 always be placed in a room by itself, the same being no 
 larger than necessary for convenience. Suitable arrange- 
 ments should be made for taking away the dust as it 
 leaves the carpet. Exhaust fans are generally used for 
 this purpose, the dirt being carried outside the building, 
 or it is conveyed by suitable conductors to tanks contain- 
 ing water. In this way dust in the surrounding air is 
 avoided. The tanks should be so arranged as to permit 
 of convenient and frequent cleaning. 
 
 In getting carpet ready for the machine, care should 
 be taken to note any defects. Frequently medicines 
 containing acids are spilled upon the carpet and leave 
 the pile and warp ready to fall out by mere handling. 
 Often in house heating pipes are run under the floors, 
 and 'in consequence the carpet becomes rotten or the 
 back and nap burned so that little, if any, life remains 
 in the goods, and the places will crumble and break in 
 your hands. These weaknesses may generally be located 
 
 • This article is furnished by a gentleman who has had long experience in 
 the carpet-cleaning business.— ,4 ulho^- 
 
75 
 
 by carefully looking over the backs, as it will show a 
 different color, and gives out a faint, cracking sound 
 when handled. 
 
 Next we notice the salted carpet, which can be 
 detected by the dark, glazed color of the warp and its 
 extreme weight and stiffness. The trouble is caused 
 by the housekeepers using salt when sweeping, the 
 object being to brighten the colors. Such carpets always 
 have a soggy, damp, stiff feeling, and are hard to clean 
 and are brittle unless thoroughly dried in the sunlight 
 or by artificial heat, and then cleaned at once. This 
 class of work will shrink as soon as loosened from the 
 floor, and will show rust where the tacks have been 
 driven. 
 
 Next comes the wormy carpet. This is caused by the 
 use of bread crumbs or corn meal in sweeping, or 
 things of like nature to keep down the dust. There is 
 more or less deposited at the bottom of the pile and 
 close to the back, and if it is used wet, or in damp 
 weather, the crumbs become infested with weavils, 
 which grow and flourish, and after they are developed 
 they are called carpet beetles. 
 
 Never keep carpets in a damp place, or where there 
 are rodents, as many times the rodents will attack a 
 greasy spot and damage it badly. 
 
 Be careful in giving estimates on carpets upon the 
 floor. In many instances the carpets will be found 
 doubled under, which, if not discovered in time, will 
 decrease your profit. 
 
 The profits of carpet cleaning vary from 75% to 200 %> 
 depending upon facilities and management. 
 
 There is no good reason why a laundry business and a 
 carpet cleaning business may not be run in conjunction. 
 Care is, of course, necessary to prevent the dust of one 
 from conflicting with the other. This may be readily 
 done. 
 
■76 
 
 In measuring, always go by the running yard, no 
 matter how wide or narrow the breadths. In other words, 
 one yard of ingrain carpet is one yard long, one yard 
 wide, while all hard-back goods are but twenty-seven 
 inches wide. 
 
 Motive Power and Fuel. 
 
 To properly handle this most important subject the 
 space taken by our whole work would be none too great. 
 Therefore, we must satisfy ourselves with giving simple 
 hints. 
 
 ' The mistake is often made of selecting the boiler and 
 engine for the present rather than the future. For instance, 
 the laundryman considers a ten-horse power boiler amply 
 sufficient for present needs, hence, this is the boiler he 
 buys. As his business increases he finds that this boiler, ■ 
 at normal pressure, will not do his work. The proper 
 thing to do would be to make a change, but this means a 
 loss of time and considerable outlay. False economy 
 carries the day. The boiler is crowded in ever-increasing 
 ratio, until, finally, this little iron shell is doing the work 
 for which a boiler of twice the size is needed. 
 
 It must not be supposed that we object to a good, strong 
 working pressure. Steam that leaves the boiler at say 
 eighty pounds has more expansive force than steam at 
 sixty pounds. For various reasons a high pressure is 
 more effective than a low pressure hence more economical, 
 but we must not pass the safety limit. 
 
 It should be remembered that the cost of boilers does 
 not increase in proportion as the size increases. A small 
 boiler, proportionately, costs much more than a large 
 one. 
 
 Of course there is no wisdom in getting a boiler very 
 much larger than one is ever likely to need. The aim 
 
11 
 
 should be to have one suflSciently large to do the required 
 work without crowding, and with a fair margin for in- 
 creased demands caused by the natural increase of busi- 
 ness 
 
 The boiler should always be of greater capacity than 
 the engine, especially in the laundry where so much live 
 steam is used. 
 
 Having settled upon the size, the next question is cost 
 or quality. If you wish to procure your boiler, and engine 
 at the junk yard, that is your privilege. While it is true 
 that a bargain may be sometimes so obtained, ordinarily 
 the reverse is true. The first wear is the best. 
 
 In buying, we cannot be governed altogether by price. 
 Oftentimes, if not always, very low-priced engines and 
 boilers are an expensive luxury. Then, again, high-priced 
 goods are sometimes sold upon the strength of reputation 
 gained in years gone by, and may have a considerable 
 margin in cost which is not represented in value received. 
 The medium-priced goods may be equally good for all 
 practical purposes. 
 
 If the buyer is not an expert, he must not take the 
 "say so" of the seller, but rather will do well to call in 
 the assistance of some one who has the knowledge he 
 lacks. 
 
 Conditions vary so much in diflFerent sections that no 
 specific directions as to fuel, applicable to all parts of 
 the country, are possible. The laundryman should care- 
 fully investigate the merits of, and experiment with, the 
 various fuels at hand until he is satisfied which is best 
 for his use. . Taking all sections together, we will find 
 that for steam making bituminous coal is used more 
 largely than any other fuel; and aside from the fact that 
 in many instances waste products of factories, costing 
 little or nothing, are largely used, this coal is the most 
 effective and convenient steam- maker, therefore the most 
 economical. Of course, here we have nothing to do 
 
IS 
 
 with natural gas, this gratuity of nature being available 
 only within certain sections. 
 
 The mere fact that a coal is bituminous does not prove 
 that it is in all cases an economical fuel. It varies greatly 
 in quality and effectiveness, and some soft coals are so 
 filled with sulphur as to be unfit for use under a boiler. 
 The burning sulphur throws off sulphurous acid gas, 
 which has an extremely injurious effect upon the boiler 
 itself. 
 
 When anthracite screenings can be had at a low price, 
 it can be mixed with the soft coal with economy. Sparks 
 from the locomotive may sometimes be obtained by the 
 mere cost of trucking. In that case it pays to mix with 
 the soft coal, but you cannot afford to pay very much 
 for them unless the price of coal is correspondingly- 
 high. 
 
 We are unable to give any valuable ideas as to the 
 proper setting of boilers, as so much depends upon local 
 conditions and the fuel to be used. The setting is, with- 
 out doubt, a most important question, and one to be 
 considered carefully. The idea in view is to get the full 
 value of the fuel consumed. How this may best be 
 accomplished is the problem for each to solve. 
 
 Generally speaking, the horizontal tubular boiler, set 
 in a brick furnace, is the most economical steam-maker. 
 There are a great many variations of this brick furnace. 
 The best advice we can give is to study carefully the 
 merits and demerits of the various forms before deciding 
 which you will adopt. 
 
 The locomotive style boiler and the vertical should 
 always be covered with some good non-heat-conducting 
 material. The vertical may be set in brick to good 
 advantage, the usual plan being to hang the boiler by 
 suitable flanges and in such a way that the heat 
 surrounds the shell before passing out through the 
 flues. 
 
79 
 
 Cold water should never be fed to the boiler; it is not 
 ynly expensive, but wrong in principle. The market is 
 full, of feed water heaters; get the best. 
 
 In some cases the water pressure is sufficient, so that 
 the boiler may be fed direct from the main; but, in 
 addition, an inspirator or pump should be at hand, ready 
 for use in case of emergencies. 
 
 The steam pipes leading from the boiler should be 
 covered with asbestos or other suitable material- 
 
 The drip from the various lines of circulation, dry 
 rooms, mangles, etc., should be returned to the boiler. 
 
 The placing of the steam plant is always dependent 
 upon circumstances. The aim should be, however, to 
 so place it that its energy may be conveyed to the 
 various points of use by the least possible lengths of 
 pipes, shafting and belting. 
 
 Finally, there is no economy in cheap engineers and 
 firemen. Always employ in this department careful, 
 competent and temperate men. 
 
 Ventilation. 
 
 Well-ventilated work rooms are wise, both as business 
 policy and from a humanitarian standpoint. If help are 
 cooped up in illy-ventilated rooms they will work in a 
 spiritless way, and sickness will be prevalent. In the 
 winter, with windows and doors closed, the air very soon 
 becomes impure. In the summer, if doors and windows 
 are open, no particular attention need be devoted to ven- 
 tilation. But in many cases the doors and windows 
 must be for the most part closed, otherwise the shop 
 becomes filled with dust, flies, etc., etc. Just how much 
 ventilation is needed and how it shall be accomplished is 
 always dependent upon circumstances. It is always best 
 when any particular work is to be done, to have some 
 
80 
 
 one upon the ground who is an expert in the line of 
 work to be entered upon. If the laundry man himself 
 cannot "fill the bill," he must call in some one who can. 
 This rule is especially applicable to any attempt at artifi- 
 cial ventilation. The laundryman who "goes it blind" 
 will lose in the long run. 
 
 The most approved method of ventilation nowadays is 
 by the use of exhaust fans. A given fan revolving at a 
 certain rate of speed will remove so many cubic inches of 
 air per minute. Hence the matter of ventilation when 
 fans are used becomes one very largely of mathematical 
 calculation. Here the expert is able to do the figuring 
 better than the ordinary laundryman. He first ascertains 
 the number of cubic inches in the room to be ventilated 
 and the time that ought to be taken to entirely change 
 the air in the room in order to insure a room constantlj 
 full of pure air, after which remains only the size and 
 speed of fans and the location of the points at which they 
 should be placed. The common custom is to place the 
 fan in a window opening at the side of the room. If this 
 is done the fan should be placed as high up as possible. 
 We are aware that in ordinary ventilation the outlets are 
 usually placed as low down as possible. The object of 
 -this is to avoid the loss of heat in cold weather. In the 
 ordinary laundry, heat ceases to be a question of impor- 
 tance except to be gotten rid of, and the place to' take it 
 is at the top of the room. If we could place our fan in the 
 ceiling at the center of the room, the value of the same 
 would be very much greater than would be derived from 
 it revolving at the side. A very excellent plan, and one 
 that could be easily arranged in case of a new building, 
 would be to have a large central flue running from the 
 foundation floor out through the roof, to be used as a 
 ventilator alone. The natural ventilation through such 
 a flue would be considerable. The various openings 
 would, however, conflict one with the other unless the 
 
81 
 
 flue were of considerable size and carried to a suflBcient 
 height to secure a strong draught. In such a flue one 
 fan placed above all rooms might be sufficient to secure 
 ample ventilation for all the rooms connected with the 
 flue. We apprehend, however, that such a flue will not 
 be within reach of the majority, and the window opening 
 will of necessity have to suffice. Eve a in this case a flue 
 upon the outside of the building running from the fan to 
 and above the roof, will very greatly increase the effi- 
 ciency of the fan. 
 
 Nature abhors a vacuum. Hence as soon as we start 
 our fan and the air begins to move out, there is an inflow 
 through the various cracks and crevices. This may suf-' 
 flee, yet it is always best to supply inlets foi ^he air. 
 Usually small openings are made in the walls of the 
 building near the floor line. These are covered' with 
 ordinary registers, which may be opened or closed at will. 
 Such an arrangement in connection with the fan will 
 usually be found sufficiently perfect for ordinary purposes. 
 
 After all, the great bugbear of the laundry is excessive 
 heat. Perfect ventilation very much improves the condi- 
 tions but does not totally eradicate the evil. What shall 
 be done? In former times the only method in vogue of 
 reducing temperature was by the use of ice, but to-day 
 all this is changed. Our large meat packing establish- 
 ments, breweries, etc. , are kept cool by what is commonly 
 called the cold storage process, which consists of circulat- 
 ing certain chemicals through pipes, which immediately 
 and constantly give the result desired. We see no rea- 
 son why some modification of this process might not be 
 profitably used in the large laundries- We come now to 
 the question of ventilating the drying rooms. Here 
 again we'find the same necessity for careful procedure 
 and the need of expert knowledge. As is well known, 
 in drying, the moisture which is in the clothing is taken 
 up by the air and held in suspension. Air will hold a 
 
82 
 
 given amount of water and no more. Hence when the 
 air in our dry rooms becomes saturated the drying pro- 
 cess ceases. Either we must remove the moisture from 
 the air or we must remove the air itself, replacing it with 
 dry air. While condensation is sometimes used and 
 would be the preferable plan if air were expensive, gen- 
 erally speaking, some system of ventilation is, on the 
 whole, best. It is, however, best to speak briefly of con- 
 densation. If we circulate water of a lower temperature 
 than the surrounding air, through pipes of iron, brass, or 
 copper, the moisture in the air will condense and form 
 upon the pipes in drops sometimes called ' 'sweat. " It is 
 •evident, therefore, if we carry water pipes around the 
 sides of our dry rooms we will secure the effect of remov- 
 ing the moisture from the air in the room. Where this 
 plan is used conductors must be carried under the pipes , 
 to take away the moisture as it falls. 
 
 A more perfect method of condensation is to withdraw 
 the air from the dryer, pass it through a condenser and 
 carry it in again by the use of proper appliances, thus 
 keeping up a constant circulation. The usual method is 
 as follows: A series of perforated pipes are placed both at 
 the bottom and top of the room, with connections extend- 
 ing outside. The pipes from above are connected with 
 the pipes from below with a blast fan and condenser be- 
 tween. When the fan is started the air is- drawn up 
 through the clothing; taking up the moisture iu its course, 
 it passes out through the pipes at the top, is forced through 
 the condenser, passing down and entering again at the 
 bottom. If the apparatus is of the proper kind and of 
 sufiicient capacity, there is no reason why this is not a 
 very effective way of getting rid of the moisture. 
 
 The drying room is constahtly opened and closed. In 
 this way very much is naturally accomplished in the way 
 of ventilation. If the room itself is so placed as to be 
 surrounded with dry air and is of suflScient size to make 
 
83 
 
 , overloading unnecessary (a dryer may be over-loaded as 
 well as a washing machine), this natural ventilation will 
 be found sufficient, the only necessity being plenty of heat. 
 A very simple method of ventilation is as follows: Small 
 openings are made into the drying room at a distance 
 apart of about twenty-four inches. These openings are 
 connected upon the outside by suitable pipes with a chim- 
 ney or other flue running to the roof. It is well known 
 that as the air is heated it rises. After it becomes satur- 
 ated it is claimed that the specific gravity is increased, 
 and hence it falls toward the bottom; as the hot air rises 
 it meets the falling current and the circulation becomes in 
 a measure stagnant. The greatest amount of this stag- 
 nant air, it is said, will remain at a point twelve to fifteen 
 inches above the steam pipes, increasing, of course, in 
 density and thickness if it is not removed. Hence it is 
 argued that these openings should be made at about this 
 height. However much fact there may be in this theory, 
 it is certainly true that ventilating pipes so placed have 
 been found helpful. The ventilation should never be at 
 the top, for the reason that in such an arrangement the 
 air is likely to pass away too freely and there is consequent 
 loss in heat. 
 
 Another plan of ventilation is to place the heat pipes 
 above, instead of below, as is generally done. With such 
 a method it is necessary to let in air above the pipes and 
 
 force a downward draught by artificial means, a fan being 
 
 used for the purpose. 
 There are also various other methods employed for 
 
 creating a circulation through the dryers, many of which 
 
 are purely experimental, and as no great efficiency is 
 
 proven they are not mentioned here. 
 
 To sum up, then, we see that the desideratum in a dry 
 
 room is plenty of heat and sufficient ventilation to secure 
 
 a reasonably frequent change (or condensation) of the air. 
 
 Beyond this no one need go. 
 
84 
 
 In this connection a few general hints in the construc- 
 tion of dry rooms will be in order. One side of the room 
 must of necessity be more or less open. All other sides 
 should be as tight as possible (except the various ventil- 
 ating openings where necessary). The usual plan is to 
 make the ceiling and sides of two thicknesses of kiln 
 dried sheathing with heavy felt paper between. The 
 lining of the room with roofing tin is an excellent idea. 
 It is also obvious that a room composed entirely of metal 
 would have many advantages. 
 
 The vertical dryer, that is, one in which the racks 
 work vertically instead of horizontally, is not very gen- 
 erally used. In case, however, of a lack of space, and in 
 a room of suf&cient height, this style of dryer may be 
 used to good advantage. In such rooms the heat is gen- 
 erally applied at the sides, the bottom being out of the 
 question and the top undesirable. 
 
 fltgcncies. 
 
 Very much of nonsense has been written regarding the 
 matter of laundry agency business. The men in all sec- 
 tions of the country who have thought best to add to 
 their incomes by conducting an agency for some laundry, 
 have been called thieves, cut-throats, and various other 
 pleasant names, and roundly abused in all manner of 
 ways. Yet no part of the laundryman's business is more 
 legitimate. No adjunct of the business, under proper 
 conditions, is more agreeable or more profitable. 
 
 That grave abuses have crept into this part of the busi- 
 ness is perfectly true, but the agent is in no wise to 
 blame. The unsatisfactory conditions prevailing in many 
 places are simply the result of the laundryman's cupidity 
 and short-sightedness. 
 
85 
 
 John Smith, the laundryman, becomes possessed of the 
 knowledge that in a certain place there is trade to be had. 
 Circumstances are such that he cannot go for this busi- 
 ness directly. If not too far away, he may send his team 
 upon the ground; but the expense of the driver and team 
 is so great that the venture proves unprofitable. He then 
 goes to the place, hires an office, employes office help and 
 other necessary employes, and attempts to control the 
 trade in that way. Again the expenditures equal or 
 exceed the receipts. Finally he finds a man who is 
 engaged in business. This man agrees to furnish the 
 office room, help, etc., etc., and be responsible for all 
 goods sent, the only expense to the laundryman being the 
 cost of doing the work and a commission upon the work 
 done. Surely no better arrangement could be made. 
 
 All goes well until Jones, a competitor of Smith's, goes 
 to the same place in pursuit of trade. He finds the agent 
 of Smith enjoying a good patronage. He reasons that a 
 trade in the hand is better than a trade in the bush — to 
 change a common proverb. Therefore, in order to get 
 the trade, he offers to the agent an increased commission. 
 Naturally, the agent accepts the offer of Jones. Smith 
 again appears upon the scene and goes Jones one better, 
 and so the sea-saw works until the laundryman's profit 
 is gone. But for such folly we can hardly blame the 
 agent. He looks upon the laundryman as one who has 
 something to sell. Being a buyer, he places his orders 
 where he can do so to the best advantage. 
 
 These agents are human. When a complaint is made 
 to the laundryman, he knows how to meet it; that is a 
 part of his business. If he is clearly in fault, he^ settles; 
 if not, he understands what course to follow in order to 
 .satisfy the patron, yet without .settling an unjust claim. 
 With the agent the conditions are different. The com- 
 plainant is a customer of his for other goods besides laun- 
 dry work. He does not consider it for his interest to 
 
86 
 
 Straighten out the laundryman's tanglements. He does 
 see the necessity of satisfying his customer; hence, he 
 settles without investigation or instruction, and deducts 
 the amount from his indebtedness to the laundryman. 
 At first glance we must pronounce the agent unreasona- 
 ble, but here also the fault lies with the laundryman. 
 Again, we have the agent who looks upon the laundry 
 agency as simply an advertisement for the benefit of his 
 other trade. He reasons that it is a small matter any 
 way, and if by making small prices he can increase the 
 business and at the same time benefit his general trade 
 he does not hesitate to do so. Here, again, we pronounce 
 the laundryman at fault. 
 
 In the first place, the laundryman must decide upon 
 the size of the commission he can afibrd to pay to the 
 agent. Having settled this point, let him stick to it, 
 come what may. Second: When he starts out to drum 
 up agents, let him secure agents of his own; or, if he 
 approaches the agent of another, let him do it legiti- 
 mately. Possibly his regular discount in a given case 
 may be greater than that of his competitor. We consider 
 it proper in this way to undersell, otherwise not. He has 
 yet the opportunity of urging the advantages of better 
 work, less transportation charges owing to advantages 
 in this direction not enjoyed by his competitor, more 
 prompt service, less liability to mistakes, etc., etc. Fail- 
 ing in all these points, there is nothing left but a large 
 cut in prices. If he be a sensible man, he will hesitate 
 long before taking such a demoralizing step. Third: 
 The laundryman should instruct his agent carefully in 
 the course to pursue in the case of claims and complaints, 
 and the rule should always be that no payments for such 
 cause are to be made except by the order or consent of 
 the laundryman. Finally, agency business should always 
 be a matter of contract, the laundryman agreeing to all 
 necessary things and the agent the same. 
 
87 
 
 We append a form of agreement which seems to cover 
 the ground: 
 
 AGENTS' CONTRACT. 
 
 This agreement, made this day of. 189..., by 
 
 and between of , , and 
 
 ■ •■ of , , witnesseth'as 
 
 foUows: 
 
 I. The said hereby appoints the said 
 
 hfs sole and exclusive agent for collecting, forwarding and re- 
 delivering laundry work in said for the term of 
 
 from the day of , 189.... 
 
 II. The said hereby accepts the above appoint- 
 ment, and agrees as follows: 1. That during the continuance of 
 tl is contract he will not act directly or indirectly as agent for any 
 ofher person in the same line of business. 2. That he will, to the 
 b(fit of his ability, endeavor to- build up as large a trade as possi- 
 bl ». 3. That he will make shipments of work collected by him on 
 
 of each week. 4. That he will make careful investi- 
 
 gJtion into all claims for loss or damage to articles while in the 
 
 hi'uds of said and report promptly to said 
 
 5, That he will jiot settle any such claims until he receives 
 
 iwstructions from said 6. That all moneys due for 
 
 la'indry work shall be paid over in full to said on the 
 
 .., , day of each month or within five days .^fter he shall have 
 
 rt";eived a statement from said of the amount due. 
 
 III. In consideration of the faithful performance of the fore- 
 
 gcing agreement, the said agrees as follows: 1. That 
 
 di'<ring the continuance of this contract he will not directly or 
 
 indirectly appoint any other agent in said or 
 
 re<:eive any laundry work from any other agent or concern in 
 
 sa'.d 2. That all work shall be done in a good, 
 
 workmanlike manner. 3. That return shipments shall be made 
 on of each week. 4. That he will promptly settle all 
 
 - iurt claims for loss or damage to articles while in his hands. 
 
 5, That the said shall receive of funds 
 
 paid to said at the monthly settlements, the same to 
 
 be in full compensation for his services as agent. 
 
 IV. It is mutually agreed^ 1. That the prices to be charged 
 fr.p'" work shall be in accordance with the following schedule: 
 
 2, That transportation shall be via 
 
 and that the cost of the same shall be 
 
 bC'fne equally. 3. That if either party shall violate this contract 
 
he shall forfeit to the other the sum of. as a penalty. 
 
 4 That either party may terminate this contract by thirty days' 
 notice of his intention so to do, or by paying to the other the suiii 
 
 of. dollars. 
 
 Witness our hands to this instrument and a duplicate hereof 
 the day and year first above written. 
 
 In the presence of 
 
 2tdvertlsing. 
 
 This is a subject that, generally speaking, receives 
 little attention from laundrymen. John Smith (we trust 
 he will pardon our frequent use of his name) says: "Why, 
 here I am, busy, doing about all I can do. Where is the 
 sense of my spending money in advertising?" But John 
 ■is wrong. Supposing we should say to him: "Now, Mr. 
 Smith, you are doing a business of $500 a week- Do 
 you mean to say you are not competent to handle a busi- 
 ness twice as large? Would you not be glad to do it, if 
 you could?' ' 
 
 "Oh, yes, certainly; but don't you know, I don't 
 believe advertising will do it." Perhaps not, but let us 
 look at some of the most successful business men of the 
 day. What has made them? Advertising, well backed 
 up by business ability. Take, if you please, two rival 
 concerns of equal capital and comparatively equal chances 
 every way. One advertises liberally and judiciously, 
 the other does not advertise at all, or, if at all, spasmodi- 
 cally and with poor judgment. Which house has the 
 greatest success? The first, of course. There is no 
 chance for argument here. 
 
 In order to advertise judiciously we must have some- 
 thing to advertise. The laundryman must have a good 
 laundry and do good work. Be sure of these points 
 
89 
 
 before you advertise very largely. The advertisement 
 brings you the customer. The quality of your work 
 keeps him or disgusts him as the case may be.. In the 
 latter case the money expended for the advertisement is 
 worse than thrown away. 
 
 Now, how shall we advertise? We have seen that 
 Mr. Smith claimed not to be a believer in advertising. 
 Yet he advertises every day. There is the sign over the 
 door. Make it neat and legible. There are his teams 
 going up and down the streets. All these things are 
 advertisements as well as business necessities. A man 
 cannot do very much business without advertising to 
 some extent. Be careful that your advertisement is not 
 a bad one. A broken-winded old horse may do you incal- 
 culable injury. A ramshackle wagon is as bad a card as 
 though it were lettered, "This is the delivery wagon of 
 the Shiftless I^aundry." An untidy, shiftless, surly 
 driver is an exceedingly bad advertisement. Have a 
 good, wholesome, well-fed horse, respectably harnessed, 
 drawing a neat, clean, attractive wagon (extravagance is 
 not necessary), driven by a gentlemanly, energetic fellow 
 in a neat uniform. 
 
 After a careful study of this question extending 
 through twenty years, we are satisfied that the best 
 advertising medium at hand is the newspaper of recog- 
 nized standing. When we come to manner and methods 
 there is a large divergence of opinion. Our own opinion 
 is that a short, concisely worded advertisement, set up in 
 plain type, is better than a whole page of display. Say 
 what you have to say in as few and striking words as 
 possible. It may be well to do a little fooling in the first 
 few lines, but get down to business as soon as possible. 
 Striking illustrations as headings are much used and 
 have considerable value, providing they are so drawn as 
 to say something. Study originality. This is a large ques- 
 tion and one for every man to study. We will close with 
 
90 
 
 a few illustrations and the advice to keep your advertise- 
 ments going all the time and change frequently. 
 
 SPECIMEN ADVERTISEMENTS. 
 
 NO 
 
 one will dispute the fact that for healthful washing pure water 
 
 is essential. Our artesian well supplies just what is needed. 
 
 This is 
 
 ONE 
 
 reason why we excel in cur line of trade. Of course, there are 
 other reasons. Our new collar and cuff apparatus is superior to 
 anything heretofore used. No one 
 
 ELSE 
 has it or can have it, for we have exclusive rights in this section. 
 This is also true of our system, the result of long experience. 
 
 We do not give it away. 
 
 HAS IT 
 
 occurred to you of late to try our work? Some say they can get 
 satisfaction nowhere else. Remember, there is no charge con- 
 nected to our collection and delivery system. 
 Telephone, 2116. Smith's Laundry, 110 Tenth St. 
 
 Whang Goes the Door Bell. 
 
 Mary Ann brushes the bread dough from her brawny arms 
 and rushes to the door, expecting the postman and a sweet mis- 
 sive from Teddy the "Cop." The smart young man standing 
 upon the step inquires, "Can't we do your laundry work?'' 
 "Indade," says M. A., "I duz me own, and the master gets his 
 dun at Smith's Laundry. 'Tis there ye gits the foine work." 
 
 Smith's Laundry, 110 Tenth St. 
 
 Zanzibar, Africa, December 10, 1889. 
 SmiWs Laundry, Breakwater, N. Y.: 
 
 Dbar Sir — When summoned to go in search of Emin, I left 
 your section in such haste as to entirely forget my clean linen at 
 yonr laundry. You were very thoughtful to forward the same. 
 The package reached camp during my absence, and the various 
 garments were appropriated by the natives (with them a little 
 clothing goes a good way). When I return to America, you 
 shall have all my patronage. I know of no other place where 
 I can get so satisfactory service. 
 
 Yours truly, Stani,ey. 
 
 Smith's Laundry. 
 
91 
 
 Day "VSTork versus Piece "Work. 
 
 The relative tlerits of the day work and piece work 
 methods of paying wages are something as follows: 
 
 In day work the ordinarily good hand will do satis- 
 factory work without inspection, but will need to be 
 watched in order to secure a good amount of work. In 
 piece work there will be need of careful inspection only. 
 In the large shop, where each hand has his or her special 
 work to do, the piece work plan will be preferable; in 
 the small shop, where help are expected to make them- 
 selves generally useful, the day work plan is usually 
 adopted. 
 
 The rate of pay per day, of necessity, has no fixed 
 quality, ranging all the way from 50 cents to $3.00 per 
 day. The average price for a good washer would be 
 $1.50 per day; starcher, $1.25; plain ironer, $1.00; fancy 
 ironer, $1.25 to $1.50; shirt ironer, $1.50 to $1.75; oflSce 
 help, $5.00 to $8.00 per week; bookkeeper, $10.00 to 
 $18.00 per week; foreman, $12.00 to $18.00 per week; 
 forewoman, $8.00 to $12.00; sorters, $100 per day to 
 $10.00 perweek; packers, 75 cents to $r.oo; good mangle 
 hand, $1.25; operator of ironing machine, $1.00 to $1.75 
 per day. 
 
 Piece work prices: Finishing shirts after starching 
 machine, 5 to 6 cents per dozen; starching shirts by 
 hand, 8 to 12 cents per dozen; finishing collars after 
 starching machine, 8 to 12 cents per hundred; starching 
 collars by hand, 4 to 5 cents per dozen; finishing shirts 
 after ironing machine and body ironer, 50 cents per hun- 
 dred; after machine alone, i to lyi cents each; ironing 
 shirts by hand, 3>^ to 7 cents (stock) each; ironing 
 bosoms, neckbands and wristbands upon the Tyler or 
 similar device, i J^ to 2 cents each. 
 
92 
 
 \Srork for Employees. 
 
 There should be some well-understood arrangement to 
 govern the work done for employees. If there are no 
 restrictions this class of work will grow and flourish. 
 Probably the best plan is to have a regular price list for 
 such work, being careful not to charge very much in 
 excess of cost. 
 
 Care of IVIachinery. 
 
 Too much care of machinery is impossible. The more 
 careful attention a machine has, not only the better 
 work will it do, but the longer it will wear. Have all 
 the running parts often wiped, keep the oil inlets open, 
 oil frequently instead of profusely; a drop in the right 
 place is better than a quart put on haphazard. Hot 
 bearings (as in the case of ironing cylinders) should be 
 oiled several times a day. To clean washing machine 
 headers, spray thoroughly with live steam through a 
 hose. Sometimes the headers are taken off and boiled 
 for a few moments in soda water. This is a very effective 
 method, but unnecessary if proper care has been taken. 
 
 Cleanliness. 
 
 It seems hardly necessary to say to laundrymen that a 
 clean laundry is essential to clean and satisfactory work. 
 Yet there are laundries in which very little attention is 
 bestowed upon this fact. We may almost say, the 
 cleaner the shop the better the work will be. At all 
 (events, it is evident that good work is more likely to be 
 done in a clean place than in a dirty one. It is also true 
 that absolute cleanness and neatness about the shop 
 
93 
 
 exerts a salutary influence upon the help employed. I<et 
 neatness be insisted upon and the help will naturally fall 
 into neatness in habit, while in a dirty shop the reverse 
 is quite likely to take place. 
 
 Sometimes we find laundries where everything is neat- 
 ness until we reach the wash room. There filth and bad 
 smells reign supreme. Yet no room is more easily kept 
 clean and sweet, providing proper arrangements are 
 made at the start. Nothing is so good for a wash room 
 floor as cement. This should be of good quality, of con- 
 siderable thickness and properly laid down. Then by 
 having the floor slope to a common centre at which place 
 the drain is placed, or by suflScient and suitable gutters 
 sloped in like manner, an occasional use of the hose keeps 
 everything sweet and clean. There is no objection to 
 laying the cement over a wood floor, providing the floor 
 is firm. 
 
 It is the custom in some laundries to have each hand 
 keep the part of the shop which he or she occupies neat 
 and clean. The same rule applies to the machinery and 
 apparatus used^. This plan works very well in many 
 cases. Yet in large shops it is doubtless best to employ 
 one or more persons whose sole business shall be clean- 
 ing up. 
 
 Shiftless and sluttish habits are entirely out of place 
 among laundry employes. As we have seen, cleanliness 
 about the shop has an influence against such habits, but 
 we should go a step beyond that. First, we must insist 
 upon cleanliness of person. Second, we may very prop- 
 erly have our say as to what the dress should be. 
 
 The custom of uniforming employes, has of late grown 
 to be general. I^aundrymen have taken up this idea as 
 far as drivers are concerned. We see no reason why this 
 custom may not be carried advantageously to every de- 
 partment of the laundry. The proper dress for the vari- 
 ous departments will at once occur to every experienced 
 
94 
 
 laundry man. We are very sure that to act upon the 
 suggestion here offered will result in satisfaction. 
 
 Insurance. 
 
 The benefits of insurance are so generally recognized 
 that very little need be said upon the subject. Yet there 
 are many who, in this matter, "take the chances." The 
 argument is something as follows: 
 
 "I have been in business ten years. I have never had 
 a fire; furthermore, I do not intend to have. I am 
 always here. I keep a close watch of everything. I 
 have pails full of water upon every floor, hose connec- 
 tions here and there, with the hose all ready coiled for 
 use; in different parts of the shop I place fire extinguish- 
 ers. Every night before I go home I make a tour of the 
 building to see that everything is all right. Why, then, 
 should I pay out large sums of money every year for in- 
 surance?" 
 
 Why? Well, just for this reason: With all your pre- 
 caution fire may come, perhaps (and probably) from cir- 
 cumstances over which you have no control. Then your 
 insurance comes in handy, does it not ? In other words, 
 without insurance you are taking chances, with insur- 
 ance you are not. Cannot you afford, then, to pay the 
 sum necessary per annum to be upon the safe side ? 
 
 Your precautions are excellent, and would be wise 
 even if fully insured. No one wishes to burn out just 
 because there is insurance money to be gotten, at least 
 no laundryman who is doing a prosperous business does. 
 Your insurance may cover the loss on building, machin- 
 ery, fixtures, etc., but it does not cover loss of time and 
 loss of business. Therefore, all possible precautions 
 against fire are wise- 
 
96 
 
 Heretofore, and to a large extent at present, laundries 
 are considered hazardous risks. This comes from the 
 fact that many laundries are so located as to be in espe- 
 cial danger from fire, and because of the hot fire common- 
 ly present. Nowadays we ought to be able to secure as 
 favorable rates as in any other line of trade. The great 
 majority of laundries have come out of the dangerous 
 locations, and are in comfortable, safe buildings. In the 
 present method of building drying rooms, the element of 
 danger is reduced to the minimum. It would be entirely 
 eradicated, but for the fact that all wood work in and 
 about the dryer becomes so thoroughly seasoned as to be 
 very susceptible to fire. For instance, a laundryman 
 whose dry room is in a dark place, dropped a small piece 
 of lighted paper into the room to give him a moment's 
 light. In an instant the bars were in a blaze. Under 
 ordinary conditions of wood work it would have taken 
 considerable paper to start such a fire. 
 
 The red-hot coal stove has been given up very largely 
 and the comparatively harmless gas stove takes its place. 
 There have been also various other innovations, so that 
 to-day the laundry is comparatively free from dangerous 
 conditions. Insurance men ought to understand this and 
 make our rates accordingly. 
 
 The insurance of patrons' property is not advised. 
 There is no legal responsibility resting upon the laundry- 
 man. Of course, in case of fire he will probably consider 
 it best to settle where the demands are reasonable. Cir- 
 cumstances are likely to arise in which he will find it 
 quite convenient to fall back upon the fact that he has 
 no insurance. Upon the other hand, he will be likely to 
 carry insurance enough so that he can settle in such 
 cases as he cares to do so. 
 
96 
 
 Combination versus Competition. 
 
 There has been, during the last few years, in almost 
 every line of business of a mechanical or manufacturing 
 nature, more or less discussion of the relative rnerits of 
 competition and combination. In many lines competition 
 has become so great that it has become necessary to find 
 some relief from it, and as a result many firms competing 
 in the same territory for the same business have decided 
 to lay aside the sword, and, burying their differences, 
 have joined hands, put their different plants together, 
 and their business under one management. This we 
 have seen done in many of the large industries of the 
 country, and it has been carried to so great a length 
 among corporations controlling the railroads that a large 
 proportion of the mileage of the country is controlled by 
 comparatively few corporations. At the annual meeting 
 of the Laundrymen's National Association, held in Buffalo 
 in 1889, a paper was read in which the writer took a 
 decided stand in favor of combination. His argument 
 was that by a division of the work, or a striving for it by 
 many different competitors, a large amount of unnecessary 
 work was done, as each small concern was obliged to 
 cover the same ground and keep practically the same 
 force of overseers, managers, etc., that one large concern 
 would do that could handle the combined work. 
 
 During the last year there has been several combina- 
 tions among laundrymen in different cities, possibly in 
 some cases as a result of the paper above mentioned. 
 What success has attended these combinations we are 
 unable to state. Probably some have done v/isely in 
 combining, while others might better have kept on in 
 the old way. That under favorable circumstances sucn 
 arrangements can be made a success, we have no doubt. 
 That in many cases a saving in expense can be made, we 
 believe, and when the parties coming together are equally 
 
97 
 
 inclined to work, are so constituted that one is adapted 
 to doing the inside work, while the other is just the man 
 for the outside; when they both are men of like experi- 
 ence and are adapted to pulling together, there is no 
 doubt that it is sometimes a wise thing to con bine. That 
 two competing laundrymen can put their business 
 together and hold all their trade, we do not believe. 
 That a move of that kind is apt to arouse the jealousy of 
 others in the trade, is probably true, and is apt to give 
 such a chance to steal the trade, on the ground that com- 
 binations savor of the spirit of monopoly. There is always 
 more or less of a "break in business" during the time of 
 removal, which will usually cause some bad work and dis- 
 appointment to customers, and we all know what that 
 means. 
 
 The writer of the paper above mentioned argued that 
 there would be a considerable saving in doing work in 
 large quantities over the cost of handling it in a smaller 
 way. We do not think there is as much of an advantage 
 as some would imagine. We think it true that the per- 
 centage of cost of doing starching and ironing in a 
 laundry which is p,roperly conducted, that does a weekly 
 business of say $400, is no more than in one doing $1,000. 
 While there may be some advantage in quantities, we 
 think there are possibly some disadvantages which will 
 offset them. In other departments, those of gathering, 
 managing, office work, etc., the laundry doing $1,200 a 
 week will probably have a smaller percentage of expense 
 than three laundries doing $400 each. I^ike everything 
 else, there are arguments both for and against,- and after 
 all is said and done we believe that the question of 
 adaptability to each other by those contempla,ting such 
 a move is one that outweighs all others. 
 
98 
 
 Note. — This chapter is very kindly furnished by Mr. 
 L. E. Hastings, of Indianapolis, Indiana* Those who 
 heard at the Buffalo convention the able paper of Mr. 
 Hastings upon this subject will note something of a 
 change in his opinions. Then he seemed to be a strong 
 advocate of combination, showing conclusively the great 
 saving in cost and otherwise arguing strongly in its 
 favor. Since that time he seems to have seen disadvan- 
 tages, and is to an extent opposed to combination. How- 
 ever, we believe the laundry business of the future is 
 likely to be done by combinations or large corporations. 
 This seems to be the industrial trend of the age. The 
 right method of combination is yet to be decided upon. 
 If competitors in business in a given city unite their 
 business in a common laundry in which each has some 
 part of the management at a large salary, which is the 
 system followed in at least two instances, the result is not 
 likely to be satisfactory. 
 
 We are inclined to believe that the most promising out- 
 look lies in the following direction: 
 
 I^et the competing laundrymen in any city erect and 
 fit a laundry — entirely new, using none of the plant of 
 either one unless bought outright — the whole being paid 
 for and carried on as a joint stock corporation, and the 
 management being by a disinterested superintendent. 
 Now the several laundrymen will continue their biisiness 
 as before, keeping their offices, teams, etc., etc.; in short 
 each will carry on business as before, save only that all 
 work collected is turned in and done at the comnion 
 laundry, each laundryman taking his work when done, 
 paying a uniform price for the same and delivering it to 
 his customers and receiving his compensation therefor. 
 At stated times the books of the corporation are to be 
 balanced. If a gain is shown a dividend is declared; if a 
 deficit, it is provided for by a stock assessment. While 
 
 *Deceased. 
 
99 
 
 the corporators, i. e. , the laundrymen, may properly hold 
 official positions, and, in fact, must do so, they must 
 not be allowed to run the laundry except as a board of 
 directors and without salary, the superintendent always 
 being a disinterested person; that is, with no more 
 loyalty to one corporator than to all. 
 
 This is the plan in the rough- It is evident that a 
 large percentage of saving in expense would be effected 
 and the many faults of modern competition would correct 
 themselves. 
 
 Claims. 
 
 Claims are the burden of the laundryman's life. If 
 all claims were just, no fault could be found; but, in 
 point of fact, most claims are unjust. 
 
 Inrst — We notice the man who claims that his goods 
 are not washed clean; yet this man gets his goods so 
 fearfully soiled that to perfectly cleanse them is well 
 nigh impossible. The author once remarked to a cus- 
 tomer of this kind: " That shirt when it came in was the 
 dirtiest I have ever seen; it is impossible to thoroughly 
 clean such a shirt without spoiling it." "I don't see 
 how that can be," was the reply; "I only wore it a 
 week." This man was a railroad brakeman, wore a white 
 shirt a week and expected the laundryman to return it 
 spotlessly white. 
 
 Second — There is the man who is always short; he gets 
 all he left, according to your books, but books are of no 
 account. What will you do with such a man? You 
 may succeed in convincing him of his mistake. You 
 say: "Now, look here. ,We are fallible and might make 
 a mistake, but our system is such that we ought to dis- 
 cover it i^e do. Note upon our book your name, your 
 address, your pieces and the mark upon the pieces. Our 
 work is all run in small lots. Now, granted that we 
 
100 
 
 may make a mistake in making your list, leaving ofiF a 
 collar or a shirt, when that lot is sorted we will have 
 that collar or shirt left on hand; this is almost an abso- 
 lute certainty. What do we do? Why, simply go to the 
 book and ascertain whom that shirt or collar belongs 
 to, find the bundle, correct the list and put it in, or, if we 
 do not do this, we will have the goods left on hand. 
 Again, the person who handles your goods has done so 
 week after week and has become perfectly familiar with 
 them. This reduces the liability to mistake. Now, of 
 course, you will admit that we have no desire to beat 
 you out of a shirt or collar. We have no market for 
 second-hand goods, and the price for laundering is of 
 more value to us than the garment you claim. Is it ncit 
 evident, in view of all these facts, that you are mistaken? ' ' 
 
 "No, there is no mistake about it. You owe me a 
 shirt and you must produce it or settle. ' ' This is the 
 usual result of your clean-cut argument. Which will 
 you do? Nine times out of ten the crank is mad and 
 will leave you anyway. A settlement is not sure to 
 retain him as a customer, and if it does he is just as 
 ready to kick next week and perhaps more so. But you 
 may try this plan: " My dear sir, I am positive you are 
 mistaken, yet I would not for the world let you go away 
 thinking that I have defrauded you. I wish to retain 
 your valuable patronage. Now, I propose to settle. 
 Take some of these lists and make one out yourself with 
 each lot you send. When the goods come to us, if we 
 cannot make our account agree with yours, we will 
 notify you at once. This will not be much trouble and 
 will be satisfactory to you and to us. Then if we fail to 
 return everything according to the list, we will settle at 
 once without argument. ' ' 
 
 Third — We notice the man who does not kqpw his own 
 goods. He is always returning something as not his. 
 You say: " Here is the mark. This is your size." "No 
 
101 
 
 I never had such a garment. I did not put the mark 
 upon it. I don't care anything about the marks any 
 way. I want my own goods. ' ' What will you do with 
 this man? He is a hard customer. - We confess that aftet 
 years of experience with him we have given him up as a 
 bad job. 
 
 Fourth — The man who always returns his worn out 
 goods and demands to know what you use to damage 
 goods, and a settlement. He never owned an old collar 
 in his life and is not aware that collars and cuffs wear out. 
 The dialogue is something as follows: 
 
 Kicker: ' ' lyook at these collars. They have only been 
 washed twice and they are all in pieces. What do you use 
 to rot goods out in this way? Now I want you to settle." 
 
 Ivaundrymari: " My dear sir, I am sorry you have had 
 so much trouble. The only way out of it as far as I can 
 see is for you to buy better goods in future." 
 
 K. — "What do you mean? These collars cost me 
 twenty-five cents each, the best I can buy." 
 
 \,. — " I can't help that. You say the goods 'have only 
 been washed twice. Now if that is true, and I do not 
 wish to doubt your word, the inevitable conclusion is that 
 the trouble is in the goods. Why, if we ruined collars in 
 two washings we could not do business a month." 
 
 K. — "Well, I can't help that. These are new goods 
 and you have rotted them out." 
 
 L. — " Now, my friend, is it not possible that you are 
 mistaken? Note in the first place the trade marks. These 
 tnarks are indelibly printed upon the collars. But you 
 see they are nearly faded out. It takes a good many 
 washings to do that. Again, here are our marks. The 
 ink we use is perfectly indelible. You cannot remove it 
 by any chemical I know of, and yet it does fade after 
 repeated washings. When the mark becomes indistinct 
 we renew it. Notice this collar. It has four different 
 marks upon it. This shows that it has been to the laun- 
 
102 
 
 dry at least four times. You said two. This shows that 
 you are so much mistaken, don't it? In point of fact, 
 each one of those marks stands for several washings. 
 Probably this collar has been through the laundry twenty 
 times." 
 
 K. (beginning to relent under the power of your logic) 
 — " Well, I may be mistaken as far as that collar is con- 
 cerned, but here is one that has only two marks, and sev- 
 eral have only one. These are new anyway." 
 
 L. — " Well, I know you are mistaken. Themarkers are 
 governed by the aspect of the marks. Some look brighter 
 and last longer than others. For instance, none of the 
 four marks on this collar are faded out. The girls simply 
 wanted to be on the safe side. With these others the 
 mark has stood better than on the others. Perhaps at 
 the time they were marked they laid some time before 
 going to the wash. This makes a difiference. Did you 
 ever have a collar wear out upon your neck? No? Well, 
 you must admit that collars are going to wear out some- 
 time, and where, pray, but in the washing? You send a 
 collar to the laundry. It looks like a good collar, but in 
 point of fact it is just ready to go, and when the retain- 
 ing starch is removed it goes, and the laundryman 
 returns it in installments. Goodness knows he don't like 
 to do so, but how is he going to help it? You are 
 deceived by appearances. Time flies. You have had 
 these collars longer than you supposed. To convince 
 yourself, try an experiment. Buy a half dozen dollars, 
 bring them here and I will put your name and date upon 
 them, then when they are worn out, if you are not sat- 
 isfied that I am right and you are wrong, I will settle." 
 
 This is a somewhat lengthy dialogue, but how else can 
 you hope to convince the kicker, and even with all these 
 knock-down arguments you are likely to fail. 
 
103 
 
 Chinese Competition. 
 
 ,The tendency among laundrymen has been to look 
 with contempt upon Chinese competition. There is no 
 very good ground for this contempt. If we were to care- 
 fully take a census of the laundry business of New York 
 City, for instance, we would probably find that the 
 Chinese are handling fully one-fourth as much money as 
 are the American laundries. If we cut out what we call 
 mangle work, the percentage of the Chinamen would be 
 very much greater, possibly fully 50%. While it may 
 be true that some of the Chinese patronage is undesira- 
 ble, this criticism does not apply to the bulk of their 
 trade. Therefore there is no good reason why laundry- 
 men should not be awake to the consequences of Chinese 
 competition, and as a whole, thoroughly anti-Chinese. 
 In fact, we believe that all good citizens without regard 
 to their business, should be anti- Chinese, for it is proven 
 beyond all question that the presence of Chinese in this 
 country is an economic • stumbling block in the way of 
 common prosperity. It is not our purpose here to argue 
 the Chinese question. We simply take the facts as they 
 are and inquire, what are we going to do about it? 
 
 Those who have given much study to this question 
 find plenty of evidence that public sentiment is under- 
 going a change, that the anti Chinese sentiment is spread- 
 ing. Possibly the growth of public sentiment will in 
 time become so general that Chinese competition will 
 languish for want of patronage, but this time, if it comes 
 at all, will be long delayed. In the meantime we are not 
 satisfied to fold our arms and resign ourselves to patient 
 waiting. 
 
 It is pretty clearly demonstrated that the laundrymen, 
 standing alone, cannot afford to wage war against the 
 Chinese. There are in every community people who are 
 strongly pro-Chinese. For the most part these are 
 
104 
 
 excellent people. They are governed very largely by 
 sentiment, mistaken sentiment,, we must needs think, yet 
 this does not make the fact of any less consequence. As 
 soon as the laundryman fires his first gun in the anti- 
 Chinese campaign he antagonizes these people, and the 
 business man who is in a large measure dependent upon 
 the public for support cannot afford to antagonize any 
 considerable number of people in the section from which 
 he draws his patronage. 
 
 What a man cannot do, may be done by a body of men. 
 Hence we say that while the individual laundryman is 
 powerless, by combination of laundry men much might 
 be accomplished. It is to be regretted that there is no 
 organization at present existing among laundrymen that 
 has the power, ability or disposition to properly take up 
 the warfare. 
 
 The author took occasion at the annual conven- 
 tion of the I/aundryman's National Association (Buff'alo, 
 1889) to offer a plan for fighting the Chinese. This 
 plan was not adopted, but as we believe it to be correct 
 in principle a brief outline of the plan will be given here. 
 
 It was assumed in the first place that the salient facts 
 were as has been stated, and in the second place that the 
 laundryman 's hope lay in the education of the people to 
 a proper knowledge of the Chinese question, hoping to 
 prove conclusively that the matter is not one of senti- 
 ment, but one of importance, not only to the life of an 
 important industry, but to the industrial life of the 
 republic itself, and in addition a social and moral prob- 
 lem of no little moment. 
 
 It was proposed that a bureau be established to collect 
 and print in convenient form for circulation and in large 
 quantities, matter relating to the Chinese question, of 
 such tenor and backed up by such statistical facts as to 
 carry conviction to the reader, free from all demagogic 
 utterance; sober, sensible and convincing, 
 
106 
 
 The next step would be for the laundryman to send to 
 the bureau the names of such people in his section as he 
 wished. To them would be mailed the circulars, and a 
 bill would be rendered to' the laundryman for actual cost 
 of printed matter and postage. 
 
 The advantages of this system are obvious: 
 
 ist. The value of the material collected. 
 
 2nd. Kconomy. 
 
 3rd. The ability of the laundryman to cover his field 
 secretly. The circulars being mailed direct from head- 
 quarters, if any prejudice were aroused it would not 
 reflect upon the laundryman. 
 
 Covering of AAachlnes. 
 
 The absorbing drums or surfaces of ironing machines 
 need careful attention. The covering may be too hard or 
 too soft; in either case the best results are not obtained. 
 The covering should always be compact and tightly 
 drawn on; it should be slightly yielding to the touch — 
 perhaps ' 'mellow' ' would be a good word to u.se. 
 
 The usual plan is to use suflScient of cotton flannel to 
 get the required softness and cover with two or more 
 thicknesses of unbleached cotton cloth. The cotton 
 flannel packs very quickly and soon becomes as hard as 
 the cotton cloth. It should be then removed and washed 
 (i. e. , shrunk) and drawn on again, with the addition of 
 as much new as necessary. After a few washings the 
 old cloth ceases to be of benefit. 
 
 In some cases heavy cotton warp cassimere is used. 
 This is expensive, but if taken off frequently and shrunk 
 it will last a long time. 
 
 Cheap wool blankets are frequently used. These also 
 require frequent shrinkage. Perhaps the most convenient 
 and economical of all coverings is the table felt sold by 
 
106 
 
 all dry goods dealers. This makes a very fine ironing 
 surface and lasts well. 
 
 Whatever the covering used, it is generally consid- 
 ered well to change frequently. The old coverings are 
 washed, and such as are good may be used again, while 
 the more or less worn out may be utilized for other 
 purposes. 
 
 Disinfection. 
 
 Goods coming from buildings in which there is conta- 
 gious disease should be disinfected before handling. 
 Subjecting them to the fumes of burning sulphur is the 
 most approved method. 
 
 Remedies. 
 
 In a laundry where a large number of people are 
 employed something is happening most of the time. 
 Some one burns the hand, or has a headache, or gets 
 caught in the mangle or something of the kind, and so 
 the complications are frequently arising. 
 
 In case of severe accident the best thing to do is to sum- 
 mon a physician at once and have the patient removed to 
 home or hospital, but little hurts and minor ailings may 
 be attended to on the spot, and perhaps the .temporary 
 loss of help be prevented. 
 
 Burns are perhaps more frequent than any other trou- 
 ble. The application of kerosene oil will usually give 
 immediate relief. A cloth dipped in a bi- carbonate of 
 soda solution and wrapped around the burn will also 
 give relief, but not so quickly as the oil. For severe 
 burns wrap with cotton saturated in sweet oil. 
 
 Headache will usually yield lo a dose of four grains 
 of anti-febrine. This is a powerful drug, and larger 
 
107 
 
 doses should not be given. Bromo caflFeine is also 
 used for headache. For sick headache, nausea, etc., etc., 
 use phosphate of soda, a heaping teaspoonful dissolved 
 in a cup of hot water. For toothache and neuralgia fre- 
 quent applications of peppermint. For cuts, bruises, 
 lameness, etc., use extract of witch hazel. The same is 
 an excellent remedy for inflammation ' of all kinds, 
 especially for sore eyes. For use in the eye it should be 
 diluted about one- half. Pain from jams or bruises (drop- 
 ping a flat-iron on the foot, for instance) may be helped 
 by wrapping in cloths wet in hot water. For summer 
 complaint use Humphrey's Specific No. 4. 
 
 Not having made a study of the art of healing, we are 
 unable to extend the list. The advice, however, is given 
 to laundrymen to study up in these matters. 
 
 R. Portable I^aundry. 
 
 As we learned in a previous chapter, the doing of family 
 work at a profitable price has been something of a prob- 
 lem to laundrymen. Even if satisfactory prices may be 
 made, there are yet difficulties to overcome. The work 
 is bulky and very much room is needed. The labor of 
 marking and sorting is considerable. Then again there 
 is the prejudice of many people to overcome. No doubt 
 very many more people would send their work to the 
 laundries if they could be satisfied as to the methods 
 employed. Some fear the wear and .tear upon the goods, 
 others dislike the idea of having their clothing washed 
 in common with that of other families, and so the reasons 
 multiply. It is no doubt true that if people could be 
 satisfied that their work could be done satisfactorily, 
 cheaply, etc. , the patrons of the laundry would rapidly 
 Increase. 
 
1U8 
 
 The great dread is the discomforts of wash day. The 
 majority of families would prefer to do the ironing at 
 home, while any economical and convenient way of 
 escape from wash day would be freely embraced. 
 
 A Yankee recommends to the attention of laundrymen 
 what he calls a portable laundry. A suitable vehicle is 
 provided upon which is placed a small boiler and engine, 
 the former preferably fired with coal oil, naphtha or some 
 similar fuel. In addition there is a washer, wringer, and 
 other necessary apparatus. 
 
 In the morning the vehicle starts out. Coming to the 
 residence of customer A, attachment is made to the house 
 water supply. Steam is gotten up, the wash brought out 
 from the house and weighed, washed and wrung. Pay- 
 ment is made, and the laundry moves on to customer B, 
 and so throughout the day. 
 
 We observe in the first place that the laundryman 
 escapes both the labor of marking and sorting, the work 
 is all done by weight, and in the second place the various 
 prejudices of the housekeeper are all overcome at once. 
 It may be supposed that the idea of the portable laundry 
 is brought forward as a joke. This is not the case. The 
 idea is thrown out with honest intent, and as worthy the 
 consideration of laundrymen, nor do we see any reason 
 why the idea is not feasible. 
 
 Some one will say that inasmuch as the family wash 
 day comes on Monday, and as the majority of families 
 prefer to have the washing done and out of the way 
 early, the laundryman must needs have several laundries 
 or else his patronage could not extend to more than a few 
 families. 
 
 Why is Monday wash day? Why not Tuesday, 
 Wednesday or any other day? There is no good reason for 
 the present custom except that it is custom. The Ameri- 
 can people are quick to appreciate innovations, and we 
 venture the statement that the portable laundry once 
 
109 
 
 started will find patronage the week through. It must, 
 however, be systematically managed. The list of cus- 
 tomers must be arranged in their proper order, each cus- 
 tomer being Attended to upon a given day and hour each 
 week. 
 
 Points. 
 
 Laundrymen are bothered, and no doubt lose trade 
 from the fact that customers often forget just how long 
 their goods have been in use. For instance, a customer 
 may return a collar which has outlived its usefulness and 
 claim that the said collar has been washed but two or three 
 times. The laundryman knows that the customer is mis- 
 taken, but finds it difficult to convince him of the fact. 
 
 We must assume that these people are upon the whole 
 honest, and if we have anything in the way of proofthat 
 is convincing, we may be able to satisfy them. We are 
 unable to hit upon aiiy plan to accomplish this purpose 
 aside from the following: 
 
 Upon every piece, in addition to the regular mark, let 
 the marker place a dot, that is, a dot each time the goods 
 come to the laundry. These dots need not disfigure the 
 goods, and the number of dots show the number of wash- 
 ings. Of course this plan entails considerable extra work 
 from the fact that ordinarily not more than 25% of the 
 pieces require marking, while to make a success of the 
 dot system each piece must be dotted each time it comes 
 to the laundry. 
 
 It is evident that no especial skill is required to place 
 these dots upon the goods. Besides, the work may be 
 done very rapidly. Hence one or more cheap hands may 
 be engaged for this especial work. A smart young girl 
 at fifty cents per day would be able to do the dotting for 
 a large business. 
 
no 
 
 Imagine the customer returning a collar with the cus- 
 tomary claim. You. are able to show him by the dots 
 that the collar has been washed twelve, fifteen or twenty 
 times. 
 
 If thought best, attention could be called to the dots by 
 printingupon the list. Then the customer by referring to 
 them would know how his goods were wearing. 
 
 One ounce crude carbolic acid, one quart coal tar, well 
 mixed, is said to make a good marking ink. 
 
 To each gallon of hot starch add one tablespoonful of 
 pure lard. Mix while cooking. Imparts a high gloss to 
 ihe work. 
 
 One-half pound pulverized borax, one-eighth pound 
 caustic soda, one-fourth pound stone lime, mixed in ten 
 gallons of water, is said to make a good bleaching mix- 
 lure. 
 
 To whiten lace curtains, to ten gallons water add one- 
 half pound of borax. 
 
 Starch Gloss. — One pint glycerine, one pound oxide 
 of zinc, one pound precipitated chalk, one pound white 
 glue. Rub zinc and chalk together, mix glycerine and 
 glue together. Then mix all. 
 
 Pulverized gum arable is sometimes used as a starch 
 gloss, or equal parts of gum arabic and borax. 
 
 Chlorate of potash mixed with three times its weight 
 of common salt, and diluted in vi'ater, is sometimes used 
 as a bleach. 
 
Hi 
 
 A Good Bi^ub. — Seven parts of oil of vitriol , in glass 
 vessel (or stone jar); add gradually one part powdered 
 indigo, stirring the mixture at each addition with glass 
 rod. Cover for twenty-four hours. Dilute to one gallon 
 with water. 
 
 Cement for leather may be used for joining belts. 
 Gutta percha dissolved in bisulphide of carbon until 
 thickness of molasses. The parts to be joined must be 
 well thinned down. Spread the cement on both ends, 
 hold over the fire for a moment, then hammer well to- 
 gether. Keep cement in corked bottle in cool place. 
 
 To get the best results from belts they should be 
 washed and oiled once a month. Use fish oil four parts, 
 lard or tallow one part, colophorium one part, wood tar 
 one part. 
 
 Mucilage for labels is made as follows: Macerate five 
 parts good glue in twenty parts of water for twenty-four 
 hours. Add twenty parts rock candy, three parts gum 
 arabic. 
 
 To make a good toilet soap, melt one part of olive oil 
 soap with three parts of pure neutral soda soap. Scent 
 according to taste with oil bergamot or other essential 
 oils or scents. When cool cut into bars. Will be neces- 
 sary to use a little water in the melting. 
 
 In setting machinery upon wooden floors cover the 
 space to be occupied with zinc or galvanized sheet iron. 
 This prevents the waste oil soaking into the floors and 
 also makes it easier to keep clean around each machine. 
 
112 
 
 Some starches are naturally thick and others thin. 
 A thin starch, generally speaking, is best for laundry 
 use, as it works into the goods more readily. .Now if 
 we take a thick starch and obtain thinness by reducing 
 the weight, we lose in strength and our work is not 
 likely to be satisfactorily starched. A better plan is as 
 follows: 
 
 For every five (5) pounds of starch use one teaspoonful 
 of powdered alum, stirring in the alum after the starch 
 comes to a boil. This will make the thickest starch thin 
 and convenient to use, while it takes nothing from the 
 strength of the mixture. 
 
 To Make Colors Fast. — Prepare a solution of sugar 
 of lead in suitable vat or tank by dissolving one ounce of 
 crude sugar of lead to each gallon of water. Soak goods 
 one to three hours before washing. 
 
 High Finish. — While the medium or domestic finish 
 is generally used by the best trade, a high gloss seems to 
 be desired by the majority. Finish is more a matter of 
 manipulation than of ingredients in the starch. Usually 
 for the best results in high finish the reciprocating iron- 
 ing machines will be most desirable. The objection is 
 urged that they are too slow; that is, their capacity is so 
 small that the large laundry must use many of them in 
 order to promptly handle the work. The rotating ironer 
 requiring two operators because of its great capacity is 
 the most economical machine to use. In these machines 
 the pressure is usually applied by the means of weights 
 and ' 'rocker arms. ' ' Finish is largely a result of pressure 
 and friction. If the hot roll moves five or more times as 
 fast as the padded rolls, it would seem as if the friction 
 necessary was fully supplied ; hence, if the finish is not 
 
118 
 
 sufl&cient, we may safely conclude that the lack is in 
 pressure. In fact, we have proved this by experiment. 
 We incline to the opinion that in this class of machines 
 the pressure may be safely increased by additional 
 weights. The weights should be movable, so as .to be 
 put on after the pressure is applied, as the lever is not 
 designed to lift more than the ordinary weight. 
 
 To ascertain the capacity of tanks, multiply the square 
 of the diameter by the decimal 5.873, and the result will 
 give gallons for one foot in depth. 
 
 To find the length of belts, add the diameter of the two 
 pulleys together; multiply by 3^; divide the product 
 by 2 ; add to the quotient twice the difference between 
 the center of the shafts- The product will be the required 
 length. 
 
 Rules for Calculating thb Spebd op Drums or 
 » Pulleys. 
 
 Problem I. — The diameter of the driver and driven 
 being given to find the number of revolutions of the 
 driven: 
 
 Rule — Multiply the diameter of the driver by the 
 number of revolutions, and divide the product by the 
 diameter of the driven; the quotient will be the number 
 of revolutions of the driven. 
 
 Problem II. — ^The diameter and revolutions of the 
 driver being given to find the diameter of the driven, 
 that shall make any given number of revolutions the 
 same time: 
 
 Rule — Multiply the diameter of the driver by its 
 number of revolutions, and divide the product by the 
 number of revolutions of the driven; the quotient will be 
 the diameter of the driven. 
 
114 
 
 Problem III. — To ascertain the size of the driver: 
 Rui,K — Multiply the diameter of the driven by the 
 number of revolutions you wish it to make, and divide 
 the product by the revolutions of the driver; the quotient 
 will be the size of the driver. 
 
 In case a domestic finish is desired, it may be obtained 
 in several ways: i. By wiping off the gloss with a 
 damp cloth, t. In rotary collar ironers the gears may 
 be so arranged that the hot roll shall move by friction, 
 or the machine may be run extremely slow, with well- 
 padded rolls. 3. To get domestic finish from the ordi- 
 nary shirt machine, have the bosom surface softly padded 
 and run very slowly. 
 
 A simple rule for ascertaining power of belting is as 
 follows: Multiply diameter of pulley by its number of 
 revolutions per minute, and this product by the width of 
 the belt; divide this product by 3,300 for single belting 
 or 2,100 for double belting, and the quotient will be the 
 amount of horse-power that can be safely transmitted. 
 
 In another page allusion has been made to the preva- 
 lent habit of making a claim upon the laundryman for 
 damages every time a garment is worn out. A sugges- 
 tion was also made for indicating by marks upon the 
 goods the total number of washings the pieces had 
 passed through. In addition to the plan proposed we 
 suggest a printed blank to be used in case of goods 
 coming to the laundry in bad condition. These blanks 
 are filled out at the time the goods are received and are 
 returned with the goods. Below we show one of these 
 printed blanks filled out as it comes from the laundry. 
 
115 
 
 Mr. ...'>^...'.fr^.: Mark ^J:^'t 
 
 Rec'd :^:....l^i 1 89 1. 
 
 Dear Sir: — The following pieces in your 
 washing, received upon above date, were m 
 bad condition, as follows: 
 
 Cuffs 
 
 Miscellaneous Z.. _ 
 
 Very Respectfully, 
 
 ENTERPRISE LAUNDRY, 
 
 No. 11645 Lyme Stre«. 
 
117 
 
 ESSAYS. 
 
 Essays Read at the Convention held at Buffalo^ October^ 
 
 1889. 
 
 SOAP. 
 
 ANONYMOUS. 
 
 In every city, village and hamlet; on the hilltops, in 
 the valleys and on the plains; on bulletin boards, fences 
 and bams; in the daily, weekly or monthly journals, pic- 
 torials, magazines or novels; in glowing type on our 
 store windows, everywhere in our fair land, from ocean to 
 ocean, we find printed, painted and engraved this word, 
 soap, soap, soap. 
 
 Who is there among men that should have an unusual 
 interest in this article of soap more than that of the laun- 
 dryman? I venture to ask, how many laundrymen know 
 ihe quality of the soap they use? When a new soap is 
 presented to a laundry man, how many are there who ask 
 and study the quality of the soap before they ask the 
 price? But, no, and sorry I am to make the assertion, 
 many would push poor Mr. Quality into a dark room and 
 lock the door, while they would scrutinize the price with 
 eagle eye, and if not quite satisfactory, poor Mr. Quality 
 would never have a hearing. You might as well expect 
 to turn the course of Niagara, or see Editor Dowst wear- 
 ing fancy flannel shirts, as to expect the best of results 
 from the use of the poorest materials. 
 
 What do we mean by the best and poorest materials 
 embodied in soap? We mean the best and poorest for the 
 purposes intended. You will readily understand that a 
 
118 
 
 perfect washing soap for ordinary laundry purposes is not 
 fit for the toilet; neither can you expect to get a soiled 
 shirt clean with fine toilet soap. 
 
 I want to call attention to the fact that many soaps are 
 recommended as a first-class laundry soap., warranted to 
 wash all goods perfectly, and especially adapted to your 
 woolen goods, but remember first, that a positively good 
 soap for woolen wear is not the proper article to use for 
 soiled linen; and a good soap, or a soap that will render 
 your linen nice and clean, is decidedly not the soap for 
 woolen goods. This is an important point in the use of 
 soap in the laundry. 
 
 Three kinds of soap should be used in a first-class steam 
 laundry; namely, a strong soap, or a soap with an extra 
 strength of alkali; a soap of ordinary strength, and a 
 mild soap. The strong soap is to be used on the white 
 linen and cotton goods; the medium on colored; the mild 
 on flannel and all woolen goods; but first as stated, each 
 of these soaps should be of the best quality and made of 
 the best materials. 
 
 There are only two alkalies that are necessary to produce 
 good laundry soap: No. i caustic soda and the higher 
 grades of caustic potash. Others are more or less useless 
 in the production of good soap. No. i beefs kidney tal- 
 low is generally considered as good as any other substance 
 for the stock in making soap, but other pure fats or oils 
 can be used with success. Any discolored substance used 
 in the making of soap will carry its discoloration to the 
 goods washed with said soaps ; therefore you will find 
 white soaps of the most practical value to the laundry. 
 
 I once knew a laundryman who bought a good chip 
 soap, and in his dextrous endeavors to make an extra- 
 ordinary fine quality of soft- soap from the same he added 
 great quantities of sal soda, and secured an abominable 
 and unfit article for washing. If it was necessary that a 
 quantity of sal soda .should be introduced in the chip soap 
 
119 
 
 to better its washing qualities, it should be introduced at 
 the time of the saponification. No soda of the sal soda 
 quality is necessary in the making of good soap, neither 
 is it necessary to aid in washing. 
 
 All soap should be well saponified in order to make it 
 perfect, and the degree of strength should always be 
 determined at the time of saponification, as you cannot 
 successfully add to or weaken the soap after the parts con- 
 tained in the soap are through all chemical action. 
 
 Notwithstanding this, you can find good soap of all 
 kinds and shades, in all quarters of the globe. Pears' (it 
 appears good soap) comes from England, and we Gamble 
 on our own Ivory white soap of many different makes. 
 But as laundrymen we are especially benefited by a class of 
 manufacturers who chip in to make soap expressly for the 
 laundry trade. Why should we be as a child and believe 
 so many fairy tales told us about soap, and dream that 
 Santa Claus soap is the only soap in the world for us, sim- 
 ply because we are impressed with the idea of its coming 
 from the Fairbanks of our country? 
 
 'Tis a very simple matter to find good soap; but good 
 soap for the laundry is what we want, and that alone, and 
 if you find any suggestions contained in this essay that 
 will help you in your search the writer will feel very glad 
 indeed. 
 
 The article of soap has been surrounded by and is yet a 
 medium for an endless amount of fraud, and today we 
 find great quantities of adulterated and impure soaps, 
 filled with all sorts of spurious and unnecessary stock. 
 
 WASHING AND BLEACHINQ. 
 
 J. D. KELSO, OF ROCHESTER, N. Y. 
 
 Two. years ago I was a member of the executive com- 
 mittee of this association. We met in Chicago at the 
 office of our friend and brother, Mr. Dowst, discussing 
 
120 
 
 matters pertaining to the 1,. N. A. and preparing a pro 
 gramme for the meeting in Washington. Certain indi- 
 viduals were chosen to write articles touching upon the 
 practical parts of the laundry business — for the education 
 of the young, the middle aged and the advanced. On 
 suggesting the names of some they were simply rejected 
 on account of their inability; and this year the committee 
 either used very poor judgment, or were badly fooled 
 when they asked me to write, for I never was a writer. 
 However, I will use my best endeavor to make matters 
 "right." 
 
 It has been said ' 'There is nothing new under the sun", 
 but we find today there are many men who during the 
 past year have found the laundry business new to them, 
 and many of them wish it was neither new nor old. The 
 washing and bleaching of shirts is neither new nor old 
 to many laundrymen of old standing, for we find many 
 of these same individuals who cannot tell you now 
 through what process their goods are put. They can tell 
 you what soap they use and what bleach is the best made, 
 but they know no more. 
 
 The cleaning of shirts will bear close attention, for 
 that is where our bread is buttered; in fact, it is the solid 
 bread with many of us, and the butter is what we can 
 squeeze out of socks, handkerchiefs, etc. Some of our 
 number do a very large mangle trade, but ask any one 
 of them today how trade has been the past summer, and he 
 will in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred tell you, the 
 much loved, much despised flannel shirt has allowed the 
 bottom to drop out of his summer fortune. 
 
 Shirts should have just as close attention as collars and 
 cufis; in fact, more so in washing, for the best are very 
 tender when wet. However, the opportunity for secur- 
 ing complete and almost perfect appliances for washing 
 is good. We have a very large variety to choose from, 
 good and bad. Some from manufacturers who have 
 
121 
 
 tested and tried, and others from those who know as much 
 about a machine as the machine knows about them. 
 
 Whatever machine you have, whether they shake, rub 
 or squeeze the dirt out, be sure they are in perfect condi- 
 tion at all times. Do not put in a cheap machine and 
 boil it constantly from four to six years without a cent's 
 repairs on it, and wonder why you have to use so much 
 bleach and soap to get your shirts clean; but about once 
 in two years renew the inside cylinder of your wooden 
 washers, so that the goods will be carried up and dropped 
 in a proper manner, and not rolled up in a bunch so that 
 some will come out without sleeves, some with patent 
 open backs and others with open fronts. What you spend 
 in repairs will very soon be returned to you in saving of 
 soap and bleach, to say nothing of the continued annoy- 
 ance of ' 'go backs' ' or grimy shirts. 
 
 If you have a small laundry, remember your machines 
 need just as much care as in large ones; and when you 
 neglect your machines your work must suffer, and then 
 your trade must of necessity suffer; and not your trade 
 alone but that of your neighbors, for laundries of the 
 present date must take the best of care of the work en- 
 trusted to them. What do we often hear of other laun- 
 dries? "Why," Mr. A. says, "the beehive laundry has 
 ruined my clothes. They have bleached them all to 
 pieces. They literally tear pieces out of my shirt sleeves." 
 We hear such every week. Brethren, let us pull together, 
 and use pure judgment. 
 
 If possible, sort your work; and do not wash the shirt 
 that was worn but a day with the one that has not visited 
 the wash-tub in a month, and in the meantime has come 
 in contact with many articles that were loathsome. 
 
 Some of you may say: "I cannot afford to stop and 
 assort up my loads;" but can we not? Certainly the aver- 
 age clean lot can be washed in one-third less time than 
 the dirty, or in some cases, we might call it the filthy lot. 
 
122 
 
 saving time as well as the goods. And will not the latter 
 be appreciated by our customers? Give them as little 
 chance as possible to say they are through with the Moon- 
 light lyaundry and are going to try the Sunlight. Ad- 
 mitted we cannot please everyone, we may try and up- 
 hold our brothers Skinner & Godfrey's motto, "We strive 
 to please our customers," and they say, "there's millions 
 in it. ' ' But it is difficult to get it out where your brother 
 will first handle the customer's goods and knock the film 
 out of them in about three weeks, and then bring tatters 
 and rags for you to handle and receive blessings. 
 
 In bleaching we have a variety of fluids to choose 
 from, while, simmered down, we have but a few that are 
 of any practical use to us. They are all the finest made; 
 but each laundry has its hobby in this line as well as 
 others. Some think there is nothing like chloride of lime, 
 and dozens of laundries are using it today with good 
 results, and dozens can tell sad tales of how men will not 
 take their shirts to a laundry for fear they will be minus 
 the tails when returned. Great care should be taken 
 where lime is used to keep the liquid free from sediment. 
 The majority of laundries are using other preparations 
 which can be made cheaply, and which can be used with 
 less danger of damaging the goods, where it is left with 
 the average man or woman. 
 
 In closing I would say, if you are a beginner, secure 
 the right man to manage your business, and begin aright, 
 and even then you will make mistakes enough to be a 
 detriment to the laundry trade in general. 
 
 Had it been my privilege, I would like to have spent 
 more time on the more practical points in washing and 
 bleaching, for the laundry trade is no longer in its infancy, 
 but is even in manhood or middle age; and to prevent its 
 being grayheaded too soon we must be guarded, study 
 our business thoroughly, each man striving to excel his 
 neighbor, if possible. 
 
123 
 WHICH IS BEST: TO COMPETE OR COMBINE? 
 
 I,. E. HASTINGS, INDIANAPOLIS, IND- 
 
 I take it for granted that the members of the Laundry- 
 men's Association are not in the laundry business for fun, 
 nor out of charity for the great unwashed throng, but that 
 they are in business for the cash there is in it — simply that 
 and nothing more. I also take it for granted that having 
 embarked in the laundry boat we are all studying in what 
 way we may so conduct our business as to show the most 
 solid cash when we balance our books at the end of the 
 year. That to many men in the business the amount of 
 cash which shows up is not satisfactory or as large as it 
 should be for the capital and hard work involved, is a 
 fact which is only too true. 
 
 This being the case, is it not worth while to see if we 
 ran find out why our hopes are not realized, and inquire if 
 there is not some way in which such changes can be made 
 that we may be more sure of fair returns for our efforts, 
 and at the same time have our business on a more firm 
 and sure foundation. The old saying that "Competition 
 is the life of trade' ' may be true, but if we could add to 
 it a little and say "Competition is the life of trade, but 
 death to profits," I think the whole truth will be told. 
 That reasonable competition in a legitimate manner is 
 necessary in all kinds of business, cannot be denied, but 
 competition so strong that two men are trying to make a 
 living and something besides when there is only enough 
 business for one, is drawing the line too fine, to say the 
 least. That this is the condition of the laundry business 
 to-day in many places is true, and that it is becoming 
 more so year after year cannot be denied. To what it 
 will come in the future only time will tell, but in my 
 c pinion, unless there is more combination and less com- 
 petition, the demoralization now existing in many of our 
 eastern cities, and fast appearing in some of the western 
 cities, is but the beginning of a disastrous end. 
 
124 
 
 There is, perhaps no business that, if it could be in a 
 measure controlled, would be more profitable and safe; 
 but today there is no business that from within and with- 
 out has more adverse influences to contend with than ours. 
 Chinese competition from without and American compe- 
 tition from within has in many places cut prices in two, 
 and if the downward tendency continues in the future as 
 it has in the past, a few years more will see our profits 
 all wiped out. How then shall we who are already in 
 the business put ourselves in position to meet the future 
 with its low prices in such a way that our profits may be 
 maintained and our interests secured? To my mind there 
 are two things that we must do, the doing of which will 
 in great measure solve the question. The first is, we 
 must study to cheapen the process of doing our work by 
 adopting new methods and new machines that are of real 
 value; the second is to combine instead of competing, by 
 merging in our own cities and towns our individual inter- 
 ests into one or more large concerns, thus saving very 
 largely in expenses and turning into profit what is now 
 largely thrown away 
 
 There are many kinds of business that can not be suc- 
 cessfully combined. Fortunately ours is not one of them. 
 There is no kind of business better adapted to being con- 
 ducted on a large scale, when the large concern is made 
 up of several smaller aggregated ones, holding the busi- 
 ness of the individual concern, than ours. With the indi- 
 vidual customer it is not so much the question who does 
 his work as it is to have it done to suit him. That being 
 the case, I claim that in the ordinary city the large laun- 
 dry made up by the combination of any number of smaller 
 laundries will hold nearly the whole trade of all, provided 
 the large laundry is conducted with the same care and 
 attention to details, and that the standard of work is kept 
 high, as it should be. I contend that it is easier for the 
 laundry doing, say $2,000 worth of work a week, to have 
 
125 
 
 things perfectly systematized and to do the same amount 
 of work in the aggregate. In the individual laundry one 
 man in each will usually try to oversee everything, from 
 the marking to the assorting room, besides looking after 
 many other things constantly demanding his attention. 
 In the combined laundry doing the same amount of work, 
 each department, if necessary, can have an efficient head, 
 who, making a study of his particular work, can produce 
 better results and at less cost than when his attention is 
 turned to everything. We all know that large enter- 
 prises can be controlled much more economically than 
 many smaller ones doing the same amount of business. 
 
 Let us study that part a little and see. We will sup- 
 pose the case of four laundries doing an average of $500 a 
 week in comparison with one laundry doing $2,000 a 
 week, and see the result. For this purpose I make some 
 comparisons between the cost of running the large laundry 
 and the four smaller ones which I think are approxi- 
 mately correct. 
 
 FOUR SMALL LAUNDRIBS. ONB LARGB LAUNDRY. 
 
 4 Foremen J72 1 Foreman f25 
 
 4 Engineers 60 1 Engineer 18 
 
 4 Washers ;. . 48 4 Washers 36 
 
 12 Markers and Assorters.. 72 6 Markers and Assorters.. 36 
 
 4 Bookkeepers. 48 1 Bookkeeper and Two 
 
 Assisants 36 
 
 Rent 50 Rent 25 
 
 Fuel 50 Fuel 25 
 
 4 Managers 100 Manager 30 
 
 8 Drivers 80 5 Drivers 25 
 
 Keeping 8 Horses 25 Keeeping 5 Horses 16 
 
 Total |605 |272 
 
 Of course the above is only an approximate estimate 
 and in it we do not take into consideration the saving to 
 be made in repair, wear and tear of machinery, interest 
 on investment, saving in insurance, nor saving in cost of 
 doing starching and ironing, the last of which will be very 
 
126 
 
 large, as we all know that in that respect the work can 
 be done for, at least, 20 per cent less than the individual 
 laundry. From the above estimate we see that a saving 
 of from $15,000 to $20,000 a year would be made — a good 
 profit of itself. By such a combination, these supposed 
 laundries could reduce their prices to their customers to 
 the extent of a part of this saving, thus gaining in a 
 greater degree the good will of their patrons, making 
 their own business so much more secure, and making it 
 so much harder for their competitors. The financial side 
 of the question having been considered, we may now ask 
 whether such a combination is practical or not. Ten 
 years ago we would have said no. Today we say yes. 
 Trusts have now passed through the experimental stage, 
 and are now controlling many lines of business, and that 
 successfully. True, in some lines they have been so man- 
 aged that an additional burden has been placed upon the 
 people, and they have become large monopolies. But in 
 our business that could never be. The parties who have 
 formed other combinations and trusts, have learned that 
 it is better to combine than to compete. They have 
 learned to recognize one another as honorable business 
 men, and having done that they come together with a 
 firm desire to make such a basis of agreement as will be 
 just and equitable, been willing to cast aside the little 
 petty jealousies they might have, and sinking petty differ- 
 ences, have been able to put their business affairs in such 
 shape that today they are a thousand times stronger than 
 under the old method. Our business is not of that 
 nature that it can be put into one great combination, or 
 ihat the business of one large section can be entirely 
 united; but I claim that in any city or town having three 
 laundries such combinations can be made, and the mak- 
 ing of them will be one of the safeguards of our business. 
 Having discussed the question so far, it might be proper 
 to give my idea of what is a fair basis of arrangement ff»r 
 
127 
 
 such a combination. Of course there are many ways of 
 getting at it, all of which may be jiist and equitable. In 
 making such an arrangement, both the amount of busi- 
 ness, with the value of the plant of each party to the 
 combination, should be taken into account. So I would 
 suggest the following: Let a committee be appointed by 
 the parties participating as agreed upon, from disinter- 
 'i'sted laundrymen, to appraise the value of each plant. 
 To the value of each plant appraised, add the amount of 
 work done by each concern, say for the previous six 
 months. In case the different laundries do, to some 
 extent, different classes of work, some of which is not as 
 profitable as others, let the relative value of each be agreed 
 upon to start with. The value of the entire work for the 
 previous six months, with the value of the plant, will form 
 the basis of value of the combination, and each man's 
 interest in the combination will be such a proportion as 
 the value of his business and plant bears to the whole. 
 
 Under this arrangement the large business has what it 
 is entitled to, its larger proportion, and the smaller busi- 
 ness has all it is entitled to, its smaller proportion. As 
 each man has been doing in his individual capacity, so 
 will his interest in the combination continue to do for him 
 in the future. 
 
 Under the trust plan, the title to and good will of each 
 plant are put into the hands of trustees who have the 
 entire control and management of the combined business. 
 These trustees are put under heavy bonds to the certifi- 
 cate holders for the faithful management of the trust. It 
 is usual to elect these trustees from the persons most in- 
 terested, and who have been the most successful in busi- 
 ness. Doing this, the combined business will be sure to 
 have the best direction, and under the provisions of the 
 trust the small interest is made secure. In the foregoing 
 I believe I have pointed out a practical method of meet- 
 ing the future. To put it into operation needs the co- 
 
128 
 
 operation of the parties interested. In most cities I believe 
 enough will be found to take my view of the matter to 
 secure a beginning. But, like all other enterprises, some 
 one must take the lead and work it up. The success of 
 such a combination, "of course, depends upon the parties 
 interested. Nothing can be done by standing back and 
 saying that it is not practical, and cannot be made a suc- 
 cess. Nor by us all insisting on having our say in the 
 matter without being willing to give our neighbors con- 
 sideration. But when the laundrymen of any city are 
 willing to get together and take a broad view of the 
 matter, all conflicting interests can be harmonized, and I 
 believe all will decide it is better to combine than to com- 
 pete. 
 
 BOII^BItS. 
 
 A. p. DORBMUS, CHICAGO. 
 
 The subject of the steam boiler and its furnace, until 
 late years, has received but little consideration. Mechanics 
 have turned their attention to the utilization of steam by 
 means of improved engines, pumping apparatus, etc., 
 giving but little attention to the boilers; and the business 
 has been in the hands of parties, as a rule, not gifted with 
 a high order of intelligence, or inclined to make investi- 
 gations; simply content to do work to satisfy the ideas of 
 parties who had given orders, but with little thought as 
 to the purpose to which the construction was to be ap- 
 plied. As a result, steam users have been compelled to 
 pay large bills for fuel and repairs. 
 
 The first consideration in the construction of a boiler is 
 the material that enters into it, the cost of labor being no 
 more — in fact a little less — to construct the boiler of good 
 material than where poor is employed. This point being 
 decided upon, another rule to be observed is that heating 
 surface should never be employed at the expense of cir- 
 culation. A boiler should be so constructed as to be 
 
129 
 
 readily accessible at all points, to keep the same clean and 
 in order, thereby rendering the heating surface always 
 economically effective; and in the setting of the boiler 
 the walls inclosing the same should be so arranged as to 
 distribute heat as near uniformly as possible, to the entire 
 water surface. The steam surface should be jacketed 
 either with brick work with an air space intervening be- 
 tween the same and boiler, or by means of a good coat of 
 non-conducting material applied to the shell. Hollow 
 air spaces in brick work of boiler are desirable, as they 
 reduce radiation to the minimum. 
 
 Great care should be taken to proportion the grate to 
 the work to be done, not to the size of the boiler. The 
 relation the grate bears to the boiler is often misconstrued 
 or misunderstood. The grate is reasonably the measure 
 of the amount of fuel that can be consumed within a 
 given time under the boiler. The boiler has nothing 
 whatever to do with regulating the consumption of fuel, 
 but is simply placed there as an absorbent of the heat 
 generated from the combustion of fuel on the grate bars. 
 The greater the proportion of heat absorbing surface is 
 to the amount of heat generated (or, in* other words, fuel 
 consumed,) within reasonable bounds, the greater will be 
 the economic efficiency. 
 
 A great mistake is made in getting many boilers too 
 small for the work to be done; and in order to crowd the 
 same a large area of grate is put in. But large boilers, 
 as a rule, having area of grate proportioned to the size of 
 the boiler regardless of work to be done, have not given 
 satisfaction from these very causes.. 
 
 Too much importance cannot be attached to proper 
 chimney opening and flue. The same should be, where 
 possible, 20 per cent greater in area than the combined 
 area of the tubes or flues in boiler, and under no circum- 
 stances should area of chimney flue be less than the com- 
 bined area of the tubes or flues of boiler. A good strong 
 
130 
 
 draught is the lungs of a furnace, and the most import- 
 ant element to be considered as pertaining to the success- 
 ful steam generation. 
 
 If sudden draughts are made from the boiler, or, in 
 other words, if the load is variable, a steam drum attached 
 to the boiler is a desirable feature. If the load is constant 
 the use of the steam drum is not of vital importance. 
 
 Great care should be taken in the selection of fuel. The 
 indiscriminate use of various kinds of fuel is discouraging 
 to a fireman, as each fuel in itself has peculiarities which 
 require intelligent manipulation to secure the best work 
 from it. Where fuel is constantly being mixed or changed 
 the operator is not able to intelligently use the same to 
 the best advantage. 
 
 The first cost of a steam boiler and setting should be 
 ot minor importance, as a well constructed and well pro- 
 portioned plant will soon pay for itself in the saving, not 
 alone in fuel, but in cost of repairs, and the annoying de- 
 lay of business as well. 
 
 In figuring on the capacity of a boiler, if it is well pro- 
 portioned and well set, an evaporation of four pounds of 
 water to the square foot of heating surface in the boiler is 
 a safe basis to estimate from. On this basis, and learning 
 from the engine builder the amount of water required to 
 be evaporated per hour, to give an effective horse power 
 to his engine, a buyer will be able to determine the size 
 of boiler required to do the work. 
 
 The drawings I have here are for the purpose of ex- 
 plaining the setting of a boiler according to the principles 
 set forth in my essay. While the first cost is greater 
 than the usual way of setting boilers, I think I can prove 
 that the saving in fuel alone in two years will pay for the 
 boiler and its setting. I can also explain how easy it is 
 to super-heat steam in a boiler without any extra cost of 
 fuel, by holding the gases to super-heat the steam. This 
 plan of setting heats these same gases suf&ciently to cause 
 
131 
 
 them to combust and thereby assist in making steam with 
 the smoke and gases that commonly pass out of the chim- 
 ney without combustion; and these gases alone, in ordi- 
 narily set boilers, amount to about 40 per cent of the bil' 
 for fuel. 
 
 Essays Read at the Convention held in Pittsburgh Pa., 
 October, i8go. 
 
 CASH VS. CREDIT. 
 
 BY GBO. W. WITTBRS, BAST SAGINAW, MICH. 
 
 It has long been a doubtful question with a large num- 
 ber of launderers whether a cash business could be suc- 
 cessfully managed, providing all the laundries in the im- 
 mediate locality did not do the same, or did. 
 
 It shall be my endeavor today to touch on both sides 
 of the question, and give my brother launderers my ex- 
 perience in the matter. 
 
 In the first place, have you ever figured up how much 
 it costs you to collect laundry bills? 
 
 Secondly. Have you estimated how much custom you 
 lose yearlyby doing a credit business? 
 
 Thirdly. Have you ever realized how demoralizing it 
 is to yourself when you need money and it is almost im- 
 possible to collect anything wherewith to meet your 
 obligations, to look over your accounts and work yourself 
 into a passion ? 
 
 Fourthly. Have you ever taken into consideration 
 how much extra clerical work it takes to do a credit busi- 
 ness? 
 
 The writer of this article has been in the laundry busi- 
 ness since 1875, and has had a wide experience in travel- 
 ing over this entire continent; has conducted both a 
 credit and a cash business, and knows whereof he speaks. 
 
132 
 
 It costs 20 per cent to collect laundry bills, not taking 
 into consideration the loss entailed by being away from 
 your business. 
 
 You lose quite a custom by doing a credit business, 
 because you can all recall instances of good paying cus- 
 tomers who have been trading with you for an indefinite 
 time, who, in an evil moment have asked for and obtained 
 credit, and not infrequently have from that day given you 
 the go-by and taken their work to your competitor, pay- 
 ing him the cash therefo'-. Another phase is this: That 
 besides losing his trade you also lose his influence, be it 
 little or much, and ever thereafter, should occasion arise, 
 he does not hesitate to pronounce you anything but a 
 gentleman. 
 
 In estimating the extra clerical work, I presume you 
 keep a record of every bundle sent you. If you do not, 
 you ought to. 
 
 Well, under the credit system you are obliged to transfer 
 the items from the driver's book to your ledger; from 
 your ledger back to a statement or bill head, thereby 
 causing an endless amount of confusion and errors, no 
 matter how careful you or your clerks may be. Under 
 the cash system all this is changed. You save 20 per 
 cent cost of collecting; you save the trade you would 
 otherwise lose by accommodating people in that way. 
 You gain your customer's influence by retaining him as 
 a customer; you save the extra clerk in your ofiSce, and 
 better than all the above, you will always have a dollar 
 or two in the bank. 
 
 Now, the question arises, can it be done? Are you not 
 liable to hurt some one's feelings by demanding what is 
 your own? 
 
 To the first proposition I answer decidedly, yes; to the 
 second, no. Why? Because an intelligent and good cus- 
 tomer will not take offense for being obliged to pay as he 
 goes, and it is the slow customer you are after. 
 
133 
 
 Of course, there will ba some dissatisfied, and will in all 
 probability leave you, but you can well afford to lose 
 them if they are not willing to conform to your business 
 rules. 
 
 A short history of our experience in changing from the 
 credit to the cash business would not come amiss here. 
 
 We turn out from twelve to sixteen hundred bundles 
 per week, in a city of 50,000 inhabitants, where competi- 
 tion is very close, where the credit fiend reigned supreme, 
 and we do not exaggerate when we say that we were often- 
 times obliged to "hustle" to get money to pay off with; 
 but finally arrangements were made with all the laundries 
 but one, to do a strictly cash business. As soon as our 
 arrangements were completed, we advertised in the local 
 papers over our several signatures that after a certain 
 date the undersigned would conduct their business on a. 
 strictlycash basis, indiscriminately and without fear or 
 favor, as follows: 
 
 A NBW DEAL — THE I^AUNDRYMEN DECIDE TO DO A CASH 
 BUSINESS AFTER OCTOBER I. 
 
 We, the undersigned laundrymen of east and west 
 sides, have hereby agreed to carry on a strictly cash busi- 
 ness on and after October i . Our reasons for so doing 
 are as follows: 
 
 First. Our accounts being necessarily small, an end- 
 less amount of confusion and expense is entailed to an 
 injurious degree, and the loss in collections, and the time 
 and attention it requires, we can give to our workrooms 
 and insure a higher standard of work. 
 
 Second. Our current expenses are cash and must be 
 paid when due. The stand we have taken is one we have 
 been forced into, and we hope all will lend us their aid. 
 
 (Signed.) 
 
 The time came, and every one of us had our doubts 
 and our fears as to the result, but by counselling one with 
 
134 
 
 another we successfully launched the ship of cash, and 
 we lost three customers. 
 
 The fight was won the first week. 
 
 For awhile it caused more work for the drivers, as we 
 were obliged to deliver a number of parcels a second 
 time. 
 
 For our drivers we furnished two styles of cards as 
 follows: 
 Mr. 
 
 Our driver has called today to deliver your laundry 
 and there was no one prepared to receive it. 
 
 Please leave the amount at the house, and oblige. 
 
 On the second delivery if the parcel was not paid for, 
 the driver left this card: 
 
 Mr. 
 
 Our driver has called a second time to deliver your 
 laundry and there has been no one prepared to receive it. 
 
 Please call at our office for same. 
 
 I^aundry. 
 
 On the reverse side we printed something i^i the adver- 
 tising line, also giving the address of the laundry. 
 
 We now have the cash business firmly established; are 
 making money, and the laundryman who did not enter 
 into the agreement has nothing but a lot ot second-hand 
 machinery and a ledger full of bad accounts. 
 
 Brother launderers, stop and ponder over this thing 
 and try to see yourselves as others see you. 
 
 When you wanted to buy a new machine under the 
 credit system, you invariably bought on time at higher 
 prices, while your neighbor who was doing a cash busi- 
 ness, went into tlie market and bought at prices that 
 would surprise you. 
 
 This has been the experience of every traveler on the 
 road, that those who did a cash business always took 
 advantage of the discount, while those who carry their 
 profits on their books always ask for credit or do not buy. 
 
135 
 
 You see that credit is a weapon that cuts you both 
 ways, or in other words, ' 'you are burning your candles 
 at both ends at the same time." 
 
 While we do not admire the Chinaman or his method 
 of doing business, we can with profit to ourselves imi^ 
 tate him in this respect: "No money, no washee." 
 
 Do not be afraid of ofiending some one; be polite; see 
 that your drivers are the same; be firm in your resolution, 
 and you will bless the day you determined to do a cash 
 business. 
 
 You are in the laundry business for what money there 
 is in it, not for glory or for fun, and the writer thinks 
 that if the cash business was universal throughout the 
 land among launderers, there would not be one- half the 
 contention and throat-cutting that now exists, and the 
 business would be elevated to a higher plane throughout. 
 
 CLEANLINESS AND ORDER. 
 
 BY FRANK JOHNSON, PROVIDENCE, R. I. 
 
 No doubt there will be many able essays read before 
 the ly. N. A. on questions that relate to the absolute ne- 
 cessities and best methods of doing the work of the laun- 
 dry, from collecting to delivering. There will be the sol- 
 ids of the "feast of reason", but if you have room on your 
 well-spread board for a little side • dish which shall treat 
 of cleanliness and order in the laundry, give this a place. 
 
 Now, we all know there are laundries and laundries, 
 like Tennyson's eagle and somebody else's eagle. Ten- 
 nyson says of his: 
 
 "He clasps the crag with hooked hands, 
 Close to the sun in lonely lands, 
 Ringed with the azure world he stands. 
 The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls; 
 He watches from his mountain walls. 
 And like a thunderbolt he falls." 
 
136 
 
 Somebody else says of his: 
 
 "He clasps with hooked claws the fence, 
 
 Close to the hen roost, looking whence 
 
 He spies a mouse that has no sense. 
 
 The hapless mouse can't well see him, 
 
 Because the sun his eye doth dim; 
 
 He jumpeth down and grabbeth him." 
 They were both eagles, but there was a diflPerence in 
 the style. 
 
 Come with me now on a short visit to two different 
 laundries, which I liken to these two eagles. As we ap- 
 proach the first, we know it is a laundry because a large, 
 respectable sign tells us so. As we draw near, the sun's 
 rays are reflected from a brass sign by the door. Enter 
 the ofi&ce. It is neat and orderly, yet has a look of pros- 
 perity. The neat bookkeeper tells us with a smile that 
 the proprietor is close at hand. He soon greets us geni- 
 ally, and our request to look over the laundry meets with 
 prompt and smiling acquiesence. As he leads the way 
 we say to ourselves, ' Here is a laundryman who is proud 
 of his business, one not afraid nor ashamed to allow his 
 customers and the public in general to know how his work 
 rooms look. ' ' Nor need he be. Each operative at the 
 various machines is attending to his business in a go- 
 ahead, quiet and efiicient manner, and they evidently do 
 not consider it a part of their duty to gaze at the visitors 
 as long as they remain in the room. Notice the cleanli- 
 ness in the marking room. You do not see a litter of old 
 paper, string, etc. There is a proper receptacle for all 
 that. In the ironing room how clean the floor and tables 
 are; the machines are not covered with lint nor dripping 
 with oil until they and the floor beneath them are un- 
 sightly objects. 
 
 Each girl is required to keep the machine she operates, 
 the floor space about it and the table, perfectly clean. 
 As the proprietor explains this, he adds, "It is wonder- 
 ful what pride the girls show in this matter when once 
 
13'7 
 
 established. They can dress better at their work, as all 
 can who work in a clean place." 
 
 . For spare floor space, which is no girl's particular pro- 
 vince, and stairs, ofiBce, etc., a woman comes to scrub. 
 The expense is slight, the comfort great. Yes, and we 
 say the reputation of the laundry is great. As a lady 
 remarked after paying a visit to such a laundry: "Why, 
 I had no idea that a laundry could be such a perfectly clean, 
 wholesome place. In my mind, it was -always associated 
 with slop, steam, heat and frowsy-looking girls. I will 
 send my clothes to that laundry hereafter. ' ' 
 
 Well, as we proceed with our inspection of this plant, 
 we are more and more pleased. We could go on for 
 pages telling of the perfect order and cleanliness of each 
 department. The system appears to be complete. The 
 proprietor is surely one of the eagles that hold a 
 lofty • place, aspires to the best, a bright and shining 
 example to his brother laundry men; he does a fine class 
 of work. 
 
 Does he know more of the practical working of all 
 branches than does his brother laundryman whose place 
 we will next visit? We think not. The other is a man 
 of ability wishing to improve, but he has fallen into the 
 great rut of error, lack of order, lack of a system by 
 which to govern his help; and so he works hard, finds it 
 all up hill, and at times is discouraged enough to say no 
 business is so hard to manage and get a living out of as 
 this; and as«he finds it diflScult to collect enough to pay 
 his help, and as he ruefully thinks of his week's work 
 and its telling efiect on brain and muscle, he feels like 
 sending an "ad "to the laundry journals describing a 
 plant for sale, "doing good business," ete. Now, why 
 should his brother have all the best of the trade? Take 
 a look at his laundry for answer. Begin on the outside. 
 Are the signs attractive? We have to look sharply to 
 locate the entrance, but we get in with some difficulty. 
 
138 
 
 for the driver has dumped a load in the passage. We 
 find the ofiEce in one corner of the marking room. 
 
 lyook at the floor; but truth to tell its dirt does not 
 show in many places, because it is mostly covered with 
 old papers of all kinds torn ofi" bundles and thrown down. 
 Over these the markers - walk as they giggle and chat 
 over their work, often appealing to each other to know 
 "what lot does this belong to?" "How did this piece 
 get here," or "what do you call that mark?" Their 
 attention is not equally divided between their task and 
 the visitors, for the visitors get the major part of it. The 
 proprietor appears, and with evident reluctance shows us 
 the various departments, with frequent apologies, which 
 are not uncalled for. We will only look into the wash- 
 room — we did not bring our rubber boots; business does 
 not seem to be rushing here. We wonder why the other 
 washers are not running, until we recall the progress 
 which was not being made in the marking room. This, 
 no doubt, accounts for it. In the ironing room we see 
 more help than we saw at the other place, yet, to all appear- 
 ances there is not much more than half the work. It is 
 mismanagement. What are air these girls doing? Three 
 doing what one was doing at laundry number one, and 
 making little progress at that. It is evident that most of 
 the girls employed here are of that too numerous class 
 who work with one eye on the boss (as they call him) 
 and one on the work, ready to take advantage of the 
 turning of his back to fold a scorched or badly ironed 
 piece best side out. The machines are dirty, the floor is 
 dirty, the girls are untidy, and in fact, if the lady spoken 
 of had visited this laundry instead of the other, she would 
 have said: "Well, a laundry is just what I thought it 
 was. I would never send my clothes to such a dirty place 
 to be handled by such evidently careless operatives." 
 
 Now, we come to the distributing room. Here is at 
 least twice the amount of help needed to do the work. 
 
139 
 
 All is clatter, and confusion seems to reign supreme. 
 Bundles are lying around, evidently waiting for lost 
 pieces. One girl says, "What is this bundle short?" 
 Collars, cuflfs, handkerchiefs, which we 'reflect may be 
 now lying among the waste paper on the floor of the 
 marking room. In this and like carelessness may be 
 s.een one of the leaks whereby many of the hard-earned 
 dollars of this harassed looking proprietor make their 
 escape. 
 
 Now, we have seen the two extremes. The eagle that 
 chooses to be "ringed with the azure world," and the 
 one that sits on the fence near the hen roost 
 
 Now, this eagle on the fence need not stay there. If 
 his wings are clipped so he is not ready for a lofty flight, 
 they will grow. I,et him fly to the nearest tree, and at 
 least get from the near vicinity of the hen roost. With 
 every flight higher he will gain strength, and in how 
 short a time may he sit by the side of his brother eagle 
 on the crag, his time and . talent devoted to obtaining 
 nobler gains than mice. 
 
 Now, of all the intermediate conditions I do not speak. 
 These are, as I said, two extremes. My own laundry 
 represents not the eagle of the top crag by any means, 
 and I hope it is not quite on the fence near the hen roost, 
 and when I urge upon my brothers of the trade the great 
 advantages of perfect order and neatness, I fear I must 
 say as did an old Scotch minister, who was known not to 
 live up to his own precepts: "Ye ken, brothers, ye must 
 do as I say, not as I do." 
 
 It pays to keep clean; it makes the work go along 
 faster in every department; it creates a more respectable 
 class of help, and, to conclude, it elevates the laundry 
 more than can be estimated, to keep it orderly and clean. 
 
140 
 
 PROGRESSIVE IDEAS. 
 
 BY W. O. I^EAGUE, L,OUISVII.I<E, KY. 
 
 Ever since man has reached that state which we are 
 pleased to term civilized, change more or less radical in 
 the code of society's ethics have become necessary. In 
 every branch of science and art, as we have become en- 
 lightened, rules that have been regarded as invincible 
 have been punctured by the scalpel of progress, and 
 instead of being invincible have been found to contain 
 naught but the pus of bigotry. But a few years ago we 
 had the pioneers in the electric world, some of whom had 
 grown gray in scientific research, and realized that there 
 was much more to be learned than had been .developed, 
 while there were others who were so "chock full" of 
 bigotry that they imagined they knew it all, and that 
 there was nothing more to be learned. Just the proper 
 state of affairs to develop controversy, and by contro- 
 versy bring forth new ideas. It was at this stage of the 
 game between the electric scientists of a few years ago 
 that a new actor appeared upon the stage of the electric 
 world, orperhaps more correctly speaking, in theatrical 
 parlance he would come under the classification of a supe 
 instead of actor. He wa§ a tramp telegraph operator, 
 and owing to his propensity to experiment, to the neglect 
 of the duties he was paid to perform, he scarcely ever 
 retained a position more than a few weeks at a time. It 
 was in I^ouisville, but a few years ago, during his hours 
 off duty when he as usual was fooling around in the bat- 
 tery room, that he managed to smash several batteryjars, 
 for which he was ingloriously fired. He then tramped to 
 Indianapolis and struck a job. As soon as he got the 
 run of the office he began to fool around (experiment) in 
 the battery room, and it was but a few days before there 
 was a crash and a smash and all the instruments stopped 
 clicking. The superintendent and employes made a rush 
 
141 
 
 to the point from where the sound of the noise came, and 
 lo! the tramp telegraph operator had been interfering 
 and overturned a table of batteries, for which he was igno 
 miniously bounced. And thus he continued to secure first 
 one position and then another, but he always kept fooling 
 around the battery-room during his off hours, rarely hold- 
 ing the same position longer than a few weeks. Today 
 he is still around, but instead of fooling in country town 
 telegraph oflSces he is in his own laboratory in Menlo 
 Park. The bigoted old fools who thought they knew it 
 all are glad of an opportunity to show him reverence; for 
 he is as far above them in knowledge as midday is 
 brighter than the darkest midnight hour. And yet 
 Edison says he only stands upon the threshhold of the 
 future possibilities of electricity. Some people are nat- 
 urally bigoted, while there are others that success has 
 made egotistical. I do not know that this is more so in 
 the laundry business than any other, but I have met some 
 men who think they know it all, and yet cannot tell why 
 they work in a certain way to produce certain results. 
 Some of these days the Edison of the laundry world will 
 mount the pedestal of enlightenment, and then the bigots 
 will hunt their holes. 
 
 I wanted to find just how much the average laundry- 
 man knew about his business, in order that I might be 
 on my guard when I met any of the fraternity, and to 
 know when I should venture to put in a word edgewise. 
 In order to educate myself upon this point I had to 
 use a proxy. I have an acquaintance whose business 
 brings him in contact with the laundry trade. I confided 
 my desires, and asked him to help me out. So I made 
 out the following list of questions, which he agreed to 
 ask on one of his trips : Why do you use soap? Why do you 
 wash through two suds, one hot and the other lukewarm? 
 Why do you use bleach? Why do you use bluing? Why 
 do you cook starch, and then dry the goods quickly, and 
 
142 
 
 then dampen them and apply a hot iron to them? After 
 he had completed his round of a day, say in St. Louis, he 
 sat down and after each question he made a designation 
 mark, using an O to indicate ignorance and an A to indi- 
 cate knowledge. In about ninety days he came my way 
 and turned in his list of questions, and out of over one 
 hundred laundrymen whom he had interviewed none gave 
 an intelligent reason for their processes. In fact, nearly 
 the whole blank space on the slip opposite the questions 
 was filled out with O's. 
 
 I have been in numerous towns and cities where the 
 progressive business men made use of an expression like 
 this: What we need is a few first-class funerals; then we 
 will be able to come to the front and do business and con- 
 duct our municipal affairs according to modern methods. ' ' 
 Now, from what I have seen, and the knowledge I have 
 gleaned through those who have an opportunity to come 
 in contact with the trade, a few first-class funerals would 
 not be detrimental to the general welfare of the laundry 
 trade. As for myself, I think if I can live forty or fifty 
 years longer I may be able to master the minor details of 
 the business scientifically. Every day I find something 
 new to be solved. Some of them are head bumpers, or to 
 be more explicit, they make you feel like bumping your 
 head against the nearest telegraph pole. The following 
 is our process: We wash, rinse and blue in the machine. 
 In fact, we put the goods into the machine and when taken 
 out they are ready for the extractor, and from there they 
 go to the starchers. All material had been guaged by 
 the washroom man to a nicety, and the things had been 
 running uniform in color for months. All of a sudden 
 work commenced to come out off color, but an investiga- 
 tion showed that the same materials and quantities were 
 being used as in the past. Then the quantities were 
 changed to meet the exigencies of the case, and a few lots 
 would come through all right. Then they would begin 
 
143 
 
 coming out with variegated shades of blue and yellow; 
 first one predominating, then the other, with an occasional 
 lot just right. Now when you stand and watch processes 
 and materials used in a lot of work in the wash room, and 
 know to a dead certainty that each lot was treated the 
 same from beginning to end, and then obtain various re- 
 sults, it is calculated to give a man dyspepsia. After 
 watching for a week and ordering many changes I con- 
 cluded to try it myself, which I did with no better results 
 than I had obtained by giving instructions. It began 
 to assume the form of an insoluble problem. I thought 
 I had covered all the ground, but just one little point had 
 e.=caped me (and it is little things that cause nine-tenths 
 of the worry in a laundry). Any man can see a moun- 
 tain, but he is liable to stumble over a mole-hill. We 
 use river water to wash with, and as a matter of course 
 have to filter it. At the time the trouble began that I 
 refer to, there had been a rise in the river and as a natural 
 consequence it necessitated more alum in the precipitant 
 chamber than usual, in order to get perfectly clear water, 
 and therein was the whole trouble. I had been hunting 
 for fwo weeks in the wash room for the cause, and in 
 reality it was forty feet from there and not where I had 
 been looking, but at the filtering point. As we term it 
 the alum made the water hard, the increase of alum ne- 
 cessitated by the rise of the river increased the hardness 
 of the water and made it necessary to increase the quan- 
 tity of bluing and sour, and the sudden changes when the 
 process was the same was caused by the variation of alum 
 in the water, which variation I discovered to be caused 
 by the man in charge of the filter letting the alum 
 chamber run empty. A very simple thing to cause so 
 much annoyance, but the very simplicity of the cause 
 made it the more difficult to discover. 
 
 In the beginning of this article I referred to controversy 
 as a developer of ideas. If any doubt this let them take 
 
144 
 
 any topic they choose and get into a controversy with an 
 opponent, and see how many new ideas, things that you 
 never thought of before, will pop into your head to sub- 
 stantiate your side of the question. That is what I call 
 developing new ideas. While talking with the editor of 
 our trade journal upon this point several months ago he 
 concluded that if I was correct in my theory of idea devel- 
 opments, a controversy upon some part of the laundry 
 business would be a good thing for the trade. First one 
 thing, then another was tried without getting the desired 
 result, and I began to think that I had undertaken a 
 hopeless task. Finally the idea developed itself that the 
 best way to do would be to take up some topic and leave 
 out a portion of the fundamental part of it and perhaps 
 that would bring out the trade. So I wandered through 
 the field of possibilities and hit upon soap for washing 
 woolens. And in reality I have not been talking or writ- 
 ing about the proper soap for washing woolens at all. 
 And in doing this I have not been imbued with any other 
 motive than that to benefit the trade. If some of those 
 persons who were, as they thought, getting onto me with 
 both feet, had known half as much as they thought they 
 did, they would have corrected me, and if the proper cor- 
 rection had been made I should then and there have "let 
 the cat out of the bag." Bat they did not. The course, 
 or rather the soap, I advocated was so far superior to any- 
 thing that was being used for woolens that I knew that 
 while in one sense it was misleading, yet it was in such a 
 way that it would not be inimical to their welfare. In 
 fact I knew that it must be to their interest and would 
 ultimately be of very great benefit to them because it 
 would cause them to think and experiment; and for a 
 man to think and experiment in the laundry business 
 means progress, and progress tends to put him in advance 
 of his competitors in business. Some may s.:y that prog- 
 ress in a scientific way in nowise benefits them so far as 
 
145 
 
 their customers are concerned. That is a very grave mis- 
 take, as your patrons are sure to find out from results 
 whether you understand your business or not. 
 
 In calling the attention of the trade to their wants 
 upon the soap question, I am fully aware that I incurred 
 the enmity of a certain class which can truly be termed 
 bigots. If they were not they would have investigated 
 for themselves; upon information on the soap question 
 conviction would ' have followed that caustic soda soap 
 should never be used in a laundry. Now that the season 
 of the year is near at hand when the bulk of the under- 
 wear that comes to the laundries is woolen, it is meet and 
 proper that the point that has been concealed in the soap 
 controversy should become known. I here give you a 
 formula for making the only soap that should be used in 
 washing woolens: Take fifty pounds of tallow and put it 
 in an iron tank that will hold sixty gallons, and with the 
 aid of a steam jet melt the tallow. Take fifteen pounds 
 of caustic potash and dissolve in two gallons of soft water, 
 and after the tallow is melted add the potash solution to 
 it and boil them together with the aid of the steam jet, 
 just as you cook starch. After the compound has boiled 
 a few minutes, add three pounds of carbonate of potash 
 and boil slowly for about an hour, and then add enough 
 water to fill the sixty gallon tank, and you have sixty 
 gallons of the proper soap for washing woolens. It is 
 the carbonate of potash element that adds so largely to 
 the soft finish of the wools, but it requires the caustic 
 potash to first saponify the fatty acids. After the saponi- 
 fication takes place the carbonate — which is the life of 
 the wool — can be added because the saponified substance 
 and carbonate of potash are compatible. I have had soap 
 samples by the score sent to me this year, and of the 
 whole lot only two or three would pass muster as a good 
 potash soap. The ordinary potash soap is far superior to 
 any other for woolens that has been used heretofore, but 
 
146 
 
 if you will get a soap made according to the above formula, 
 especially for wooleas," it will be as far superior to the 
 ordinary potash soap as that is superior to caustic soda 
 soap; and anyone who has tried the experiment of com- 
 paring the texture of goods that have been washed with 
 soda and potash soap knows that a blind person can dis- 
 cover the difference. Now, I haven't any axe to grind 
 in this affair, so that it is absolutely immaterial to me 
 whether any of the trade profits by it or not. Neither 
 am I like a laundryman that I know of in a neighboring 
 state who in a financial way stands in the front rank. He 
 has a good formula for making a marking ink at a very 
 slight cost. A former employe who is now able to buy 
 and sell him, asked him about it, and in consideration of 
 his having been a former employe, he, out of the fullness 
 of his heart let him have the formula for making ink for 
 a consideration of $5. That is what I call a laundryman 
 that is loaded down to the guards with a desire to assist 
 his fellow craftsmen. If they had been competitors there 
 would have been the shadow of an excuse, but the very 
 fact that the former employe was in business in another 
 city more than 300 miles distant makes the transaction 
 appear to me in the light of pure unadulterated pusilla- 
 nimity, and I am thankful that there are but few men of 
 that disposition engaged in the business. 
 
 While treating the soap question I want to call your 
 attention to one pernicious habit that some laundrymen 
 have; that is, the adding of caustic soda or caustic potash 
 to the liquid soap with the impression that they are adding 
 to the strength of the soap. The only way that you can 
 add to the strength of your soap is to put just enough 
 water in the soda or potash to dissolve it and put your 
 soap into the tank, and without adding any water put 
 the solution in the soap and dissolve the solution and the 
 soap together with the steam jet or in a jacketed kettle. 
 After you have a tank of liquid soap, adding caustic 
 
147 
 
 potash or soda to it in nowise strengthens the soap. You 
 have two distinct and separate bodies in the same vessel- 
 It really is amusing to me to see how some men figure 
 in their business from an economical standpoint. I know 
 a laundryman who to economize uses well water instead 
 of water from the city waterworks as a matter of saving, 
 which on the face of it has every appearance of being 
 true economy. He and I had a little controversy upon 
 that point. I took his own statement of the cost of 
 washing seventy shirts with the hard water, and then 
 the cost of washing the same amount with the hydrant 
 water, and the excess of soap required to do the work 
 with the hard over the hydrant water would pay for' 
 thirty thousand gallons of water per day. And yet he 
 went to the expense of sinking an extra well, thinking it 
 was economy. The best way to do is to investigate all 
 such points carefully; first satisfy yourself that you are 
 right, then go ahead. If it is on some point beyond your 
 capacity, go to some one who is competent and pay them 
 to do it for you and it will be money well spent. 
 
 The only sure pathway to success, provided you are 
 endowed with average business capacity, is to become 
 master of your business. Be able to overcome every 
 obstacle, even the smallest detail, and then you control 
 the situation. Be thorough in every department. We 
 exact of others in many instances that which we can not 
 do ourselves. For instance, you buy a piece of machin- 
 ery, and it does not give satisfactory results; you expect 
 the maker to remedy the defect, and if he can not you do 
 not want any more to do with him or his machinery. A 
 customer brings a bundle of his linen to you, and after 
 you have laundered it and it does not suit him — that is, 
 your work is not what it ought to be — the customer gives 
 you an opportunity to remedy the defect, and you can 
 not do it because you are not a laundryman. What is 
 the result? Your patron goes to another laundry; you 
 
148 
 
 receive the same treatment at his hands that you would 
 give the machinery man who endeavored to sell you a 
 machine that would not turn out good work. 
 
 I am going to touch a little bit more on potash soap. 
 I have referred to the proper kind of soap for woolens. 
 If the soap men had truly desired to produce the right 
 soap they would have brought this out long ago; that is, 
 the making of a potash soap and then adding the carbon- 
 ate of potash to it, which is the life of the wool, and 
 which you destroy with your caustic soda soaps. It is 
 not generally known that the output of pearl ashes — car- 
 bonate of potash made from the suet (fat) of sheep is more 
 than three millions of pounds annually. In the year 1869 
 the output of pearl ashes was from wood ashes 50,000,000 
 pounds; beet root 30,000,000 pounds; sulphate of potash 
 37,500,000 pounds, and from sheep's suet (fat) 2,500,000 
 pounds. When you take into consideration the fact that 
 three-fourths of the yolk, that is the secretion that im- 
 parts to wool its softness, is carbonate of potash, it is 
 readily traceable to the large per cent of the same sub- 
 stance entering so much into the composition of the 
 sheeps' fat. And as it is this element that imparts to 
 wool that fluffy softness which is so pleasant to the sense 
 of feeling, does it not stand to reason that in the launder- 
 ing of woolen garments that this is the very element that 
 you wish to protect instead of destroying it with caustic 
 soda? Therefore a soap should be made from sheeps' 
 tallow, with just enough caustic potash added to saponify 
 it, and as soon as the saponification is perfect add the 
 pearl ashes (carbonate of potash), which element will be 
 absorbed by the wool, and instead of your woolen goods 
 leaving your laundry harsh and hard and shrunken, they 
 will be soft and fluffy. Do not let the soap makers palm 
 off anything they see fit to on you and call it potash soap, 
 but demand a potash soap made from sheeps' tallow, and 
 see that you get it. Then note carefully the results. I 
 
149 
 
 know this subject is monotonous to some, but I also know 
 there are hundreds that it interests and that they have 
 obtained the resalts that I claim. I have letters from all 
 parts of the United States and Europe testifying to it by 
 people who have tried potash soap. And now in conclu- 
 sion let me say that in using potash soap for linens and 
 cottons, in whatever process you have heretofore used 
 caustic soda, whether for bleaches or softening water, use 
 in its stead caustic potash. And for the purpose of 
 softening water the materials rank thus: First, carbon- 
 ate of potash (pearl ashes) is the best; second, caustic 
 potash, and third, caustic soda. 
 
 Many questions have been asked how to use potash 
 soap. Use it just the same as you would any other soap, 
 only banish caustic soda from your laundry, and in its 
 place use caustic potash and pearl ashes. 
 
 A SOFT SOAP FOR TH]IS LAUNDRY. 
 
 ANONYMOUS. 
 
 The soap question has been before the laundrymen, 
 and dissected many different times. Its contents, its 
 nature, its general consistency and effects, have all been 
 gone over carefully and many conclusions derived there- 
 from; but like the frog in the spring time, it bobs up 
 serenely and demands its share of attention. 
 ' To be brief in introduction, I wish to announce that I 
 believe there is a growing habit among some laundrymen 
 to buy many different articles put on the market, known 
 as soap stock. This they use for the purpose of making 
 soft soap expressly for use in the rotary washers. 
 
 This remarkable feat is accomplished by dissolving 
 said stock and adding large quantities of water and sodas. 
 The par excellence of this now completed solution, and 
 its affinity for unexcelled cleansing powers, is laid claim 
 to from the lofty heights of laundry perfection and ad- 
 
160 
 
 vanced chemical theory, that it contains an excessive 
 strength of alkali. A careful investigation, I think, 
 would satisfy the most arbitrary and indifferent individ- 
 ual that the claim of excessive strength of alkali was 
 true to a remarkable degree. 
 
 But how erroneous to call a solution of this kind a 
 superior soft soap! Erroneous! I say it comes as far from 
 being what it is professionally quoted to be, as the mortal 
 body of McGinty did from reaching the bottom of the 
 mighty deep. 
 
 The use and abuse of soap is far from being new or 
 or original, so far as the present generation is concerned. 
 The methods of making and using soap keep pace with 
 all other articles of use, both in its improved and dete- 
 riorating qualities- 
 Careful reflection often points to our notice that the 
 changes in our productions and new methods of using 
 are not always an improvement over their predecessors. 
 A soap in the true sense of the word, no matter whether 
 it be hard or soft, is an article produced by the saponifica- 
 tion of fatty matters, grease or oils, with chemical pro- 
 ducts known as alkalies. 
 
 The nature of these two substances before amalgama- 
 tion is directly opposite in every particular except one. 
 
 The greasy matters are of a soothing, preserving 
 nature, while the alkali is burning and destructive, but 
 both contain some cleansing powers, and the combina- 
 tion of the two changes the obstinate natures of both and 
 leaves it a distinctly cleansing compound. This com- 
 pound is brought about and perfected by a chemical 
 action of the alkali upon the stock used, which takes 
 time. 
 
 It does not necessarily follow that a soap for ordinary 
 washing in the washing machines should not contain an 
 excess of alkali, as that is justly preferable, but the 
 degree of strength should be kept within the bounds' of 
 
■ 151 
 
 reason, and whatever might be the desired strength, it 
 should be determined at the time of saponification, and 
 all the alkali necessary to accomplish the desired results 
 in the washing process should then be introduced. After 
 the soap thus made has passed its chemical. action, it 
 should never be disturbed by the introduction of any of 
 the original stock used in its making. . 
 
 To dissolve it in the water, and then introduce more 
 alkali in the solution, means that you have dissolved the 
 soap in water charged with alkali, and when a portion of 
 this is placed in the washing machine they play their 
 parts independent of each other; that is, the part which 
 was the original soap is washing without injury to the 
 goods, while the alkali lastly introduced, not being com- 
 bined with the soap through saponification, is with its 
 original nature burning and destroying the goods in pro- 
 portion to its strength. 
 
 Perhaps I am in error in my surmise; but alas, alas! 
 can it" be so in the days of progress and talking dolls that 
 these charges be true? In the years gone b^, when the 
 proposition of transporting humanity by electricity at 
 great speed over the earth's surface would have been 
 considered sacrilegious, and a slur upon the Deity with 
 whom alone all things are possible; in those days when 
 the county politician could prove every assertion he 
 made, if old Bill Jones were only alive; those days when 
 the broad-shouldered short-horned bull conveyed the 
 express train (on two wheels) seemingly, half way across 
 the continent, from Philadelphia to Pittsburg; at that 
 time you could have seen an old woman with wrinkled 
 face and bended form, back of an old thatched cottage, on 
 the side of the AUeghanies, smoking her small pipe of 
 peace, or her small piece of pipe, mixing together her six 
 months' savings of house grease with her leached wood 
 ashes, making a potash soft soap; and who knows but 
 what this same personage was, from a scientific point of 
 
152 
 
 view, making a better article for laundry purposes than 
 some who now, in these times of modern perfection, are 
 showing their gilt-edge circulars to their fellow towns- 
 men with the popular announcement of, "gents' fine 
 work a specialty." 
 
 It may be well for laundrymen to have a general 
 knowledge of the consistency of the soap they use. This 
 is advisable, not only in regard to this particular kind of 
 soap, but also for each and every kind of soap used in the 
 laundry. 
 
 As this essay treats on the machine soap for ordinary 
 washing, which comprises all white linen and cotton 
 goods, I will not venture any further step towards other 
 soaps, but leave the suggestion as it is, and confine my- 
 self to this soap alone. Right in this line I have anothei 
 suggestion, and that is, beware of those soap venders 
 who recommend to you one kind of soap for the washing 
 of all kinds of goods. 
 
 In order to form a basis for a fairly correct knowledge 
 of what proportions of alkali are necessary to produce a 
 good soap of sufficient strength, we should first know to 
 the fullest extent the powers of the alkali used. Now, 
 for instance, 12% pounds of alkali of 76 per cent strength 
 are capable of saponifying 100 pounds of grease; this, of 
 course, does not give you a strong soap, but on the con- 
 trary It produces about as near as we can get at it, a posi- 
 tive neutral soap. Oh, my! I tried to escape that word 
 neutral, for I still remember the vast amount of ink shed 
 and the crippled condition of the encyclopedias brought 
 about by the strategic contest for supremacy as to the 
 correctness of the word mentioned used in connection 
 with soap. But spare our cause for a moment until I ex- 
 plain. I do not champion the correctness of the word 
 used, but I will claim my right to so use the word on the 
 ground that custom gives me permission to do so. 
 Whether it be right or wrong, it simply means that the 
 
153 
 
 entire body of alkali used has been neutralized. If you 
 should add one more pound of grease, you could never 
 bring the solution to soap until you added enough more 
 alkali to unite the surplus of one pound of grease. 
 
 Now, here is a point for us to seriously consider, that il 
 you take this ii2}4 pounds of stock thus made and add 
 water enough to make four barrels of soft soap, you would 
 probably use from 40 to 50 pounds more of alkali to 
 strengthen it, every ounce of which would be an excess; 
 and remember, in a process of this kind, the extra alkali 
 does not combine chemically with the stock. If you 
 should take half of the total amount of alkali thus manip- 
 ulated and saponify the 100 pounds of grease with it 
 you would get a much richer soap, that would cleanse 
 much easier and better, and yet have an article that 
 would be non-destructive. The kind of alkali necessary 
 to produce a good soap of this kind I would rather leave 
 to the discretion of the user and maker, as it is demon- 
 strated every day that the higher grades of both vege- 
 table and chemical alkalies are useful for this preparation. 
 It can be thus explained: The vegetable alkali is neither 
 as convenient nor profitable as the chemical, and further- 
 more, the consumption of soap has become so great that 
 vegetable alkali could scarcely be produced sufficient 
 enough to supply five per cent of the alkalies now used 
 in the making of soap, but the best of authorities, when 
 seriously pressed, will admit the vegetable alkali to be 
 the least destructive and a better cleanser than the 
 chemical. 
 
 Now, gentlemen, in conclusion, I beg you not to criti- 
 cize this, my competing document, too harshly, but I 
 would rather implore you that while now in the patriotic 
 zeal of your campaign of prize awards and anti-pigtail 
 prizes, especially to remember the writer from whom 
 this came, and stand nobly by the " Little Soap Ques 
 tion." 
 
154 
 
 WORK AND WIN. 
 
 BY H. G. MARSHALL, SPRINGKIBLD, OHIO. 
 
 Mr. President and 'Gentlemen of the Lawndrymen' s Na- 
 tional Convention: 
 When in last September I received a letter from our 
 worthy president that he would like me to write one of 
 my old-time essays, and to write one good enough for 
 him to pin a prize on my coat, my ambition to get there 
 floated proudly to the four winds of heaven; and how 
 my thought sailed in the elysium heights of fame, like 
 our great American eagle when he first chawed up his 
 iron cage and pounced upon his affrighted tyrants and 
 tore up their despotic habiliments into a thousand giblets. 
 Just so our worthy president lifted me to the seventh 
 heaven of fame by his overpowering force, and altogether 
 against my own personal wishes. As you must know, I 
 am quite happy to present myself before this august 
 convention in October. Some people don't have a chance 
 to get near a prize except in a prize fight, but I am going 
 to do my level best to get there. During the last year 
 I have had my trials and tribulations with the rest of 
 you. My experience is like that editors of laundry jour- 
 nals express in their diaries: " Friday, down to three 
 meals every three days. Memorandum, subscribers com- 
 plain there is nothing in the paper. Saturday — We live 
 again; a supply of cake was sent to the office from a 
 Cleveland lady this morning jvith a wedding notice. 
 After a desperate struggle with the printers we wrested 
 a part of the spoils from them, and gave a quarter column 
 of 'send off' to the misguided pair." 
 
 If I can get a pass I will go to Pittsburg. Understand 
 there is a fine free lunch system there in the leading 
 saloon. I wish I had Tanner's stomach to fall back on 
 in my contest with inanition. Another year has passed; 
 I will not despair. The time may come when gaunt 
 
153 
 
 famine and I will be strangers. While I was musing on 
 in this wise, a German neighbor (whose boy stole the 
 roll last year from my wringer and used it for a ball bat) 
 came in and said: "You Americans vuld succeed petter 
 if you vuld insult mit your wife, and get her advices 
 about sometings or udder. Now, I am married twenty 
 years already and I vas not yet bald-headed . Dem American 
 vemens don't know sometings never about his husband's 
 peesness, and ven dem hard times cum and not so much 
 moneys cum in de house, dot makes not some difiference 
 mit her. She must still have one of dem pull back front 
 pettigoats mit every kind of trimmings. Pretty soon 
 dat husband gets bankerrupted all to pieces; dey sent 
 for de doctor und ven de doctor comes he die. Den dat 
 vife she say, I vish I ben ded a little. Now, if a Sher- 
 mans go ded, dat don't make a bit of tifference. Nobody 
 would hardly know it, except maybe himself. His vife 
 goes mit de peesness on shust like notings had happened 
 to somebody. Americans vimens and Sherman vimens 
 was a different kind of peobles. For instinct, last year 
 Brown goes mit me in de butcher peesness together. He 
 vas American man and so vas his vife. Veil, many 
 times ven efery peobles got the panic pooty bad, dot 
 voomans come to her husban and say she must hav 
 money. Den she goes out ridin mit the carriages. Vonce 
 on a time Brown say to me, Bender, I vouldn't pe hen- 
 pecked, so he went off and got himself tight just pecause 
 his vife say please don't do dot. Den he sets down on 
 his back mit de floor, und if I am not dare dot time 
 he never vould got home. 
 
 Veil, dat night my wife und me we had a little talk 
 about sometings. On de next day I say to Brown: 
 'Look here vonst, my wife, she makes sausages and vorks 
 in dot store; also my taughter, she vorks by the store und 
 makes hed-skeeses, and your vife vas gonen out riddin 
 all de times mit de horse cars, and a patent tide pack 
 
156 
 
 cardinal stockings. Now, your vife must go work. Cut 
 peef steaks and make sauer kraut, or else we divide not 
 equally any more dot expenses mit de profits of de 
 peesness. " 
 
 Veil, Brown he goes home und tell his vife about dot. 
 Den she comes mit Brown pooty quick rount, und we 
 had a misunderstandings about sometings, in which every- 
 boty took part, including my leetle dog Kaiser. Pooty 
 soon up comes a policeman und arrests us for breeches of 
 promise to keep de peaces, und salting de battery or 
 sometings. Den de firm of Bender und Brown was broke 
 up. I go bout my peesness; Brown goes mit his pees- 
 ness. My vife she helps in de'store; his vife rides mitde 
 horse car und every night vas by de theatre. Vots de 
 gonsequences? Along cums de panics dat knocks Brown 
 higher dan two kites. By chiminy! My income vas 
 shtill more as my outcome. Brown shtill goes around 
 dat street mit his hands out of his pocket und he don't 
 got a cent to his back." 
 
 There is more in the undercurrent of Bender's remarks 
 than on the surface. His very earnestness excites an 
 activity that always attracts trade. His being content 
 with small beginnings, and his economy in management, 
 and keeping expenses down, furnishes practical thoughts 
 for every one who would be a successful laundryman. 
 There is very little credit to laundrymen whose business 
 is successful when everything is prosperous; if he out- 
 strips his- competitors when only by constant care and 
 good judgment and mercantile capacity disaster is averted, 
 his success is worthy of remark; but shame on the laundry- 
 man, who, like Brown, endeavors to get a living and build 
 up a business on the efforts of his competitor by buying 
 information from the hands in his competitor's employ, 
 ofiering more wages, higher commissions to agents, and 
 doing work below cost. He may be engaged in a busi- 
 ness whose details he knows little or nothing of, and in 
 
167 
 
 which he has embarked because it was represented to him 
 as profitable. 
 
 He must accept statements of foremen and subordinates 
 as to cost of production. He adds what he considers a 
 small profit, and thinks he is making money. He awak- 
 ens to a realization of the fact that his bank account has 
 dwindled, and his original capital sadly impaired. In 
 his doing work below cost he acts with premeditation, 
 and sets about his work in a systematic way, estimates 
 his own resources and those of his competitors. ^ He enters 
 upon his rule or ruin policy, and in many cases it is ruin 
 to him, and ought to be. He, in every case, exerts an 
 influence that is evil. 
 
 We have an example in mind where a laundryman, and 
 a member of this Association, wrought demoralization 
 through the cities by cutting prices. People wondered 
 how it was done. They found out all about it when he 
 failed with a deficit of several thousand. 
 
 The business and trade would be better oflF had he never 
 lived- The laundryman who cuts prices below a living 
 profit, is of no benefit to anybody. He breaks down hon- 
 orable, legitimate rivalry that belongs to a healthy trade. 
 The movement of a world's business depends on a just 
 remuneration for labor and reasonable profit on product. 
 The one who undersells the fair cost of production does so 
 at a loss that is not adequately represented by money, and 
 these growing evils are bound to wreck the laundry trade 
 sooner than your Chinese immigration. As an associa- 
 tion we need to bestir ourselves on this point. Every 
 laundryman's motto should be, "Not how cheap can I do 
 the work, but how can I improve and do it best?" 
 
 The future of the business lies within ourselves. The 
 demand for first-class work is constantly growing, and 
 what we must do is to meet that demand and make the 
 laundry one of the most important industries in the coun- 
 try for the amount of money invested. 
 
158 
 
 Laundrymen need a great deal of educating on the 
 point of advertising. There is no business that can prop- 
 erly be so largely increased by judicious advertising as 
 the laundry. 
 
 To achieve the fullest success in the laundry there must 
 be a cordial feeling between employer and employes; and 
 unless the employer treats his employes kindly and fairly, 
 ■ this is impossible. Ifa laundryman brings all his better 
 feelings to the interest of money getting, he may be suc- 
 cessful from a financial point of view; but instead of being 
 a man, he degenerates into a mere money-making machine. 
 Man has a higher mission than this in this world; he has 
 other desires to satisfy than his own selfish ambitions, 
 and his duties to his fellow-men will not permit him to 
 shut himself up and keep out those better impulses which 
 will make his employes love and respect him. Unless he 
 has the good will of those who serve him, he will never 
 be well served, and unless he deals kindly and generously, 
 as well as justly, with those who work for him, he will 
 never have their good will. And in return an employer 
 has a right to expect strict business habits and principles, 
 clean, attractive surroundings, strict fulfillment of prom- 
 ises, polite and dignified attention to work, and individual 
 accountability on the part of employes for faithful work. 
 Few of us realize the important part a little polish 
 plays in this world. There are several kinds of polish; 
 the polish of nobility, of the true gentleman, and the fop; 
 and last, but not least, starch polish. Some laundry men 
 seem to suppose that if they only turn out work that 
 shines, they are workmen of the first order. The shine 
 produced by these fellows is truly wonderful. In my 
 opinion the most desirable polish is that produced which, 
 when the work is done, has the appearance of being part 
 of the fabric itself rather than a plaster on the outside. 
 
 There has been enough said on the different kinds of 
 soap and their qualities to confuse a Philadelphia lawyer. 
 
■ 159 
 
 My experience is, be practical; post yourself on the results 
 you taay obtain with the different kinds of soap in the 
 water you are using, and then stick to what you have the 
 best results from, until you are satisfied, by practical 
 results, that there are better goods on the market. 
 
 There never was a time in the history of the laundry 
 trade more than now (and this to every observing person 
 is apparent) when good judgment should be exercised in 
 conducting the business; but if the attention of the laun- 
 drymen is diverted from the affairs of the day by the 
 endeavor to account theoretically for the conditions which 
 exist, it is apt to be at the expense of practical work. The 
 chances of success are generally in favor of the laundry- 
 man who, instead of dwelling on abstract questions, gives 
 his time to watching all details of his business. Those 
 who are quick by practice to discover and act promptly, 
 generally succeed best. 
 
 There never was a time, probably, in the world's his- 
 tory, when high success in any profession demanded 
 harder or more incessant labor than now. Men can no 
 longer, at one leap, attaineminent positions. The world, 
 as Emerson says, is no longer clay, but rather iron in the 
 hands of its workers, and men have got to hammer out a 
 place for themselves by steady, rugged blows. Above all, 
 a deep and burning enthusiasm is wanted in every man 
 who would achieve great ends. No great thing is or can 
 be won without it. It is a quality that is seen wherever 
 there are earnest and determined workers, in the silence 
 of the study, the painting of a picture and in the carving 
 of a statue. 
 
 Ability, learning, accomplishment, opportunity, are all 
 well enough, but they do not, of themselves, insure suc- 
 cess. Thousands have all these, and live and die with- 
 out benefiting themselves or others. Men often scale the 
 dizzy heights of fame and excellence because of firm faith 
 and high resolve. It is this stolid faith in one's mission, 
 
160 
 
 the rooted belief that it is the one thing to which he has 
 been called, this enthusiasm in attracting an Aggassiz to 
 the Alps or the Amazons, impelling a Pliny to explore 
 the volcanoes in which he is to lose his life, that makes 
 the heroic spirit; and wherever it is found, success, sooner 
 or later, is almost inevitable. Men do not succeed because 
 they do not put heart in their work. 
 
 But I must stop this altogether too long essay, thank- 
 ing you greatly for your kind indulgence. I would like 
 to say in conclusion, brothers, let us put our shoulders to 
 the Association wheels during the coming year, and turn 
 them so fast that you cannot see the spokes, with that 
 vim and energy, perseverance and grit, that when we 
 come together next year we will find that we have accom- 
 plished so much that we will be compelled to start on a 
 new wheel. 
 
 Essays Read at the Convention held in St. Louis, Mo. , 
 October, i8gi, and Discussion on Same. 
 
 INSURANCE. 
 
 BY B. A. BARNBS, PITTSBURGH, PA. 
 
 Me. President: When you wrote me March 7th last, 
 desiring me to investigate the matter of Mutual Fire and 
 Accident Insurance, I fully expected to give it careful 
 attention. A member of my family who has been an 
 invalid for many years has been so much worse during 
 the past few months as to make it next to impossible for 
 me to give the insurance matter the attention that its im- 
 portance requires, and this must be my excuse for what is 
 wanting in the following: 
 
 There is no doubt that all laundrymen have about the 
 same experience in the matter of fire insurance, and that 
 is, that rates are steadily advancing, and also that under- 
 writers are endeavoring to make you believe that a laun- 
 dry is a hazardous risk as an excuse for such advance. 
 
161 
 
 This is not the case. The cause of old line fire insur- 
 ance companies advancing rates is attributable to the fact 
 that the mutual fire insurance companies are gradually 
 gathering up the good risks, and leaving the poor or 
 hazardous one to the old line companies; the result of this 
 is, that the old line insurance companies have been losing 
 n;oney and of necessity must advance rates. 
 
 The fire loss is a most oppressive tax, and much of 
 which can be abated by the application of well-established 
 means of prevention. In a practical sense certain fires are 
 to be considered as unpreventable, being caused by ex- 
 posure to fires in other burning buildings, and therefore 
 entirely beyond the control of the injured party. Other 
 fires proceed from causes so rare that they are not antici- 
 pated, and in any event it might not be feasible to prevent 
 their occurrence. There, are, however, very few fires whose 
 destructive results might not have been prevented by the 
 exercise of precautions entirely feasible in their nature. 
 
 Care is the most important element in prevention and 
 extinguishment of fires. 
 
 The first mutual fire insurance company was organized 
 in 1835, the Manufacturers' Mutual Fire Insurance Com- 
 pany of Rhode Island, at Providence. At the present 
 time there are nineteen associated mutual companies 
 working together. 
 
 In 1888 these nineteen companies wrote in risks $475,- 
 261,438; received in premiums on same, $4,315,804.91; 
 dividends returned on same, $3,062,308.86; average rate 
 charged, 89 34-iooc. 
 
 Dividend returned, per $100 of risk taken J5}4 per 
 cent; per $100 of risk taken 67 45-iooc. 
 
 l/)sses, expense and taxes per $100 of risk taken, 21 
 89-iooc. 
 
 Risks otttstanding December 31, 1888, $473,628,628. 
 
 This is a remarkable showing and has only been 
 brought about by the rules laid down by these companies. 
 
162 
 
 The first and principal object aimed at in the mutual 
 system is to prevent loss by fire. 
 
 The second and subordinate purpose is to pay such 
 idemnity in money as will cover losses. Numerous small 
 losses must unavoidably occur, but large ones are gener- 
 ally attributable to faults in the construction or operation 
 of the works insured. 
 
 The payment in such cases is considered, in a measure, 
 as a penalty imposed upon the executive officers of mutual 
 companies and to the insured alike, for not having fore- 
 seen and provided adequately against any such consider- 
 able loss. 
 
 In order to prevent loss to the assured in the interrup- 
 tion of business, and to the insurance companies in monejr, 
 in consequence of a fire, the admissions to membership 
 are very strict. 
 
 It seldom happens, however, unless the buildings or 
 works have been constructed under the supervision, or 
 with the knowledge of the methods of the mutual com- 
 panies, and unless the appliances for preventing fire has 
 been placed in the works in accordance with their rules,' 
 that a risk can be taken without the expenditure of a 
 considerable sum of money by the applicant to perfect or 
 protect it. In fact it may be said that it usually costs an 
 applicant a sum of money equal to one year's full premium 
 to qualify the risk for admission. 
 
 These companies have a very thorough system of con- 
 struction of buildings. Whenever the circumstances will 
 permit the influence of the mutual companies are given to 
 construction of buildings not exceeding one story and 
 basement. 
 
 They are also very particular about apparatus for put- 
 ting out fires. First, an ample supply of water; second, 
 one or more fire pumps; third, automatic sprinkler.s; 
 lastly, and most important, an ample supply of buckets 
 to be kept full of water at all times ready for use. More 
 
163 
 
 fires being put out with buckets, than with any other 
 appliance. Their advice is to put in an ample supply of 
 buckets and then double it. 
 
 A watchman should be a strong, efficient man, and not 
 as is often the case, employed for the position because he 
 is good for nothing else and can therefore be hired 
 cheaply. In many instances a dog is a very valuable 
 ally for a watchman. 
 
 These methods of supervision, building and equipments 
 do not refer to any ideality, but to measures which have 
 been carried into effect for the purpose of reducing the 
 fire loss, the result of such action being to reduce the cost 
 of insurance to a very low figure. This has been accom- 
 plished by the consideration of sources ofdanger and their 
 abatement, and it has been proven that it is cheaper to 
 prevent a fire than to sustain a loss. 
 
 The concurrent action of a large number of minds en- 
 gaged on the same problem will always lead to a satis- 
 factory solution. 
 
 Now as to whether we, as laundrymen, or as an organ- 
 ization, can do anything in the matter is for you to say. 
 It is a matter that has many phases that will puzzle you 
 as you delve into it. 
 
 I hand you, in connection with this paper, a copy oi 
 the constitution and by-laws of the Quincy Mutual Fire 
 Insurance Company, so as to give you an idea of their 
 main governing rules 
 
 I endeavored to get as much information from parties 
 as possible. I quote from one New England manufact- 
 urer's letter to me of recent date: 
 
 " I have looked into the insurance matter some, and 
 do not find anything flattering to report. Each state has 
 its own insurance laws, that must be complied with by 
 every company doing business there. Trade companies 
 have not all been successful. The Manufacturers' of 
 Massachusetts is a success, but they make their restric- 
 
164 
 
 tions such that they do not have any but the best mak- 
 able risks; buildings must be constructed on their plan or 
 altered to their ideas. Every mechanical known appli- 
 ance of safety is applied. ' ' 
 
 After considering this matter you may think the 
 organization of a mutual company not feasible. Another 
 way to do would be to perfect arrangements by which 
 the Iv. N. A. could place risks for its members in old 
 companies at reduced rates. The entire secret of low 
 rates is in supplying suitable preventatives against 
 fire. 
 
 The association could, through an officer elected for the 
 purpose, place risks for its members, by certifying that 
 they had complied with the rules of the association by 
 supplying safeguards against fire. One of the great 
 hindrances to a mutual organization is that we have no 
 general insurance laws. 
 
 In the matter, of accidental insurance in our laundries, 
 I do think we should have our own accident insur- 
 ance company,- and can at present see no reason to pre- 
 vent our having one. Rates for accident insurance in 
 laundries are altogether too high. This matter I will 
 not attempt to elaborate upon, but leave it with you for 
 your earnest consideration, , as it is almost impossible to 
 obtain any information such as you would desire from the 
 factory accident insurance companies. They are all close 
 corporations, and wisely keep their business to them- 
 selves, however much we might desire to investigate 
 their inside workings. 
 
 I^AVKDJLY ACCOTTNTS. 
 
 BY S. B. WATERS, CINCINNATI, OHIO. 
 
 I owe an apology to the members of the National 
 Association for not being present. Also that I have not 
 given the time and thought that should have been given 
 
165 
 
 to the subject that the president has alloted me to dis- 
 course upon. However, the little that I write more in 
 the nature of a suggestion, I think is entirely worthy of 
 your serious consideration. It was a subject I should 
 like to have given weeks of attention to, instead of 
 one hour, but circumstances were such that I could 
 not. 
 
 To give a detailed account of the innumerable systems 
 of keeping accounts, as practiced by those engaged in the 
 laundry business, would be as tedious a task as to clearly 
 define the many reforms that the People's Party propose 
 to inflict upon this unsuspecting country of ours. I 
 agree, however, with "Sockless Simpson's" sentiments 
 when he dramatically exclaimed, "We want reform!" 
 I think angels must have inspired those three words, but 
 it will take Divine power to enforce them. 
 
 We want reform in laundry accounts, positive, em- 
 phatic, practical. Can we have it? How many of us 
 have propounded that question only to brush it away as 
 a theory. But what I shall aim to prove in this brief 
 paper, coupled with a very limited ability to say just 
 what I think, is that it is not a theory, but a good com- 
 mon sense, practical, business proposition. Or, to put 
 this idea in good American English, we want an absolute 
 cash system of doing business lu en *hest sense that 
 the word implies. 
 
 Perchance there will be many that will doubt the feasi- 
 bility of the idea, but let me say in response, that I can 
 cite one instance, in which it is very clearly demonstrated 
 that such can be the case : That of I^exington, Ky., Mr. 
 Kline for my authority. With all due respect to the 
 people south of the Mason and Dixie line, and with an 
 utter abhorrence of the flounting of the " Bloody Shirt," 
 which American laundries have washed as white as snow, 
 I will say if there is a class that is dilatory or chronically 
 inclined to forget to pay honest laundry debts, it exists 
 
166 
 
 in that section of the country, with a close following at 
 every other point of the compass. 
 
 Mr. Kline, with others, hit upon and decided to treat 
 the people of I/Cxington to a cash system of accounts. 
 One laundry concern — as is usually the case — held back, 
 pronounced it "theorj'," but was finally won over to the 
 enemy (?) and here I may state the result as I have it 
 from an authoritative source. The laundry business has 
 increased. They go to bank every day, for they have 
 something to deposit. Not one has lost a customer. 
 They have reduced office help. They are making money. 
 They have actually been congratulated by the business 
 men of the town as being the yirsi to show that one does 
 not necessarily have to do business for dead beats free of 
 charge. 
 
 I heard a Cincinnati laundryman say to a representa- 
 tive of the craft from lyexington, incidentally, "O, well 
 you do business in heaven ! ' ' Heaven exists everywhere 
 if we seek it. 
 
 To revert back to the, old system of accounts. We find 
 the regulation, cash, trust and charge customers. First, 
 the cash; that is all right. Second, trust; well we say 
 to our emissaries who handle the ribbons, "You may trust 
 that party if no one should happen to be home to pay." 
 As a matter of history no one was home. Next week he 
 has a new laundry. Perhaps after infinite chasing around 
 you locate your man and get your money with the assist- 
 ance of a collector — at all the way from $io to $20 a week. 
 You will actually smile when the collector tells you that 
 the man ' ' cussed ' ' and said he was a collar short and 
 that the bundle was not on time. But what's all that? 
 Why nothing; you got your money. Third, charge cus- 
 tomers; they are a species that are not quite so dangerous; 
 passively submissive from fact that they are honored 
 with a ledger account. But I have heard of such a case 
 as this: A statement of account was mailed on the first of 
 
167 
 
 the month; check came back promptly less $2.50 for a 
 shirt lost. That is the first you have heard of it, 
 bat it does not signify, for the gentle wife informs you 
 that " Mr. Smith bought six shirts last November and 
 now I find only five in his drawer." The shrinkage of 
 shirts, collars and cuffs, in drawers in charge of custom- 
 ers, has always been to me one of those exquisite 
 mysteries that help to fill up life's vacuum, and lend 
 charm to an evening cigar. 
 
 It will hardly be necessary for me to go over the vari- 
 ous methods of collecting accounts, as we all seek for a 
 common end, that of getting what is due us. That we 
 do not get it all, is due to the prevailing system. 
 
 A suggestion as to the best method of adopting a cash 
 system that presents itself at present writing, and clearly 
 3 safe one, is as follows, relative to large cities and through 
 the instrumentality of local associations: First, find if all 
 agree on the subject; certainly it is to the interests of 
 all to agree. If so, second, incorporate your association 
 under your state laws, thereby becoming a legal body 
 amenable to law. Third, bind every laundryman in the 
 business to the sum of not less than $500, better $1,000, 
 for good faith. Bond, if violated collectable by the officers 
 of your association. There may be some feeling of resent- 
 ment at the idea of bond, but while you may all be hon- 
 est, honorable and upright now, the devil himself cannot 
 guarantee that all will remain so, as all may know that 
 have had interests in associations. 
 
 The same suggestions would apply even to small towns 
 where as many as two are engaged in the craft, with a 
 possible exception of incorporating. To get at the sub- 
 ject minutely under a cash regime, let all bundles to be 
 delivered be taken to their destination and cash collected, 
 or if no one is there to pay for same, bring back; Deliver 
 next day; if same complaint again, leave a little printed 
 slip informing party that the bundle is at the office; that 
 
168 
 
 it has been delivered twice, but no one there to pay for 
 same. I,et the matter be well advertised a month before 
 going into force, both by printed slips put into each bun- 
 dle sent out, also large newspaper advertisements signed 
 by all the concerns in the business, stating the date of 
 change, which also will give you ample time to collect 
 old accounts. 
 
 The public will soon see the justice of the move and 
 rather than condemn, will applaud. lyaundry work is not 
 merchandise. It represents labor, wages of which consti- 
 tute almost one- half of your gross receipts in business. 
 To sum up the advantages of such a system, viz: Reduc- 
 tion of office salaries, $io to $40 a week; dispose of your 
 collector at $10 to $40 a week; $500 worth of worry saved 
 fortnightly: no chance for dishonest drivers; no chance 
 for dishonest collectors; daily bank deposits. 
 
 The business will soon become respected, as will those 
 engaged in it. You will build a stone front house in a 
 few years. You will greet your wife on going home with 
 some show of affection. 
 
 ADVERTISING. 
 
 BY JOHN R. PURCHASE, MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. 
 
 Some time since, I received word from our secre- 
 tary that there would be a discussion at this convention 
 upon the subject of "I,aundry Advertising," accom- 
 panied by a request that I open the said discussion. 
 Since then, when giving time, thought and attention to 
 the matter, I have concluded that to confine myself to 
 laundry advertising was not necessary and hardly advis- 
 able, for the reason that I think a broader field will prove 
 more profitable; hence I take the general subject of adver- 
 tising, making it applicable to the laundry business so 
 far as my ability to do so reaches. 
 
169 
 
 To advertise is to give notice; to make known, to 
 publish. This may be done by word of mouth or other- 
 wise. It is advertising in principle though perhaps not 
 in extent. An ordinary news item is as much an adver- 
 tisement, according to the proper definition of the word, 
 as the announcement of a business concern; but the 
 advertisement as commonly known, that is, the paid for 
 business announcement, is what we are concerned in, and 
 to that we will endeavor herein to direct our attention. 
 
 A business advertisement, as generally taken, is a 
 public announcement in the interests of some business 
 concern, generally giving the nature of the business 
 engaged in, the location and name of the proprietor or 
 proprietors, and is always an implied, if not a specific, 
 solicitation of the patronage of the reader. 
 
 The first public advertisement appears to have been in 
 the shape of bill-posting; and advertising by printing in 
 regular publications seems to have originated with the 
 class of literature commonly called "periodicals." The 
 first regular newspaper, The Certain News of this Present 
 Week, published in England in 1622, did not contain any 
 advertisements, but they appeared in something like the 
 present form in 1652. Advertisements of runaway 
 apprentices, thieves and other outlaws made up most of 
 the business. 
 
 Books were the first articles of commerce advertised, 
 being soon followed by groceries. The plague in Eng- 
 land called out the first medical advertisement. In 1700 
 the practice appears to have been quite general in Eng- 
 land. 
 
 The first regular newspaper in America, The Boston 
 News Letter, was established in 1704 and was often issued 
 without a single advertisement. It continued to be 
 published forty years before reaching a circulation of 300, 
 and it needed fifteen years after the establishing of this 
 first newspaper to add a second and third. 
 
170 
 
 With the increase of shipping interests newspapers 
 appeared in larger numbers and advertisements began to 
 multiply. In 1775 the first newspaper in New York, 
 The Gazette, was commenced, and in 1728 Philadelphia 
 founded the Journal which, at its fortieth number passed 
 into the hands of Benjamin Franklin. At this time the 
 country contained but seven newspapers. In 1787 the 
 first "daily" was commenced in New York, and in the 
 following year (the same in which the London Times was 
 established) it contained thirty-four advertisements. 
 Thus it seems that England and America made advertis- 
 ing a business more nearly at the same time than is 
 usually supposed. 
 
 It required forty years for the first newspaper in the 
 city of Boston to reach a circulation of 300, and fifteen 
 years to develop a competitor, while in twenty years after 
 the dawn of the era of advertising from 18 10 — when there 
 were but thirty-two papers in the State of Massachusetts 
 — to 1830, we find 1,000 in the United States, and in 
 1840, 1,401. 
 
 All of the benefits that are due to advertising will 
 probably never be known; they certainly are not con- 
 fined to advertisers and the profits that have been made 
 on their increased sales; but the public, the world at 
 large, has been greatly benefited through advertising. 
 
 All will admit that the press has proven itself to be 
 one of the greatest civilizers, and the advancement of the 
 press, both as to its increase in number of publications 
 and merits of the same, is due, I believe, more to adver- 
 tising than to any other thing. The improvement in 
 our publications, from the daily paper to the monthly 
 magazine, to say nothing of their increase in number, is 
 something wonderful; not only in the procuring of late 
 and important news and the advancement and .spread of 
 knowledge of scientific subjects, but in the encourage- 
 ment of important exploring expeditions. These accom- 
 
171 
 
 plishments have been made possible only through the 
 means of wealth accumulated by publishers as the profits 
 of advertising. Does any one suppose that the accumu- 
 lation of news from all parts of the world to be found in 
 the daily New York Herald on any morning could profit- 
 ably be gathered and published at anywhere near twice 
 the price that the paper now sells for, were it not for its 
 advertising patronage ? Or does any one suppose that the 
 North American Review, and other similar publications, 
 could pay the price for the talent that they employ, were 
 it not for their receipts from advertising? Henry M. 
 Stanley was sent to Africa in search of Dr. I^ivingstone 
 by the proprietors of the New York Herald; and after 
 finding Dr. Livingstone and returning, he was again 
 sent, by the proprietors of the New York Herald; and 
 London Telegraph to further explore that country, and it 
 need not be wondered at if that country is, in the 
 course of time, as well settled by Europeans as America 
 now is. 
 
 Some business men consider the advertising solicitor, 
 or the publication which he represents, an object of 
 charity; and if they finally give him an "ad," do so 
 with a well — I-suppose-that-I-have-got-to-help-support- 
 you sort of a feeling, and some citizens subscribe to their 
 local publications in the same spirit; but this is all a mis- 
 take. If they fail to contribute their share to the support 
 of their press they make a mistake indeed. The busi- 
 ness world owes to itself to continue a liberal patronage 
 and support to the press. The business portion of a com- 
 munity owes to their local press a liberal support, and 
 every loyal citizen who is in business will pay his share 
 of the same. A community is known by its paper or 
 papers, and many communities are too painfully aware 
 of the fact that they are not known because of their lack 
 in this direction; some offering considerable bonus for 
 the establishment of a newspaper plant. 
 
172 
 
 All business men are advertisers to a greater or less 
 extent, although I have heard it said that laundrymen do 
 not as a rule advertise. Every man who is engaged in 
 any business advertises, according to my belief. Every 
 laundryman who keeps an office separate from the balance 
 of his establishment, advertises; every laundryman who 
 puts a wagon on the street, advertises; though in many 
 cases they may be advertising unconsciously. The 
 laundryman advertises to such of his customers as are in 
 position to know and capable of judging, that he is or is 
 not doing as good work as his competitor; that he is or 
 is not improving the quality of his work; that he is or is 
 not prompt in getting his work out, and that he is or is 
 not enterprising and worthy of their patronage. 
 
 Through our oflSces and clerks we advertise to our cus- 
 tomers the facts, as they may be, that we are or are not 
 neat, courteous and obliging, and the customers draw their 
 own conclusions from, said advertisement as to whether or 
 not that is the place they wish to patronize and whether 
 or not their patronage will be appreciated there. 
 
 When we put a wagon on the street we advertise. If 
 we have our name, business and location on it we make 
 known to the public that it is a laundry wagon, that we 
 are in the laundry business, where they may find us, as 
 well as where they can find a laundry. If we neglect to 
 put our name, business and location on our wagon, we 
 advertise to those who happen to know us and that the 
 same is our wagon, the fact that we are either lacking in 
 judgment when we allow such an opportunity for an ad- 
 vertisement to be lost, or that perhaps we have all the 
 trade we want and do not care to invite any more. 
 
 Every progressive laundryman can and does advertise 
 in many similarly simple and almost unconscious ways. 
 When he strikes anything new that tends to improve his 
 work; when he has overcome the yellow edge, black 
 speck, bluing or other troubles, he loses no opportunity 
 
173 
 
 to inform his patrons, especially such of them as may have 
 theretofore complained of any of those things, in order 
 that he may thereby save or regain their trade. 
 When he has improved his facilities or increased them; 
 has put in a machine to dampen collars so that he can 
 turn them down without cracking them; or a machine 
 that can iron all his collars in one tenth the time it took 
 by hand, do them twice as well and enable him not only 
 to get his work out quicker but better, he loses no oppor- 
 tunity to inform his patrons of these advantages. In 
 many ways similar to the above we advertise almost un- 
 consciously and at no special extra expense; and who 
 will question the policy? They are methods of advertis- 
 ing pure and simple, in principle and practice; it is merely 
 a question of extent. If it pays us to notify our customers 
 individually of the better things that we are enabled to 
 furnish them, why will it not pay to go further and notify 
 the. public? I claim that it will. We cannot expect to be 
 able to meet all of our customers personally and inform 
 them of these matters, and some of them are matters of 
 importance that it would prove vastly to our interest to 
 have known. We can, for a consideration, inform them 
 systematically, by circular hand bills, by well-written 
 notices in the newspapers, and by other methods. This 
 brings us to the questions : How much can we afford to 
 spend in this direction, and what are the best methods to 
 expend that sum in? 
 
 These questions as to how much we will be justified in 
 spending for advertising, and what methods we will em- 
 ploy, each must answer for himself, and in answering 
 each will probably be governed, first, by whether he has 
 anything to say or not; secondly, by the merits of the 
 mediums at his disposal, their respective cost and value 
 and his ability to pay the price. I should say that no 
 business mad should pay less for advertising than he dors 
 for rent.- 
 
1Y4 
 
 Now the first factor in governing this decision, that iS; 
 as to whether he has anything to say or not, is worthy of 
 deep consideration, more so than may at first appear, for 
 the reason that it may result in finding that he has nothing 
 to say, and that of course, will dispose of the whole mat- 
 ter. I think that I can better explain my meaning by 
 relating an anecdote: There was a certain publishing con- 
 cern getting together the material for an atlas and history 
 of a certain county in one of our western states. A part 
 of the business was the collection of histories of the fami- 
 lies of prominent citizens for publication, together with 
 the photograph of the head of the family ; all of this, of 
 course, for a consideration. Well, the agent approached 
 a certain well-to-do resident, convinced him that it was 
 his duty to patronize and encourage the work, etc., but 
 when the matter got down to the photograph and the 
 family history, the old fellow says: ' 'Now see here, mister, 
 I've got a picture of myself and you can put her in; we 
 have also a family history, but I guess we better not say 
 anything about that." The point isjust here: If you are 
 not doing as good work as your neighbor, or if you are 
 not getting your work out as promptly as your neighbor, 
 you will certainly not find it profitable to deceive the 
 public by saying that you are, and inviting them to prove 
 the lie. 
 
 All advertisements are implied in invitations to the 
 public, and it is well before inviting strangers to trade to 
 be sure that we can treat them in such a manner that 
 they will be pleased and we profited thereby. If you are 
 not so prepared set yourselves about getting ready and 
 when you have made a step in advancement inform the 
 public of it. My plan, in short, is - be ready to advertise 
 before you begin. 
 
 Having decided to advertise, go no further without 
 having a definite plan as to how much money yon will 
 put in apd as to what mediums you will employ. Great 
 
175 
 
 care and sound judgment should enter into these deci- 
 sions. You can spend too little money and you can 
 spend too much; but the error is more frequently made 
 in spending too little. As to the mediums, I believe that 
 the newspapers are the best, as a rule. The main point, 
 however, is to, know whom you want to reach; that is, 
 what class of readers you want to reach, and then use 
 those mediums which reach the greatest number of that 
 class for the least money. There is no doubt that ad- 
 vertising, properly and judiciously done, pays; but what 
 interests you most is — will it pay you? and right here 
 let me enter a little negro cabin philosophy: "There's a 
 heap of dreadful music in the very finest fiddle;" likewise 
 is there heaps of good money lost in the most profitable 
 branch of business. You cannot dwell too much in 
 selecting the proper mediums through which to spend your 
 money for advertising. It is your most likely point of 
 error, as far as making the venture profitable goes. But 
 having concluded on this point and made your contracts, 
 don't think that you can then lay back and peacefully 
 reap the benefit, for the benefit of advertising is not built 
 that way. You have now to furnish copy. You have 
 engaged your space, but the success of the venture de- 
 pends largely on the use that you make of it. You have 
 selected the field of your labor, but your labor proper has 
 only just commenced. You can now begin to send your 
 messages to the public, enlightening them as to your 
 business, and the advantages that trading with you will 
 bring them; and herein lies the opportunity for brains, 
 skill, judgment, and a thorough knowledge of human 
 nature; brains to contrive, skill and judgment to arrange, 
 and a thorough knowledge of human nature to revise 
 and prune so that your " ad " will catch the attention of 
 the public with certainty and at the same time not offend. 
 One of the secrets of advertising is to say the right thing 
 at the right time, in the right place and in the right way. 
 
176 
 
 Sir Joshua Reynolds, being asked what he mixed his 
 colors with, replied, "with brains, sir." Apply this to 
 your advertising. 
 
 Circumstances must govern largely as to what is said 
 in an "ad, "but I can advise thus far: State nothing but 
 the truth, and state it in a way that cannot by imperti- 
 nent or slangy phrases ofifend. The same thing quoted 
 with slight alteration sometimes makes a vastly different 
 impression. This is forcibly illustrated in the erasures, 
 substitutions and alterations made by President Abraham 
 lyincoln in the dispatch sent to Charles Francis Adams, 
 the United States Minister at the Court of St. James, 
 England, at an early period of our late war, by William 
 H. Seward, then Secretary of State; the latter a man of 
 whom one of our ablest journalists of that day says: 
 " He was perhaps the ablest diplomat of the century," 
 the same writer saying further that without question 
 these corrections saved the nation from a war with Eng- 
 land, which, at that period would probably have resulted 
 in the establishment of the Southern Confederacy. Those 
 who appreciate the delicate shades of meaning in words 
 (and I think that all who are advertising, or who intend 
 to advertise, should have as full an appreciation of the 
 same as it is possible for them to have) will certainly profit 
 by a perusal of the above mentioned matter, which can be 
 found in "Reminiscences of Abraham I^incoln." One 
 illustration of the wonderful judgment of President Lin- 
 coln in the meaning and value of words in the correction 
 of the dispatch referred to, was the substitution of 
 ' ' hurtful " for "wrongful;" the word wrongful as used im- 
 plied intent to harm, but in the word hurtful the charge of 
 intent is not found. 
 
 I trust that I will be pardoned for dwelling at length 
 on some of these points that may seem to be of minor im- 
 portance, for I consider it of great importance that they 
 be fully understood. 
 
177 
 
 I have seen and heard of ads that I consider inadvisa- 
 ble; one for instance in a street car, reading to the effect 
 that "the man who sits beneath wears our pants;" and 
 seated below this ad was a portly woman. The effect on 
 the readers on the opposite side of the car may have been 
 mixed with humor, but there is no doubt that contempt 
 for the advertiser played an important part. 
 
 A sample of an inadvisable ad in our own business 
 reads, ' 'You think they are not seen ? That soiled collar, 
 those dirty cuffs, and the shirt under that big necktie ? 
 Well, they are. ' ' Such an ad might have some effect on 
 some people who wear their goods altogether too long, 
 and increase the amount of laundry work, but its benefit to 
 the advertiser is very questionable. How uncomfortable it 
 would make a person feel, who, through force of circum- 
 stances or oversight, finds himself with soiled linen on, 
 and such an "ad" staring him in the face from a street 
 car panel. He would, of course, imagine that all the 
 passengers were examining each others' linen, and had 
 discovered the condition of his own, and the result would 
 be to create anything but a favorable impression of the ad- 
 vertiser; just the contrary to what is intended. "Ads" 
 should be written to please the reader and profit the ad- 
 vertiser, not to the displeasure of the reader and loss to 
 the advertiser. 
 
 Put some humor in your advertising occasionally. 
 Man is a laughing animal, and even the most serious of 
 us appreciate a little fun now and then. A little spice is 
 also a good thing, and serves the reader as a relish, 
 whetting his appetite for more. 
 
 Bring your ad to an effective point. It should, like 
 the honey-bee, have its sting in the tail. Distribute your 
 advertising so as to make it continuous, as near as possi- 
 ble, having it appear in every issue of the mediums that 
 you use, during the time you intend advertising. Spas- 
 modic advertising is the most costly. What would you 
 
178 
 
 think of a person rowing a boat who turned around every 
 few strokes to see how far he had gotten? Ten one 
 dollar ads in ten consecutive issues are worth considera- 
 bly more than one ten dollar ad. "Keep everlastingly 
 at it." It's the "constant dropping that wears away the 
 rock." I,ittle irritations will wear on the public. 
 Don't use any second-hand ad that has been the 
 "rounds." Don't copy. Originality is necessary to a 
 good advertisement, unless you can materially improve 
 on what you have taken to copy. 
 
 If you deem advertising advisable, and feel that you 
 cannot formulate a proper and profitable plan, and write 
 good, clean, clear cut, sharp, spicy and original ads, 
 worthy of the expense you are willing to go to, secure 
 the services of someone who can do this for you; this can 
 readily be done, and I believe at a reasonable figure. 
 There are a great many people engaged in the business 
 of advertising exclusively. I do not refer to publishers, 
 but to people whose business consists solely of writing 
 ads. Some of our large advertisers, such as Hood and 
 Ayer of Sarsaparilla fame. Pear of soap fame, and others 
 of that class, have employment perhaps for a number of 
 persons in their advertising, but there are also advertis- 
 ing experts who make a business of supplying the wants 
 of small advertisers, and they can be readily found. Or, 
 if disposed to improve yourself in the art, get some of the 
 good books that have been issued on the subject. 
 
 Subscribe to Printers JnJc, a spicy wide-awake weekly 
 publication devoted exclusively to advertising; also to 
 Profitable Advertising, a monthly publication of the same 
 nature. 
 
 The advertising of today is far difierent from what it 
 was a few years ago. I doubt if there has been more 
 marked a change in any branch of business. It has 
 indeed become an art, and is fast becoming a science. 
 Some years ago space cost but little; merchants used it 
 
179 
 
 for little else than the insertion of a plain business card, 
 and this stood year in and year out; but the ad in the 
 daily paper of today must be made up with skill and care, 
 and the matter must be changed often to justify the use 
 of the space. 
 
 The art of writing an ad that will insure a favorable 
 result, is an art indeed, and such as few are capable of, 
 compared to the opportunities open to them. I believe 
 that in no other field are there so many opportunities for 
 such as have the necessary talent, not even excepting the 
 recently opened field of electricity. 
 
 Mr. N. C.Shaw (Erie, Pa): Mr. President— I think 
 Mr. Purchase covered every point when he said men ad- 
 vertise unconsciously. I would suggest a mode of adver- 
 tising, which almost all of us do. First: We want to 
 stand well in our own city. Next: Pay our bills 
 promptly. Treat your help well. Make your business 
 appear nice. Give people to understand you do not 
 abuse your horses. There are a great many tender- 
 hearted ladies in the world, and they like to see you 
 drive up to their houses with handsome, fat horses, nice 
 harness, and wagons. They will say, "Your horses and 
 wagons look nice. They look as though you attended to 
 your business, as though you did not neglect anything." 
 That is my way of advertising, and I think I am quite 
 successful for a small concern. 
 
 If I cannot pay all my bills I make the people outside 
 the city wait — the supply men and the machinery dealers. 
 [lyaughter.J When my wife goes down street I intend 
 that she shall haveciedit in any store in the city. If she 
 comes home at noon and says, ' 'I went into the drygoods 
 store and purchased some small articles, amounting to 
 two or three dollars." I will say, "Whereabouts?" and 
 I make it a point to go down there within an hour and 
 ask for the bill. Then I will instruct that man that if 
 any of my family come down there to buy anything to 
 
180 
 
 give them credit, and immediately after the purchase to 
 send the bill to my place of business, and if that is done 
 I send a check as soon as it is received. That is one of 
 my ways of advertising. 
 
 In my business I own three delivery wagons; two of 
 these I run most of the time. The third is not a very 
 good one and I do not take that one out unless compelled to. 
 
 My horses are groomed as well as anybody's horses. I 
 have a box stall for every horse. I feed but three quarts 
 of oats at a feed, as nice, clean oats as I can buy. Much 
 harm is done by working horses hard and feeding six or 
 eight quarts of oats to make up for it. My horses never 
 work over half a day, and they always have one day of 
 rest besides Sunday in each week. The expense of my 
 bam is not over ten dollars per horse a month . 
 
 I-disagree with some people about newspaper advertis- 
 ing. I never fail to have an article in the daily paper if 
 I have something to say. If I get a new machine every 
 one in town knows it. I do not expend $150 per year for 
 a card in a paper giving my place of business. I think 
 a local item better than space in the advertising columns. 
 I pay ten cents a line to notify my customers that I am 
 attending the National Laundrymen's convention, and it 
 costs me $2.50 to say that I have gone to attend the con- 
 vention. I don't know as that will do me any good, but 
 it looks as though if I am a member of the National 
 Association, I am a little better than a washhouse. 
 [Laughter.] 
 
 Mr. Syers (I^ouisville): With all due respect to Brother 
 Shaw, his plan may do in Pennsylvania; but I know of a 
 laundry that started in with thirteen handsome wagons, 
 thirty-five horses, and all handsome drivers, and I under- 
 stand in about six months the sheriflF got possession. 
 
 Mr. Reed (Philadelphia) : I agree in the main with the 
 remarks that have been made. I differ in one respect 
 from Brother Shaw's method of doing business, and that 
 
181 
 
 is: When my wife goes down town to do shopping I 
 always give her the cash. [Applause.] 
 
 Mr. Conser (St. Joseph, Mo.): There is only one legiti- 
 mate way of advertising in my section of the country in 
 the laundry business —straight newspaper advertising, 
 but the advertisements must be changed frequently and 
 have spice, or else they are lost. T would not give 5 
 cents for three inches of space in a newspaper if it is to 
 go in at haphazard. I would sooner pay a $1.50 a line a 
 month and have preferred space on the first page. 
 
 Mr. J. W. Bowman (Sedalia, Mo.): The only benefit 
 that I have derived from advertising has bfeen within the 
 last year. I had a shrewd friend who was managing a 
 newspaper, and I always got him to write my advertise- 
 ments for me and place them in the news column. If I 
 was out of town and saw some of my agents and heard 
 any compliments I gave them to him a:nd he would write 
 them up in the form of news. In less than two months 
 from this kind of advertising my business per week in- 
 creased at rapid strides from $140 to $380. I consider 
 advertising in form of news the best method, 
 
 Mr. Speare (Boston) : I believe the best advertising a 
 man can do, if he has got a properly conducted laundry, 
 is to have the public come in to see it and take them 
 through his plant. It will bring customers every time. 
 A great many people are prejudiced against laundries. 
 The only way tor overcome that prejudice is to have them 
 see them. I never have failed to secure customers from 
 people that I have taken through my laundry. 
 
 Mr. Hastings (Indianapolis): I believe Mr. Purchase 
 has had some experience in the same line recently, if he 
 will state what it has been. 
 
 Mr. Purchase: I have advertised for a considerable 
 length of time in that way, inviting the public to come in 
 and examine the operation of the laundry, but I did not 
 find that a great many came. 
 
182 
 
 Mr. lyawrence: I have been in the habit of inviting 
 the public into my laundry ever since I have been in the 
 business. I keep my place in such shape that I will not 
 be ashamed to have my neighbors and customers see it. 
 I advertise that on certain evenings my place will be open 
 under gas-light for inspection by the public. I have had 
 as high as 600 people in my place in one evening. I never 
 had one of those openings without receiving the names 
 of a number of people as customers, asking us to call 
 with the wagon for work. I have had the machines all 
 at work, and had 175 ladies standing in a group watch- 
 ing the operation, and if one of the collars fell from the 
 basket to the floor, and the girl stepped down to pick it 
 up I have heard a lady say, "Never mind, the floor is as 
 clean as the basket." I keep the floors clean so that if 
 anything falls on them it will not get dirty. 
 
 Mr. Dolph (St. Louis): I think we are under great 
 obligations to Mr. Purchase for his valuable paper. I 
 am one of those whom he styles unconscious advertisers. 
 I have had considerable experience in the last five years 
 in newspaper advertising. I cannot say that it has paid 
 when I consider the cost. It takes quite a time and re- 
 quires the expenditure of considerable money to find out 
 how to advertise in a newspaper. When all in a particu- 
 lar line advertise in the same wa,3', no one will enjoy any 
 advantage, because all are on the same ground. When one 
 or two or three do the advertising they can increase their 
 business. When I see so much money spent by our dry 
 goods merchants I sometimes think it is not what should 
 be called "judicious advertising." It looks very much 
 as if they were in it and could not get out of it. I propose 
 to keep out of newspaper advertising as long as possible. 
 
 President Roycc: In my judgment, there is no ques- 
 tion but advertising pays. I do not think that spasmodic 
 advertising does anybody any good. I have always been 
 a liberal advertiser, and I expect to keep it up. 
 
183 
 
 AGENTS. 
 
 BY LEWIS R. SPEARE, BOSTON, MASS. 
 
 Your secretary asked me to write a paper on "agents," 
 and unthinkingly I accepted the invitation. I have not 
 the leisure, had I the capacity, to do justice to the sub- 
 ject, so that what I have to say must be fragmentary, 
 and unsatisfactory to myself, as it probably will be to 
 you. 
 
 One of the greatest evils, as well as one of the greatest 
 blessings, connected with the laundry business, is the 
 agency department. What is an agent? Webster says, 
 "One who acts for or in place of another, by authority 
 from him; one intrusted with the business of another; a 
 substitute; a deputy; a factor." That I presume is what 
 an agent ought to be, but in the laundry business does 
 an agent always act for us? I am afraid in a great many 
 cases an agent acts more against us than for us. Is an 
 agent a help or a hindrance to our business? Is it better 
 tQp abolish agents entirely, or to try and control them, 
 ajid do the business with the agents on a legitimate basis, 
 so that an agent will really be in the laundry business 
 what he is described in general by Webster, ' 'one who 
 acts for another." 
 
 An agent collects a large amount of work at one place, 
 and acts for us in collecting the money, so that instead 
 of driving to a large number of houses, we are enabled to 
 collect from a few agencies enough work to keep our 
 laundries running. 
 
 When agencies were first established I am told that 
 they worked without any commission ; they simply 
 accommodated the laundry men by allowing their custom- 
 ers to leave their bundles, and received no compensation 
 for collecting when the bundles were delivered, the agent 
 being perfectly satisfied to do the business, as the 
 customers would call at his place, and possibly buy his 
 merchandise. 
 
184 
 
 The trouble came from the fact that very soon some 
 agencies collected a large amount of work, and were a 
 great advantage, and, according to the law of trade, some 
 bright- witted laundry man decided that he could afford to 
 pay the agent a small commission of say lo per cent on 
 the amount of work he collected, therefore making it an 
 extra inducement to the agent to secure work, and at the 
 same time offered an inducement to the agent to change 
 to his laundry. There is no need to keep on through 
 the long chapter of discounts, higher and higher, offered 
 by different laundrymen, until today, in many cases, the 
 commissions are as high as 40 per cent, I think you are 
 all ready to grant that at 40 per cent discount there is 
 no profit in the laundry business. If there is no profit 
 in the laundry business at 40 per cent, why is it that 
 laundries offer this amount to the agents, in order to hold 
 their trade, or to obtain new trade? I think the greatest 
 cause for carrying it to this extreme, is the fact that a 
 great many laundrymen figure that to run their laundry 
 successfully they must have a certain amount of work, 
 and these large agencies offer a temptation to, pay them a 
 larger commission in order to obtain their work, and 
 thereby, at one stroke, increase to the desired amount 
 the work they can do profitably at their laundry. In 
 order to obtain these large agencies (who, in some cases, 
 receive almost work enough to run a small laundry), 
 they offer a larger commission than they are now receiv- 
 ing, figuring that they can better afford to pay a higher 
 commission to such agents, on account of the large 
 amount of work they will bring from one place, rather 
 than to send team and driver to perhaps thirty different 
 places to obtain the same amount of work. 
 
 Mr. "A" says: I am doing $400 per week, net. Now, 
 if I can secure this large agent, he will bring me $100 a 
 week more, and if I am obliged to offer a higher commis- 
 sion than would be warranted on the whole of my work, 
 
185 
 
 I can still make a good profit, because my place is fitted 
 up to do $500 per week, and I can add this amount 
 without adding one cent to my pay-roll or expenses. 
 Therefore, although I could not afibrd to pay all my 
 agents 35 per cent, I can well afford to pay this one 35 
 per cent, and keep the others at 20 per cent, and the 
 average amount will come out all right. 
 
 Is Mr. "A" justified in this kind of reasoning? If he 
 has help and expenses to do one fifth more work than he 
 is doing, I maintain that something is radically wrong; 
 that the first thing he should do, is to reduce his ex- 
 penses to where they belong. Why should he not make 
 a good profit out of $400? Are there not many laundries 
 who do not over half this amount, and still make a satis- 
 factory profit to themselves? In my experience I have 
 found many laundries that are doing not over $250 per 
 week, and are making a larger profit than many who are 
 doing $600 or $700. 
 
 This method of reasoning, in my opinion, is one of the 
 most deceptive things connected with the laundry busi- 
 ness. Go with me to any laundry, and tell the foreman 
 that his pay-roll is too high for the amount of work he is 
 doing, and I will guarantee that in nine cases out of ten, 
 he will tell you that the amount of work is a little too 
 small, and if you will get him 20 per cent more work, he 
 can do it without any addition to the pay-roll. Is this a 
 fact? Get it for him, and what is the result? I have 
 always found that at the end of a very few weeks, the 
 percentage of the pay-roll to the amount of work done 
 stands just about the same, or, if not, I have immediate 
 complaints as to the quality of the work, or reports of 
 shorts, which tend to make the life of a laundryman a 
 burden, and almost drive him to the insane asylum. 
 
 But how about Mr. "B," the laundryman who is doing 
 the work that Mr. ' 'A' ' must have, in order to run his 
 laundry at a profit? Is Mr. "B," to stand aside, and let 
 
186 
 
 Mr. "A" take his most profitable agency, by offering to 
 pay a larger commission? If Mr. "A's" reasoning is 
 correct, why will not the same thing apply to Mr. "B"? 
 Can he afford to lose $ioo worth of work which he is 
 fitted up to do, and is doing, at the present time? No, 
 he must meet the cut of Mr. " A, " and so he is obliged 
 to pay 35 per cent to an agent w.hom he formerly paid 
 but 25 per cent, and holds the woik. Now what does 
 Mr. "A" gain? Is there any satisfaction to him in the 
 fact that he has made his brother laundry man lose 10 
 per cent on the work, an amou..t which he should still 
 have, and which Brother "B" misses sadly? 
 
 He is not just in love with Mr. "A." He happens to 
 know Mr. "A's" largest agent, and immediately offers 
 him 40 per cent, and either gets him, or forces "A" to 
 meet the cut. And so the play goes on, until Mr. "A" 
 and Mr. "B," and all the rest of the long alphabet of 
 laundrymen in the vicinity are doing work for less 
 than cost, and the agents are the only ones who are 
 happy. 
 
 What is to be done? We are all willing to admit that 
 here is the trouble, and serious trouble too. In this 
 vicinity you will find that laundrymen are failing. They 
 may stand it a few years, but failures in the last year in 
 cities where this condition prevails, have been very 
 frequent; and those who have escaped are not feeling 
 very happy at the present time. More failures must 
 Lind will come, unless something is done, and that right 
 speedily. Laundrymen now unite in the cry that they 
 r.re in the hands of the agents, and call them all kinds of 
 hord names. If there had been no agents established, 
 this state of affairs would never have occurred, and you 
 must remember it is not the agent's fault that things are 
 in their present condition. He is a business man, and 
 simply does v/hat all men would do under the same 
 circumstances, and that is, to make as much money as 
 
187 
 
 possible out of their business. It is not their fault if you 
 do the work for less than cost. 
 
 Now for the remedy! Well, I am strongly of the 
 opinion that a man from some other place than Boston 
 should answer this question. But, as it is much easier 
 to advise than to act, I will continue, although for the 
 remedy I will admit I have been obliged to go far 
 beyond Boston. It is my firm conviction, that without a 
 strong association and good feeling among all the leading 
 laundrymen of the place, it will be impossible to even 
 make a start in the right direction. But,, with a strong 
 association formed, what is to be done' Abolish all 
 agents and deal direct with the customer? This might 
 do in many places, but where the agency business has 
 obtained such a hold as it has in the East, this course, 
 if not impossible, is certainly impracticable. There are 
 many agents in our large Eastern cities who receive work 
 enough to run a small laundry, as I have previously 
 stated, and they certainly would never consent to lose 
 a business which is paying them better than any other 
 branch of their business. The only course for them to 
 follow would be to either open a laundry themselves or 
 get some one to start one on the promise of their 
 work, either of which could be accomplished in short 
 order. 
 
 Well, then, what can be done? I maintain that these 
 agents are men, and that they are willing the laundry- 
 man should receive a fair compensation for his part of 
 the work, and that if met in a proper spirit they will 
 more than meet us half way. There should be a distinct 
 understanding as to the amount of commission they are 
 to receive, and when they once understand that they can- 
 not receive more by applying to other laundries they will 
 be satisfied to receive what is a fair amount and not 
 expect the large and ruinous commission which some of 
 them are receiving at the present time. 
 
188 
 
 The present practice keeps the agent continually fight- 
 ing for a higher commission. He feels that others are re- 
 ceiving a higher commission than himself, and if such is 
 the fact he is bound to keep on applying to different 
 laundrymen until he can obtain as high a commission as 
 are his competitors in business. They hold the work, 
 and I am taking it for granted that we cannot do without 
 them, and in many cities, such as Boston and New York, 
 you would find that without them the work would go to 
 the Chinamen. I do not want by this to be understood 
 to infer that i1>is necessary to have agents in all places. 
 Such is not the fact. I know a laundry not sixty miles 
 from Boston, in a city of 75,000 inhabitants, where their 
 direct trade amounts to f6oo per week, and agencies in 
 the city to less than $50 per week. But, where the 
 agency business is firmly established it seems to me it 
 would be a grave mistake to try to overthrow it; but if the 
 laundry business is to be carried on with any degree of 
 success, the agent must be controlled, and this cannot be 
 done except by a strong local association. No one man 
 can find the best way to remedy the evil in any locality. 
 No one rule will apply to all localities. But through 
 your local associations you can settle this question, so 
 that it will meet all the requirements necessary to your 
 particular section. 
 
 Remember that if you have a poor opinion of your 
 brother laundryman he probably has a poor opinion of 
 you. But if you once get together you find, as others 
 have found before, that the other man is not such a mean 
 fellow after all, and the oftener you come together the 
 more firmly you will become of this conviction. One of 
 the best things to convince you of this fact is to attend 
 the National Convention with them, and I will guarantee 
 that no two laundrymen from the same section will ever 
 have any difiiculties which they cannot settle themselves if 
 they will take one trip to the National Convention to- 
 
189 
 
 gether and enjoy each other's society. However, I am 
 wandering from the subject. 
 
 I have, as yet, offered no real opinion as to the best 
 way to overcome the trouble. As previously stated, it 
 was impossible for me to look in the East for help in this 
 direction. I therefore took the liberty of writing the 
 secretaries of our associations all through this country, 
 and I have to thank them for their kind and full answers, 
 and I must say that although I have had some idea of 
 the way the business was conducted in western cities, I 
 never was more disgusted with the business in my own 
 section than after reading the large number of letters re- 
 ceived from our friends all over these United States. I 
 lo not believe that there is a spot on this fair universe 
 where business is so thoroughly demoralized as it is today 
 in Boston. 
 
 You will excuse me if I quote from the letters received 
 from the different places. 
 
 Our Boston secretary says: ' ' All restrictions withdrawn 
 and every one does as he pleases. Business getting in a 
 bad way and a large number of failures in the last year." 
 
 New York's letter, written in July: 
 
 ' ' We had an association here, but it is nearly defunct 
 and its rules are no longer lived up to. Each laundry- 
 man now makes any terms possible with the agents, often 
 taking work at ruinously low prices."* 
 
 As we cannot find any encouragement in the East let 
 us go West and see if anything can be found in the new 
 country worth imitating. 
 
 We continue to quote: 
 
 Cleveland writes as follows: " We are allowed to pay 
 not to exceed 20 per cent commission, and in case an 
 agent wishes to change frotn one laundry to another, he 
 must first settle up his account in full and receive only 
 15 per cent. This resolution was introduced to hold the 
 agent under control,- for on the slightest pretext he could, 
 
190 
 
 perhaps, leaving an old account, change, because the 
 laundry did not allow any claim he might put in for lost 
 or damaged goods which were found out of reason. Now 
 they are obliged to pay up and only obtain i^ per cent 
 from a new laundryman, after they have settled in full 
 with the old laundry. About one-half of our busi- 
 ness is collected through agents. Balance is collected 
 direct. Out of two hundred agents that one laundry has 
 alone in this city, there are only four that they pay 25 
 per cent. Their good agents have stuck to them from 
 the start, and they are allowed by the association to retain 
 them at this figure. If an agent makes an unjust claim 
 we simply haul down his sign, knowing that he will only 
 get 15 per cent from any other association laundry, after 
 he has paid his account with us. Price is universally 2c 
 collars and cuffs; plain shirts loc." 
 
 Do not you all, my eastern friends, start for Cleveland, 
 as you will find by going farther, to Houston, Texas, 
 that our brothers there are getting from 3c to 5c for col- 
 lars and cuffs, and allowing from 15 to 20 per cent to 
 agents, and at Dallas, Texas, 40c per dozen for collars and 
 cuffs and no agents in the city. 
 
 Minneapolis reports: "Plain shirts, 1 2 J^ cents, collars 
 and cuffs, 3c. Few agents, bills collected weekly, and 15 
 per cent the universal commission, which is observed in 
 every instance. ' ' 
 
 They have a strong association, and I would quote the 
 following from their articles of association: 
 
 "Agents. No member of this association shall nego- 
 tiate with an agent of another member, or for any place 
 wherein another member has had an agency or office for 
 the purpose of employing said agent or placing his busi- 
 ness until after the expiration of three months." 
 
 By this you will see that an agency is absolutely 
 obliged to go out of business for three months in order to 
 change his laundry. 
 
191 
 
 So I might keep on, through city after city, and iu no 
 case outside of the Kast have I been able to find a city 
 where they were doing collars and cuffs for i J^c. It may 
 be there are many of them, but they certainly are not in 
 our largest cities, as I have written large nurnbers and in 
 no case have they reported collars and cuffs for less than 
 2C, and no commissions above 25 per cent. 
 
 Rochester, N. Y. , which is about as near east as we 
 can get and keep prices and agreements right, seems to 
 have a strong associatiorf and rules which it might be 
 well to copy. Each laundryman, however, is allowed to 
 give whatever commission he sees fit. Prices, loc for 
 shirts; 2c for collars and cuffs. The general commission, 
 however, is reported as not over 25 per cent. Instead of 
 calling them agents in Rochester they make them 
 "Branch," and by their agreement no laundryman has 
 a right to take a branch office which is dropped by 
 another. 
 
 Cincinnati: " They seem to have in this city rules in 
 regard to agents and commission which, in my judg- 
 ment, would be better to follow than any that have come 
 to my notice. They read as follows: 
 
 "Commission. Resolved, Tha.t per cent paid to new 
 agents shall not be to exceed 20 per cent. That no dead- 
 head work shall be done, and that no member shall, 
 directly or indirectly, solicit or try to obtain the agent 
 of any other member of this association. 
 
 " Agents. Resolved, That no member of this associa- 
 tion be allowed to take the agent of another member un- 
 less said agent has liquidated his or her account with his 
 or her former laundry, and that said account must be paid 
 by the agent and not by the opposing laundry as an in- 
 ducement to change to them." 
 
 An association newly formed, iu a city where prices are 
 as thoroughly demoralized as they are in Boston to-day, 
 adopting the spirit of the above resolution and putting the 
 
192 
 
 prices at lo and 2c I think would find that these resolutions 
 would work better than anything else they could adopt. 
 By them every laundryman would have his own agents to 
 deal with. He could pay his old agents any commission 
 he pleased, but he would, at the same time, have the 
 privilege of cutting his large commissions down to a rea- 
 sonable figure, knowing that if he changed his laundry 
 he could not get over 20 percent at the new laundry; and, 
 further, he would be obliged to settle his account in full. 
 I, for one, have agents on my- book that I would be very 
 much pleased to have changed to some other laundry, 
 provided he was only obliged to settle his account in full 
 with me before so doing. That would be the only thing 
 I would ask, but if in addition thereto I knew he could 
 only receive 20 per cent, my position as a laundryman 
 would be very strong, and whereas it would not be im- 
 possible for an agent to change on account of the quality 
 of the work, or other good cause, he would be obliged to 
 do so honestly and squarely, and to receive only a reason- 
 able commission in the future. 
 
 A great many mistakes have been made by associations 
 in trying to do too much. The Boston association was 
 overrun with resolutions, rules and restrictions, none of 
 which were ever put in force. I believe now that if we 
 had only started with two such simple rules as the above 
 and avoided all other restrictions we could have handled 
 the business in a satisfactory manner. 
 
 Where we have agents who are bringing us a large 
 amount, and we have been allowing them large commis- 
 sions, it is very hard to immediately cut them down. In 
 fact in some cases we believe that we can honestly afibrd 
 to pay more than 20 per cent, but when we try to make a 
 rule which shall not only apply to new agents but by 
 which we shall have to antagonize all our present sources 
 of income, we will find it hard to get all laundries to 
 accept it. 
 
193 
 
 We are very much pleased to note that New York has 
 started once more in the right direction, and although 
 this has now become an annual occurrence we shall hope 
 that this time there will be -no break in the record be- 
 tween now and the next annual meeting or for many 
 years to come. I only wish I could add that Boston was 
 likely to be in the same condition. Still I believe that 
 the association in Boston has been of some benefit to the 
 laundries, and in this question, like love, we will have to 
 follow the old motto, ' 'That it is better to have loved and 
 lost than never to have loved at all," for we have cer- 
 tainly tried and failed, and we trust that is better than not 
 to have tried at all. We can only hope that the experi- 
 ence we have gained in the last year will yet be of some 
 value, and that the advertisement which was read to me 
 only a few days ago in which collars and cuffs were at 
 J^c apiece and shirts at 5c by an agent of a laundry, who 
 also added, "We will call at your house and get the 
 laundry," will be a thing of the past. This is the worst 
 cut that has ever come to our knowledge, and we believe 
 it was merely put in for advertising purposes, and is of no 
 great detriment to anybody except the laundryman who 
 is foolish enough to allow his agent to do such a thing, 
 although he received perhaps higher prices, but 8c and 
 ic, and 7c and ic is a very common thing and commis- 
 sions are allowed from these prices as high as 20 per cent. 
 How any laundryman can figure a profit from such busi- 
 ness is more than I can tell, and certainly when in this 
 condition the laundry business is about as demoralized as 
 is possible. When things get at their worst, we sometimes 
 think it is probable an improvement will commence. The 
 tide may get very low, but there is bound to be a turn 
 and the flood-tide will come in, and we trust that Boston, 
 as well as her tide, will rise on this question of agents and 
 come to the front, and that we may yet be proud of our 
 record in the laundry business. However, it is no part of 
 
194 
 
 my intention to localize this address. It has been written 
 under many. diiSculties, however, and I apologize for it 
 most heartily. 
 
 To conclude I would state that it is my firm belief that 
 if laundrymen will come together in any city where com- 
 petition is strong and the agency business has degenerated 
 into a demoralized condition, that they can agree on a code 
 of rules which will prove of benefit not only to themselves 
 but also to the agents. That an agent is not absolutely 
 a necessity, but in a great many cases is very convenient, 
 and while I would not recommend all agencies to be 
 abolished, I firmly believe that it would be much better 
 that they be abolished where the business cannot be reg- 
 ulated by sound business principles. 
 
 Mr. Purchase: The subject of the paper just read is a 
 serious one. It has been ably handled, and there is noth- 
 ing more to be said but to add our approval. It has been 
 said the agent is not so much the agent of the laundry as 
 he is of the customer, but if anything goes wrong — if 
 there is any claim for damages — for negleOt, though the 
 trouble rest with the agent himself, it is we that get the 
 blame. I believe the only way to dispose of agents is to 
 dispose of them entirely. We have quite a number of 
 them in our city. I Would gladly give up those I have 
 If the other laundries would do the same. There is no 
 profit in them. We have individual customers who bring 
 us more work than some of the agents, and I feel that 
 they could justly ask us why we did not allow them the 
 same discount we allow the agents, when they bring us 
 their work to the laundry and pay us the cash. I would 
 hardly know what to say to such a complaint. I would 
 like to see the agency system wiped out altogether. 
 
 Mr. Kelso (Rochester, N. Y. ) : In our city of Rochester 
 no laundry is allowed more than twenty agents or branches 
 and if the agent moves that place cannot be used as the 
 agency of any other laundry, as the trade that has been 
 
195 
 
 built up by any particular agency, we think belongs to 
 the laundry, as it has been due to the character of the 
 work done — the service it gives its customers. 
 
 Mr. Dolph (St. Louis): I believe with Mr. Purchase 
 that the only way to dispose of these agencies is to dis- 
 pose of them. We have had a little experience in that 
 line here in St. Louis. We disposed of them entirely 
 through the organizing ©f a local association, but only 
 for the time being. They sprang up again through the 
 influence of laundrymen who refused to come into our 
 association. I would ask, What are we going to do with 
 this question? We have to handle it in some way in the 
 near future. We disposed of them once, but they bob up 
 again. 
 
 Mr. Doremus (Chicago): I have had a great deal of 
 experience with agencies in my own city and others, and 
 have seen their workings. I think if the laundrymen in 
 the cities will control themselves, they will be able 
 to control agencies. It is because of a lack of con- 
 fidence among laundrymen themselves. That is the 
 condition of afifairs in Boston and largely the fact in New 
 York city. I visited one establishment in New York city 
 last fall where, according to the statement of the book- 
 keeper, there was a difference of profits in five months of 
 over $12,000 because of agencies. L,?.undrymen should 
 get together and fix the percentage they will pay 
 agents, pass resolutions, make by-laws and live up to 
 them. 
 
 President Royce: Mr. Dolph asks what we are going to 
 do when we succeed in killing off the agencies and they 
 come to life again? Can any. gentleman answer that 
 question? 
 
 Mr. Dustin (St. Louis): I presume Mr. Dolph would 
 like an answer from some one out of the city. It is the 
 new laundries that have started that have established the 
 agencies since they were gotten rid of. I think we can 
 
196 
 
 show them what we can do. We can do the work for 
 nothing rather than have them here. [Applause.] 
 
 Mr. Dolph: I would like to ask Mr. Doremus if he 
 understood our condition here. After the formation of 
 our local association we were, for a long time, without any 
 agencies here at all. What we are trying to do is to keep 
 them out. We don't want them. 
 
 Mr. Doremus (Chicago): I think if you wish to abandon 
 them entirely you will find yourselves in about this con- 
 dition : You will pass resolutions to abandon your agencies 
 and they will spring up again. But who springs them 
 up? The laundrymen whom you do not control. So I 
 say you must control the laundrymen in order to control 
 the agent. 
 
 Mr. I^awrence (Minneapolis): It is a fact that for a 
 number of years I stood out in Minneapolis against the 
 agency business. It is only within the past four years 
 that I have had any agents at all. I was obliged at 
 last to fall in line with the rest. I do not like it; it 
 hurts my conscience every time I establish a new 
 agent. 
 
 Mr. Speare: I do not believe it is policy to antagonize 
 our agents. If we can get along without agents of course 
 that is the best thing to do. If you have agencies you 
 must govern them on business principles. I have an 
 agent who brings me $500 worth of business a week. He 
 is a square man and he works for me. When a man says 
 his bundle is short he has got to prove it. If he says his 
 shirt is worth $1.50 he tells him he will go and buy him 
 one for 75 cents. If you use your agent right he will, 
 ninety -nine times out of a hundred, use you right. I tell 
 my agents I pay them all I can afford and if they want to 
 go elsewhere they can go- 
 Mr. Chiera (Detroit) : I would like to ask if the agent 
 who brings $500 worth of business a week employs his 
 own teams, driver and so on. 
 
197 
 
 Mr. Speare: Yes, some do. They bring the work to 
 the laundry and take it away. 
 
 Mr. Chiera: I would be very glad to pay ten per cent on 
 all our work. My driver costs me over twenty per cent. 
 
 IS BI/EACHING NECESSARY? 
 
 BY F. L,. JONES, FORT WAYNE, IND. 
 
 The practice of bleaching, which in former years has 
 been almost universal in modern laundries throughout the 
 country, we contend is growing less general, and we be- 
 lieve in time must be entirely discontinued. 
 
 First, because of the expense incurred in the process, 
 and scondly on account of the too frequently unsatisfac- 
 tory results obtained. 
 
 In assuming this attitude upon a matter which we be- 
 lieve is of the utmost importance to all engaged in the 
 laundrying of linen and cotton fabrics, we shall aim to 
 present a few facts gained from an experience of fifteen 
 years in the business, more of which time has been spent 
 in the washroom than in the ofiice. In our own establish- 
 ment, not an ounce of bleach has been used for years. 
 Our business has grown steadily in volume, and we are 
 today doing better work than ever before. These facts 
 are beyond successful contradiction. And what we have 
 done in this line, we have no doubt others have accom- 
 plished, though their methods have differed from those we 
 practice. 
 
 Having thus taken the ground that bleaching is not 
 essential to the turning out of good work, we will briefly 
 outline our mode of washing without the aid of bleach. 
 
 First and foremost, in order to successfully accomplish 
 the desired result, is the necessity of absolutely clean, 
 soft water. Without this the laundryman's life is made 
 a burden to him. Too much importance cannot be at- 
 tached to the manner of preparing or treating this water 
 
198 
 
 preparatory to its use in the washing machine. The im- 
 purities, quantity and quality of which vary in different 
 localities, must first be removed; and for this purpose 
 filtering is the means employed. But the most perfect 
 filter of which we have any knowledge fails to remove 
 all organic impurities, or at least those held in solution; 
 yet, some sort of filtering device is an indispensable ad- 
 junct to a laundry, as the best makes only eject all matter 
 held in suspension. The baneful elements usually found 
 in water supplies to our cities, are generally dispelled by 
 means of chemicals best adapted to the nature of the salts 
 ill the regions where they have been deposited. Now 
 then, taking it for granted that a proper analysis has been 
 made of the water, it is rendered soft and ready for use. 
 
 This brings us to the second stage in the process of 
 washing. The use of good soap is a very important 
 factor, and, in our opinion, is second only to pure water, 
 if first-class work is to be the product of your labor. It 
 should be manufactured expressly for the purpose and 
 for the water in which it is to be used. By the combined 
 use of clean water, pure soap and a good washing ma- 
 chine, we can do excellent work without the aid of bleach, 
 all assertions to the contrary notwithstanding. We are 
 thus emphatic, because we are doing it daily and have 
 been for years. We claim no originality for the method. 
 Others equally favored can do equally good work. 
 
 But it is doubtless a fact that many have practically 
 pursued the same plans, and yet the results failed to sat- 
 isfy expectations in all cases. The soap we use in the 
 washing machines is made by us, according to the Men- 
 zies formula, of Greenbank soda and potash.. From stock 
 made of each take equal quantities, add a little carbonate 
 of potash or ammonia, and boil together, the result being 
 an excellent machine soap, the most eflScient detergent of 
 which we have any knowledge. For our water it is un- 
 rivalled and more nearly results in phosphatizing or pre- 
 
199 
 
 cipitating the lime than anything we have ever tried; 
 and this action on lime must be accomplished in order to 
 reach the object sought. 
 
 We will now describe the third and last method as 
 practiced by us. After the sorting has been gone through 
 with, the linen is ready to be immersed in water, the tem- 
 perature of which is anywhere from 80 to 100 degrees 
 Fahrenheit, with a sufficient quantity of soap to produce 
 a machine full of lather. It is quite important that the 
 water should be thorolighly broken and suds well made, 
 before the batch is put into the water. In this suds we 
 allow the linen to remain half an hour, when the second 
 suds, of boiling water, is turned on and kept hot for the 
 same length of time. The third and last suds is treated 
 likewise, but more soap is used than in the preceding 
 suds, and it is run say ten minutes longer, the water 
 being kept boiling continually until it is let off prepara- 
 tory to rinsing. The rinsings in boiling hot water follow, 
 succeeded by one in cold water. Then we use cold water 
 for the blue, the njacliine being half full or more, accord- 
 ing to the size of the batch it contains. This concludes 
 the process. 
 
 In the event that pieces are discovered which are not 
 yet cleansed they are thrown into another machine, and 
 again undergo a repetition of the same treatment. We 
 use aniline blue, with which we employ acetic acid; but 
 we have no use for any other chemical. We believe 
 every laundry should have one or more washing machines. 
 They are absolutely necessary, so that in case of accident 
 to one of them, the time of washing would not have to be 
 shortened on any batch in process of cleansing. We 
 regard this precaution as preferable to an additional car- 
 boy or two of bleach. 
 
 In conclusion, we will say that we have had an expe- 
 rience with bleach extending over a period of several 
 years, and much prefer to do without it in our business. 
 
200 
 
 To sum up: Use a gocd filtering machine, and be cer- 
 tain that it does its work as it should. Make use of the 
 best water obtainable, and in conjunction with it use 
 soap that is suitable for it. Let linen remain in your 
 washing machines until it is thoroughly cleansed, using 
 soap, steam and water unsparingly. 
 
 I have no doubt we have among us many chemista 
 who would have treated this subject from a scientific 
 standpoint, and have made a much more interesting 
 paper; but if my experience of fifteen years among the 
 suds has given me a few practical ideas not shared by 
 you all, I am only too glad that you should have the ben- 
 efit of that experience, and hope to receive in a much 
 larger degree a corresponding good from other papers 
 read here. 
 
 Your program called for an essay. My paper, how- 
 ever, is simply a washroom talk. If, with soap and water 
 for a text, and suds for the body of the discourse, you 
 have found it dry, turn on a little more water. 
 
 WASHING. 
 
 BY FRANK JOHNSON, PROVIDENCE, R. I. 
 
 Having promised our worthy president to furnish an 
 article on washing, and being induced to make said prom- 
 ise by a desire to do my little toward advancing the inter- 
 est of I<. N. A. and the industry we represent, and it may 
 be a little bit "puffed up by pride and vanity" because 
 President Royce said in his letter that he believed I was 
 having good success in my washroom, and maintaining a 
 very uniform color, I would say that I never had the 
 pleasure of seeing our president at my laundry, so might 
 reasonably suppose there might be a little "taffy" be- 
 tween the lines. However, taffy being pleasant medicine, 
 I swallowed mine and pledged myself to the article. 
 
201 
 
 But now that I seriously take hold of it, I fear the 
 promise was rash, inasmuch as the subject is almost 
 limitless and one hard to present lucidly. While to 
 attempt to touch upon half the contingencies that are con- 
 stantly arising in the washroom would take far too much 
 of the valuable time of this convention, so I will only give 
 a few ideas that strike me as most important considera- 
 tions, and trust it may provoke discussion, thus giving 
 us the benefit of the study and experience of others on 
 the subject. 
 
 Probably nearly all here know how I wash white 
 clothes, as my method has been printed in the Journal 
 several times. It is not my intention to go over that. I 
 have it printed and anyone is welcome to it on applica- 
 tion. What we want to get at is: How is it possible to 
 take a load of clothes as it is received in the washroom, 
 remove all dirt and stains and turn them out clean, whole, 
 odorless and white, without streaks of yellow or blue, 
 without specks or yellow edges? This is what we all 
 want but don't always get, owing to the thousand and 
 one unforseen and, sometimes, not easily discovered 
 causes. We have all had such experience, and know just 
 how vexatious it is to know by "ocular demonstration" 
 that something is wrong and yet to fail after patient search 
 to locate the trouble. 
 
 I believe the failure to thoroughly remove the various 
 chemicals that have been used is a more frequent cause 
 of these troubles than any other. We use soap sufficient 
 to remove the dirt, but do we remove the soap? We use 
 lime, but do we entirely remove the lime from the fibre of 
 the goods? If not, the result may be black specks or 
 yellow edges. 
 
 First, we must consider the fabric to be treated and the 
 action the diflFerent chemicals at our command will have 
 upon it at different degrees of temperature. It is gener- 
 ally well understood that cotton or linen can be treated 
 
202 
 
 with alkali in considerable strength, with little or no in- 
 jury, while acid is very destructive unless used with 
 extreme care. It has been my aim to exclude acid in 
 any form from the laundry. We know acid is used in 
 considerable strength in bleaching, but we must consider 
 that it is used principally under the direction of men who 
 know its exact nature and strength, and its action on the 
 fabric treated, and even so, we believe they sometimes get 
 careless or trust to men not so experienced, for we laun- 
 drymen are often blamed for destroying goods that were 
 rotted and destroyed by the bleaching process before they 
 were put upon the market. Not many of us are so fortu- 
 nate as to have a chemist in charge of our washroom, and 
 to let such help as we are enabled to get dabble with acid 
 is damaging to the trade, and is, I believe, the main root 
 of an evil, the result of which is the cry, ' 'They destroy 
 the goods." 
 
 Second, we consider the nature of the matter deposited 
 on the fabric. This, of course, varies much, and we 
 must employ the agent best calculated to dissolve and 
 remove the greatest portion in the shortest time and with 
 least injury to the goods. I run clothes in cold water 
 first because some of the most obstinate stains we have to 
 deal with are most effectually dissolved at this tempera- 
 ture. The goods come to us all ready bleached, there- 
 fore it is unnecessary for us to apply a complete bleaching 
 process. We have only to remove the dirt and stains; 
 in fact, and in simple English, wash them clean. For 
 this we employ soap and water, heat and motion. As far 
 as I am able to judge the action that passes the cleansing 
 solution through and through the goods accomplishes 
 our purpose best, and the hydraulic machine, with soap 
 and water enough to completely wet the goods without 
 forming suds enough to float them, is most to the pur- 
 pose. The goods come to us in different degrees of dirt 
 and stain. The speed with which we must turn out 
 
203 
 
 goods brings the necessity of washing the entire load and 
 removing all these stains in one treatment, and as some 
 .stains are to be removed by washing alone, we must em- 
 ploy an agent in connection with it to accomplish what 
 the soap fails to do; for this I advocate a mild bleaching 
 solution of lime and soda. 
 
 Third, after we have cleansed the goods with our 
 chemicals, whatever they may be, we should study how to 
 remove all trace of them from the clothes, so as to have 
 them from odor and other bad conditions. Many go at it 
 on the principle that plenty of water will remove any- 
 thing. Many a good washing is spoiled in the first rinse 
 because the operator is blind to the simple fact that hard 
 water, either cold or hot (cold is worse, of course), will 
 harden the soap upon the fibre. I have never seen water 
 naturally soft enough to remove soap properly from 
 either cotton or wool fibre. It is my experience that it is 
 much easier, cheaper and safer to use a little soda in the 
 first rinse. It is easily removed in the second rinse 
 water, and it is far better than to have to resort to a strong 
 acid, as you would be obliged to do to remove a precipi- 
 tate so formed. For instance, take a little soap of any 
 kind, rub it upon the hand, place the hand in hard water, 
 and what is the result? The tallow is hardened upon the 
 flesh so that a vigorous rubbing will scarcely remove it. 
 Place it in a mild solution of acid and you have a sticky 
 paste. Place in a very strong acid and you destroy the 
 paste. Now take some of the same soap and some of the 
 same water softened with a little soda or potash and 
 notice how quickly the soap will be removed, leaving the 
 flesh in a soft, natural condition. This very hardening 
 of the soap in and on the clothes is a prolific source of 
 streaks and yellow edges, to remove which a strong acid 
 is often resorted to and if the least carlessness is exer- 
 cised the clothes are much injured if not absolutely 
 ruined. 
 
204 
 
 In reference to black specks, I will say for the benefit 
 of those who are troubled with them and believe them 
 insoluble, that such is not the case. They are easily, 
 though slowly, dissolved and removed in a boiling solu- 
 tion of soda. 
 
 I have now mentioned but few of the many points cpn- 
 nected with my subject, but must not take more than my 
 share of time and will give place to others whose subjects, * 
 though they may not treat of as much moisture as mine, 
 will be far less dry to listen to. 
 
 The president then called for a discussion upon the 
 papers of Mr. Jones and Mr. Johnson. 
 
 Mr. Ripley said: "I would like to ask Mr. Jones about 
 the size of the load of clothes he washes in a No. 2 or 
 larger washer, such as he may use." 
 
 Mr. Jones: A No. 2 washer is supposed to wash 
 seventy -five shirts; a larger one 100 or 125, We wash 
 seventy-five in a No. 2 washer if we have them to wash. 
 
 Mr. I^awrence: Suppose you take a load of fifty shirts 
 with a No. 2 washer. State how you would wash those 
 fifty shirts, the amount and kind of soap, and the length 
 of time you would wash them. 
 
 Mr. Jones: The water is well broken before it is 'put 
 into the machine — is as soft as we can make, but we do 
 not get it thoroughly soft. We start the machine going, 
 make the suds and run the clothes in them from twenty 
 minutes to half an hour. This water has a temperature 
 of 80 to 100 degrees. The next suds is hot water. As 
 soon as we begin to run with the hot water we begin to 
 add the soap, and usually run the machine then about 
 a half an hour. The temperature of the water is boiling 
 hot and we aim to keep it so. This is then run off" and a 
 third suds is put on. 
 
 A member: Do you heat the soap before using it? 
 
 Mr. Jones: No, sir. We keep the third suds running 
 ten minutes longer than the first or second. Then we aie 
 
205 
 
 ready to rinse. The water is at the boiling point, and is 
 run ten, fifteen or twenty minutes; Then we put on the 
 second rinse and conclude after that the work is done. 
 
 Mr. Shaw: What do you soften the water with? 
 
 Mr. Jones: At the present time we are using tri- 
 sodium phosphate. 
 
 Mr. Lawrence: In what way are you introducing it? 
 
 Mr. Jones: In the first place we put in tank, but we 
 did not have storage room enough, and we now put it 
 right into the water. 
 
 Mr. Hasting: There is a precipitate formation, is 
 there not? 
 
 Mr. Jones: The precipitate for the tri-sodium phos- 
 phate is a slow operation, in my experience. In addition 
 to using the tri-sodium phosphate in the washing, we 
 found that a cheaper way to precipitate lime held in solu- 
 tion after boiling was to use Hunt's refined sodium. It 
 will precipitate the lime very efiectually, but not entirely, 
 in less time. On last Saturday, out of two tanks, each 
 holding fifty barrels apiece, we got lour barrels from the 
 one and six from the other, not perfectly solid, of course, 
 but something similar to what I have here in the bottle. 
 
 Mr. Doremus: I would like to ask if that is taken out 
 after the water has got to the boiling point? 
 
 Mr. Jones: Yes, sir, it is taken out after it is brought 
 to the boiling point. We have tried to precipitate all 
 the lime in the water, and then it goes from the tank to 
 the boiler, and this is what comes from the boiler (refer- 
 ring to scale deposit). All who have examined our 
 water say that it is of the most villainous character they 
 ever came in contact with. 
 
 Mr. L'dwrence: About how long does it take to com- 
 plete the washing and rinsing of a batch of fifty shirts? 
 
 Mr. Jones: About i :25 minutes to complete the wash- 
 ing in three suds, with the two hot rinsings; from that 
 to two hours and a half. 
 
206 
 
 Mr. DustiiK How long does the bluing process take? 
 
 Mr. Jone.'i- From ten to fifteen minutes. 
 
 Mr. Crothers: How long would it take to soften the 
 water in a tank containing fifty barrels? 
 
 Mr. Jones: We generally hang a sack containing the 
 refined sodium in the center of the tank at night, and by 
 morning all the lime is supposed to be precipitated. 
 
 Mr. Crothers: With us, our tank is connected with 
 the city pressure, and the water is drawn off as it comes 
 in. Do you think it possible to keep the water softened 
 so as to use it right along? 
 
 Mr. Jones: In the same manner you ought to be con- 
 tinually receiving the sodium, but if is practically irnpos- 
 sible to do that where you are continually using the 
 water. We ought to have storage enough for water for 
 the whole day- 
 Mr. Bowman: I would like to ask Mr. Jones if this 
 sodium he speaks of is injurious to the linen — if it acts 
 like caustic soda. 
 
 Mr. Jones: No; I think it more like sal soda; that 
 the body of it is sal soda with some other mixture. We 
 settled upon the use of that because it acted more quickly 
 than other things we have used. I think Hunt's refined 
 soda contains a carbonate of soda or sal soda, and I do 
 not know what else. I never had it analyzed. 
 
 Mr. Bowman: Where is Hunt's soda obtained? 
 
 Mr. Jones: The factory is at Indianapolis. 
 
 Mr. ly. E). Hastings: How much soda do you put in 
 the sack that you hang in the tank at night? 
 
 Mr. Jones: We put in about eight pounds of soda in 
 a fifty-barrel tank. 
 
 Mr. Crothers: How much does it cost you? 
 
 Mr. Jones: Five and five and one-half cents per pound 
 at Indianapolis. As the lime deposit varies in different 
 localities, you may find some other soda or phosphate 
 that will do your work more effectually. The soap we 
 
207 
 
 used to make from Menzies' formula, and have splendid 
 success with it. We use twenty pounds of soda and 
 potash to forty-two pounds of grease. Originally we 
 were to use twenty pounds of soda or potash to forty 
 pounds of grease, but we add now for the flannel soap 
 about two pounds of carbonate of potash. If you prefer 
 you can add the same quantity of a carbonate of soda. 
 We have used in connection with that some ammonia ash 
 for flannels, but we make that up in a small, separate 
 kettle for flannels only. I understand some use it in the 
 washing of cotton and linen. 
 
 Mr. J. N. Frazee: For bluing do you use analine blue? 
 
 Mr. Jones: Yes, sir. 
 
 Mr. Frazee: Use acid with it? 
 
 Mr. Jones: Oh, yes. That goes without saying. 
 Anybody that uses analine blue will use acetic acid. 
 
 Mr. Dustin: Why do you go to the trouble of soften- 
 ing your water for the rinse, and then put in acid to 
 harden the water to use your bluing? 
 
 Mr. Jones: I know that question comes up, and it 
 has been a sort of puzzle. The acetic does not seem to 
 give us any trouble. 
 
 Mr. J. M. Frazee: Do you use the acetic acid in the 
 preparation of the water for bluing? 
 
 Mr. Jones: No, it is put. with the bluing. We use 
 about a pint of acetic acid to a gallon of prepared bluing. 
 
 Mr. W. C. Shaw: I think the association should be 
 very grateful to Mr. Jones for his essay and his talk, but 
 I do not agree with him except as to bluing. If I am 
 not in error, caustic soda, or soda in any form, is a 
 bleach of itself, and is one of the most injurious chemi- 
 cals that are used in washing clothes. It will rot clothes 
 quicker than a bleach. I try to save my customers' 
 goods as much as I can. You cannot get clothes white 
 without doing them more or less injury. I do not think 
 it wrong to use bleach, but it should be used intelli- 
 
208 
 
 gently. I think the use of hot water very good. You 
 can use a smaller amount of chemicals with hot water 
 than with warm water. It seems to me the only differ- 
 ence between Brother Jones' system and our system is 
 that he bleaches with soda and we bleach with chloride 
 of lime and chlorozone. I would like an expression from 
 some of our supply men in regard to the action of caustic 
 soda, as to whether it is more injurious than chloride of 
 lime. 
 
 Mr. Dustin: I want to say if caustic soda will injure 
 clothes I want to find it out. I remember some years 
 ago putting some caustic soda in an old iron kettle, using 
 it to make soap, and it dissolved and became like syrup 
 and we covered it with boards. They used to pile the 
 shirts on the kettle, and one day we missed a shirt 
 [laughter] when we came to assort them for washing. I 
 concluded it was gone, and would have to pay for it. 
 When we came to make soap we found the shirt. It had 
 been in the kettle of caustic soda syrup for two days and 
 was actually stiff. I threw it in a little water and it was 
 afterward put through the wash and came out without a 
 particle of injury. 
 
 Mr. Jones: I think the fact that the soda was cold it 
 did uot have the effect that you expected. If the soda 
 had been hot you would have seen a different result. In 
 reply to Mr. Shaw, I would say we use as much caustic 
 potash as we use caustic soda. You may mix it half and 
 half and boil it together. We used for a good while 
 what they called a neutral soap, but it was very expen- 
 sive with our water. 
 
 Mr. W. C Shaw: As I understand it from some read- 
 ing I have done the object of using potash is to get a 
 strictly vegetable alkali so as not to injure the clothes, 
 which are made from a vegetable substance. Caustic 
 soda is a salt, a mineral. I would like to know if the 
 the potash that is offered for sale is made from a salt as 
 
209 
 
 caustic soda k made. The old-fashioned way was to 
 make potash from wood ashes. Our supply men are now 
 able to give us a potash that is in crystal form the same 
 as caustic soda. The query is, whether it is made from 
 wood ashes or is made from a mineral. 
 
 On motion of Mr. Purchase the further discussion was 
 postponed subject to the call by the president. 
 
 COI,I,ECTI0N OF ACCOUNTS. 
 
 BY I,. E. HASTINGS, INDIANAPOLIS, IND. 
 
 The question of how best to handle accounts is one of 
 considerable importance to a large number engaged in 
 the laundry business. It is an unfortunate fact that a 
 majority of laundrymen do more or less credit business, 
 and while they are constantly trying to do less, they are 
 all the time doing more. How to bast manage this 
 branch of the business we would all like to know, but 
 as far as I know no plan has as yet been devised that 
 will give results that are entirely satisfactory. 
 
 To what extent shall we do a credit business? Shall 
 we try to confine it to the customers whom we know to 
 be good for any reasonable amount and who are always 
 prompt to settle their bills on the first of the month? 
 Shall we be a little more liberal and take a few chances 
 with customers whom we know are not financially good, 
 but whom we are afraid we will lose if we do not extend 
 them an occasional accommodation? Or, shall we go still 
 further than this and extend credit to all who may apply, 
 under the impression that while we may occasionally lose 
 a bill, the amount of trade gained will more than ofiFset 
 any loss in that direction. If we confine our credit to the 
 first class, we are morally certain not to lose much from 
 bad accounts, which, of course, is the argument for this 
 position. On the other hand if we confine it to this class, 
 
210 
 
 do we not run the risk of, and will we not lose consider- 
 able trade from customers who are not financially respon- 
 sible, but who intend to and do pay their bill, unless 
 misfortune overtakes them? If we take the middle ground, 
 of course we may do a larger business and hold some 
 trade which we would otherwise lose, but we run addi- 
 tional risk of losing some accounts and by our liberality, 
 not only losing the accounts, but the customers as well, 
 as many men will continue to be good customers as long 
 as they pay promptly, but let them owe you a bill and 
 not only the bill but their trade is lost. If we take the 
 third position we may see our business very prosperous 
 as far as amount of work done is concerned, but when we 
 come to figure up the amount of losses on account of bad 
 debts, and trade lost to us on account of our liberality, 
 have we gained very much bj' being accommodating? 
 
 If a credit business is to be done at all, I believe it 
 should be confined as close to the better class of people, 
 financially, as possible. It is sometimes hard to discrimi- 
 nate in this regard, and in doing so we are liable to refuse 
 those whom we might credit with safety, as we are also 
 liable to accommodate those whom we had better not, 
 but I believe it is, in the long run, better to refuse some 
 good customers than be too liberal with those of doubt- 
 ful responsibility. 
 
 As to keeping laundry accounts, there are many plans, 
 all having more or less merit. To a great extent custom 
 regulates this matter. In some places the habit of re- 
 taining laundry lists, which are returned to the office 
 when bills are not paid, is general. In other places this 
 plan would not be a success, as customers are not edu- 
 cated to it. I know of no better plan than to charge all 
 delivery bundles on the driver's delivery book, giving 
 customer's name, residence and amount, leaving a blank 
 column for the insertion of amount collected when bill is 
 paid at time of delivery. By this plan bundles not paid 
 
211 
 
 for can be posted up to the customer's account if he is a 
 regular charge customer. For transient accounts, the 
 plan in use by one of the prominent New England 
 laundrymen is as good as any I know: All transient 
 accounts are charged on two separate cards, one of which 
 has the corner clipped off to indicate that it is the driver's 
 card to be used in collecting. The driver's cards are 
 kept in a rack designed for that purpose and it is his 
 business to take that card and collect the bill as soon as 
 possible after the bill is paid. When the bill is collected 
 the money is turned in and the duplicate card destroyed. 
 The advantage of this plan is that the driver constantly 
 has the cards bearing the unpaid bills before him and he 
 has no excuse for not looking after them. No matter 
 what plan we may follow in regard to extending credit 
 and collecting bills, we find it unsatisfactory and con- 
 stantly giving us trouble. 
 
 There is only one plan which meets the requirements 
 of the case and that is so simple that very few have 
 thought it worth while to investigate it, a majority pre- 
 ferring to follow the intricate and unsatisfactory ways of 
 the past, when this plan if adopted would save much of 
 the trouble incident to the laundry business and in the 
 end would save us much money as well. This plan has, 
 during the last few months, been adopted in a few cities 
 where the laundrymen have thought it best to do busi- 
 ness on business principles, and in every case with the 
 grandest results. In these few cities the laundrymen do 
 not have to spend their nights and Sundays making out 
 bills, and the regular working hours of the week in try- 
 ing to collect them, because they have thought best to 
 investigate this method, and an investigation has quickly 
 led to adoption. This plan, simple as it is, can be 
 adopted by all of us in the trade, providing we are will- 
 ing to assert a little independence and common sense in 
 the matter and give our customers to understand that we 
 
212 
 
 are not in the'busiuess for the purpose of spending our 
 time collecting bills or in accepting invitations to call 
 again to collect money, oftentimes long past due. 
 
 Would you like to know what this method of handling 
 collections is? Would you like some proof of the fact 
 that it is simple, effectual and to the point? My answer 
 to the first is, do a strictly cash business, trusting neither 
 friend nor foe, rich or poor, black or white, and the ques- 
 tion of collections will have no terror for you. You say it 
 cannot be done? Write to the laundrymen of East 
 Saginaw, Mich., Lebanon, Ky., Houston, Tex., and 
 Terre Haute, Ind., and see whether it can be done or 
 not. I maintain there is not a town or city in the country 
 where the laundrymen cannot do a strictly cash business 
 if they will only get together and investigate the subject, 
 and take a united stand on the question. The only 
 trouble is in every place there are some men in our busi- 
 ness who think nothing can be done in any way different 
 from the methods pursued by their ancestors a century 
 ago. What good reason or sense is there in, this? The 
 methods of doing business are rapidly changing. Mar- 
 gins are constantly growing smaller, in consequence of 
 increased competition. That being the case it is neces- 
 sary for us as laundrymen to stop all the leaks in our 
 business and one of the greatest of these is incident to 
 the credit system. There is no business that can so easily 
 be done on a cash basis as ours. The customer who can- 
 not pay for his laundry when delivered, if he is only 
 educated to it, is very rare and cuts but a small figure in 
 the aggregate. But all have the credit custom to contend 
 with. We would all be glad to get rid of it. Shall we 
 do it? It lies with ourselves and if anything is done we 
 must do it. Certainly our customers will not. The 
 movement of this kind in any- place must be a united 
 movement. I cannot in Indianapolis do a cash business 
 unless my friends in the business will unite with me in 
 
213 
 
 the movement. What is true with us is also true in every 
 other place. Let us, my friends, consider the question, a 
 very important one, too, from a common sense business 
 point of view and when we shall go to our respective 
 homes confer with our competitors and see if they cannot 
 be inclined to unite with us on the point of- common 
 interest, and thus add both to the pleasure and profit of 
 our business. 
 
 BIrECTRICITY IN TSEi I/ATJNDRY. 
 
 W. M. LAWRENCE, MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. 
 
 When our president, through the secretary, invited me 
 to prepare an essay for this meeting, I replied saying 
 that I would give my experience with electricity in the 
 laundry. I propose to dispense with the written form 
 and give you simply a talk this afternoon on the subject. 
 
 When my wife feels like criticising me and giving me 
 a little good advice in the way of sarcasm, she says: 
 "Oh, we all have our faults." Of course she thinks if 
 she includes herself that will take off the sharp edge and 
 I will overlook it. But it is just as keen as if she would 
 use the pronoun you instead of the pronoun we. I am 
 obliged to acknowledge that I have my faults, and one of 
 my faults is a disposition not to remain stationary in any 
 one place. I am always reaching out for something new, 
 for something better, and I am constantly working in little 
 novelties into my place. My children are in the habit of 
 saying: " Well, papa, have you got anything new in the 
 laundry? Ifyou have we will go down and see it." I hope 
 I am not like the man that was at work for the farmer 
 and always doing something to surprise him. One morn- 
 ing the farmer went out to the barn and found his man 
 hanging to a beam in the shed, and he said, "What on 
 airth will that fellow do next?" [Laughter.] I don't 
 know that I shall hang myself, but I may do something 
 next. 
 
214 
 
 It is now nearly two years ago that a young man by 
 the name of Carpenter one day came into my place and 
 said, ' ' Mr. I^awrence, would you not like to go over to 
 the restaurant and see them cooking griddle cakes and 
 meat and baking bread by electricity?' ' I said that I would, 
 and went over and saw it. I asked him how it was done. 
 He explained that a current of electricity was carried 
 under the pan, which generated the heat. I said to him, 
 ' ' Can't that be used in the laundry for heating irons, 
 machines, etc.? " He says, "Yes." I said, "Will you 
 make some irons for me to use? " He replied that he 
 would; that he would put in a Westinghouse current, 
 and make me some irons. I said, "All right, go ahead." 
 In a short time after that he brought in a flat iron or two, 
 and made the connection with the current. At first the 
 irons were not quite hot enough, but he made the irons 
 with a little more resistance in them and consequently 
 carried in a stronger current of electricity, and it was an 
 improvement. Then I said, "Can't you get me up a 
 machine so that I can iron collars and cuffs by electric- 
 ity?" He replied that he could. I had been using a 
 No. 3 band ironer for ironing cape collars, having at that 
 time a great many cape collars. He fitted up that little 
 machine, and I commenced to use it for ironing collars. 
 The first apparatus put into that machine was used al- 
 most entirely for a year, and it never gave out at all. It 
 is really the only perfect machine he fitted up for me. It 
 worked to a charm. He kept bringing in other irons un- 
 til we were using electricity in all the polishing and flat 
 irons, and in this little cape collar machine. Then I 
 wanted to go a step further. I said to Mr. Carpenter, 
 "Can't you go ahead and fix up the rest of these ma- 
 chines so I can use them?" He said that he could. He 
 then proposed, if I was satisfied the thing would be a 
 success, that if I would put in my own dynamo and fur- 
 nish my own electricity they would fit up my whole 
 
215 
 
 plant without any cost. I told him I would consider it. 
 After considering it a little while I made a contract with 
 the Edison Company for a No. 8 dynamo, with a capacity 
 of 360 lights, large enough to furnish electricity for all 
 my plant, besides lighting up the whole building, and 
 the dynamo was put in, and in a short time my whole 
 plant was heated and lighted by electricity. Some of the 
 irons burnt out, but as the company was only a short 
 distance from my place, as anything happened we would 
 call in one of their employes and he would fix it up, put 
 in another little wire, solder it up, and it would go all 
 right. Along about last January the company began to 
 have some trouble among its members, and soon after 
 that it disbanded. After they disbanded my machines 
 were constantly getting out of order, but my foreman got 
 a few little tools, a soldering iron and other materials, 
 and we patched them up ourselves. We found there was not 
 much expense to it, but a good deal of trouble, and finally 
 decided to drop it. So I used my dynamo during the 
 winter for lighting my building, but in the spring T took 
 the belt off, and discontinued the use of electricity, and 
 have not used electricity at all during the past summer. 
 
 In the meantime they have reorganized the company, 
 with more capital behind it, and Mr. Carpenter has been 
 placed at the head of it. They have fitted up an elegant 
 shop in St. Paul, and they have gone to work now under 
 an improved patent. Mr. Carpenter has secured a patent 
 for an improvement on the old method. I want to say 
 here that I am not now, and never have been, financially 
 in any way connected with this company, and have no 
 interest in it further than to test the use of electricity in 
 the laundry. 
 
 It might be interesting to describe to you what Mr. 
 Carpenter's improvement is. In the old method the wire 
 was laid on asbestos paper, and was bent so as to get as 
 much of the wire on the paper as possible, so as to get a 
 
216 
 
 current saflScient for heating the irons. The heat was 
 conducted through the asbestos paper on to the plate or 
 lower section of the flat iron. The improvement which 
 Mr. Carpenter has secured is the enameling of the bent 
 wire. The wire and the enamel are placed in a red hot 
 furnace, and are fused with an intense heat, so that the 
 wire and the enamel really form a part of the iron itself 
 He claims that it is more durable, and less expensive to 
 make. His recent patent is that enameling process. 
 
 A few days before I came to this convention they 
 brought in a few of these improved flat irons and polish- 
 ing irons, and some of them worked very successfully. 
 One or two of them burned out. The wire of the circuit 
 for some reason or other would touch a little piece of iron 
 somewhere else, and the electricity would flip across and 
 burn out the wire, break the current and you get no elec- 
 tricity. That is what is meant by burning out. But if they 
 are properly made that can be entirely avoided. I think 
 the new process is going to be a success. Mr. Carpenter 
 claims that he is going to introduce into all of my rolls, 
 ironing machines, body irons, collar and cuff ironers, and 
 all the machines I have been using with gas. He pro- 
 poses to introduce electricity to take the place of gas. 
 This new patent has not been tested as yet sufficiently to 
 enable me to say positively that it will be a success, as I 
 have not used it long enough, but I am using it now, and 
 shall put the belt on my dynamo in a short time and then 
 give it a thorough test. 
 
 Mr. Ellis: What do you say as to the cost of elec- 
 tricity? 
 
 Mr. I^awrence: I am glad you spoke of that. That is 
 the hardest part to tell — the comparative cost. They put 
 in a few irons at first, increase those from time to time, 
 using their own current. After I started my own dynamo 
 I had only a part of my plant running with electricity, 
 and it was impossible to tell what my fuel bill for the 
 
211 
 
 electrical part of my plant really was. If I could have 
 operated the complete plant for a few days by electricity 
 alone I could have estimated it. I have no doubt, esti- 
 mating from my fuel bills, with the saving in my gas 
 bill, that electricity is considera,bly cheaper than gas. 
 
 A Member: What is the price of g&s? 
 
 Mr. I^awrence: One hundred and eighty dollars per 
 one one hundred thousand feet net. I think the new 
 process will be cheaper than the old because the iron re- 
 ceives the benefit of the current immediately when it is 
 turned on, whereas in the old process we were obliged to 
 heat a large amount of asbestos paper before the iron 
 began to receive the benefit of the heat, and that waste 
 heat by this new process is all saved. I have no doubt 
 but what it will be cheaper, but even if not cheaper it will 
 be better. You know that with gis machines we have to 
 use matches, and sometimes a half dozen matches in 
 lighting one machine. It takes timt, there is a liability 
 of fire from throwing the match on the floor, and there is 
 a great deal of odor that comes from those gas machines 
 as we noticed while visiting Mr. Dolph's laundry this 
 afternoon. This odor is absolutely offensive, is unhealthy, 
 and have to provide ventilation to get it out of the room. 
 In heating with gas you heat parts of machines that you 
 do not use for ironing purposes, and there is a large 
 waste of heat from radiation. By the use of electricity 
 you avoid the use of the match in lighting, you avoid 
 the disagreeable odor, and you avoid heating anything 
 except the part you use, and your operator stands abso- 
 lutely in the same place. Even with your little gas stove 
 sitting by the wall the operator has to take a step or two 
 to get the iron, which takes time. With electricity the 
 operator does not have to, move out of his tracks. The 
 connection is made by a long cord with the heel of the 
 iron, the cord hanging upon a flexible standard which 
 takes up the slack. The current is going all the time 
 
218 
 
 and gives you a uniform heat. Should it get too hot the 
 operator turns a thumbscrew and turns of the current, 
 there is a switch on the end board, a cut-out on the wall, 
 and the heat can be regulated exactly; so that if it is no 
 cheaper it is better for those reasons. 
 
 Mr. Jones: Have you a meter? 
 
 Mr. I^awrence: Yes, sir. I could tell how much elec- 
 tricity I was using, but I could not tell how much was 
 used for heating separate from the lighting. 
 
 A Member: What is the expense of a dynamo? 
 
 Mr. lyawrence: I put in an expensive plant, because I 
 wanted one big enough to heat the machinery and light 
 my building. I put in a No. 8, 360 light, and the whole 
 plant cost me about $2,000. That included putting the 
 wire in the building, lighting station, pulleys and every- 
 thing. We have to have a clutch pulley to cut off the 
 dynamo. They promised me to have my whole plant 
 refitted up on the new plan in a very few months. I will 
 keep you informed from time to time as to the success of 
 my experiment. [Applause.] 
 
 Mr. Consor: Can the irons be made so they will main- 
 tain a uniform heat? 
 
 Mr. I^awrence: They can make irons that will main- 
 tain a uniform degree of heat when used upon a certain 
 class of goods; for instance, they make an iron that will 
 carry a certain number amperes, three, four or five, an 
 iron that will iron goods like handkerchiefs, towels or 
 napkins, or anything of that kind. Then for a thicker, 
 heavier class of goods they will carry a stronger current 
 into the iron to make it a little hotter, for such goods as 
 flannels, overalls, where the goods are damp and heavy, 
 and require more heat to dry out. They make still 
 another one for polishing purposes, and can carry any 
 degree of heat you wish in your irons. The current is 
 so small that there is practically no danger of injury 
 from the use of the irons. One of our girls got hei 
 
219 
 
 fingers burnt once or twice, but the injury was very 
 slight. 
 
 Mr. Jones: How much power were you using on the 
 factory plant? 
 
 Mr. Ivawrence: When I was running the dynamo to 
 pretty near its capacity for my lighting and my factory 
 plant I was using 25 to 30 horse power on my engine. I 
 have about 100 16 candle power in my building and a 
 few 32. For my plant I had about three dozen flat-irons, 
 a polishing iron, together with a cape collar ironer, two 
 shirt machines, a neck-band machine, and I had a No. 8 
 collar and cuff machine, and four body irons running at 
 the same time in connection with 100 lights, and they 
 took 25 to 30 horse power on the engine. Of course it 
 increased my fuel bill on the engine but almost entirely 
 did away with the gas bill, which is $100 a month on the 
 average the year around. The engine is a 10x30 Corliss 
 engine. We call it about a 50 horse power engine. I 
 think at the time I was using the greatest amount of 
 electricity I was using about 55 horse power on what we 
 called a 50 horse power engine. 
 
 The President: You estimate that the rest of your 
 plant requires about 20 horse power? 
 
 Mr. Lawrence: From 20 to 25. 
 
 Mr. Ellis: What do you estimate the cost for coal? 
 
 Mr. Lawrence: I have made no figures on that, be- 
 cause! am using shavings that we get from the planing 
 mill. It is the cheapest and best fuel we can get. We 
 are all using it in Minneapolis for almost everything. 
 
 Mr. Dolph: What do you say as to whether it would 
 be advisable or practicable to use electricity similar to the 
 manner in which we use gas, that is by heating a plate 
 that the irons are set on? 
 
 Mr. Lawrence: I did not experiment on that line at 
 all. It is possible that it might be done, but I would 
 prefer to make the thing complete at once by introducing 
 
220 
 
 the electricity into the iron where you want it, thus sav- 
 ing your operator running back and forth to get the iron, 
 You could have two irons on the same table, the one a 
 little hotter than the other, and the operator could use the 
 one or the other interchangeably. If one got too hot, it 
 is only necessary for the operator to turn the switch, 
 which he can do without moving out of his tracks, and 
 then he can turn the heat on again when he wants it. 
 There is no time lost in running across the room to get 
 your iron or anything of that kind. 
 
 Essays Read at the Convention Held in New York 
 City, October i8g2, and Discussions on Same. 
 
 I<OCAI, ASSOCIATIONS. 
 
 BY TOM SYERS, I,OUISVII<I,E, KY. 
 
 I will try and give you the advantages of local associa- 
 tions, also the part taken by branch offices, or agents, in 
 helping me to the detriment of others in the business. 
 While I am a Kentuckian, I do not lay any claims to 
 oratory that rightfully belongs to Breckenridge, or our 
 equally famous Jim McKenzie, but will endeavor to place 
 the matter before you in a straightforward and common 
 sense way. 
 
 ' In the beginning I will ask you to listen to a little 
 retrospection on my part. About ten years ago I engaged 
 in the business in a hand laundry in Indianapolis, Ind., 
 and was doing a highly satisfactory business in a small 
 way, all of which we technically designate as "drop work:" 
 But being young I was naturally ambitious to own a 
 steam plant, and as soon as I had saved up enough money 
 to do so intended to put one in, for in those days you had 
 to have the cash to plank down, or about 90 per cent of 
 it, when you got anything from the laundry machinery 
 
221 
 
 men. The machinery men did not in those pioneer days 
 put in plants on the installment plan, as they do now.. 
 While I, in my mind, was building my steam plant, and 
 working early and late to made it a reality, a man who 
 conceived the idea that hundreds of others have since 
 done, viz., that all that was necessary to do -was to put 
 in some machinery and start it going, and sit down in 
 the oflSce and gather in the dollars, imagining there was 
 millions in the business, and having the cash to put up a 
 small, but first-class, steam plant, embarked in the busi- 
 ness a few doors above, and on the same side of the street. 
 The result was that my visions of a steam plant had van- 
 ished, as I very naturally supposed that the new steam 
 plant would get all the business, and I would have to 
 look for another location. However, I made up my mind 
 to stick to the old place awhile, and the end of the first 
 week found me about even so far as profits were con- 
 cerned. The new plant was working until lo o'clock 
 every night, and the first week had to finish up its work 
 on Sunday morning. By keeping a weather eye on 
 my competitor I soon discovered that he knew virtually 
 nothing about the business. The result was that the 
 next week I got back all my old customers and some new 
 ones that had been attracted to the square by the liberal 
 advertising of my competitor, and I did a better business 
 that week than I had ever done before. My competitor 
 kept turning out poor work and my business kept on the 
 increase. This state of affairs continued for about six 
 weeks at which time the new steam plant was put up for 
 sale and I bought it. When I secured possession of it I 
 was, in my estimation, the biggest man in town, the 
 governor not excepted. But when I got into it to do the 
 work I was not long in discovering that I knew virtually 
 nothing about handling a laundry business with a steam 
 plant, and would necessarily have to learn it. So I pro- 
 ceeded like the rest of you have had to do, to buying 
 
222 
 
 experience; and some of it I paid for, and the balance 
 was secured at the expense of my customers; but I 
 managed by the process of making excuses, some of 
 which were purely imaginary, to hold the bulk of 
 my trade, while I was learning how to run a steam 
 laundry. 
 
 In about eight or ten weeks a man dropped in who 
 wanted to buy a half interest with me, offering as an 
 inducement, aside from a good round price in cash, to 
 bring five thousand dollars worth of business per year 
 with his name, which was J. A. Reaume, an agent for 
 Major Taylor's laundry. I talked the matter over with 
 him, and he gave as his reason for wanting to go into the 
 business that Major Taylor would not give him 25 per 
 cent, instead of 15, and he had made up his mind to bu}- 
 in with some one, or start a new plant of his own. I 
 told him that I could not do that amount of additional 
 work with the capacity I had. He said if that was my 
 only objection he would build me the finest plant in the 
 city, which removed the only obstacle I had raised, and 
 before noon the next day the contract was let for the new 
 building. 
 
 Now, if Mr. Taylor had rented an office on the same 
 square, where this principal ofiice was located, he could 
 have got a large part of that trade, or if there had been a 
 local association that was looking out for a few of the ad- 
 vantages, aside from uniform prices, I could not have 
 taken his best agent. It was in reality Major Taylor's 
 trade, as it had been largely built up by his liberal adver- 
 tising of it as his principal city office for over three years, 
 and by so doing, instead of maintaining an independent 
 office of his own he put a club in another man's hand to 
 crack his own head. 
 
 My partner and I prospered beyond our most sanguine 
 expectations, as we soon had a business of five or six hun- 
 dred dollars per week. So rapidly did our business in- 
 
223 
 
 crease that we were soon compelled to add another story 
 to our building. 
 
 I will tell you how we came to establish another laun- 
 dry in Louisville. There was a gents' furnisher who 
 was acting as agent for Kiefer & Reed of Dayton, Ohio, 
 and was shipping about $250 worth of work per week to 
 that place. Before this agency started the four laundries 
 in Louisville were getting three cents for collars and cuffs 
 and twelve and a half to fifteen cents for shirts. The 
 agent cut the price of collars and cuffs to twenty- 
 four cents and shirts to ten cents, and as K. & R. did 
 better work than the home laundries he did a big 
 business. 
 
 This agent had a clerk who was popular and ambitious, 
 and on the plea that he could get enough laundry trade 
 to make all expenses he was anxious to come with us and 
 he got ready to do business, but before doing so wrote to 
 K. & R, for rates to agents. K. & R. would not do bus- 
 iness with them, as they knew the old agent could hold 
 all of his trade, as they were then doing a little better 
 work than any one else in reach of Louisville. The new 
 firm had to have a laundry to do the work, and a travel- 
 ing man told them about the New York of Indianapolis, 
 Ind. They wrote to us and I went to Louisville and 
 I saw, or I thought I saw, a good thing, and, as a 
 result, we secured a good agent, for they were soon 
 shipping to us from five to sixteen bushel baskets of work 
 per week, for which they paid us eight cents for shirts and 
 eighteen cents per dozen for cuffs and collars. In a few 
 months another gents' furnisher in the east end of the city 
 wrote for prices, and in a short time he was sendiag us 
 jfioo worth of work per week, and it was not long before 
 we had an agent in the west end, another in the north 
 end, who were making large shipments, for all of which 
 we were getting eight cents for shirts and eighteen cents 
 for collars and cuffs, and paying express charges one way. 
 
224 
 
 We were then doing for lyouisville, Ky. , through agents, 
 over $15,000 worth of work per year. 
 
 Being out of debt I suggested to my partner that we 
 go to Ivouisville and start another plant, as I realized, if 
 we did not do so, some one else would. He finally con- 
 cluded to look over the ground with me, and after doing 
 so he looked upon it in the same light that I did. We 
 put up a building and plant at a cost of about $i 0,000, 
 which has since been increased in value and capacity to 
 over $30,000. I did not disturb the agents who were 
 shipping to Indianapolis, but let them continue to send 
 there until such time as we deemed best to commence doing 
 that work at Louisville, or a part of it, and I hustled for 
 the local trade. In about two years both plants were 
 out of debt and making about the same amount of money. 
 So Mr. Reaume and I agreed to dissolve partnership, he 
 taking the Indianapolis plant and I the Louisville plant. 
 We still retained the original agent in Louisville. I have 
 gone along and by prompt and good work have cut that 
 agent down from about $200 per week when we started 
 to about $50 per week. I own and maintain all of my 
 own branch offices that amount to anything, and shall 
 always do so as long as I am in the business. From my 
 experience and observation I realize the importance of 
 local associations, and I was very anxious to have one in 
 Louisville. About two years ago I started out to make 
 a final attempt to get the trade together for the purpose 
 of organizing, but after long and patient effort gave it up. 
 Then my manager, who believes in perseverance, took up 
 the good work where I had left off and stuck to it until 
 he got all of the laundrymen together except two. Four 
 of them are getting eighteen cents for collars and cuffs, 
 and ten cents for shirts, and all kinds of prices on the 
 ualance of their work. After two or three meetings the 
 case looked very hopeless for a local association, and all 
 considered the attempt futile. Mr. League took another 
 
225 
 
 tack on the question. As he found he could not get them 
 together on prices, he tallced the point of discounts to 
 agents, and agents changing, the question of controlling 
 help and of helping one another, in fact, everything that 
 could be thought of aside from prices, from business to 
 philanthropy, leaving the question of prices to work itself 
 out by force of circumstances. We all give 20 per cent 
 to agents that we had at the time we organized, but new 
 agents get only ten per cent; and if an agent wants to 
 change from one laundry to another he cannot get any per 
 cent at all, which virtually prohibitis their changing, a,t least 
 so far as the ten laundries in theasspciation are concerned. 
 There are three laundiries not in tie association, but they 
 do not bother us. One of them has changed hands three 
 times, and one of the other two is owngd by a stock com' 
 pany. One of the stockholders vvho claimed to own f 500 
 worth of stock offered to sgU it to me for $200, and said be. 
 would consider it a favor if I would take it a^s he wished 
 to pull out of the business entirely. The otl^er laundry 
 is owned by E. H. Jennings of Chicago. It does the 
 Pullman work, and cuts a very small figure in the city 
 trade. It is an eighteen cent laundry, and some of the 
 eighteen cent laundrymen in our association do not want 
 to put up prices until Mr. Jennings can see tl^e wisdom 
 of putting them up with the rest of us. I think in tiqie 
 we will have uniform prices; but if we never fie^ch that 
 point the association, as it stands, is of great benefit, for 
 we protect and help each other in many other ways. In 
 reality I believe our inability to organize with a uniform 
 scale of -prices, constituting the lea,ding feature of our 
 organization, has been conducive qf better results than if 
 we had been able to accomplish that important fea,ture 
 in the beginning, as that would have overshadowed all 
 other features that usually receive too sm^U considera- 
 tion. Our members would not have become so thor- 
 oughly acquainted with each other as they are, and they 
 
220 
 
 never would have as freely discussed the wants and 
 merits of an organization that must be considered and 
 sacredly lived up to aside from prices, in order to maintain 
 a local association. These seemingly minor things have 
 been the means of establishing a bond of real business friend- 
 ship among the members that I am sure would not have 
 existed had we been able to agree in the beginning upon 
 a uniform scale of prices. The disagreement upon that 
 leading feature was in reality the development of the true 
 idea of what associations ought to be based upon and of 
 cementing it with a fraternal feeling which I do not 
 believe exists in any other association in the United States. 
 I am sincere when I say I am confident that there is not 
 a member in our association but would rather lose one 
 hundred dollars than to dishonorably take from a fellow 
 member one dollar's worth of trade. It is the lack of this 
 truly honorable and fraternal business sentiment that 
 erects along the shore of the business ocean of life the 
 breakers upon which so many local associations have 
 been wrecked. Some one in this convention, or some 
 far-off city or hamlet, may wonder what the stepping- 
 stones were that enabled the Falls City Laundry men's 
 Association to surmount this seemingly insurmountable 
 barrier and reach the highly honorable business elevation 
 which it has. The basis upon which our association 
 rests is that substantial foundation upon which all busi- 
 ness, social and moral organizations must and do rest 
 . — confidence. Confidence in each and every promise or 
 assertion each and every member makes; confidence in 
 a member when he says: "I am in favor of anything 
 that the majority of you favor." In that one little word 
 you have the keystone to the arch that will make it so 
 substantial that no matter how lowering and threatening 
 the cloud of discontent or avarice may be it will hold 
 you together as solid as adamant. To illustrate the im- 
 portance of that feature: At one of our recent meetings 
 
227 
 
 three of our members ouly could remain through the en- 
 tire evening. The question being discussed was a verj 
 important one, and as the three brother members took 
 their departure, their au revoir was, " Boys, we are with 
 you in any action you may take in the matter." Confi- 
 dence inspired the sentiment that their associates would 
 in no wise do anything that would be detrimental in the 
 slightest degree to their business interests or welfare. 
 
 I/Ct us now turn back one year and a half over the 
 pages of the history of our local association, and if there 
 is any other city in the universe which can present, to all 
 appearances, a more hopeless outlook for organizing a 
 local association than Louisville did our members would 
 be pleased to have the photographs of the individual 
 members of the craft therein dwelling— I was going to 
 say — in a group; but to secure such a photograph would 
 be an impossibility, as an effort in that direction would 
 not only break the camera, but their loving glances at 
 each other would burst the entire photograph gallery. 
 When one of the craft met another on the street or passed 
 his place of business, it was truly wonderful how the 
 attractions caught his eye in some other direction. They 
 all loved each other like Bennie Harrison and Jimmie 
 Blaine, or like Grover Cleveland and Davey Hill does, 
 which, of course, was a very brilliant outlook for forming 
 a local association. There were, however, a few who be- 
 lieved that perseverance and faith could eventually bring 
 about the desired result. Letters seeking information as 
 to the best manner to proceed were written to various 
 cities where associations existed, and much valuable in. 
 formation obtained, for which we were grateful, and espe- 
 cially do I take this opportunity, in the name and in behalf 
 of our association to thank the then president of the 
 Laundrymen's National Association, Mr. C. A. Royce, 
 for the letter he wrote us and the kindly words of wis- 
 dom it contained. Realizing as I do their true value I 
 
wish to quote those words to which some of us often refer: 
 ' 'Do not try to accomplish too much in the beginning. 
 Go slow, and above all things, have any differences that 
 may arise adjusted through a committee, and never allow 
 anything in the nature of a grievance to come up in a 
 regular meeting for discussion. ' ' Experience has taught 
 us that those are words of truly golden wisdom. Call 
 after call was issued for meetings and personal solicita- 
 tions were indulged in. Some would come and some 
 would not. Some would prornise to come and would not 
 do so. Others would not promise to come and nothing 
 tangible was accomplished. But in the meantirae, while: 
 to all appearances there was no good accon^plished, such 
 was not the case, for those engaged in the business — I 
 mean those who had responded to the calls for prelimin- 
 ary meetings, were becoming better acquainted with each 
 other, and beginning to find out that their competitors 
 were a pretty good sort of fellows after all had been said 
 and done. In fact, social intercourse became quite a 
 pleasant feature of those meetings, and it is indeed 
 of all other meetings which we have had. The merits 
 of a local association were discussed pro and con, and 
 whenever a member advocated the forming of an organ- 
 ization and expatiated upon his reasons for so doing 
 all the others would — figuracively spea,king — turn his 
 argument upside down and inside out to see if it con- 
 tained any trap door through which he was endeavoring 
 to drop them, which would enable him to sit on top of 
 the heap and reap all the benefits. But even in these 
 meetings when mistrust predominated, the little seeds of 
 confidence were being sown and by and by began to bear 
 fruit, and it was decided to organize upon everthing but 
 price for our mutual benefit and protection, and thereby 
 benefit ourselves individually, and, as events transpired, 
 we would by resolution enact a code of rules to meet the 
 emergencies and thereby circumvent the evils, we, as in- 
 
229 
 
 dividuals have to coiitend with, and on this basis we 
 organized. By so doing we now realize that we com- 
 raeflced at the root of the evil to eradicate it. Meetings 
 were held every two weeks, and as each member encoun- 
 tered something in a business way that he thought would 
 be of interest or benefit to him he made a note of it and 
 at the next meeting brought it up for discussion. In 
 fact, every member came to the meeting loaded with ideas 
 and suggestions to make and advice to give. After all 
 had unloaded themselves the meeting Would adjourn and 
 the whole gang would go out and load up in true Ken- 
 tucky style, which really made a harmonious state of 
 affairs, except in the slight difference in the quality of 
 the load they had at the time they left and when they got 
 back home. 
 
 Out of chaos came order; then began the sifting and 
 priming of the various ideas that had been developed, and 
 now all pronounce the result good. We have rules pro- 
 hibiting the employment of each others' help and solicit- 
 ing each others' trade, and numerous other things, one of 
 which is too important not to mention. "In case of an 
 accident, or from any cause whatever, a member is unable 
 to do his work, he makes his distress known, and his 
 work is pro-rated among the other members who do it for 
 him at-^please note the pfice, Mr. President and gentle- 
 men — 50 per cent off his list price. ' ' 
 
 To you who have no local associations, think what a 
 benefit that one feature is. The time may never come 
 when you will need such assistance, but sickness or 
 misfortune may come knocking at your door to-morrow, 
 and if it does do you realize what a haven of security your 
 temporal welfare has in that one feature of our local asso- 
 ciation? We have a grievance committee to whom all 
 matters are referred for adj ust-ment. More propef ly speak- 
 ing, the original function of the grievance cammittee was 
 to adjust all differences between members, But we have 
 
230 
 
 now reached the point where its actual work is nominal, 
 as now if anything really cr imaginary occurs, the two 
 members directly interested meet like men and talk the 
 matter over, and if there has been anything irregular, 
 whoever was in the wrong rights it without any hesitancy. 
 If those who are engaged in the business in any city 
 will each and everyone, or three-fourths of them, pledge 
 themselves to meet twice a month at a regularly appointed 
 place for four months, at 8 o'clock p.m., of either Monday 
 or Friday, and spend two hours together in social inter- 
 course and become thoroughly acquainted with each 
 other, and discuss the evils they each and every one have 
 to contend with, and what could be done to eradicate or 
 control them, they will, within the four months, have an 
 organization that they can and will be proud of. Do not 
 try to do too much. Just organize and then be governed 
 by circumstances, as to your rules governing your help, 
 in the employment of each other's help, the amount of 
 discount you will give your agents, under what condi- 
 tions an agent can change from one laundry to another, 
 and hundreds of other things that will be beneficial to 
 each and every one of you. Did one of you ever pause to 
 think what the real situation of your business is? The 
 business is not overdone. There is not a laundryman 
 here who could, if all of his competitors would quit the 
 business with the ending of this week, do all the laundry 
 work of his own city. Then what is a natural and com- 
 mon-sense view to take of the situation? Simply meet 
 together and talk the matter over just as though you had 
 formed a trust and all had become partners in the busi- 
 ness in your city, and you will find you have removed a 
 large per cent of the annoying obstacles from your busi- 
 ness pathway. There will still be plenty of annoyances 
 left, so that you will not be in any danger of going out 
 to borrow some of your neighbor's troubles in order to 
 add a little spice to your life. 
 
231 
 
 During the past summer we gave a moonlight excur- 
 sion to our employes, and next year we will take a day 
 off and go up the river fifty or a hundred miles and have 
 another royal time. 
 
 I have endeavored to the best of my ability to show 
 you how the lack of a local organization conducted upon 
 proper principles brought into existence two laundries 
 that I know of, and of the importance of an association, 
 aside from procuring a uniform scale of prices. If I have 
 entertained, instructed or encouraged any of you, my 
 disjointed efforts have not been in vain. If I have failed 
 in all three directions I do not consider my efforts futile, 
 for if I have bored you it has been a good work, as it will 
 make the efforts of those who have the ability to enter- 
 tain you the more apparent, as the contrast will be such 
 that you will not fail to appreciate a good thing when it 
 is presented for your entertainment and instruction. 
 
 In conclusion, I abjure you to organize local associa- 
 tions. If you never accomplish anything further than 
 to become acquainted with your brother laundrymen you 
 have done a good thing, for instead of magnifying their 
 faults you will learn their virtues and have a better 
 opinion of them as well as of yourself for so doing. 
 
 PROBI^BMS. 
 
 BY C. A. ROYCE, SPRINGIflBLD, MASS. 
 
 In whatever line of industry one may decide to engage, 
 his way is at once beset with difficulties of a more or less 
 problematical nature. These problems are often fanciful 
 in their nature, yielding readily to treatment by the 
 practical and well-equipped mind, but on the other hand 
 there are problems so real and so rugged as to seem to 
 defy solution. 
 
 The manufacturer, he of the fat-frying capacity, will 
 in a patronizing way inform you that there may be some 
 
232 
 
 slight worriments in your line of trade, the only trade 
 subject to gigantic problems, and you will find the mer- 
 chant taking much the same ground. These facts are 
 introduced here as a comfort to the laundrymati who 
 thinks that all paths but his own are flower strewn and 
 sweet scented. 
 
 However, the problems of others do not concern Us, be 
 they small or great; our own are real and demand our 
 earnest attention. 
 
 The first: question to engage our attention is, what aire 
 these problems? We must not try to answer the question 
 in full; were we to attempt to do so we Would need to set 
 back the hands of the clock and wire home to Our foreman 
 not to look for our return before Christmas, and if our 
 landlord should be doubtful as to our ability to pay a 
 large hotel bill, send for more cash or borrow of the New 
 York men, who no doubt woiild gladly supply any lack 
 in this direction. 
 
 Again, however much I might enjoy a cool plunge 
 into ancient history and a gradual swim down to the 
 present time, I must be mercifttl; furthermore, I have no 
 desire to encroafch upon the prerogative of certain friends 
 and brethren of mirie at whoiri this gentle sarcasm is 
 directed. 
 
 I propose, before allowing you to get away, to put 
 forth a few remarks of a more oi: less lucid nature, upon 
 the bleach problem, but before doing so and with the in- 
 tention of produciug in you a docile and self-saci-fficing 
 spirit, I will open a bag of chestnuts. 
 
 We are greatly indebted to the laundry papers aud 
 their correspondents for the grey streak problem. I re- 
 member this as a bone of contention when I was engaged 
 in the conduct of an infant industry. At that time I 
 ventured the remark that grey dirt would be nearer the 
 truth, but a brother from Pennsylvania gave me a bad 
 attack of epiliptic fits; in cons^qtlence I am hot like tie 
 
233 
 
 New York doctor who advertises "I cure fits," hence 
 yoti will pardon me if I pass this problfelm oh to some one 
 more courageous and skiUM. I will only say btfore 
 passing on, if the brethren who have published their 
 methods so freely esfcaped gffey streaks, we may safeily 
 assume that the day of miracles has not yet passed 
 away. 
 
 Black specks is a spectre which I supposed was rele- 
 gated some years ago to that bourne from whence ho 
 traveler returns, btit like Banquo's ghost, it w^ill not hi 
 relegated. Will not some brother who has had experi- 
 ence with ghosts tackle this monster and save me the 
 trouble? 
 
 Heretofore we have talked of trivial matters, but now 
 we reach a problem that is a pi-oblem. I allude to the 
 "foul, rat-eating, morally corrupt, physically rotteh, 
 almond-eyed, sanctithonious fraud, the heattheh Chinee." 
 Please note that my dfesfcfipt'ive remarks are in quotation 
 marks. If I have left out anything, I humbly beg your 
 pardon. 
 
 We are all familiar with the pfbverb, ' 'Go to the ant, 
 thou sluggard; consider his \*£tys and be wise." I some 
 times paraphrase this proverb like this: Go to the Chinese, 
 thou beat laundryman, consider the way in which he gets 
 there just the same, and learn to rbilid your own busiriess 
 and bfe lionest. ' ' Seriously, my brethren, I think we may 
 turn over our stock in trade in the Chinese rtiatter to Mr. 
 Dannmeyer. 
 
 The laundryman gains his livelihood by the handling 
 of the property of others. While handling this property if 
 any loss or damage occurs to it, the owner holds him 
 resptJUSible. The truth of this proposition Will be fully 
 admitted by all. 
 
 While we are very sure that the owners of tfa6 property 
 we are handling are often times unreasonable, most of US 
 will be willing to admit that wear and tear in the laundry 
 
234 
 
 is more severe than we could wish. This very fact has 
 led many of us into the realm of experiment in the en- 
 deavor to discover methods which shall result in reducing 
 wear and tear to a minimum. We have none of that 
 spirit which actuates the man who throws our baggage 
 around in such a light and airy manner, neither are we in 
 league with the manufacturers of shirts, collars and cuffs. 
 I should hardly care to maintain that in no case have 
 these experiments resulted in the object sought after, yet 
 I am inclined to the opinion that, taken as a whole, laun- 
 dries are more severe upon wearing apparel now than 
 formerly. Doubtless there are notable exceptions to this 
 statement, yet it may safely be taken as a general rule. 
 As to the reason of this condition of things I have my 
 own idea, but it is not in line with the subject. under dis- 
 cussion; therefore, instead of giving it, I will ask "What 
 do laundrymen, generally, consider the cause of excessive 
 wear and tear?" I answer, "The use of bleach." 
 
 If my premises thus far are correct, we are confronted 
 with two questions: ist. Is the use of bleach necessary? 
 2nd. Is its use harmful? 
 
 Before attempting an answer to either of these ques- 
 tions, a few remarks upon the general line of bleach is 
 necessary. 
 
 The universal bleach for linen and cotton fabrics is 
 chlorine. Other bleaching agents there are, but their use 
 is limited. Chlorine of commerce comes to us in the 
 form of chloride of lime, or bleaching powder. This is 
 simply lime saturated with chlorine gas. To make the 
 chlorine available we must extract this gas from the lime 
 and get it into some form convenient for use. The most 
 common method is simply to mix the lime with water 
 and let it settle. In the operation the water takes up a 
 small percentage of the chlorine. This chlorinated water 
 becomes our bleaching solution. It has been found that 
 an alkali solution will take up a larger percentage of the 
 
233 
 
 chlorine and also precipitate the liiiie at the same time. 
 This fact accounts for the various soft bleaches, so called, 
 now so common. We do not propose at this time to dis- 
 cuss the relative merits of these various chlorinated mix- 
 tures; our point is simply, that whatever our mixture, 
 the benefit we derive, if there be any, is from the chlorine. 
 Strike out this agent from any of the mixtures and it 
 ceases to be of value as a bleacher. 
 
 We now arrive at our first question: Is bleach neces- 
 sary? Our answer is as follows: 
 
 It is undoubtedly possible to do an excellent grade of 
 laundry work without the use of bleach. Some men have 
 been notably successful in this direction, yet I think we 
 must say that for high grade laundry work, such as the 
 trade is coming more and more to demand, some bleach- 
 ing is necessary - 
 
 We are now groping in the dark in this matter; 
 modern chemistry makes it plain to us why bleach is 
 necessary. I take the liberty of quoting a certain 
 chemist who is widely known and respected in the 
 laundry trade. He says: "White cotton garments 
 become by usual wear more or less impregnated with dirt, 
 fatty matters, stains of all sorts, etc., which, under the 
 action of the air, form a yellow colored resinous sub- 
 stance, the coloring principle of which is not attacked by 
 alkalies. An alkaline liquid has for its object the 
 abstraction of the dirt and oily matters present in the 
 fibre; likewise the removal of the starch or sizing. In 
 other words, it frees the fibre from loose dirt, oleaginous 
 substances, sizing, and nothing else. Of course, in some 
 instances, the detergent operation with soap and alkali 
 may suflBce to approximately restore that original degree 
 of whiteness, but sooner or later these same goods will 
 acquire that characteristic yellow tinge constituted by the 
 coloring matters of the resinous substance above men- 
 tioned. The action of a bleaching agent only can tern- 
 
233 
 
 porarily de-colofize it, and as it is then Soluble in acid it 
 is carried off by the acidulated rinse." 
 
 I have taken the trouble to refer this statement to 
 other chemist^, and all admit that the facts are as stated; 
 hence we must conclude that our question is answered in 
 the afiSrmative. 
 
 Now, as to our second question, Is bleach harmful? I 
 am able to find chemists who answer, ' 'No, " but this 
 "No" is aMays prefixed by an "If of more or less 
 importance. Although I am no chemist, and therefore 
 unabk to dispute the claims of these parties in a very 
 convincing manner, I do not believe that bleach can be 
 used without a harmful effect. This effect may be, and 
 under proper conditions is, very slight, but it cannot be 
 eritirely avoided. Among the several authorities I have 
 consulted I find substantial agreement in the following 
 statements: 
 
 "Chlorine has a corrosive effect upon the fibre treated, 
 and unless quickly and thoroughly removed a weaken- 
 ing of the fabric follows." "The process of bleaching 
 results in loss of weight in the goods treated. This 
 loss of weight usually means a certain loss of strength 
 also." 
 
 These facts, I think, serve to answer our second ques- 
 tion in the affirmative. 
 
 In conclusion, the laundryman is in no sense a 
 bleacher; he is simply compelled to use a bleaching 
 ngent to do that part of his cleansing ptocess which soap 
 and water will not do. He works upon this principle — 
 good judgment and principles of economy both compel 
 the use of chlorine and demand that no more shall be 
 used than absolutely necessary. 
 
 As a result, we find that in the average laundry the 
 use of chloriiie is reduced to such a small point that 
 while it undoubtedly has a weakening effect upon the 
 clothing treated, yet this effect is so slight as to be of 
 
237 
 
 little consequence. In my opinion chlorine is not guilty 
 of the many crimes laid at its door. 
 
 With these few remarks I leave the bleach problem 
 with you. 
 
 Mr. Armstrong, of Ohio: Mr. President, the essays to 
 which we have listened have been entertaining and 
 instructive.^ The essay of Mr. Royce is certainly prac- 
 tical. I agree with him that there can he but little good 
 work done without bleach. Ivast year Mr. F. L. Jones, 
 of Fort Wayne, read an essay to us, wherein he stated 
 that he did all his work without a jj^rticle of bleach. I 
 went home and tried it a time or two and threw up the 
 sponge. I use chloride of lime, iari.d shgll continue to do 
 so until I find something better. I have used chlorine, 
 chlorinated fluid. Badger's bleach — everything that came 
 along — ^and I invariably return to chloride of lime. My 
 skull is too thick to see any specia,! advantage in any of 
 the fluids. They will do the work just as good as chip- 
 ride of lime, but I find that they cost three or four times 
 as much. Of the chloride of Ijnie all we want is simply 
 enough to do the work and no more. If any gentleman 
 can enlighten me how we can bleach without the chlo' 
 ride of lime and save any money or any time, I would be 
 glad to hear him do so. 
 
 Mr. Barnes of PittsI-- j: Mr. President, there are 
 plenty of good washers .._ the country, but the trouble 
 with many of them is that they forget to rinse. Tlje 
 whole secret of any bleaching agent is in properly rinsing 
 after you are <Jone with it. 
 
 Mr. Armstrong: Mr. President, I wo-uld say after we 
 put in the chloride of lime we use a hat rinse £j-5t and 
 then follow wi' h two cold rinses, a sour and then blue. 
 We find that cleans out the chloride of lime pretty thor- 
 oughly. 
 
 Mr. A. T. Hagen of Rochester, N. Y. : ^T. Presidjent, 
 in regard to the wear and tear in our laundries I think the 
 
238 
 
 gentleman who read the essay is largely right; but 1 
 think more blame is laid to the bleach than should be per- 
 haps- The trouble often I think is that the machine is 
 overloaded. I think you will find that in laundries where 
 they customarily wash with small loads that the clothes 
 last longer than where they wash in heavy loads. The 
 overloading of the machine has a tendency to make the 
 clothes thin. If any of you wish to make the experiment 
 you will find that if you divide a heavy load into two 
 loads you will find less lint in the water after washing 
 than if you wash the same quantity in one load. 
 
 Mr. Barnes: Mr. Hagan is a good authority on bleach- 
 ing, for he has been in the business a great many years. 
 1 think a good deal of the trouble comes from the fact that 
 in a great many of the towns and cities in the United 
 States water is paid for by the meter, and the saving of 
 water is too much of an object, and not enough of it is 
 used. The overloading of the machine cuts some figure 
 in the matter, but the great trouble is you do not use 
 enough water for rinsing after using the bleach. 
 
 Mr. Doremus: I think the gentleman is entirely oflF 
 the question in speaking of rinsing. I cannot see what 
 rinsing has to do with wear and tear. Mr. Hagan was 
 speaking of overloading the machine as the cause of wear 
 and tear. Rinsing cuts no figure in the matter at all, 
 that is for the purpose of getting the clothes clean — 
 rinsing the soap and the lime out and any other foreign 
 matters that may be there. 
 
 Mr. Shaw of Erie: One point in regard to bleaching 
 is that your employes who do the washing will fill the 
 washer up to a certain guage, using the same amout of 
 bleaching at the same guage of water, and then if they 
 put a large quantity of clothes in the washer there is less 
 water to dilute the bleach, so that the bleach is relatively 
 stronger with a large load than it is with a smaJi 
 load. 
 
239 
 
 Mr. Mohn of Pittsburg: I think brother Shaw is about 
 right, and brother Hagen is right in regard to bleach and 
 having a large load in the washer. By practical experience 
 I find that when the lime gets thoroughly into the goods 
 with a very large load it is almost impossible to take it 
 out in the way we take to do it. Where we take small 
 loads we get substantially all the bleach out of the goods. 
 In my estimation the proper way of washing is to use 
 small loads. 
 
 Mr. Shaw of Erie: I agree with Brother Mohn, but I 
 wish to state that it is almost impossible to always have 
 the load the same, and the men who do the washing 
 should understand that if they use a large load they 
 should not use as much bleaching. 
 
 Mr. Barnes: That brings us back where we started. 
 If you have a small load you put in the same bleach as 
 for a large one, and use exactly the same water. The 
 trouble is in the rinsing. There is any amount of good 
 washing, but not enough rinsing. 
 
 Mr. Pierce of Hartford, Conn. : Mr. President, I would 
 like to ask a question. Why it is that cold rinses are 
 used after a hot rinse.' Why are two cold rinses used after 
 a hot rinse to remove the bleaching? Why not use a hot 
 rinse to get all the bleach out? Do we not close up 
 the pores of the clothes in using cold rinses? Why not 
 continue the warm rinses up to the bluing? 
 
 The President: I presume there are a number here 
 who could explain why they use cold rinses befor* the 
 blue and before the sour. 
 
 Mr. Doremus: The most practical way to obtain a 
 uniform color is to blue in cold water, and especially so in 
 new work. I do not mean that the goods must be made 
 stone cold, but cooled down. 
 
 Mr. Periera of Philadelphia: I find that I get better 
 results, and I will guarantee that my colors will last for 
 five years, if necessary, if I bring my blue water up hot. 
 
240 
 
 I want it hot -when th.e goods leave the machine, and 1 
 want the blue water hot, because I get a better color with 
 the hot blue water than with the cojd, commencing with 
 cold water and bringing it up to hot. 
 
 The President: The gentleman wanted to know why 
 that was done. I think there are laundrymen here who 
 can answer that question. 
 
 Mr. Armstrong: I am the one who made the state- 
 ment that gave rise to the question. After the bleach we 
 use a hot rinse. Qur idea is that the hot rinse loosens 
 up all the lirne, soaks it thoroughly loose, and cuts it up, 
 and after that the cold water will precipitate it and throw 
 it off better than hat water would do it. We have two 
 cold rinses following a hot rinse at the beginning, and 
 then comes a warm, not a hot spur. As Mr. Doremus 
 says we always blue in cold water. We do nothing but 
 bundle work, and have had no experience in new work. 
 In doing old and new work they should be entirely sep- 
 arated. If it is better to use hot we want to know it, and 
 we will try it after we get home and find out. 
 
 The President: My idea as to the object in using the 
 cold rinse before bluing is to contract the fibre' of the 
 goods. If that is not done, the goods being open and 
 porous, more of the blue will be absorbed in the thick places 
 3i;d they will show streaks— the wristbands and seams will 
 absorb more than the thin places. 
 
 ;^r. Barnes: We started put to talk al;)put bleaching 
 ;afld.w,w we have got a^pnnd to bluing. The question 
 that came up from Mr. Royce's paper v/as as to bleaching 
 — ^tlje inju,ry from beaching. The point I wanted to 
 arrive at was this: That we did not rinse enough to get 
 the bleach put of the goods. Bluing is another matter. 
 
 Mr. Gassity of Pittsburg: I think goods well washed 
 are ^lalf bleached. The subject of gray streaks has been 
 rouclied jipon in years gone by, and in one of the essays 
 this rnorning was referred to as a chestnut. When the 
 
241 
 
 goods are properly started in the washer, and the water is 
 kept on the increase until you get to the top or through 
 with the wash, you have got your goods half bleached. 
 But if you put in your goods and turn on the full capacity 
 of steam, as a great many do, you are working right 
 against the laws of nature. If you start your washing at 
 a certain temperature and increase it gradually until 
 it comes to the top, not allowing the temperature to re- 
 cede, you will have no trouble in bleaching. I am a little 
 out of my latitude iu talking about bleach because I don't 
 use it at all. But I have been in places where they use 
 bleach, and my observation in those places has been that 
 they use too much bleach and, as our friends say, not 
 enough water to rinse. A great deal of the trouble in 
 bleaching you will find is on account of the washing. 
 The goods are not washed with the same even tempera- 
 ture in order to keep the goods thoroughly loosened up, 
 and then when they get through with the washing they 
 do not run the water off with a warm rinse, not allowing 
 them to get chilled. If you let them chill no amount of 
 bleach will remove this gray streak or the black specks. 
 If you will put a thermometer on the washer you will 
 have less trouble with the bleach. 
 
 Mr. Armstrong: I think Brother Barnes is right, that 
 we must thoroughly rinse. It does not matter how 
 thoroughly we wash, if we do not rinse all the soap 
 and sediment out of the clothes it is useless to blue 
 them. 
 
 Mr. Doremus: I do not allow the water to get per- 
 fectly cold for the purpose of bluing, because it is not 
 necessary. I use analine blue, and I am making con- 
 tracts every day with new shirt men guaranteeing my 
 color. If the goods are kept in the boxes for two years 
 and lose color, I agree to do the work over again. 
 
 The President: May I ask why some of the goods in 
 the same machine become streaked and others do not? 
 
242 
 
 Mr. Doremus: I very selclooi have that experience. 
 If there is acetic acid in proper quantity used in the blu- 
 ing when the bluing is made, I think you will avoid that 
 trouble. The bluing is perfectly soluble in water, and 
 if the machine is filled to a gauge, and bluing of exactly 
 the same strength and measure is put in, you will not 
 find very much of that trouble. Of course, we have dif- 
 ferent textures of muslin, and the softer material requires 
 less bluing because it will absorb it more freely. You 
 may take a Wamsutta and a New York Mills, and you 
 will find some little difference in those two; and then 
 take a Utica Mills, which is a very soft fibre, and you 
 will find a difference again, because it is a lighter goods. 
 In your washer of a hundred shirts you will find proba- 
 bly twenty different fibres of goods. That is the reason 
 you should cool your water before you blue — to meet the 
 case of the bundle laundryman, because he has those 
 different textures in the same wash, and it is impractica- 
 ble to separate them. 
 
 Mr. Hermans: We have some experience in new 
 work,, and we have the best success with warm rinses. 
 We use no acid except what may be used in the blue, 
 and our color will compare favorably with what is usually 
 got in any laundry. Our bleach is chloride of lime. 
 
 Mr. Hagen: One reason for the trouble with bluing is 
 that it is made too strong. If it is made weaker and 
 used longer, I think you would get a more even color. 
 
 Mr. Periera: I agree with Mr. Doremus on color. I 
 have had an experience of about fourteen years with new 
 and old work, principally with new work. What he says 
 about the different grades of goods is exactly right. 
 
 Mr. Cassity : The difference in color may be accounted 
 for from the fact that you do not get the goods all to the 
 same temperature, and in washing old goods you get all 
 kinds mixed, and a linen handkerchief will not take blue 
 nearly so readily as cotton goods, and so it is with your 
 
243 
 
 shirts and collars. Lighter goods will take the blue more 
 readily than the heavier. On different classes of goods 
 you cannot get the same development. 
 
 OFFICE SYSTEM. 
 
 BY W. C. SHAW, ERIE, PA. 
 
 No business can be successful without the adoption of 
 certain methods which make each employe responsible for 
 his or her part of work; these connected parts give system 
 to the entire concern. The proprietor or manager of any 
 establishment should draw up certain rules pertaining to 
 the particular business in which he is engaged, and the 
 arrangement of his office should be such as is most con- 
 venient in carrying out these rules. In all mercantile 
 establishments where goods are bought and sold the 
 methods of office work and bookkeeping are very much 
 the same, but in the lauijdry business we find as many 
 different methods as there are establishments. To my 
 mind an office is not perfect without a check system, and 
 to have this it is not only necessary to procure checks, 
 but also to have boxes made and numbered to correspond 
 with numbers on checks. For instance, an office doing 
 a business of $150 a week in call packages should have 
 400 boxes; of which 300 should be 18 inches deep, 6 
 inches high and 10 inches wide. These boxes should be 
 numbered from one to 300 inclusive, and 100 boxes should 
 be 18 inches deep, 10 inches high and 12 inches wide, 
 and numbered from 300 to 400 inclusive. The checks 
 should be of two sizes. The small checks should be 
 numbered to correspond with small boxes from one to 
 300, and the larger checks numbered from 300 to 400 to 
 correspond with the larger boxes.' The reason for this is 
 obvious; when a package is left at the office a small check 
 is given for a small package and a large check for a large 
 
244 
 
 package. The next thing is a clasp on each box to hold 
 the coupon which was attached to the list. 
 
 We are now ready to describe the working of the sys- 
 tem. First, when a package is received at the office the 
 clerk should ask certain questions, and upon there ques- 
 tions and answers much depends. The first question 
 should be, "What is your name?" and should be written 
 plainly on the list. The second, "Will you call for it?" 
 This question is important, and should be asked in such 
 a manner as to give the person to understand that it is the 
 proper thing to do. Do not ask, as so many clerks have 
 done, "Do you want it delivered?" as nine times out of 
 ten the answer will be "Yes," and your office business 
 will grow smaller and smaller. The customer, stating he 
 would call for his package when done, is given a check, 
 the number of which is put on the list and the list tied to 
 the package. In case a customer should ask when the 
 package will be done, the clerk should answer to the best 
 of his knowledge, allowing at least one-half to one day 
 more time than is absolutely necessary to get it out, and 
 the day or time promised should be put on the list. The 
 bundle is now ready for the markers. They open the 
 bundles one at a time, counting the number of articles 
 and setting them down on the list. After enough goods 
 are marked to fill a washer, these lists, which are termed 
 a ' 'lot, ' ' should be returned to the office for the accounts 
 and coupons to be fillfed out and entered on the recoi-d 
 book. The coupon when filled out should contain the 
 name 6f the customer, number of check, mark, number of 
 lot, date and amount. It is now ready to be detached 
 from the list and be placed in the clasp on the box corres- 
 pond to the number on the coupon. With this system it 
 does not matter whether the man spells the name with a 
 "K" or a "C" as far as being delayed in getting his 
 bundles, as the package will be found in the box corres- 
 ponding with the number on his check. In every case 
 
245 
 
 where the check is presented the clerk should ask the 
 name, as it will m&ke it doubly sure that the bundle 
 goes to its rightful owner. In case a check is lost a charge 
 often cents for same can be very easily collected, and re- 
 funded when check is finally presented at office- In every 
 case the party should be made to prove his package. For 
 instance, ask: What did you have in your package? 
 What size collars do you wear? Were your collars turned 
 down or stand up? We all know it is not necessary to 
 ask if the clothes are new, as no one sends old clothes to 
 a laundry. You can readily j udge from the answers to 
 these questions if the party calling for package is the 
 rightful owner. It now becomes necessary to keep a 
 record of all lost checks, which is a very simple thing to 
 do. Take a small book and number the lines from one to 
 400 with ink. When a customer receives his bundle 
 without a check and pays 10 cents for same, you open 
 this book and write, with lead pencil, the name opposite 
 the check that is lost. When he returns the check you 
 pay him his 10 cents and simply erase his name. Per- 
 haps after this customer, whose name is Smith, receives 
 his bundle, another person presents the lost check. You 
 turn to the box and find no bundle or coupon in clasp. 
 You ask what his name is, and he not being the rightful 
 owner is unable to answer correctly. The check being 
 in your possession you keep it and erase Smith's name 
 from Jhe lost check book, as Smith will never be able to 
 return that check to you and you have 10 cents towards 
 buying a new lot of checks. I think I have described all 
 that is necessary to carry on an office systematically with 
 checks. 
 
 Now let us see how it works when a customer calls for 
 his package. He presents his check — No. 5 we will say. 
 The clerk goes to that box; in case the bundle is in the 
 box he simply delivers to customer, collects the amount 
 charged on list, and puts the coupon on a spindle to baJ' 
 
246 
 
 ance the cash in drawer, and after the cash is made up, 
 to credit the account on record book. If the bundle is 
 not in box she finds the coupon and by that she can 
 readily tell just what lot it is in, the amount and what 
 the goods are marked. Going to the bundling room she 
 can either find the package or find out enough to tell the 
 customer just when it will be out. 
 
 At the end of the week after these coupons are all cred- 
 ited, you find on your record book all the accounts for the 
 week that are not paid. These should be charged to their 
 regular accounts in the ledger. 
 
 This system has been in operation in Shaw Bros. ' Steam 
 I^aundry (of which I am a member) for six years, and not 
 only dp we find it practical but very simple to carry out 
 after once in working order. One clerk can wait on as 
 many customers as would take three clerks without this 
 system. 
 
 OBJECTIVE POINTS. 
 
 BYJNO. R. PURCHASE, MINNBAPOLIS, MINN. 
 
 It is said that ' 'fortune knocks once at least at every 
 man's door." Shakspeare says: "There is a tide in the 
 affairs of men which, taken at the flood, leads on to for- 
 tune; omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in 
 shallows, and in mires." 
 
 While these maybe maxims of some value to mankind, 
 there is an element in them that has a tendency tQ de- 
 velop expectation at the expense of realization, which 
 expectation, from the nature of things and from the true 
 meaning of the sentences themselves, if they are carefully 
 studied, necessarily ends, in the very large majority of 
 cases, in disappointment. 
 
 The first sentence: "Fortune knocks once at least at 
 every man's door," implies that in some cases it knocks, 
 perhaps, more than once; but when Shakspeare says: 
 "There is a tide," etc., he implies that there is but one 
 
247 
 
 such in the affairs of a man's lifetime; and naturally, if 
 ih-Te is but one, the chances of a man seeing and taking 
 advantage are very small. 
 
 How many men do we find in our everyday life who 
 are waiting for "something to turn up," and how often 
 do we find the same person thus occupied. How much 
 better off would that class of men be if they had started 
 out with more energy and less expectation. Fortune 
 help those who help themselves, and a man can have lost 
 nothing when the tide turns in his favor, should he have 
 been manfully pulling against the stream up to that time. 
 Away with such maxims; they are but the forerunners 
 or allies of the lottery and the gaming table. Speculation 
 is their substance, dismal failure their result. Substitute 
 foi- them a principle that will teach young men to look 
 well over the field and ocean of life; help them to select 
 their objective points and ports, and to strike manfully 
 out on the voyage of life. 
 
 Xt does not follow, however, that one particular point 
 must be a person's aim to the exclusion of all others. 
 Many points of benefit and advantage will be found to 
 come in line, none of which will interfere with the attain- 
 ments of any of the others. But it were better to have 
 only one objective point and reach that one with safety, 
 speed and satisfaction, than to have many and reach 
 none of them at advantageous times. 
 
 Well, but what has all this to do with the laundry 
 business? I imagine I hear someone over there say. I 
 believe it has a great deal to do with it, and I only wish 
 my ability to intelligibly and fully express my thoughts 
 to you was as great as that belief. I ask some of you 
 veterans in the business to turn back the wheel of time to 
 the starting point, go carefully over the journey of your 
 business, and tell me if it is not true that you can see 
 many places in that journey at which, had you stopped 
 for a moment, as it were, and carefully considered, how 
 
248 
 
 diflferently you • would have done. Would you not 
 have kept the main objective point more constantly in 
 view? 
 
 There are points in the laundry business which should 
 be the object of energy and enterprise, fully as many of 
 many of them as in life at large. To make the business 
 a financial success is, of course, the principal point, but 
 to make that point regardless of the measure of success, 
 merely knowing that it is not a failure, is not an accom- 
 plishment to be proud of. Neither is there any great 
 satisfaction in reaching the highest point of success re- 
 gardless of the points of health, happiness and strength, 
 or of the respect of associates, employes, creditors and 
 competitors. 
 
 In endeavoring to reach the real point of success there 
 are many smaller points by the wayside that are not to 
 be passed unnoticed, and some of them must beespecially 
 regarded. 
 
 The beginner must measure his ability and not under- 
 take more than he can reasonably expect to accomplish, 
 and he must use his ability with judgment. Many a 
 laundryman has been wrecked by starting handicapped 
 with a debt too great for him to carry, and many another 
 has lost opportunities for advancement by misuse of his 
 ability. I believe debt to be a good thing for a young 
 man; it gives him a very good objective point to work 
 to — that is, to get out of it; but too much of a good thing 
 is good for nothing. So with credit. Credit is a good 
 thing; too much of it, though, has ruined many. But 
 while too much credit will bring debt, it cannot be as 
 truthfully said that too much debt will bring credit. I 
 have never been without debt since attaining manhood, 
 but it is not the same old debt. I^t good credit be one 
 objective point, and once gained let it not be lost. The 
 best way to keep a good credit is not to use it; the next 
 best way is not to abuse it. 
 
240 
 
 "A place for everything and everything in its place," 
 is a maxim that adorned the walls of the schoolroom 
 where my "young ideas were taught to shoot," and it will 
 apply very well to a laundryman and his assistants. How 
 many laundrymen have you seen wasting their time in 
 marking clothes, figuring and copying lists, and many 
 similar ways, when they might have been devoting their 
 time to something more productive, such as planning and 
 working for more business or the production of a higher 
 grade of work; and out of the proceeds of such employ- 
 ment they might have been able to pay someone else for 
 doing the detail work and have a handsome margin left 
 besides. I do not advocate the proprietor being above 
 the details of his business, but I claim he should aim at 
 the more important points. I know what many of you 
 are saying to yourselves. You say that no one can do 
 these things as correctly as the proprietor. Very true, 
 but you cannot do everything and you had better attend 
 to the more important points, which no one can attend to 
 but yourselves. 
 
 Again, how many of us have abused our health and 
 strength by too close and bard work in our earlier days, 
 losing sight of the important points of health and strength 
 for the future. How often have we worked till past mid- 
 night and been the first "on deck" in the morning; 
 worked all day Sunday to get the week's accounts straight 
 for a clean start on Monday, and then got at that start 
 extra early. I have heard my fellow craftsmen say to 
 me when the result had arrived: "I never once thought 
 it possible, but what you told me has panned out just 
 about as you said. When I was working so hard, I felt 
 well and strong and would have felt guilty of laziness 
 had I left undone any of the work I was doing, but it did 
 not last. It could not last. I gradually got tired easily; 
 found I could not work as I had done, lost appetite, rest 
 and sleep, and finally found myself almost entirely unfitted 
 
250 
 
 for any work or business; was positively ordered to 
 quit and go away for a time, which I did and have 
 done so at several differeat times since. And now^, 
 while I desire at times to pitch in as hard as ever, 
 I know that I had better not, and, in fact, I dare 
 not." 
 
 It is a deplorable sight to observe a man striving to- 
 ward success without regard for the respect of his busi- 
 ness associates, employes, creditors and competitors. 
 This is not so essential a point to be touched at when 
 endeavoring to attain financial success, but the gratifica- 
 tion and pleasure to be had therefrom is of no small 
 measure or value. What pleasure does one have who 
 must change his course when a competitor is observed 
 approaching him on the street or in an assembly, in order 
 not to meet him? Or what gratification is there to one 
 who must drop his eyes or look both ways for Sunday 
 rather than meet the quiet, honest gaze of a competitor 
 whom he has wronged by some scurvy trick? What 
 pleasure can one take when his attention is called by an 
 apparently strange gentleman to the fact that years ago 
 this strange gentleman was a boy in his employ, while 
 he is very uncertain whether the reference is made with 
 any pleasure or for the purpose of any pleasure, with the 
 chances that neither of them ever had any pleasure or 
 cause for future pleasant recollections, out of their busi- 
 ness relations. 
 
 As members of this association, we should likewise 
 have our objective point. What shall it be? Shall it be 
 to make an annual pleasurable meeting of old acquaint- 
 ances only, or shall it be to make it jointly an annual 
 renewance of acquaintances and a continuous progression 
 of the interests of our trade? I claim that the mere fact 
 of the existence of this association is an advantage to 
 our trade, but if we can make it progressive it is of so 
 much more advantage. 
 
251 
 
 It is an undisputable fact that all men are wrong about 
 some things. Each one of us knows something that is 
 unknown to some other of us. We may not be Clays, 
 Websters, Evarts or McKinleys, but if we cannot teach 
 others more chan they know, let us use our best endeavors 
 to teach them what we do know. If we all aim at this 
 point it can but eventuate in the advantage of all. He 
 who knows but little generally knows that little well and 
 is sometimes better able to set it forth than the one who 
 knows a great deal; and he who knows much, though he 
 may learn but little, will learn that little in a degree cor- 
 responding in quality with the quantity that he may 
 teach, while he who knows but little may learn much. 
 
 Then let us aim to make our special knowledge com- 
 mon and advance the common object of our association. 
 The skeptic may ask, what is our objective point, as an 
 association? In reply I would ask, what is the objective 
 point of our navy? what is the objective point of the mag- 
 nificent police force of this great metropolis? It is no less 
 to do good for us than it is to keep harm from coming to 
 our doors. 
 
 THBR]^ IS ROOM AT THB TOP, AND HOW TO GET 
 THERE. 
 
 WM. Q. LI<OYD, WILLI AMSPORT, PA. 
 
 With your permission your most humble servant will 
 endeavor to prove that there are two ways leading to 
 triumphant success— both reaching the same goal through 
 different channels. The first route is the roundabout way, 
 it begins in obscurity, and passes through poverty, and 
 finally reaches the foot or base of the golden stairs, the 
 top of which struggling laundrymen are endeavoring to 
 reach. That the stairs are long and narrow, the footing 
 insecure and uncertain, all who have climbed them can 
 testify. But has the prosperous laundryman who today 
 
252 
 
 stands at the top, forgotten where he, in his .ascent, 
 stopped to take breath? Where he gathered new energy 
 and keyed every nerve that he might be able to reach 
 another landing higher up? Has he forgotten the land- 
 ing where he stopped to battle with cut rates? and with 
 the assassins he styles his agents, has he forgotten where 
 he stopped to strike a balance sheet and found the balance 
 wanting, or the want of a balance? No; all this is fresh 
 in his memory as though it occurred today. And did he 
 ever stop to think why the way was so long and the goal 
 of his ambition so completely shrouded in the mist of the 
 uncertain future? This tirne we say, yes. 
 
 For the sake of illustration we will start a laundry, 
 taking the sure but roundabout way (on the principle 
 that the farthest way around is the nearest way home). 
 We will locate in a city where other laundries are doing 
 business, because we can find no city where they are not. 
 To begin with, we all know it takes about one hundred 
 dollars per week to pay the running expenses of the 
 smallest steam laundry, whether that amount of business 
 is done or not; consequently we must influence or get in 
 some way that amount of business, and we get it. Now, 
 we have started in a small way; we have small rooms, 
 low rent, our boiler, engine, and machinery are all corres- 
 pondingly small, yet amply large for the business we 
 have. Not satisfied with merely making expenses, we 
 reach out for more business. We find we have room and 
 help enough to increase our business twenty-five, fifty or 
 one hundred dollars per week, with but little additional 
 expense, and that this increase would be largely profit. 
 The business still grows and we feel that we are making 
 money, but to our astonishment, at the end of the first 
 year's business we find our boiler capacity is inadequate 
 to the demands on it, the engine lags, and the rooms 
 that at first were large enough are now entirely too small. 
 There is but one thing to do, and that is to enlarge our 
 
253 
 
 plant. This means a large expenditure of money, and 
 leaves us in debt on landing number one. 
 
 With the new laundry in operation we find that our 
 expenses have increased wonderfully. Rent is higher, 
 the consumption of fuel is more than double; we have an 
 assistant engineer, an office girl to answer the telephone 
 and re\':eive the packages, and that it costs more to run 
 two delivery wagons than one, and when pay day comes 
 /ound we tnd that it costs $250 to pay the employes and 
 /unning expenses, and that we have not doue that 
 amount of business. We are now on landing number 
 two, with disaster staring us in the.face, and a thousand 
 tongues seem to say, ' 'Increase your business or go to 
 the wall." We find that we have the room, capacity and 
 ambition to do a weekly business of $500, and that the 
 additional help will cost us not over $25 per week. The 
 business is here and wfe must get it. We do! but it comes 
 slow, and in striking a balance at the end of the second 
 year we are still in debt, with fair prospects ahead, how- 
 ever, and our business netting us a weekly profit. We 
 are now on landing number three. 
 
 Just here let us pause and take breath. When we 
 started our business we had but little money and few 
 debts; we did the office work, helped check off, made the 
 starch, and, if fact, was man of all work. At it early and 
 late, the first one to come and the last one to go. How 
 is it now? Business large, time fully occupied looking 
 after details, a new man in the office, one in the check- 
 room, another in the st^rch-rootn, all drawing salaries of 
 from ten to fifteen dollars per week. We are doing busi- 
 ness on a high tension. We are driving it, and we must 
 if we would succeed. We must keep evefy salaried man 
 and woman busy from Monday morning until Saturday 
 night. Everybody and everything must move like clock- 
 work. Step by step we advance, and the top is reached 
 after many years. We have climbed the stairs. Now 
 
264 
 
 let us -go back and look over the other route, which we 
 are pleased to style the elevated route. We will call a 
 meeting, form a stock company, and start a laundry on a 
 larger and more elevated scale. We make our capital 
 stock $50,000, buy or build a large building, fill it with 
 the latest and most approved machinery, taking great 
 care that our boiler and engine are large enough to do 
 the business we propose doing. Our horses and wagons 
 are the finest money can buy; neatness and cleanliness 
 predominate, everything is in keeping, from the wash- 
 house to the stables. Oui company is known as the 
 Palace I^aundry Company. We advertise largely, and in 
 every conceivable way, that we do economic, scientific, 
 high art laundering, and we do it. Business is showered 
 upon us from every quarter, and with the velocity that 
 almost takes our breath away we are elevated from the 
 bottom to the top, and to our delightful satisfaction we 
 find but one competitor there, and he is our friend. 'Tis 
 he who climbed to the top, step by step. He is a king 
 among us, a shining star in the crest of our esteem which 
 lures us oh to the goal and to the end. 
 
 Essays Read at the Convention held in Detroit^ Mich., 
 September, fSpj, and discussions on same. 
 
 WASTE. 
 
 BY C. A. ROYCB, SPRINGFIBI<D, MASS. 
 
 In nature nothing is wasted or lost. The body falls 
 into the ground; dust returns to dust. But in the labora- 
 tory of nature the elements that compose the body are re- 
 stored to their originality and go forth again upon their 
 mission of work. What is true of the body is true of all 
 the works of nature. The elements of vegetation, built 
 up by the chemistry of ages long ago, fell into decay and 
 
255 
 
 were covered from sight, yet nature ceased not in her 
 work, and today we have the fuel which warms our fire- 
 sides and moves the commerce of the world, and so we 
 might multiply illustrations. Man wastes, nature never. 
 
 But man has made much progress in recent years to- 
 ward the utilization of waste, so called. Some years ago 
 while sojourning in a Connecticut town, I noticed near a 
 factory what seemed to be a large mound of black earth. 
 This aroused my curiosity, and meeting one of the factory 
 owners, I inquired as to this mound. "That pile of 
 refuse," said he, "is the sweepings from our factory, ac- 
 cumulated in years gone by, and represents a loss of many 
 thousands of dollars. It is not added to now, for today 
 we know how to utilize this waste. The accumulation 
 itself has been so effected by exposure to the storms and 
 sunshine of years that we cannot use it, brt we are saving 
 it, hoping, aye, expecting to sometime know how to use 
 it in our business." 
 
 The cheap clothing of the masses is largely made up of 
 what used to be waste. In the slaughter of brute crea- 
 tion for the support of man, there is today no waste ma- 
 terial; every part and parcel becomes, by the discoveries of 
 modern industrial science, of beneficentuse to man. There 
 is no such thing today as refuse. The waste of science, 
 art, manufacture and nature have their part in the econ- 
 omy of today. We are even learning that to pour our 
 sewage into the lakes and streams, and there to get rid 
 of it, is gigantic waste, for these elements may be and are 
 restored to their original purity and become blessings to 
 man. There is no need to multiply examples to prove 
 the truth of our proposition. Where then will we find 
 waste? I answer, in the laundry. 
 
 Before attempting to prove the truth of my statement 
 let me say: In our organization there has been need for 
 intelligent discussion of trade topics. I have endeavored 
 in the past to promote these discussions and wish some 
 
256 
 
 measure of success. It will be remembered by those who 
 were at the convention in New York in October last, that 
 I took up a certain subject and treated it in a way, not to 
 settle disputed points, but to arouse discussions of these 
 points to the end that we might be benefited thereby. 
 Thus today I take the same course, and in speaking of 
 the wastes of the laundry, I shall make no attempt to 
 show how these wastes may be avoided, but rather hope 
 that the discussions, which I trust will follow, will answer 
 such questions better than I can hope to do. Again, I 
 cannot hope in the brief time alloted me to allude to more 
 than a small proportion of the wastes of the laundry. 
 
 I shall allude first to office waste. By most laundrymen 
 it is considered imperative that a complete record of trans- 
 actions shall be kept. When a customer comes to us 
 bringing his package of clothing we must place upon our 
 books his name, address, mark, list of articles, price and" 
 other memoranda. This in a business* of magnitude 
 means an immense amount of labor, and is, I maintain, 
 largely waste. Not in the sense that the work is unnec- 
 essary, but in the sense that it is accomplished in a tedi- 
 ous and cumbersome way. The waste is time and energy; 
 the saving lies in the direction of improved methods- 
 What shall it be? 
 
 Next I come to the washroom. Here I have put the 
 waste under two heads, water and soap. Other wastes 
 there are, but these will suffice for present consideration. 
 The laundry runs by water. We may perhaps state that 
 upon the average the washing process consists of eight 
 distinct operations. For a so-called number two machine, 
 having a capacity of seventy-five shirts to a load, fifty 
 gallons of water at least will be required for each opera- 
 tion, hence to wash seventy-five shirts according to the 
 ordinary laundry process an expenditure of 400 gallons 
 of water is made. Taking this as a starting point, we 
 see that the expenditure of water in a laundry doing a 
 
251 
 
 business of $50,000 per annum is simply enormous, and a 
 large proportion of this expenditure comes under the head 
 of waste, because water is never so foul that it may not 
 be purified. In other words, in washing with water we 
 have no effect upon it except to load it with impuries 
 which may be quickly, easily and cheaply removed, so 
 that the water becomes again fit for our use. Other 
 e£fect there is not and cannot be except in change of tem- 
 perature. Why, then, this waste? 
 
 Some will say, "Water is cheap, and any saving accom- 
 plished will not compensate for time and material used in 
 recleaning the water;" but is this true? In many cases 
 it may be so, but not in all, or perhaps in the majority 
 of cases. In many laundries the water is paid for by 
 measure; does waste pay here? In others the price 
 charged for water is based upon estimates of the amount, 
 and the lower the estimate the less the cost. Does waste 
 pay in this case? Again, the water may be pumped from 
 wells or from streams, but every stroke of the piston 
 means consumption of coal. Is the matter of waste here 
 unworthy of consideration? Again, in many instances 
 laundries are compelled to use water that comes to them 
 so charged with foreign matter as to be unfit for use, 
 hence it iflQst be treated chemically and by filteration 
 before it can be utilized. All this means labor and ex- 
 pense, and when this water is poured out, our labor and 
 expense goes out with it, and we must supply the loss 
 with more labor and expense. Would it pay to reclaim 
 the vital element of our business in such cases as this? 
 
 Thus we arrive at the absolute fact that a very large 
 proportion of the expenditure of water in the ordinary 
 laundry is clear waste. How shall it be avoided? 
 
 Next we come to the matter of soap. Let anyone step 
 into the washroom of almost any laundry and he will find 
 suds foaming out of the washer in greater or less volume. 
 This is waste so evident that areument is unnecessary. 
 
258 
 
 and the way of economy is so plain, that the "wayfaring 
 man, though a fool,' may not err therein." . Bat this is 
 not the only waste. I am not eaougJi of a chemistto say 
 iu what condition the soap is in after tbe washing opera- 
 tion ia^complete. Whether it is stilLgoap or whether by 
 some chemical action it has, separated; and. instead of 
 soap, we have in' the water the constituents of soap, one 
 thing is certain: iWe have either soap or the .constituents 
 of soap, and in no way^ are they changed in nature or 
 strength.' What, then is, the problem? .This I conceive 
 it to be-- How shall we reclaim thesoap (or, the constitu- 
 ents)? Topour itinto the sewer is themostpi^pdigaL waste. 
 
 Other wastes I ithere^ are. We find them in every de- 
 partments Perhaps, however, I have already, furnislied 
 sufficient food' for reflection, so I may simply allude to 
 some of the.other avenues of loss, without attempting in 
 any case to enlarge upon them. 
 
 There is the waste water in the. boiler, too often 
 evident to ^ the steam expert; the* waste of -> fueL under 
 the boiler; the use of cheap but .expensive fuel; the 
 -methods of thedgnofant fireman; the thick fire or the 
 constantly sliced one; the faulty draft, the. foul flues; 
 the -low pcessure: when. the, high> is- so -much more 
 -effective; the worn out or out otisepair or out of date 
 engine; : the; waste of exhaust and returns? the pour- 
 ing of oil haphazard instead of just the, rig-ht amount in 
 the right spot;, imperfectly cared for .machinery,, wearing 
 out rapidly from < foulness and lack of care,- and the em- 
 ployment^of cheap, careless and inefficient hands. 
 
 These, then, my -friend* and brethren, are the places 
 where we will find the bung hole through which our 
 profits escape; How shall we stop the bung? I leave 
 the question with.you. 
 
 At the conclusion of the essay Mr. .Van Nor t said; 
 cTlie committee think that this essay is worthy the atten- 
 tion of this body if it takes the whole of the evening to 
 
259 
 
 -discuss it. If there are gentlemen li ere who have over- 
 come some of these wastes we will be pleased to hear 
 from them. 
 
 The President: .Has anybody ans^thing to offer to 
 prevent waste in the office? 
 
 Mr. Armstrong: For, a great many years we have put 
 our figures in the lists in the right hand column. If we 
 have two shirts, 20 cents; we put down the total. I was 
 compelled to do that ten or twelve years ago when I 
 drove my own wagon, fired ^ the boiler, ran the shirt 
 machine and kept the office, and have followed it up ever 
 •since. We very rarely have any trouble from it. 
 
 Mr.Chiera: We have our price lists in the marking 
 room and the work comes down toi the olerk in the office 
 already marked. 
 
 The President: I find the largest waste in my office in 
 paying the helpi I think, that is office waste. Has any 
 member: -any tjiing further to say? If not we will go to 
 the subject of waste in the.wash room. 
 
 Mr. Cumtnings: . Would it not be well to consider 
 
 -some general system of- .marking? It seems to me it 
 
 •would be practicable to adopt: some standard way ol 
 
 marking so as not to cover up a .piece of goods, a collar 
 
 or shirt, with half a. dozen marks that are not understood. 
 
 Mr. Conser: I think it would be a good idea for some 
 one'to give his system as a starting point. Each one has 
 a system of his own and out of a hundred boiled down we 
 might get one good one. 
 
 Mr.iAcmstjong: I find that a great many laundrymen 
 use a smgill piece of .muslin for a tag:to mark such things 
 as-handkerchiefs or socks, putting six handkerchiefs in 
 a. bundle or three- pairs of socks together. It is a great 
 saver of time in assorting and marking. White and 
 colored goods are kept separate. 
 
 . Mfs. Hagens We have two girls working together. If 
 it is wagon work the man who manages the route wagon 
 
260 
 
 sees thiit .;he proper tag is on the bundle. One girl opens 
 the bundle, counts the pieces and sees that they have the 
 proper mark on them, and what is not marked is selected 
 for the other girl to mark. Collars and cuffs are always 
 marked the same way, all over. In the case of flannels 
 and things of that kind we sew on a tag with a sewing 
 machine. When the girl comes to goods that are to be 
 marked in that way she pins on the tag and they are 
 carried to the girl that is running the sewing machine 
 and she sews on the tag where it was pinned by the 
 marking girl. 
 
 Mr. J. D. Frazee: How do you mark handkerchiefs? 
 
 Mr. Hagen: In our town work we mark them with a 
 number. In work that we are particular about we al- 
 ways put a tag on each handkerchief Some of us who 
 are fortunate enough to have one or two in our employ 
 who can make neat figures may take the time to mark 
 them in that way. But where you may have some who 
 will do that neatly others will make them so large that 
 the customer will grumble. In our town work we are not 
 very particular if the girl does put a large mark on a hand- 
 kerchief, because if they don't like it they will keep their 
 handkerchiefs at home. 
 
 Mr. J. D. Frazee: Do you use numbers, initials or 
 names? 
 
 Mr. Hagen: We use all; usually numbers. We find 
 that we cannot apply the number system to everybody. 
 If it is a hotel'customer, and his goods are marked with 
 a number, you must keep the same number for him, or 
 if they are marked with initials or the name you must 
 keep it the same and as nice as they had it before. We 
 have a book in which we keep every man's name and 
 number. If we want to find who has 8,422 we look on the 
 book to see if that has been given to a regular customer. 
 
 The President: I have adopted a system of marking 
 for my agents which has proved very satisfactory. For 
 
261 
 
 my city customers the numbers, of course, run up to any 
 number, and in the book the name is set opposite the 
 number; but for agents I have a separate book for each. 
 If I had an agent in Chicago I would have a book and 
 the numbers would run from i up say to 1,000, and on 
 the goods I would put " C " before every number, and 
 every piece so marked that was left over I would know 
 belonged to Chicago. If I had an agent in Springfield I 
 would put " S " before the number, and goods so marked 
 I would know belonged to Springfield, and they are not 
 mixed with my city bundles. If two cities have the same 
 initial of course I change the way of marking, take the 
 initial of my agent or anything I have a mind to. 
 When we bundle these goods we of course keep them in 
 lots and are particular not to mix a lot. Occasionally we 
 have a customer that moves from one city to the other, 
 but in that case we do not chaiige the mark. Of course 
 mistakes occur. I do not think it is possible to run a 
 laundry without. If a collar is blistered that goes back 
 as a special, and that means that it is to come back quick. 
 We have a special dry room rack for a quick time 
 bundle. 
 
 Mr. Mohn: In regard to a go-back system I think Mr. 
 Hagen has the best system I ever saw. He puts a brass 
 tag on the article and no matter who finds it he knows it 
 is a " go back. ' ' 
 
 Mr. J. D. Frazee: We use a red string, and the minute 
 you see it you know it is a "go back." 
 
 Mr. Van Nort: We use a red string in special hotel 
 work and a white string in a send back. 
 
 The President: How do you get the red out of the 
 collar? 
 
 Mr. J. D. Frazee: You don't get it in. We use the 
 French red. 
 
 Mr. Armstrong: In laundries in California, in marking 
 ihey use numbers nearly altogether, and when a package 
 
263 
 
 comes in they open it up and call out the name and the 
 number and the clerk or bookkeeper in the marking room . 
 enters it in the book: The number is placed on the back ■ 
 of the neckband in the shirt, in very small figuresu e I was, 
 very much impressed with their method of marking and o 
 keeping the record. 
 
 Mr. Van Nort: I have noticed in goods coming from 
 California that they mark the cuffs on the- end between •;< 
 the button holes, and collars they usually mark where 
 the band is. 
 
 Mr. Conser: We put the name on straight. ,,We 
 happen to have a marker who writes a very neat hand. 
 On socks and handkerchiefs we use a tag of tape which . 
 is put on with a needle, the tape is put through and. 
 fastened with a loop and will never come ■ off. If your 
 goods are marked with initials or a number and the . . 
 assorter don't remember the name, she will, have,: to go 
 back to the book, but with the name itself on it helps... 
 wonderfully in hunting. 
 
 Mr. Hagan: While you are working on a number of 
 things it if. quite important that your lota should .be kept, 
 separate. We have a schedule that we work up to — a time 
 schedule. We have often compared the. laundry i 
 business to the running of a railroad. The work has 
 to reach a certain - stage at a certain time or else: it 
 is behind time. We have five checks, I think, for 
 each lot. This is for shirt work.- The shirt is always* 
 accompanied with this check and they work on. that let 
 until it is finished, so that everybody in thei laundry 
 knows when the lot begins and when it ends. We . find: 
 that' system a great help in keeping our: lots separate 
 and distinct. 
 
 Mr. Vati Nort: How many lots do you. run during the 
 week? 
 
 Mr. Hagan: I think sixty in collars andfroin twentyr 
 seven to thirty in shirts. 
 
263 
 
 Mr.Conser: I wish some one would tell me how we 
 can use suds the second time instead of nmning them 
 down into the sewer. 
 
 Mr. Mohn: Pump it overhead and use it the second time. 
 
 Mr. Conser: Is it economy? 
 
 Mr. Mohn:' I cannot answer. 
 
 Mr. Chiera: We have tried it. We have used two 
 washrooms, one upstairs and one downstairs. The bundle 
 work Went upstairs. We used to save the suds in a tank: 
 below and those we saved for the plain clothes downstairs. 
 We found in a very short time that the tank was very - 
 dirty and had quite a nice (?) smell. 
 
 Mr. Conser: The point I am after is how to purify it 
 and use it, and have it^cheaper than other water. 
 
 Mr. Hagan: We have experimented some with water- 
 saving in Rochester and have had some satisfactory re- 
 sults from it. We put a large tank on top of a washing 
 machine with three apartments in it, and then we take a 
 rotary pump and attachit to the washing machine.' We use 
 one rotary pump to four or six washing machines, and- 
 one tank for two washing machines. - The' water will be 
 equalized that way. We apply it mostly to washing 
 shirts and collars. We pump. the second sad» up into 
 one of the tanks and save it there until we come to the 
 next lot — there is not much dirt in the second suds — 
 then we run them out and thfey become the first suds in the 
 next washing machine full, dnd after it is used it is run 
 out into the sewer; then we take the hot rinse and run 
 that into the washing machine to make the second silds, 
 and then pump the second silds back into the tank, and 
 by so using the suds over and- over you save your suds 
 and your acetic acid. Our object principally was to save 
 the water. It also saves considerable money in heat. 
 The^ hot' suds are put- into the tank and they' stay hot. 
 We find it economical in heat, in water and in acetic- 
 acid.-. (Applause.) 
 
264 
 
 Mr. Cummings: It has been a question with me to 
 know at what speed the best results would be obtained in 
 running the washing machine. 
 
 The President: I have in mind a machine that I bought 
 that was put into my place and started. I do not know 
 what its speed was, but it was running very much slower 
 than any machine that I had. I told my man that would 
 not do, but we would wait until Saturday before chang- 
 ing it. The day was not over before he told me that it 
 washed just as fast and a good deal better than those run- 
 ning at a higher speed. I then told hiin that we would 
 reduce the speed of others. I cannot tell you the speed 
 we are running at, but we are not running our machines 
 over half as fast as we were a year ago. 
 
 Mr. Frazee: I do not think that there are any two 
 machines that you can run at full speed. It all depends 
 upon the size of the cylinder. You cannot run a large 
 cylinder at the same speed you can a small cylinder. 
 
 Mr. Chiera: In my experience I find it makes no dif- 
 ference what the size of the machine is. I run them as 
 fast as I can so long as I can hear the clothes drop. A 
 No. 3 washing machine we run at about forty revolutions. 
 We find by running at that speed we do not need to have 
 a woman to wash them over. 
 
 Mr. Williams: We find that with a slower speed we 
 accomplish the work much more satisfactory and there is 
 less complaint on account of tearing the goods. We all 
 know there is more or less trouble from that cause as the 
 goods get older, the goods being torn in the machine. 
 
 Mr. Doremus: With a thirty-inch cylinder my experi- 
 ence has been that about thirty turns is the right speed. 
 You will do better work; there will be less wear and tear 
 and you will not tangle your goods. I think as a rule 
 laundry machinery is run too fast. A man should be 
 governed by the size of his cylinder. A small machine, 
 26 or 28-inch cylinder, might run 35 or 38 turns per 
 
265 
 
 minute. A 36-inch cylinder I would not run to exceed 
 28 turns per minute. 
 
 Mr. Armstrong: I would like to hear from some 
 gentleman on washing. There is a washman in our city 
 who has told me that he only uses one suds in washing, 
 and the place he is employed at turns out beautiful work. 
 He worked for me two weeks and did not turn out a 
 single batch of good work. He went back to the same 
 laundry he came from and turned out beautiful work. 
 If there is any one that succeeds with a single suds I 
 would like to hear it explained. 
 
 The President: I believe Mr. Doremus could enter- 
 tain us on the wash question. 
 
 Mr. Taylor: I think Mr. Armstrong could get along 
 with the one suds if he would put the clothes in the 
 machine and run them for ten or fifteen minutes, using 
 cold water to start with, putting borax in the water; 
 then run the water off and then run them for an hour or 
 three-quarters in one suds or as long as necessary, but 
 that is long enough. We use Ohio river water. 
 
 Mr. Armstrong: Do you use borax water for the first 
 water? 
 
 Mr. Taylor: Yes, sir; or bicarbonate of soda; any- 
 thing to soften the water. 
 
 Mr. Doremus: My washing process is red hot from 
 the beginning until the last I cool the clothes down just 
 sufficiently to take the blueing properly. It is a mistaken 
 idea that clothes will not take the blueing when they are 
 warm. They must be made neutral in order to have 
 them take any color; that is to say, every particle of 
 foreign matter, mineral or vegetable, must be taken from 
 the fabric. Now I woul(l prefer to have some gentleman 
 ask me a question. 
 
 Mr. Anthony: I do not like to get up before this 
 assembly, as I am a new man, but I cannot get my 
 clothes clean. I use warm water in the first suds and 
 
266 
 
 run about forty minutest-make them ordinarily hot. 
 Afterwards I change them and start them with a slow 
 boil. It takes me .about two hours to get a washing . 
 done, and my shirts show streaks .in the sleeves. 
 
 Mr. Doremus: What kind of soap do you use? 
 
 Mr. Anthony: I use the chip soap, make the chipa 
 according to the average direictions and I use about one 
 pound of caustic soda to ten gallons, of soap. 
 
 Mr. Doremus: Try, a- little more soda. -^Those are 
 evidently grease stains in the sleeves and your soap dees 
 not cut them. Is your water hard? 
 
 Mr. Anthony: I break it with caustic, soda. It is 
 Ohio, water. It is a kind of surface water from a gravel 
 pit and it is yellow. The water looks nice and clear and 
 after you bail it out it looks yellow. ■ 
 
 Mr. Doremus: Break, it with potash instead of. caustic-: 
 soda. You have, sulphur in your water. Your process .i 
 is all right, but you are not getting alkali enough. ;How 
 many shirts do you put in a No. 2 machine? Seventy-jt 
 five? 
 
 Mr. Anthony: Not anymore than that. 
 
 Mr. Doremus: How fast do you run your machine? u 
 
 Mr. Anthony: I run the shaft :r33, I guess. There, 
 is a 12-inch pulley on the header and a i2rinch pulley on 
 the shaft. : 
 
 Mr. Doremus: What kind of machine do you. use? ,. 
 
 Mr. Anthony: It is a Troy machine I wash; the cloties. 
 in. It runs about the same as the average that I see 
 around in the cities. 
 
 Mr. Doremus: The reason that I ask that is that the 
 speed of the washing machine has as much to do with 
 the washing as the material you use; that is, the machine 
 sbould not run so fast that the goods will not drop when 
 they get to the top of the center.^ Jt is the passing of thfe; 
 water through the goods that cleanses them, after the dift 
 has been made soluble by the water. To make it soluble 
 
267 
 
 of course you have the proper ingredients in the water. 
 I wou-ld advise you to get the best chip soap you can get. 
 It may be a neutral soap. Therfe is not much surplus lye 
 in any soap, because it will not t&ke it up. 
 
 Mr. Anthony:' I cannot use some chip soap at all and 
 I am satisfied'it is good. 
 
 Mr. Doremus: That proves to me just what I started 
 out to tell you, that your great trouble is that you have 
 not alkali enough in your water or you would not have- 
 those streaks in the goods. You go to work and double 
 up your alkali and I will guarantee that it will not hurt ■ 
 the fabric a particle, and it will save you something on 
 your soap bill. 
 
 The President: I would ask if it does not make some^ 
 difference about the temperature of the water. 
 
 Mr. -Doremus: Yes,' but he stated that he brought up 
 his second suds- pretty well up to a boil, and' that is my 
 idea of washing. I would suggest in connection with 
 that that you use your first water hotter. 
 
 Mr. Anthony: I use it very-warm — iSodegrees. 
 
 Mr. Doremus: I thought so. That is not hot enough; 
 but that is not your trouble. Do as I have told you. If 
 you are using 60 per cent of caustic soda put in double 
 that amount, and don't put into your washing machine, 
 to exceed sixty shirts, and lay them in straight, 
 heads and buts as we call it, and after they are wet 
 don't have more than six inches' in the bottom of the 
 cylinder. 
 
 Mr. Mohn: For the benefit of the gentleman from 
 Ohio I will ask if you- wouW put soiled and greasy goods 
 in hot water to begin with? 
 
 Mr. Doremus: Yes. I want to say in connection with 
 that matter that a gentleman told me here last Might ^:hat 
 he heard me state my method of washing in New York 
 last year and he went iome and tried it and found that it 
 came out all right. 
 
268 
 
 Mr. W. W. Crothers: I am that man. I used the hot 
 process all the way through and I found that the clothes 
 came out clean and all right. 
 
 Mr. Doremus: I think if the gentleman from Ohio 
 will follow out what I have said that he will overcome 
 his difficulty. In the first place, all matter contained in 
 goods is either vegetable or mineral. You cannot touch 
 mineral matter with soap and water. For instance, 
 cotton goods especially will take up iron. You may take 
 sheets and pillow slips and laundry them as nicely as 
 you know how and you will find that they will gradually 
 become yellow. I never use a particle of washing soda 
 for laundry purposes because it will make the goods 
 yellow. I at one time gathered water from thirtj'-one 
 states of the United States and had it separately analyzed. 
 I had two objects in view. One was to find out the dif- 
 ferent nature of the waters in the different states for the 
 purpose of knowing how to handle those waters; the next 
 was to find out how I could get the best showing on new 
 v/ork there was in the country and I succeeded in getting 
 it. I first had to find out what to do with my water and 
 then I looked into the matter to see how I could get rid 
 of the yellow substances, and I found that remedy in 
 oxalic acid. 
 
 Twenty-six years ago, when I left the Pullman laundry, 
 I had kept their sheets in very nice shape. Their sheets 
 began afterwards to get yellow from I^ake Michigan 
 water and Pullman did not like that, and came to me and 
 wanted to know what I would bleach those sheets for. I 
 told him and he gave me about seven thousand to bleach 
 and I bleached them. I got up a little retort, manufact- 
 ured chlorine gas, impregnated the water, put them 
 through a sulphuric acid bath, rinsed them out and 
 turned them over to the company nice and dry, every 
 piece as good as it ever was. I put my own price on the 
 work and they said it was too high. Afterwards they 
 
269 
 
 undertook to bleach them themselves and Albert Pull- 
 man invited me over to the old laundry where I com- 
 menced to work. I went over and saw a hogshead, so 
 high (indicating), put my hand on it and it was hot. I 
 said to Albert Pullman, " I will bet one hundred dollars 
 to five that you cannot pull one sheet that will be whole 
 by pulling at it, and you will have to tumble them out 
 with a pitchfork. ' ' I was not so old as I am now and I 
 thought I knew a great deal. He said to me, " You are 
 a pretty young man to talk that way. We can do this 
 work, but we don't want to bother with it. You just 
 cut your price in two and we will gladly let you do this 
 work." I said no, and I made him another proposition: 
 ■ ' If you can take one of those sheets out of the middle of 
 that hogshead (they looked like mush and milk there) 
 pulling on the end of it, and it holds its own weight I 
 will bleach in perfect shape 10,000 of your sheets for 
 nothing and 10,000 slips for nothing, and if you cannot 
 do that you are to let me bleach 100,000 sheets and 
 100,000 slips, and you are to pay me two cents apiece for 
 the sheets and one cent apiece for the slips, and I will 
 do it for you between the ist of November and the ist of 
 March, as .you can spare them." He accepted the propo- 
 sition. He called a man there I knew very well, Neal 
 Graves, a tall fellow, and he went for a step ladder and 
 pulled on one and it fell to pieces. " Oh, that is because 
 they are so heavy. Wait until w6 get them from the mid- 
 dle." Well, the biggest piece of a sheet that he pulled 
 out there was not bigger than a handkerchief. I won 
 the bet and made about a thousand dollars with very 
 little work. I got the sheets to bleach and I bleached 
 them. The sheets had become yellow from taking up 
 little by little the iron in the I^ake Michigan water and 
 concentrated it in spots. When you use sulphuric acid 
 for bleaching you must use it as the chemist does or you 
 will ruin anything and everything you touch with it. It 
 
270 
 
 is antagonistic to the chlorine gas; the acid and the gas 
 get to fighting, leave the goods and take out the color. 
 
 I will say again in regard to the washing process, put 
 in seventy-five shirts in a No. 2 washer with six inches 
 of water heated to not less than 100 degrees; put in a 
 little soap and leave it five minuteSi then put in a little 
 more soap; by that time the dirt will have neutralized the 
 soap. In the first water you may put in -three or four 
 dippersfull of soap; wash fifteen or twenty minutes and 
 run the soap off in the water. That takes- the rough 
 dirt out of the goods; then put in six inches more of 
 water, as hot as you like— I do not care if it is boiling — 
 not less than 160, degrees, and put in soap just as before. 
 Some people put the soap in all at once. -This is a mis- 
 take, unless you have plenty of money to pay soap bills. 
 Then in the second water wash until the clothes are 
 clean; three-quarters of an hour is long enough. You 
 want soap in there all the time, and it must be stronger 
 than the dirt in the goods so as to cut it and get it out. 
 Then follow with two rinses, up to- 200 degrees, for the 
 purpose of getting rid of the soap. Don't be sparing of 
 the water in rinsing; I do not care if the machine is half 
 full. Then put in water and cool it doyrn for blueing. 
 ■Then mix your blueing. "\Ve put in about two inches 
 more of water for blueing than for washing. Put in a 
 given amount of the blueing, two or three ounces, accord- 
 -, ing to the strength of the blueing, wring out the clothes 
 and they will be all ready to go to the dry room. 
 
 A Member: Do you blue in warm water? 
 
 Mr. Doremus: Yes, a little warm. Lwash in two 
 ' waters, rinse in-two waters, cool down in two waters and 
 -blue in the sixth. • That is my process. 
 
 Mr. Armstrong: I would like to- hear from Mr,. Dore- 
 mus on the subject of the dry room. I have- never been 
 able to dry shirts, collars and cuffs under an hour or an 
 hour and a half. 
 
'! 211 
 
 Mr. Doremus. 'I have a little bit of a dry room in my 
 place, a floor surface o£ ten byitwelve feet, and I can dry 
 a new shirt in there in from ten to fifteen miuntes, and 
 you, know it takes a third longer to dry a new shirt than 
 an old one. I carry 115 pounds of steam and my blow 
 off is at 1 20. In constructing a dry* room you want to 
 provide for ventilation, but do not take your hot air at 
 the top; You will find three stratas of air in your dry 
 room. The top air is dry and hot, the bottom air is cold 
 and the middle air holds themcasturei -I have no open- 
 ing in my dry room for the cold air to get in. It will get 
 in- without an opening. My ventilating pipe is placed at 
 • about one-third of the ..height of the dry room from the 
 bottom. You can smell no steam in my dry room. The 
 air will take up only a small portion of the moisture, and 
 as it takes it up the air drops but does not drop so far as 
 the Cold air- which is at the bottom. Heated air does not 
 rise of its own accord, but the cold- air rushes in and 
 forces it to rise. When the air has absorbed the moisture 
 you have to get it out, for the quicker you get it out the 
 quicker you dry your clothes. In ' my' little dry room I 
 have dried 12,000 shirts in a week, 2,000 a day, when we 
 were working on new work. I use a double coilof pipe 
 and cover the entire. floor of the dry room with the pipe. 
 In nine-tenths' of the dry rooms I have seen there has not 
 been a , proper circulation in the coil. Inch pipe is the 
 most practical size. The circulation .should return 
 directly to the boiler. The feed pipe should be larger 
 than the return -pipe so as to give sufficient pressure, and 
 the return pipe should beriarge jenough to carry off the 
 •water andsteam. 
 
 ARE LOCAi; ASSOCIATIONS B^NEFICIAI,? 
 
 W. H. GARLOCK, CLEVEtAND, OHIO. 
 
 If ' 'self-preservation is the first law of nature' ' it is fair 
 to suppose that association is the second. I think I have 
 
272 
 
 read somewhere (I cannot just tell where, perhaps in the 
 Good Book) that it is not good for man to be alone. If 
 we look at the tropical climes of the south, where blushing 
 flowers scatter their sweet fragrance around and make the 
 atmosphere delightful to breathe, or if we turn to ' 'Green- 
 land's icy mountains," it is the same that makes us feel 
 the need of association with our fellow men. Such then 
 is association and the beneficial results following. It is 
 true that we encounter here and there a person, or we 
 might say a hermit, who withdraws himself from all 
 social contact with his fellow men, and takes up his 
 abode, as it were, in some lonely wilderness, or he may be 
 cast by shipwreck on some rock-bound isle of the sea, 
 there to remain for years, secluded from society, ' 'mon- 
 arch of all surveys." We invariably find a person of this 
 kind subject to an inestimable sacrifice — secluded from 
 his fellow men. He has no opportunity to develop soci- 
 ally, morally or intellectually. So the lyord said "It is 
 not good for man to live alone" and he immed.iately gave 
 him an associate. This, no doubt, was the first organ- 
 ization on earth of an association, an organization for the 
 comfort, happiness and benefit of that couple. I have 
 not the least doubt but that that association has been 
 productive of as much or more happiness than any 
 association that has ever followed. No doubt this as- 
 sociation was the bed-rock of all other associations down 
 to the present day, and is the keystone that supports 
 all domestic and civil governments. It is surprising 
 to note the application of this association rule in 
 nature, for here we not only find that "birds of a 
 feather flock together," but even in the insect world 
 we see the little busy bees swarming together, thoroughly 
 organized, acknowledging a king and pressing forward 
 to conquest, with almost human intelligence driving 
 out every drone which nnght htand in the way of those 
 who do the work. 
 
273 
 
 This association for mutual protection holds good in the 
 vegetable as well as the animal kingdom, for not only 
 the flowers and shrubs thrive better by association, but 
 the mighty forests of pine and oak bow in humble sub- 
 mission to this fundamental principle and associate them- 
 selves with floral meadows, pine groves and oak forests. 
 I tell you, gentlemen, that association is the great funda- 
 mental principle on which depends, in a great measure, 
 the success of our business. What means of assistance 
 could a person of limited resources turn to for protection 
 against the grasping hand of some individual, controlling 
 almost unlimited means, or upon what could he lean for 
 support when some vast aggregation of wealth would cast 
 its weight upon him, were he not armed with the potent 
 arm of the association? Not among men only do associa- 
 tions for mutual protection hold good. Look at that little 
 flower striving to bloom in the midst of a great meadow, 
 striving, as it were, for an existence; but when associated 
 with its fellow flowers, with others growing round about 
 it, see how it thrives and grows, and how beautiful. The 
 mighty oak that has been spared by the woodman's axe, 
 and stands alone in the open field, is the target of every 
 furious wind that blows, and is soon wrung, twisted and 
 bent until it is unable to withstand the strain longer, and 
 one by one its branches wither and fall, and at last the cy- 
 clone, with its devastating breath, breaks upon it, and it is 
 laid low unable to rise again; but, if associated with its 
 forest fellows its leaves are green, its branches strong, its 
 roots deep in the solid earth and it can withstand the 
 blast of the severest storm. 
 
 Almost the first question asked by one contemplating 
 the organization of a laundrymen's local association is: 
 Do you get any benefit from your association? Such a 
 question as this sometimes makes me weary, especially 
 when propounded by a man of ordinary intelligence. 
 Were I to enumerate all the benefits of our Cleveland as- 
 
2li 
 
 sociation it would take more time than would be allpwed 
 in this paper. 
 
 Permit me to give you a little of our own experience, 
 that you may the better judge whether a local association 
 is of any benefit to its members^ On the iSth of Decem- 
 ber last, on Sunday morning about 6:30 o'clock, I was 
 ruthlessly aroused from my slumbers and. was informed 
 by a newsboy that our laundry was in ruins, was burned 
 out, was gutted by fire. This was the cheering news 
 that greeted my ears on that memorable Sunday morning. 
 I hastened down town to see for myself the extent of the 
 conflagration. I found a very interesting and entertain- 
 ing sight, altogether difierent from any that I ever before 
 witnessed, that is, it seemed different and more interesting 
 to me. I do not remember when I had witnessed a sight 
 of so much interest. Nothing at the great big show at 
 Chicago, not even in the Midway Plaisance, was half so 
 interesting, I found a heap of blackened ruins. One 
 policeman, two of my competitors, and several other sight- 
 seers, viewing that delectable spot which only a few hours 
 before had echoed with the hum of busy machinery. I 
 had not been there many minutes before another of the 
 C. I/. A. came and then another until the whole Cleve- 
 land Laundrymen"s Association was on hand, each ask- 
 ing what he could do to help us out of that fearful di- 
 lemma. I^et me ask the gentlemen of this association, 
 will any of you ask the question: Are local associations 
 beneficial? Please do not ask me, as m}' opinion of you 
 at present is that you are all rational and intelligent, en- 
 dowed with a full share of common sense. 
 
 While studying over the situation and racking my 
 brains, trying to see my way out of that fearful hole, 
 another member of our association appeared upon the 
 scene, Mr. Mireau, of the Cleveland Steam I<aundry. 
 While every other member of the C. I,. A. would have 
 been just as willing and ready to have done the same, Mr. 
 
275 
 
 Mireau says: "Well, W. H., what are you going to do? 
 What can I do for you?" I said, "That is hard to tell. 
 It looks pretty tough." "Well," he said, "I will tell 
 you what I think you had better do. There is my plant 
 that you are welcome to use from 6 p. m. till 7 a. m. ; 
 take it and do your work at night and your customers 
 will not know that you have had a fire." Now, do you 
 ask, are local associations a benefit? How would it have 
 been with you? Ask yourselves this question. I know 
 what some of you would answer where there is no associ- 
 ation. Each laundry would make a grand scramble for 
 the work of the disabled competitor, and before he could 
 recover his trade would be lost, his businesb ruined, and 
 no doubt he would be relegated to private life. Do you 
 still ask, are local associations a benefit? You might as 
 well ask this country in its present state of financial dis- 
 tress, if it is best for congress to agree on some plan of 
 relief, or whether it would not be better for each repre- 
 sentative to have some views of his own and act indepen- 
 dently of all the other members and cause chaos and con- 
 fusion to reign supreme. Would it be better for each in- 
 dividual soldier of a regiment to undertake to fight the 
 battle on his own hook or march in solid phalanx with 
 his comrades, sweep down upon the enemy and vanquish 
 him in one tremendous charge? 
 
 Not only in case of disaster and loss by fire is an asso- 
 ciation beneficial, but in a thousand -ways is the poor 
 harassed laundryman made to feel more contented, more 
 secure and happier in knowing that his competitors are 
 not seeking to build up their business through his ruin 
 and downfall. Before the organization of our Cleveland 
 association, six or seven years ago, it was the customary 
 and correct thing to do, when a competitor was coming 
 down the street, to have business of great importance 
 on the other side of the street, or something of paramount 
 interest attracted attention in another direction. In faci, 
 
276 
 
 for nearly two years after locating in Cleveland I did not 
 know some who are now my best friends, also my com- 
 petitors. How different now for the past six years! We 
 are always glad to meet our members and to do all we 
 can to assist them when an occasion demands it. We 
 usually meet twice a month for the purpose of talking 
 over matters pertaining to business, and have a good socia- 
 ble time generally. 
 
 It is also a source of great pleasure to our members to 
 entertain our friends who drop in on us occasionally, 
 especially when our president, Mr. Shaw, happens to be 
 that visitor. Not he alone, however. Remember the 
 latch-string of the C. 1,. A. is always out to all friends of 
 the h- N. A. We hope to hear in the near future that 
 the laundrymen of many localities will follow our humble 
 example and band themselves together in one strong bond 
 of friendship. 
 
 Do not think so much of your own personal interest as 
 to ignore that of a competitor. He has rights as well as 
 you that you are bound to respect. It is a shame and a 
 disgrace when men engaged in the same line of business 
 cannot agree in peace and harmony, and I believe there 
 is no line of business where so much jealousy exists as 
 among laundrymen. What a shame! What a disgrace! 
 One laundryman may think it an advantage to offer an 
 agent five or ten per cent more than another is paying 
 him. Do not forget that that same laundryman can "see 
 your five" and perhaps go ten better. Where then is 
 your advantage? Strive to hold your trade by turning 
 out good work and deliver your goods promptly. 
 
 If you organize an association in your town you must 
 not think that it will run itself after you have it on its 
 feet. Keep up the interest by attending the regular meet- 
 ings; be social; be friendly. It will pay you. Such then 
 is association and the beneficial results that follow it. If 
 we listen to the voice of nature, human, animal or veget- 
 
211 
 
 able, or have regard for the teachings of our daily lil<:, 
 we must rest assured that by organizing this association, 
 of which I am proud to be a member, we but followed 
 the dictates of reasoa and good judgment. 
 
 Essays Read at the Convention held at Rochester, 
 N. F., September, 1894, and discussion on same. 
 
 WASHING. 
 
 BY J. J. VAN NORTB, OF SCRANTON, PA. 
 
 Some time in June I received a request from our 
 worthy President as follows: "I wish to prevail upon 
 you to describe your process of washing; not your idea 
 of how it should be done, but how it is done in your 
 establishment; size of your washers, the speed they run, 
 heft or size of loads, number of suds and rinses, etc. 
 After you are through with your description, I wish you 
 would kindly answer any questions that may be asked by 
 any of the members present." 
 
 Had the request been to describe the process or method 
 of washing, I would hardly have had the presumption 
 to attempt a compliance, but would have waived my 
 right to one older and of more experience than* I. How- 
 ever, as the request goes only to my methods I gladly 
 appear before you. 
 
 First, our washroom is situated a little below the 
 street grade, but nevertheless through ojr eight-foot 
 windows we obtain one very important requisite— perfect 
 light. It is supplied with large capacity filter, hot 
 water heater for both washers and boiler, and hot water 
 tank to catch as far as possible the condensation of all 
 the live steam pipes. 
 
 The floor is of concrete and so graded that all the 
 the water runs to the wash trench which extends along 
 
278 
 
 one side of the room, six inches from the wall, and is five 
 inches deep by three feet six inches wide and in the 
 center has a gutter ten inches wide running from three 
 inches in depth at one end to eight inches at the other, 
 where it enters into the sewer through a six inch Bell 
 trap. In this trench washers stand with an average 
 space between tubs of four feet for header, steam and 
 water connections. Our steam connections are of one 
 inch pipe, and run along the wall about four feet from 
 the floor, while cold and hot water each is carried in one 
 and one-half inch pipes along the wall about five and six 
 feet respectively, above the door. Our washers empty 
 into the above described gutter, and if the latter overflows 
 (which is seldom) the trench never does. The extractors 
 are five feet in front of the washers, and so placed that 
 each extractor is midway between the washers. 
 
 Washer No. 1 is a brass cylinder, 40x50, without par- 
 tition, and is used almost exclusively for white shirts. In 
 this machine we make our loads of from 100 to 150 shirts, 
 or from 70 to 100 pounds, though we endeavor to keep 
 the loads as light as possible. Our countershaft over our 
 washing machines runs 170 revolutions per minute. This 
 machine has 18-inch pulleys, while a 14-inch pulley is 
 used on the shaft, thus making the speed of the machine 
 pulleys about 130. The inside cylinder accomplishes 18 
 revolutions a minute, making two turns before it reverses. 
 
 Washer No. 2 is a collar and cuff washer, 24x44 brass 
 cylinder, carrying a load of 40 to 50 dozen collars and 
 cufis, or from 20 to 30 pounds. The cylinder of this ma- 
 chine makes 22 revolutions a minute. 
 
 Washer No, 3 is 36x54 and carries from 80 to 100 shirts, 
 or from 60 to 70 pounds. The speed of the inside cylinder 
 on this machine is about 22 revolutions a minute. 
 
 Washers Nos. 4 and 5 are each 30x48; each loads from 
 50 to 60 shirts, or from 40 to 50 lbs, with the inside 
 cylinders giving from 20 to 22 revolutions per minute. 
 
279 
 
 Now as to the v/ashing process: 
 
 First, cold water is run into the machine until about 4 
 inches is shown in the glass, and the machine is run five 
 minutes. Second, both the hot and cold water valves 
 are thrown open until the glass shows four inches of 
 water, then warm liqnid soap is added, and the machine 
 is started on a twenty-five minute run. Third, hot water 
 at 200 degrees is run in until the glass again shows four 
 inches, when soap is added and the machine is run forty- 
 five minutes longer— the water being kept up to the boil- 
 ing point. Fourth, we give two hot rinses with plenty 
 of water. Fifth, we run on the same quantity of hot 
 water, to which is added two quarts of bleach (lime 
 bleach composed of lime and carbonate of soda) and run 
 thirty minutes, bringing the water up hot at the finish 
 but not to a boil. Sixth, then two hot rinses again, of 
 ten minutes each, the machine being in operation while 
 the change is made, and on the last rinse we leave 
 the water valve open continuously, washing out the over- 
 flow. Seventh, warm water is run in until the glass 
 shows four inches, and the machine is then run ten min- 
 utes on acetic acid, and, finally, cold water is run on, 
 enough to cover the goods. The load runs about ten min- 
 utes in aniline blue water, after which the clothes are 
 wrung out. 
 
 Such are the washers used in my establishment, and 
 such the washing process. In such an assemblage I 
 would hardly have the temerity to pass any high ecomium 
 upon that process, but will only say that its results are 
 highly satisfactory from an economical standpoint, and 
 increasing patronage would indicate approval of the 
 method I have adopted. 
 
 As to the second portion of our President's request, 
 that I " will answer any qestions that may be asked," I 
 can only say, and I say it honestly, truthfully, and after 
 most mature deliberation, that there are many, many 
 
280 
 
 things in ' ' Heaven above and in the earth below ' ' of 
 which I know absolutely nothing; so that they who have 
 questions to ask will really find themselves in a limited 
 field. Indeed, I would rather be the inquirer than the 
 answerer in laundry matters, especially in this presence, 
 for I feel the need of more knowledge much more than the 
 ability of imparting any to you. I will, however, do the 
 best I can, and if I cannot answer I shall take the liberty 
 to call upon some whom I see present to answer for me. 
 
 The President: Has any one any remarks to make re- 
 lating to the subject of the essay? 
 
 A Member: How much time is taken? 
 
 Mr. Van Nort: Two and a half to three hours. 
 
 The President: I am a little surprised that some of 
 you are not taking exceptions to the method our friend 
 has described. If any of you have anything better the 
 association would be glad to hear from you. 
 
 Mr. Armstrong: The exception that I would take is 
 that it takes too much time. Time is precious. 
 
 Mr. Kelso: How many difierent waters do you use? 
 
 Mr. Van Nort: I have not thought of that specially; 
 I think it is nine. 
 
 Mr. Doremus: Mr. President, I think it is wrong for a 
 gentleman to kick against a process given in an essay 
 unless he can tell how he can beat it. I think that 
 gentleman who has been kicking had better get up and 
 explain his process. 
 
 Mr. Armstrong: Mr. President, in answer to the 
 gentleman from Cook county, the first objection that I 
 make is that if you run the machine three hours you are 
 going to wear the clothes more than if you run it an hour 
 and a half. I honestly believe that the quicker you get 
 the goods washed the better it is for the goods and the 
 better it is for the laundry. 
 
 Mr. Beck of Atlanta, Ga: If Mr. Kelso will give us his 
 method of washing. I think we will all be thankful for it 
 
281 
 
 Mr. Kelso: I would like to hear from Mr. Armstrong 
 on his method. 
 
 Mr. Reed: T see that our friend Mr. Armstrong does 
 not explain how the time is to be reduced. We would 
 like to have him explain how he does it himself. 
 
 Mr. Armstrong: In the first place we fill and empty 
 quick. We start with cold water; run the suds off in about 
 fifteen minutes; then run the second suds about twenty- 
 five minutes; then rinse slow, about an hour and thirty 
 minutes, taking two hours to two and a half. We get 
 our clothes fairly clean. Fifteen minutes is the limit of 
 the bleaching. 
 
 Mr. Frazee: How many waters do you use? 
 
 Mr. Armstrong: Eight, including the bluing. 
 
 Mr. Royce: I see that Mr. Van Nort uses hot water 
 almost entirely. I should like to' inquire the reason for 
 using hot water. I should like to call out a general ex- 
 pression as to the reasons for using hot and cold water in 
 rinsing. Which is best and why? 
 
 Mr. Armstrong: Give yours. 
 
 Mr Royce: I am asking a question. I would like to 
 learn and I presume there are others here like myself 
 who would like the information. I would like to see the 
 subject thoroughly discussed. I would like to hear from 
 Mr. Bowman how they do it out west. 
 
 Mr. Bowman of Sedalia, Mo: We get through a little 
 quicker than that. We use only five waters in washing. 
 I open the cold water valve, run in about four inches of 
 water, throw in my caustic soda and let the wheel revolve 
 until it is thoroughly dissolved; put in my soap, about a 
 quart; load in eighty to one hundred shirts in the brass 
 cylinder, turn on the steam and let it run twenty-five 
 minutes. We do not heat the first water hotter than you 
 can bear the hand in. We run that off free. The 
 second water we run for about fifteen minutes in soap 
 alone; then we add the bleach to the second suds and run 
 
282 
 
 it fifteen minutes longer; that makes thirty minutes for 
 the second suds. We run that off and run on the hot 
 rinse. We run that from five to seven minutes. The 
 next rinse is the sour. That is made up of hot and cold 
 water. In the next water we use our bluing. The 
 whole process does not exceed an hour and a half. We 
 first use cold water; run on the cold water five to ten 
 minutes. I do not think we have lost anything by adopt- 
 ing that system. Our work has given satisfaction. Our 
 trade has increased right along. It takes a little more 
 time in the rinsing, that is all. I believe the best results 
 are obtained by quick washing. If you break your 
 water thoroughly and have your machine speeded right 
 you can get the dirt out in thirty or forty minutes. The 
 balance of the time you can devote to rinsing and getting 
 your color. 
 
 The President: I understood from Mr. Royce that he 
 wanted these processes described, and as they were de- 
 scribed he wanted the reasons given. The gentleman 
 who just sat down did not comply with that request — 
 why the process should be used. There is one gentleman 
 who is very conversant with the subject of washing, and 
 I would like to have him give us a description of his pro- 
 cess and the reason for each step as he goes along — why 
 he does it so. The gentleman I have reference to is Mr. 
 Skinner of Buffalo. (Applause.) 
 
 Mr. Skinner: Mr. President, I am not a practical 
 washer. I find that the processes used now are very 
 much different from what they once were. The process 
 described in the paper that has just been read is the 
 same process that we have used. We run in cold water 
 to start with for fifteen minutes. We wash collars and 
 cuffs in fifty minutes; that includes washing, rinsing and 
 scouring. 
 
 Mr. Chiera: I would like to know the style of your 
 cylinder. 
 
283 
 
 Mr. Skinner: Brass. 
 
 Mr. Chiera: What is the size of the inside cy linden 
 
 Mr. Skinner: Thirty-eight by fifty-four. 
 
 Mr. Shaw: I do not think that Mr. Royce's question 
 has been answered, and I do not know that I can answer 
 it. The reason that I rinse with hot water is that the 
 clothes are expanded by the hot water and contracted by 
 the cold water; consequently it requires hot water to open 
 the pores of the cloth in the rinse to get the soap out. 
 
 Mr. Van Nort: I had the same idea stated by Mr. 
 Shaw. I got the idea somewhere that the heat would 
 expand and shut the pores, and you do not want to shut 
 up the pores until you get through the washing pro- 
 cess. 
 
 Mr. Royce: Heat will undoubtedly cause expansion, 
 but does the material expand and at the same time the 
 pores expand? If it expands the material to use the water 
 hot, instead of opening the pores would it not close them? 
 I would like to have Mr. Shaw answer that question. 
 
 Mr. Shaw: I think that expanding the material would 
 expand the spaces in the cloth; that it expands all the 
 goods; that is, you will find, if you measured, that the 
 cloth would be longer when it was hot than when it was 
 cold. I never tried it, but I am satisfied that there would 
 be some difference in the length of the cloth in those two 
 cases: 
 
 The President: There is another gentleman here who 
 is very conversant with washing, having spent a great 
 deal of time in the washroom. I refer to Mr. Champe- 
 ney of Buffalo- 
 
 Mr. C T. Champeney: I do not think that our system 
 differs much from that of some others I can give it and 
 my reasons. We run our first suds cold about fifteen 
 minutes and run about half an hour in hot suds, using 
 the water as it comes from the tank 
 
 Mr. T. D. Frazee: Why do vou run cold suas nrst? 
 
284 
 
 Mr. C. T. Champeney: Our reason is that we think 
 the cold water gets the stains out more readily. We put 
 in the soap and the bleach, running it half an hour, the 
 last ten minutes bringing it to a hard boil. We give them 
 another with the idea of washing the bleach out as much 
 as possible so as not to effect the bluing. We use the 
 soap in liquid form. We use a hot rinse and a cold rinse, 
 a cold souring and bluing, running about five minutes. 
 It takes about an hour and forty -five minutes to get out 
 our wash, and we have a two-inch supply and a three- 
 inch waste pipe. 
 
 Mr. J. F. Braden: Is it safe to run it up to a boiling 
 point? 
 
 Mr. A. J. Crawford: Personally I do not favor cooking 
 clothes. We rinse in hot water because we think the hot 
 water gets the soap out better than cold water. 
 
 The President: I am satisfied that the longer clothes 
 are kept revolving in the machine the more lint is taken 
 from them. You can easily determine that by placing a 
 strain cloth over the mouth of the washing machine and 
 testing the water. 
 
 Mr. J. E. Kelso: I would like to hear from Mr. Walker 
 of Washington, D. C. 
 
 Mr. F. H. Walker: I take for the first suds an equal 
 amount of hot and cold water; run about eighteen min- 
 utes; I then run off and put on another suds and boil 
 them. I then give a short rinse. -I feed with two-inch 
 pipes, and turn on the hot water. I have the same idea 
 that Mr. Shaw has, that the heat brings out the dirt. 
 After running the rinse off I turn on the hot water and 
 put the bleach on and run the bleach about five minutes 
 with a quarter-inch pipe; then run it off and put the hot 
 rinse on again. After that I put on a cold rinse and then 
 a sour; an oxalic rinse afterwards and blue last. 
 
 Mr. J. D. Frazee: Do you use a hot or cold water for 
 the sour? 
 
285 
 
 M. F. H. Walker: Use cold water for the sour and 
 heat my sour up. The hot rinse is pretty near boiling, 
 and just a little steam brings it right up; as soon as it 
 boils I throw it right off. My exhaust is four inches and 
 it takes very little time to drop it out. It takes me about 
 an hour, actual time, to get out a wash, and I do that 
 right along. I do about $i,8oo a week and never have 
 but two washers in operation, although we have four. 
 
 Mr. W. C. Shaw: About five years ago I thought I 
 had found a secret in washing and I would keep it to my- 
 self and nobody in my part of the country would get 
 onto it. After I had used it about a year one of my com- 
 petitors having acted pretty straight I "thought I would 
 tell him about it. When I told him he said, "Why, I 
 have been using that for two years. " It was about bluing. 
 I blue and sour in one water, with oxalic acid and aniline 
 blue. I rinse in warm water after the bluing. It costs a 
 little more for the bluing, because you waste a certain 
 amount of the bluing, but when your clothes come out 
 you have no acid in them, and I find that I get a more 
 uniform color — have no streaks. That is my secret. 
 
 Mr. F. H. Walker: Another thing. I mix my bluing 
 in a large sixty-gallon tank, so that when it is put in the 
 washer it is put in by the bucket full, and I make the 
 amount uniform to the load. The color is then uniform 
 from one week's end to the other— never have green blue 
 and all the other colors of the rainbow. 
 
 Mr. J. W. Bowman: The gentleman said he agreed 
 with -Mr. Shaw that the heat got the dirt out. I do not 
 think that it is the heat that gets the dirt out. I used to 
 have an idea the harder you boiled the clothes the better 
 the result would be. I found that idea pretty expensive, 
 and I did not get better results either. I think if you iill 
 your washer with eight or ten inches of water and turn 
 on sufficient steam to keep the goods boiling you are do- 
 ing an injustice to the goods. You are not rubbing them. 
 
286 
 
 The idea is to get sufficient water in there for the clothes 
 to rub together and eradicate the dirt. It is not the heat 
 that gets the dirt out, but it is the rubbing. It depends 
 on the way you load and charge your machine. If your 
 water is sufficiently warm, as warm as a woman uses to 
 wash by hand, and you get your machine properly 
 charged and let it run thirty minutes, you will find that 
 your clothes are cleaner than if you have but six to ten 
 inches of water and you boil them hard, and you have 
 not done the clothes near the injury. My idea of wash- 
 ing is this: To do it quickly and to pipe your machine so 
 you can fill and empty quickly; use just sufficient water 
 to wet the goods; do not have the machine running too 
 fast, so that you pick the goods up and turn them ovci' 
 quickly, but run sufficiently slow so that they will rub 
 together every time they fall. Then if the water is 
 properly broken it will naturally rub the dirt out. The 
 same thing will hold good in rinsing. If you want to 
 rinse them thoroughly do not charge your machine top 
 full of water, but just sufficient for the goods to run to- 
 gether and rub out the soap. Then in your second hot 
 rinse use your oxalic acid, and after that you can blue to 
 suit yourself. I think the trouble in the washing process 
 is that too much water is used and the goods do not get 
 enough rubbing 
 
 Mr. J. D. Frazee: I do not know whether I understood 
 Mr. Bowman or not. Do you run the machine so the 
 goods are carried up and fall down? 
 
 Mr. J. W. Bowman: The machine is only run so fast 
 as to let the goods be rubbing all the time. 
 
 Mr. J. D. Frazee: I believe in carrying the goods to the 
 top of the machine and dropping them. I think it is the 
 dropping of the goods into the water, forcing the water 
 through the material, that takes the dirt out. 
 
 Mr. J. W. Bowman: It certainly is to a certain 
 extent. The lifting up and dropping down is all the 
 
287 
 
 rubbing that is to be gotten out of a washing machine, 
 such as we use in a laundry. The amount of water 
 in the machine will make a difference in the amount of 
 the fall. 
 
 Mr . J . J . Van Nort : I would like to ask you what speed 
 you run your machines at. 
 
 Mr. J. W. Bowman: I do not remember exactly, but it 
 is not very fast. I think about 170. 
 
 Mr. W. W. Crothers: I would like to ask some what 
 he uses sour for. 
 
 Mr. J. C. Anthony, of Marion, Ohio: I would like to 
 know how much bleach to use and how much oxalic acid, 
 or any other kind of sour. 
 
 Mr. W. M. Armstrong: In bleaching clothes we use an 
 active powerful agent. We use some acid to neutralize 
 that bleach. No matter what kind of bleach you use you . 
 use the same chemicals, and it has the same effect. You 
 cannot blue your clothes well unless you use a sour. We 
 use two ounces of oxalic acid to about eighty shirts. We 
 buy it in the crystal in the barrel. We put about two 
 ounces in a bucket of hot water, so it dissolves quickly, 
 and then throw it in the machine and run it about ten 
 minutes. We make a ten-gallon jar of bleach and use 
 about three pounds of chloride of lime, and use a 
 quarter of that liquid, after it settles, to every eighty 
 shirts. 
 
 Mr. J. J. Van Nort: I think we use about five ounces 
 of acetic acid to sour a load of 100 shirts. 
 
 Mr. J. F. Beck: I use oxalic acid for the reason that I 
 think it neutralizes the iron in the water that we use. I 
 never knew oxalic acid to fail, while I believe that acetic 
 acid sometimes does, not having the proper qualities for 
 souring purposes. 
 
 Mr. J. E. Kelso: I would like to ask if any gentleman 
 present washes without boiling in the machine, and if so 
 with what ree«\^ 
 
288 
 
 The President: Is there any gentleman here who 
 washes without getting the suds up to the boiling point? 
 It does not seem to be a popular way of washing. 
 
 Mr. Kelso: We wash ten minutes in the first hot suds, 
 ten minutes in the second hot suds and thirty minutes in 
 the third hot suds; then give the clothes a hot rinse and 
 a hot sour; use oxalic acid, and then blue in cold 
 water. I could not say what the temperature of the hot 
 water is, but less than 200 degrees. In the second rinse 
 we put in the sour and in the third put in the blue. We 
 run those six minutes each. We use about four ounces 
 of oxalic acid to sixty-five shirts. 
 
 Mr. Royce: I have frequently come across laundry- 
 men's circulars in which it was stated, "positively no 
 bleach used." The gentlemen who have spoken here to- 
 day have owned up to the fact that they do use bleach. 
 I am surprised. It seems to me there must be some of 
 the fellows here who do not use it. (I/aughter). I,et 
 them tell us how they manage to get along and do the 
 work without bleach. 
 
 Mr. Beck: It seems to me this might be divided under 
 two heads, that of washing shirts, and that of washing 
 collars and cuffs. I would be in favor of Mr. Kelso's 
 method for washing shirts, but I would not for washing 
 collars and cufis. In answer to Mr. Royce, I do not 
 bleach shirts but I do bleach collars and cuffs. We begin 
 with cold water. On collars and cuffs the soil is on the 
 surface of the goods, and when the starch is loosened up 
 you soon get the soil out. 
 
 Mr. Kelso : We wash collars and cuffs the same as shirts, 
 right through. We have experimented with the shirts of 
 customers to see how long they would last, by marking 
 them with the date when they were brought to the 
 laundry new for the first wash. We have some very 
 good records. We do not make a general practice of it, 
 because it is not a profitable thing to do. Sometimes 
 
289 
 
 they do not last over six months, and sometimes they 
 last a year. 
 
 The President: We have a system that we put into 
 practice some little time ago. When we get a new shirt and 
 collar the first time, the date is marked on them, and that 
 is something that we can show the customer when he 
 makes a complaint. 
 
 Mr. Kelso: That is a good idea; but you ought to have 
 the customer sign a contract not to take them to any other 
 laundry. 
 
 The President: The customer may claim that the 
 collar is but a few weeks old, but if that date is six 
 months back that is positive proof that he is mistaken. 
 
 Mr. Cummings: I would like to hear from our presi- 
 dent as to his method of washing. 
 
 The President: I am afraid you will have to excuse 
 me. I have not been in the washing room of the Star 
 I/aundry for a long time. As some one intimated awhile 
 ago, processes change. There is one little thing that I 
 could say in reference to economy that we adopted a little 
 while ago. It is not a very important phase, still it is of 
 some importance to us, and it may be to you. Of course 
 we all waste a great deal of hot water, running it from th 
 washing machines into the sewer. We put in a sort oi 
 boiler, you might call it a heater, wherein we run the hot 
 water from the washing machine; and we found that we 
 could raise the temperature somewhere about twenty-five 
 or thirty degrees in the winter time, and probably about 
 fifteen to eighteen degrees when the water is as warm as 
 it is now. This arrangement, as nearly as we can figure, 
 saves us about a ton of coal a week. 
 
 Mr. Anthony: I always supposed that to allow oxalic 
 acid to remain in the goods was more injurious than any 
 bleach would be. We use acetic acid which passes off by 
 the heating of it. Oxalic acid will stay in the goods un- 
 less it is rinsed out, and it is made perhaps a hundredfold 
 stronger by the application of heat. 
 
290 
 
 Mr. Cummings: I have been experimenting, and I 
 find that the more I experiment the less I know. For 
 instance, I had occasion to use some muriatic acid, and 
 as to the results, they were very gratifying in one par- 
 ticular and very discouraging in another. I took four 
 ounces of muriatic acid to one gallon of water, and I 
 placed a piece of cloth in it and allowed it to remain there 
 for twenty-four hours and pinned it up on the wall. 
 Before I put this in the acid I tore oflF a piece, so that I 
 had one piece to show what it was before it went into the 
 acid and the other to show what it was after. After it 
 had dried on the wall I took it down and I could not see 
 any difference in the strength of the two. So we took 
 four ounces to an eighty shirt washer and tried it. One 
 bar of shirts was starched and hung some time before 
 they went into the dry room and they came out very nice. 
 The next bar that went up was starched and quickly 
 went into the dry room. The result was that we had to 
 pay for that bar of shirts. I was dumbfounded when I 
 saw the result of my experiment. The fact was that in 
 the case of the bar that stood longest the acid had evap- 
 orated before it went into the dry room. The shirts that 
 were starched and quickly sent into the dry room were 
 burnt up. I l>ought a book on chemistry to see if I could 
 find what the different chemical actions were. We are 
 using now one-fourth ounce oxalic acid to a pail of water 
 to eighty shirts, and we get as good a result as when we 
 used an ounce and a half for the same number of shirts, 
 and I think it is much better for the shirts. We buy our 
 bleach. 
 
 THE WAGON SYSTEM. 
 
 BY C. I. GOODHART OF CHICAGO. 
 
 Having been requested to write an essay on the subject 
 of "Wagon System," I concluded that to give a minute 
 description of what I consider a complete wagon system, 
 
291 
 
 would be more acceptable than any general talk. If you 
 find this too long and tedious it is because omitting or 
 shortening in any way would leave the explanation in- 
 complete. 
 
 Almost every line of business conducted at the present 
 time, uses wagons either directly or indirectly for deliver- 
 ing their goods. Every article , however small, which is util- 
 ized by the mercantile trade is carried by a wagon. The 
 grocer delivers his goods to customers, and for this pur- 
 pose uses a wagon, as does also the butcher, baker, hard- 
 ware and dry goods dealers and every other merchant, 
 and whether they own wagons or not, their goods are 
 delivered, and by a wagon. 
 
 In the laundry business a wagon is, with a few excep- 
 tions, one of the essential appliances necessary to the 
 equipment of a first-class laundry, and where is the laun- 
 dryman who considers himself prosperous or conversant 
 with his business unless he has a complete wagon system? 
 To attempt to do a call and delivery laundry business 
 without a wagon system would be like trying to iron 
 without heat. There can be no success in any business 
 unless it is conducted systematically. Of course all sys- 
 tems are not alike- That which would be a success under 
 certain conditions, might prove to be an entire failure 
 were some of the conditions changed. If we should have 
 a wagon system, which of the many shall we adopt? 
 
 The laundry wagon calls in all parts of the city to collect 
 packages, as well as to deliver, and any system which 
 would tend to shorten the route, gain time and prevent 
 mistakes would be the most desirable. 
 
 The first step is to select a neat, attractive and well 
 made wagon. Having it neat and attractive is an adver- 
 tisement, and well made renders it more durable, and Re- 
 duces the expense of its maintenance. 
 
 The selection of the horse and harness are of equal im- 
 portance, and to keep the horse clean, the harness and 
 
292 
 
 wagon always tidy and in good repair' are pertinent to 
 the business. 
 
 We are judged by our surroundings, and if we can 
 establish the fact that our external appearance cannot be 
 excelled, the public will conclude that our work also is 
 unequaled. 
 
 No doubt all have seen in the streets a laundry wagon 
 the name on which was scarce discernible, paint all worn 
 off, wheels dished, tires loose, spokes rattling, shafts tied 
 with twine to a worn-out harness, horse which had prob- 
 ably at one time been as good as all wool a yard wide, 
 but must have been washed with flannel soap, as his hide 
 was so shrunken as to permit the hanging of one's hat 
 upon any of his ribs. Will this turn-out attract new 
 trade? 
 
 Not only for an advertisement should the horse be well 
 fed, and regularly and properly attended, but for the 
 sake of humanity in general. Too often are the laundry- 
 men as a class forgetful and careless in feeding the proper 
 kinds, qualities and quantities of food, and at the proper 
 intervals, to their faithful servants. These are some of 
 the preliminary steps to a complete wagon system which 
 require attention. 
 
 Attention should next be directed to the different 
 routes: 
 
 One laundryman entrusts his inexperienced driver with 
 the entire wagon system. In this instance the driver is 
 required to remember each customer's name and address, 
 the correct day on which he is expected to call for and 
 deliver the package, and also the customer's indebtedness 
 to the firm- If the driver dies or forgets to attend to the 
 business the following day, the laundryman meekly 
 awaits the kindness of the patron to call and inform the 
 new driver where to call for the next package, at the 
 same time the patron frequently forgetting to pay for the 
 package delivered the week previous. 
 
293 
 
 Under his so-called wagon system, the laundryman 
 runs the risk, not only of losing the customers' patronage 
 entirely, but also of losing the amounts due from the 
 week previous, since the laundrymen have not mutually 
 conformed to a strictly C. O. D. system. 
 
 Why need the laundryman depend wholly on the 
 driver? Why not have a wagon system completely 
 under his own control and management? Why not the 
 laundryman acquaint himself with the entire list of his 
 patrons and arrange them systematically according to 
 street and number? In this case the laundryman, instead 
 of depending on the driver, relies upon himself and 
 knows exactly upon whom the driver calls; can tell ex- 
 actly the length of time required to complete the route, 
 and if for any particular reason, the driver should be 
 wanted to return to the laundry before his trip is com- 
 pleted, he may be dispatched any such message immedi- 
 ately, for with such a system it is readily determined 
 about the time he will be at a given address. 
 
 With this system each driver is assigned a certain 
 route. For his benefit the customers' names and ad- 
 dresses upon whom he calls for laundry, are arranged 
 systematically according to street and number in a book 
 called a route book, to be used entirely for his purpose. 
 Those customers who wish their laundry to be collected 
 Monday a, m. are entered in the route book for Monday 
 morning. These names constitute the trip for Monday a. 
 m. Those to be called for Monday p. m., are entered for 
 Monday afternoon, and these constitute the trip for Mon- 
 day p. m. , etc, throughout the week. On Saturday pre- 
 ceding the week the regular calls are to be made, the 
 names and addresses are copied from the route book upon 
 >>lank lists. The lists for each trip being tied together 
 and marked on the back, the number of the trip and 
 to which driver it belongs is indicated by the route 
 book- 
 
294 
 
 The lists are now ready to be given to the driver, that 
 that he may call for laundry. 
 
 Monday morning he calls upon the first customer his 
 trip indicates. If he procures the bundle he ties the list 
 securely to the package, places it in his wagon, and pro- 
 ceeds to the next customer. If there is no one at home 
 at this address, or if the customer has no laundry for that 
 week, but requests him to call in the afternoon, the next 
 morning, or any special time, he marks his list accord- 
 ingly and places this list on the bottom of the trip and 
 proceeds to the next customer. And so he continues 
 until his trip for Monday morning is completed. 
 
 If a customer has changed laundries or has any com- 
 plaint or special request to make the driver writes any such 
 message on the face of a list accompanied by the name 
 and address of the complainant and places this list also 
 on the bottom of the regular trip. 
 
 Having returned to the laundry he first delivers his 
 bundles to the marking room where he places them in a 
 box assigned to him for his especial benefit and numbered 
 with a number to correspond to his number as a driver. 
 If perchance the markers find a package without a list or 
 improperly tied, by referring to the number of the box 
 from which it was taken, it can be readily ascertained by 
 whom the bundle was obtained and the corresponding 
 driver may be called upon to identify the package and be 
 corrected for such carelessness. 
 
 The lists he has returned from his regular trip are 
 referred to the of&ce for inspection. After the trip has 
 been inspected all lists marked Monday p. m., Tuesday 
 a.m., etc., are grouped according to their respective marks 
 and placed in rotation in the regular trip for the stated 
 time. If there are any remaining lists from the morning's 
 regular trip these are then -tied together and marked on 
 the back the number of the trip arid by which driver 
 they were returned, then laid aside for use on the follow- 
 
295 
 
 ing Saturday when thsy may be utilized in making out 
 the regular trip for the next week. 
 
 The driver continues to make his regular trips in this 
 manner until Wednesday, when the packages for which he 
 called on the first trip Monday are laundered ready to be 
 delivered. In the meantime, the markers have opened and 
 listed these packages and have sent the lists to the office 
 to be recorded. There they are figured and assorted. 
 The branch office lists being assorted according to their 
 respective numbers and the lists for the regular customers 
 being assorted alphabetically. Each branch has a book 
 devoted entirely to itself and the names and amounts 
 indicated by the lists are entered weekly in this book. 
 Each name being given a number in the book according 
 to the rotation in which it is copied, and a duplicate of 
 this number is also placed in the upper left-hand corner 
 of the list in question, to assist in checking the bundle on 
 its delivery, for when these parcels are delivered the 
 initials of the driver by whom they are delivered are pre- 
 fixed to each name in the book, thereby the driver be- 
 coming wholly responsible for the safe and correct de- 
 livery of all such packages. 
 
 The accounts of the regular customers are recorded in 
 a book called The Record, which is arranged in encyclo- 
 pedical form, there being two lines devoted to a customer 
 — one line for his name and one for his address. The for- 
 mer line is called the debit and the latter the credit line. 
 The space to the right of the name and address is ruled 
 into one-half inch spaces by perpendicular lines, each 
 space to contain the account of the customer one week. 
 There being fifty two of these spaces, writing the name 
 and address once will suffice for one year. The year is 
 placed at the top of the left-hand page. Since each box 
 suffices for one week, the corresponding date is indicated 
 at the top of the page directly above the perpendicular 
 tier. After the names, addresses and amounts are recorded 
 
296 
 
 the lists are then sent to the assorting room, where the 
 packages are completed ready for the driver to assort and 
 deliver. 
 
 Before placing the laundered packages in his wagon 
 the driver assorts them on shelves, arranged especially 
 for this work, in the same rotation as he found his lists 
 assorted in the regular trip. The bookkeeper then records 
 these names, addresses and amounts in a regular delivery 
 book made especially for the driver. The book is so 
 ruled as to contain the name, address, the amount to be 
 collected, the amount paid, and the amount charged. 
 The packages are then placed in the wagon in the regular 
 rotation; the last bundle recorded in the delivery book 
 being placed in the wagon first so that in delivering them 
 to a customer from the wagon they may be delivered as 
 indicated by the delivery book. 
 
 If the customer pays the full amount of the account, if 
 only a partial payment is made, if the entire amount is 
 charged, or if the parcel is delivered and there is no one 
 at home to receive it he marks his book according to his 
 disposal of the package. If he returns a parcel to be 
 delivered at any special time he marks the requested time 
 on the top of the package, and at the same time marks 
 in his book that the parcel was returned. 
 
 The first bundle to a new customer is always C. O. D. , 
 and every second bundle thereafter unless a patron wishes 
 a monthly account, which may be granted by his calling 
 a the oflEice and making satisfactory arrangements for a 
 monthly settlement. 
 
 The driver's delivery book as well as the list is always 
 marked whether or not the bundle is C. O. D. In every 
 instance the driver is supposed to collect, excepting when 
 the customer has a monthly account. If he leaves a C. 
 O. D. package the amount is charged to him and deducted 
 from his salary, one week's salary being always retained 
 to cover such indebtedness. Under this svstem no bond.'* 
 
297 
 
 are required from a driver and the amount retained has 
 always proven to be more than sufficient to cancel any such 
 indebtedness. If an extra call is received either by mail, 
 telephone or otherwise a special list is made out to be 
 called for at a stated time. If not a transient, but a per- 
 manent customer, his name is entered in its respective 
 order in the route book and his package is thereafter 
 called for regularly. 
 
 The driver having completed his first delivery, retarns 
 to the office where the amounts on his route sheet are sum- 
 marized to determine the total amount of his receipts for 
 that trip. Having taken his book to the house each time 
 he endeavored to deliver a parcel and marked his book 
 exactly as he disposed of the package, his cash must be 
 correct. His route sheets are then receipted for their 
 amount and he is again ready to deliver his following 
 trips in like manner until the first week's labors are ended. 
 
 After the driver's receipts are received the bookkeeper 
 credits on the record the amount paid by the respective 
 patrons. If the entire amount is paid the account is bal- 
 anced. If only a partial payment is made the amount 
 paid is credited and the difference between the debit and 
 the credit is carried forward as a balance and if the amount 
 is not paid before the next entry it will be added to the 
 next debit recorded, the list will be stamped C. O. D. or 
 charged as the case may be and the regular rule will 
 attend its delivery. 
 
 By this system the following are some of the results 
 which may be obtained: 
 
 By having your rigs at all times neat, clean and showy 
 you are attracting new trade. 
 
 Bundles will be called for and delivered on time every 
 diy in the year. 
 
 Patrons will not be disappointed. 
 
 They will be pleased. 
 
 Drivers will not be short in their accounts. 
 
298 
 
 Drivers will not own any trade to transfer to some 
 other laundry. 
 
 Business will increase, and if were not for the 468 other 
 little annoyances to which laundry men are continually 
 subjected, that cause a flow of large-sized language, hav- 
 ing a complete wagon system would in a great many 
 instances be our first step towards being angels. 
 
 The President; The subject of Mr. Goodhart's paper is 
 now before you for discussion. 
 
 Mr. Selz: In our city there are four or five laundries 
 where the driver furnishes his own horse and wagon, and 
 establishes his own agency, and the driver gets 50 per 
 cent of the work. I have been bitterly opposed to doing 
 business upon that plan. I desire to own my own route 
 and handle my own customers. To pay 50 per cent must 
 be a losing business. I don't think there is a laundry 
 anywhere that can afibrd to pay 50 per cent upon the 
 gross amount of the work. 
 
 We will now take up the further discussion of the 
 wagon system. I will call on Mr. Braden of Buflalo. 
 
 Mr. Braden: We consider the wagon system in Buffalo 
 the best that we have. It is similar to that described in Mr. 
 Goodhart's paper. Our city is districted off into seven 
 districts and each driver has his district and has Monday 
 a. m. or Monday p. m. and Tuesday a. m. and Tuesday 
 p. m. to collect laundry, and as the laundry comes in it 
 comes in in lots. The first man in is the first man out. 
 The men start delivering Wednesday morning. As a rule 
 we make it a point to cover the ground every day in the 
 week, commencing Monday. Our manager makes it a 
 point every day to look the records over to see whether 
 the drivers have neglected to call on certain customers on 
 the route. The drivers have no interest in the routes. 
 We own them ourselves. We have one man that brings 
 us work that has an office down town. To one man we 
 pay 35 per cent. He brings work to the laundry. That 
 
299 
 
 i? the only branch oflace outside of the regular branches 
 tliat we pay over 25 per cent to. 
 
 Mr. J. D. Frazee: I would like to know if there are 
 any more running wagons and paying 35 or 40 per cent. 
 It is a failure in our city.- 
 
 Mr. Braden: There are lots of people in Buffalo paying 
 over 35 per cent. This one particular man that we pay 
 35 per cent to we sublet to. We were not able to get a 
 proper man to run the office, were losing money on it and 
 hated to shut it up. This man who took it -is a good 
 man, is a hustler and we give him 35 per cent. That is 
 on Michigan street. 
 
 Mr. J. D. Frazee: Do you control that man or can he 
 do as he pleases? 
 
 Mr. Braden: He does not interfere with our customers. 
 We control him in this way: He rents the office of us 
 and cannot give it up to anybody else. He owns his own 
 horses and pays his own expenses and pays the office 
 girl. 
 
 Mr. I. N. Williams: While the brother from Buffalo 
 was speaking, the question of the cost of laundry work 
 collected in wagons came up in my mind. I have made 
 an estimate on that matter and I find that it costs me 25 
 per cent to collect and deliver my bundles by a wagon. 
 
 Mr. Stoer: That would be true in certain localities. 
 We have some wagons that cost us as high as 30 per cent 
 to run and others that cost us only 20. In reference to 
 the commission business spoken of, of course there may be 
 some isolated cases where the owner of the laundry controls 
 the commission man. I know in Cleveland there have been 
 cases where the commission man happened to see a driver 
 coming out of a house with a nice bundle that he would 
 go into the house and offer to give 10 or 15 per cent off in 
 order to get the work. It is a thing, too, that grows. We 
 have one man in the association at Cleveland who has 
 eight of those wagons, four of them his own. He may 
 
800 
 
 Start out this week with a six hundred or seven hundred 
 dollar trade and next week he may not have a hundred; 
 it fluctuates in that way. Another man has five or six, 
 and that is the way it is throughout the city. There are 
 more commission wagons in the<ity of Cleveland than their 
 are regular laundry wagons. I have been told that some of 
 the Jews are going into the commission business and work 
 the poverty racket. They go around the first week with 
 a small basket, the second week with a baby carriage and 
 then a three bushel basket to carry it. I^aundries will 
 give them a commission of 40 per cent and they will do 
 anything to get the trade. 
 
 The President: In reference to what Mr. Williams has 
 said, I will say that at our place it costs us 16 and 17 
 per cent to do our collecting and delivering on our wag- 
 ons. The men who do the delivering have nothing to do 
 with arranging the bundles in the baskets. That is done 
 by the girls in the laundry, who get six or seven dollars 
 a week, while the men cost eighteen to twenty. 
 
 Mr. Stoer: A commission wagon is also a great 
 temptation to the regular drivers, because they are only 
 getting ten or twelve dollars a week, while the driver of 
 a commission wagon is earning fifteen to twenty-five dol- 
 lars a week. He has to keep his own horse, but then he 
 has him on Sundays and evenings to drive. 
 
 Mr. Braden: The matter has come up in our local or- 
 ganization, and it has been proposed that these commis- 
 sion wagon men be treated as peddlers. We will try and 
 regulate it so that these men do not make any more than 
 our regular drivers. 
 
 Mr. Stoer: In Cleveland, at the present time, we have 
 almost the same membership that we had when we started 
 in 1886, and nobody has ever fluked. We do not have 
 over one-third of the laundries in the association. You 
 can't get them; they are springing up everywhere, and 
 we don't want them because they are "stinkers." We 
 
301 
 
 have one large clothing house, perhaps one of the largest 
 in the country, that is doing shirts for six cents and col- 
 lars and cuflFs for a cent. The work is done by a Knights 
 of I^abor laundry that has sprung up, called the Union 
 Laundry. The Standard Laundry has agreed to meet 
 them and deliver the work. I do not see how an organi- 
 zation in a large city is possible; there are so many people 
 starting up in the business. Thirty-one laundries have 
 changed hands in Cleveland within the last year and a 
 half, and some have changed three or four times. 
 
 Mr. Selz: In our city we have these so-called wagons 
 running around, and as I understand they are getting 50 
 per cent. They go to the barber shops, groceries and 
 stores and establish agencies, and all they have to do is 
 to go there and get the work. It is these men that run 
 up the commission. Can I make money in the laundry 
 business and pay 50 per cent? I claim not. I had an 
 application not later than last week from a young man 
 who is very popular in our city and who is able to get 
 considerable trade. I turned him down. I said: "No, 
 it is against my principle." Well, he went on and com- 
 plimented me and my laundry, and said he could not get 
 work for any other laundry because I had the reputation, 
 and all that, and he wanted to give the work to me. I 
 said, "That is the reason I don't want you. I want to 
 own my own trade. ' ' 
 
 Mr. Van Gorder: When I started into the laundry 
 business about two years ago, I had several applications 
 of the same kind before I was in business a week. I de- 
 clined, and I was not in business a month before the 
 laundrymen who had been there twelve years cut the 
 prices in two — shirts for five cents and collars for a cent 
 and a half and everything else at the same rate. I ran 
 the thing a whole year at that rate. I ran my own 
 wagon and my own business, and today I lead the busi- 
 ness. The man who cut prices is now dead and gone and 
 
302 
 
 his wife raised the shirt price back to ten cents, and for 
 collars and cufEs two and four cents. I get two and five 
 for collars and ten and twelve for all fancy shirts and still 
 own my own wagons, and I gained by so doing. 
 
 THE CASH SYSTEn. 
 
 BY JOHN OTTE, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. 
 
 The method of doing a cash business, getting our pay 
 for labor as soon as performed, is what we wish to discuss 
 under this heading. 
 
 From time immemorial it has been customary among 
 nations and individuals to do business on credit, ' 'a future 
 time to pay in" plan; but as we progress-— and reforms 
 are the order of the day — why not do business on the 
 cash, or ' 'the immediate turning into money plan. ' ' I 
 am sure the laundry business needs this more than any 
 other. Why? Let us see. Two-thirds of the expendi- 
 tures (I am speaking of the establishments that turn out 
 first-class work and pay living wages to their help) are 
 paid for labor, and this is cash and no discount. The 
 other third is for materials, etc , and mostly paid out in 
 cash; consequently we pay cash for everything used and 
 consumed in our business, and we do so each week that 
 we do business. We pay it out in large sums, and what 
 we receive comes to us in amounts not averaging over 
 twenty-five cents each. 
 
 It is our experience that in giving credit the expense 
 including books, stationery, postage, bookkeeper and the 
 losses from bad accounts, was 3 per cent. When we 
 figure the usual rate of interest on our investment, which 
 we certainly should do, making a reasonable allowance . 
 for your own services and all other expenses, I cannot 
 bring the net profits of a well-conducted laundry busi- 
 ness to exceed 15 per cent. Suppose you do a business 
 of $10,000 a year, your profits would amount to $1,500. 
 
SOS 
 
 By doing this business on the cash plan you can save 3 
 per cent; in other words you need not do so much busi- 
 ness and yet make the same profits. You can afford to 
 let $1,500 of your customers who want credit go to your 
 competitor and you will be just as well off. The secret 
 of success is not so much in bigness as in soundness. 
 
 These are my reasons for advocating the cash system 
 and its adoption by every laundryman. It can be done. 
 We have the proof of it in our own city of Grand Rapids. 
 Our laundry men, comprehending the benefits to be derived 
 from the system, adopted it nearly a year ago. A local 
 organization, established some six months previous, was 
 in a great measure instrumental in bringing it about. At 
 the present writing I regret to say that the Grand Rapids 
 Laundry men's Association does not exist. I had the 
 honor of being its secretary; and I will say that for the 
 year and a half that it existed we spent many pleasant 
 hours together, and accomplished much that was and still 
 is of great good to us all. The ex-members still believe 
 in and do a cash business. What was the cause of our 
 separation? A new laundry started and would not join 
 the association. Why? I will tell you what they said: 
 "We do not think it is right to demand cash on delivery 
 of all, and we will let our customers, such as we consider 
 good, have their own way about it, and if they wish to 
 trade with us we will furnish them with a $5 coupon book 
 and charge it to them, and they can pay us when it is 
 used up." They were new in the business and we tried 
 to tell them the experience of all laundrymen, but they 
 would not listen. They wanted the experience them- 
 selves and they are getting it. Of course, the main reason 
 for their not joining was that by remaining outside they 
 could let us live up to our rules and they could do as they 
 pleased and possibly get a footing that way. 
 
 It is not the object of this article to censure any one. 
 I am simply stating facts so that you may judge for your- 
 
304 
 
 selves. Certain members of the association soon began 
 to violate the rules and regulations of the association. 
 They were called down and promised to do differently, 
 and we supposed everything was again smooth, but not 
 so. Every now and then we would hear of transgres- 
 sions; and the American Steam Laundry notified the dif- 
 ferent members that it would no longer be bound by laws 
 which it had tried to live up to while others were 
 daily disregarding them. It was thus that the asso- 
 ciation came to an end. As nearly as I know we still 
 adhere to the cash part of the agreement, though not 
 under obligations to one another to keep it up, it 
 being a good thing and the best part of all. We 
 will not discontinue this. Any laundry that turns out 
 first-class work, work that is in demand, can and 
 ought to do a cash business. What it requires is a 
 good deal of nerve, good work, and confidence in your- 
 .self. "We are too modest to make any claims," but 
 will continue to do work for cash until we discover that 
 the public wants credit more than quality. When that 
 time comes we shall give it to them, but now it is quality 
 for cash. 
 
 When we inaugurated the system we issued a circular 
 which read as follows: 
 
 ' 'Dear Sir — Allow us to inform you that the rapidly 
 increasing number of accounts, and the diflBcult way of 
 keeping record and collecting the same, necessitates us to 
 adopt the cash system, and from this date all packages 
 must be paid for when delivered. So far as many of our 
 customers are concerned we regret to be obliged to adopt 
 this plan, but as we cannot discriminate we trust they 
 will appreciate our position. 
 
 ' 'N.B. — For the convenience of customers we have issued 
 commutation tickets in denominations of $2.50 and $5, 
 which may be had at our office, or from drivers, at a dis- 
 count of 5 per cent. These can be left at home, and 
 
305 
 
 when a bundle is delivered the proper amount will be 
 punched out." 
 
 Many customers will avail themselves of this conven- 
 ience and save the discount, but most of them will pay as 
 the goods are delivered. In this way you will be doing 
 a cash business before you know it and without very 
 great difficulty. 
 
 Certainly there will be some who will find fault and 
 protest, but be firm in your decision, and kindly explain 
 in a business way what compelled you to do it. Do not 
 discriminate in favor of any one; give all good work and 
 prompt service, and soon your competitor who trusts and 
 gets trusted will not be in it. You are now on the road 
 to success, for you have taken hold of a true business 
 principle, one that cannot fail. 
 
 What will be your gain? You will have the reputation 
 of daring to do. You will prosper, for you save in ex- 
 penses. You can promptly pay your help, and they will 
 uphold and bless you. You will have money to buy 
 with, money to bargain with, money to discount with, 
 and when depressions come you will be in much better 
 shape to face them. Such is my view of doing a cash 
 business. 
 
 At the conclusion of the reading of Mr. Otte's paper 
 calls were made for Mr. I. N. Williams, of I/Cxington, Ky. 
 
 Mr. I. N. Williams: I am glad you give me the ap- 
 plause in the beginning, because I will not get it in the 
 end. 
 
 We have in I^exington a practical working of the cash 
 system, and it began the first of November three years 
 ago. We find it the easiest thing in the world to work. 
 We simply met together and made an agreement that we 
 would do a cash business and we did it. It is true there 
 were some kicks, but they were from people who did not 
 pay much when you credited them, consequently it did 
 not make much differemce if they did kick. 
 
306 
 
 The way we proceeded was this: We had an attorney 
 araw up an agreement by which our three laundries 
 agreed to forfeit one hundred dollars for any violation of 
 the contract. The contract provided that we were to do 
 a strictly cash business Our agreement has bqen lived 
 up to. 
 
 We had a new laundry start in our place during the 
 past year. He thought he saw an- opportunity to make 
 a start by doing a credit business. I offered to give him 
 a list of twenty-five or thirty names of my customers 
 whom I thought would be glad to get credit. He did 
 not take it. He is trying to do a credit business, but I 
 do not think he is growing very much under it. I think 
 he is suffering in abuse from those to whom he gives 
 credit to such a percentage of his trade that it will be the 
 ruin of his business. 
 
 In starting up the business we had no books, no com- 
 mutation tickets, or anything of the kind. We simply 
 went to the man's house with the bundle, in the regular 
 course of business, and if no one was prepared to pay for 
 it, we had two tickets to leave at the house. The first 
 was simply a notice that the driver had called to de- 
 liver a bundle and found no one prepared to pay for it, 
 and that the driver would call the second time, and if no 
 one was prepared to pay for it another notice was left say- 
 ing that the driver had called the second time and found 
 no one prepared to pay for it and that he would find the 
 bundle in the office. There were a few, as I said, who 
 kicked, but it was worked very satisfactorily. We are 
 well pleased with its working. (Applause. ) 
 
 Mr. J. J. Van Nort: We are trying the cash system at 
 Scranton, but I have been at home only three days since 
 we started it. We use a small coupon book, one cent 
 coupons, lithographed, bound up in blocks, $i, $2, and 
 $5, which we sell to customers at a discount of 5 per 
 cent. 
 
307 
 
 The President: I am requested to ask Mi . Otte how 
 track is kept of the money where the amount of the pack- 
 age is punched out of the ticket. 
 
 Mr. A. Otte: When the tickets are sold the party who 
 buys the ticket is credited with the amount paid; and as 
 the goods are dehvered the driver punches the amount on 
 the ticket and the party is charged up with that amount. 
 When the ticket is used up the customer is notified. A 
 great many of the customers leave their tickets with us 
 in the ofiice and the bookkeeper has charge of them. We 
 have very little trouble so far as kicks are concerned. 
 
 Mr. I. N. Williams: In regard to tickets we do not use 
 any at all. We have customers who prefer to pay cash 
 in advance, and we open an account with them. We 
 give those who pay in advance a discount of 2 per cent. 
 
 I don't think we can learn a great deal from Chinamen; 
 but with the Chinaman it is "no money, no washee." If 
 the Chinaman can get cash for the character of work he 
 is doing, why cannot laundry men do it? (Applause). 
 
 Mr. Welch: I have had an experience of nine years 
 with the cash system in another line of business, the ice 
 business, in the city of Buffalo. We organized in 1885 
 what we call the Ice Exchange. We black-listed people 
 who went the rounds of the different ice companies, buy- 
 ing on credit and not paying. The I^aundrymen's Ex- 
 change proposes to do the same thing. We have 
 adopted a coupon book. Each book is numbered and we 
 have a register of the number in the oflSce. The system 
 has been a great saving of money to the ice man. There 
 is no reason why laundrymen cannot do the same thing. 
 
 Mr. A. W. Allen: We use in our business in Toronto 
 tickets of different denominations, i cent, 5 cents, 10 
 cents and so on, which we put into packages of different 
 sizes, and we sell these tickets at the office, or the driver 
 sells them at a discount of 5 per cent. The packages 
 going out of the office are charged to the driver, and 
 
308 
 
 when he comes back he must return the money or the 
 tickets for the full value of his load, or the packages. 
 The tickets are signed by the bookkeeper, and they 
 cannot well be forged. We know when they come back 
 that they are the same tickets that went out. We have 
 been using the same ticket for over five years. We have 
 destroyed some and renewed them along. I am glad to 
 say we have made a success of it, being in the business 
 about eight years, starting on a small scale, doing an ex- 
 clusively cash business and now doing an exclusively 
 cash business of from fourteen to sixteen hundred dollars 
 a week, and we never deliver a dollar's worth of work 
 until it is paid for. (Applause.) 
 
 Mr. Braden; How do you manage with contract 
 work? 
 
 Mr. A. W. Allen: What we call contract work we 
 collect for every Monday morning. We have no accounts 
 except for private contract work. I mean by that, hotel 
 and railroad work, and those accounts we render on Mon- 
 day morning and collect not later than Tuesday morn- 
 ing. We call on Tuesday morning, and if not paid we 
 go every morning and if necessary, twice a day, until we 
 get the bill. (Applause.) 
 
 Mr. G. Chiera: In the city of Toronto there are about 
 fifteen laundries, as far as my recollection goes, and I 
 think they all collect cash on delivery. 
 
 The President: There are botherations and expenses 
 connected with the credit system that seem to be un- 
 avoidable; will some one tell us something of them. I 
 think we would like to hear it. 
 
 Mr. S. Welch: By the use of coupon books we save 
 the salaries of two $400 clerks, or $800 a year. 
 
 Mr. C. A. Royce: I am afraid it would be a very un- 
 popular thing to say anything on the other side of this 
 question. There are two sides to every question, and I 
 think there must be some one here who would be aMe to 
 
809 
 
 speak upon the other side, that is to say, the merits of 
 the credit system. I think I can see some disadvantages 
 that would result from the cash system. Supposing our 
 machinery men should demand cash when we want any- 
 thing in the line of machinery. I can imagine that 
 sometimes it would put us to considerable inconvenience. 
 The same is true with supplies. Then there is the fact 
 that the great bulk of the business of the country is ad- 
 justed to the credit system. I should like to hear some- 
 thing on the merits of the credit system. 
 
 The President: If I may be allowed a remark — I think 
 that the amount of money on the books of the members 
 of this association would be four times the amount of 
 money that they owe to the machinery men. (Applause.) 
 
 Mr. I. N. Williams: I would say further in favor 
 of the cash system that it would enable us to pay 
 cash for our purchases and get lo per cent discount. 
 (Laughter.) 
 
 Mr. Kelso: What is the custom in the cash system of 
 dealing with agents? 
 
 Mr. A. W. Allen: We have a number of agencies in 
 Toronto and we allow them 20 per cent off the regular 
 list. When we deliver to the agent we add up the differ- 
 ent items, deduct twenty per cent and the agent pays the 
 amount of the bill to the driver. I think all the laundry- 
 men in Toronto do that way. 
 
 Mr. G. Chiera: I support that statement. 
 
 Mr. Kelso: How do you manage when you ship out 
 of the city? 
 
 Mr. A. W. Allen: We have fifty odd agents or 
 branches all over Canada and we send to all of those C. 
 O. D. (Laughter.) 
 
 The President: I think it would be interesting if we 
 could hear some opposition to this theory. It may be' 
 that a good many members when they return home may 
 want to try the cash system. I would like to know if 
 
310 
 
 any one here has tried the cash system and been com- 
 pelled to go back to the credit system. 
 
 Mr. C. A. Royce: It seems to me that to successfully 
 establish the cash system would require unanimity, and I 
 have known places where that unanimity was impossible 
 to get. I should think that was the situation in a majority 
 of the places represented here, and therefore a majority of 
 the members would be more interested in some system of 
 credit whereby business could be done without serious 
 losses. 
 
 Mr. A. W. Allen: I cannot agree with the last speaker, 
 that it is necessary for all laundries to combine. I com- 
 menced business in Toronto, in 1886, and there were per- 
 haps twelve or fourteen laundries all giving credit until 
 recently, while I was doing an exclusively cash business. 
 I think that is one of the reasons of my success. I will 
 give you an instance. Two years ago I bought a laundry 
 that was doing a part cash and part credit business. I 
 carried it on the same way and the public did not know 
 that I was the owner. I found that customers who ran 
 bills and did not pay them at this laundry, when they 
 could get no more credit, would take their work to my 
 cash laundry to get it done. I think you would lose fewer 
 customers by the cash system than you would the other 
 way. (Applause.) 
 
 The President: I will ask Mr. Warren to give us his 
 experience with the cash system. 
 
 Mr. Warren: We are getting along very nicely and 
 have very little trouble. Two new laundries started in 
 our place last spring and they expected to get our trade 
 by doing a credit business. I do not think we have lost 
 any trade and we are really better off than if we did a 
 credit business. 
 
 Mr. Goodhart: There was one year that we did busi- 
 ness in Chicago that we lost $1,500. We trusted every- 
 body. We finally concluded that we yvould get as nearly 
 
811 
 
 as we could to a cash business. Every second package 
 we sent C. O. D, The first bundle of a new customer is 
 always C. O. D. After that we leave one package at his 
 house and put the balance on the books, no matter what 
 the amount is. With our branch offices and hotels we 
 have a weekly account ending on Saturday, and they are 
 expected to pay on the following Monday. We have often 
 had to let it run into the second week in order to collect, 
 but have shut down on that and hold the second's week's 
 bundle if the bill for the previous week has not been paid 
 by Wednesday. This has caused a little trouble once in 
 awhile, the customer sending a lawyer to demand the 
 package, but we have never been sued. They invariably 
 come up and pay the amount of the bill. That . rule has 
 been a great saving to us in our business, our losses not 
 being one-half of one per cent. 
 
 Mr. Kelso: It requires backbone to carry out the cash 
 system, and we in Rochester are a little lacking in back- 
 bone. A little over a year ago in our association we 
 adopted what we call the deadbeat system. The secre- 
 tary called on each laundry once a month and got a list 
 of the names of such parties as had been dealing with the 
 aundry and quit, leaving bills of any amount unpaid. 
 This list was sent by the secretary to each of the laundries 
 in the city. When such party applied for credit he 
 would be told you owe so and so for laundry work so 
 much and we cannot trust you. . It is not necessary for 
 our secretary to go around oftener than once in two 
 months, and he gets very few names. 
 
 Mr. Selz: I am very much enthused over the cash 
 system. In my now thirteen years of experience in the 
 laundry business I have over six thousand dollars on my 
 books of bad debts. In my younger days in the business 
 I was very careless in regard to my accounts. I was 
 anxious to do business and did work for everybody 
 whether they had money or not. In late years I have 
 
31S) 
 
 given greater attention to my accounts and have not lost 
 as much money as previously, but have lost money just 
 the same. I find that where you collect weekly, the 
 accounts not being so large, there is less kicking. I 
 think when I go home I will try to put the cash system 
 into operation. 
 
 MANGI,B WORK. 
 
 BY T. A. SBI<Z, OF DAYTON, OHIO. 
 
 With much trepidation and reluctance I respond to the 
 earnest solicitation of our distinguished president to say 
 something on the subject of mangle work. I feel a great 
 delicacy of speaking upon this important subject, for the 
 sole reason that there are older and larger laundries 
 whose representatives are better qualified to treat the 
 theme more fully and ably than I. 
 
 I beg to explain our method of mangle work in lan- 
 guage free of rhetorical flourishes, sincerely hoping that I 
 may say something of interest and profit. 
 
 To begin with, we wash and bleach in one suds. The 
 soiled linen is placed in the cylinder containing six inches 
 of water, to which is added about three gallons of hot 
 liquid soap and a teacup of bleach. Then the suds is 
 brought to lukewarm temperature, running ten minutes. 
 Steam is then turned on and brought to a boil. In this 
 we run about twenty minutes. Naturally soap is adde(? 
 at times to keep up a good suds. After the suds is run 
 off, we commence with a hot rinse of five minutes, 
 immediately followed by two cold rinses. In the last 
 rinse we blue. We run in extractor from five to ten 
 minutes. 
 
 The work is then sent down stairs to be shaken out 
 and ironed. We run four to five minutes in the s'aaker 
 after which they are straightened out. Five girls are 
 employed on the mangle, two to feed and three catch aai^ 
 
313 
 
 fold. The work is run through but once with but few 
 exceptions, which is as follows: Roller and new towsls, 
 counterpanes, and pillow cases; these we run through 
 twice. 
 
 We carry from fifty to sixty-five pounds of steam in 
 •iylinder. We run mostly in separate lots, count in and 
 out, with very few exceptions. 
 
 I beg to introduce some information as to the weight 
 of linens when soiled, washed and thoroughly wrung and 
 Ironed. On Thursday morning of last week, I found 3,003 
 pieces, consisting of 747 towels, 26 aprons, 317 sheets, 
 336 pillow cases, 68 table cloths, 1,492 napkins, and 17 
 spreads, after thoroughly wrung, to weigh 1,377 pounds; 
 when ironed 927 pounds, the amount of water absorbed 
 450 pounds, or about 33^ pounds to the hundred. This 
 same work weighed 984 pounds when soiled, showing a 
 loss of 57 pounds or nearly 6 pounds to the hundred. 
 
 The majority of our mangle work must be done on 
 short order, only allowing us from two to five hours to 
 perform the work. We are compelled often to do the 
 work in less time. This, in brief, tells my experience of 
 mangle work. 
 
 Mr. Armstrong; Mr. Selz says he puts soap in the 
 bleach. I would like to ask him if the bleach does not 
 kill soap, and if it does why does he mix the two? 
 
 Mr. Selz: We use chlorozone. I think before we used 
 bleach that we did not get as good results. It seems to 
 cut the grease and prevent black specks. 
 
 The President: I.should like to hear something said on 
 the matter of wringing. Our firiend, Mr. Selz, touched 
 on that subject just a little. We all know that many 
 laundrymen have spent money buying additional mangles 
 when all they needed was another wringer. . It is a much 
 simpler question than washing; at the same time it should 
 be done properly as well as anything else. I remember 
 making some experiments some time ago, and about the 
 
314 
 
 best wringing that I found was equivalent to taking fiftj' 
 pounds after they are wrung and then weighing them 
 after they are thoroughly ironed. They should weigh 
 about thirty-two pounds. It is very essential that mangle 
 work should be properly wrung as well as anything else. 
 
 Mr. Crawford: I would like to ask in regard to prices 
 for mangle work. 
 
 Mr. Selz: We get from forty cents to two dollars a 
 hundred. I have never figured up the cost. 
 
 The President: In reference to that I would like to 
 say that some time ago when I made this other 
 experiment I made some figures in reference to the 
 cost of mangle work. I have forgotten them. I 
 think we figured on sheets, pillow-cases, towels, table- 
 cloths and napkins. As I remember it the relative cost 
 of napkins and sheets was seventeen cents for napkins and 
 $2.65 a hundred for sheets. 
 
 Mr. Speare: I am very much interested in the flat 
 work question, and I have felt for some years that this 
 association did not give enough attention to that ques- 
 tion. It is a matter of comparatively recent growth. The 
 mangle of a few years ago was a crude affair compared 
 with the mangles on the market today. The growth in 
 the machinery line, so far as mangles are concerned, has 
 been very rapid. lyaundrymen who have placed the new 
 and improved mangles in their laundries are looking 
 around to find work for them. Most laundries have 
 mangles much larger than they need for the amount of 
 flat work they are doing, and their next experience is 
 that they have got to get a new mangle to do the flat 
 work which they have taken in to accommodate the large 
 mangle, and it seems to me it is a great assistance in ob- 
 taining starch .work. 
 
 The president by request read the following price-list 
 for mangle work agreed upon by the I^aundry men's Asso- 
 ciation of Rochester: 
 
315 
 
 HOTEL AND RESTAURANT WORK. 
 
 Towels and napkins, 300 pieces per week or less, in 
 lots not less than three dozen, $1 per hundred; 300 to 
 500 pieces per week in lots not less than three dozen, 65 
 cents per hundred; 500 to 1,000 per week, 50 cents per 
 one hundred; 1,000 pieces or over per week, 35 cents per 
 one hundred. Roller towels and pillow slips, $2, $1.25, 
 $1 and 75 cents, according to the number of pieces. Table 
 covers, sheets, aprons, blankets and counterpanes, $4 
 per one hundred, $2.50 per one hundred, $2 per one hun- 
 dred, $1.50 per one hundred, according to the number of 
 the lot as above read. Barbers' towels, three dozen or 
 less, each lot one cent each. Three dozen to one hun- 
 dred, each lot three-quarters of a cent each. Over one 
 hundred, each lot one-half cent each. 
 
EMPLOYE'S CONTRACT AND DRIVER'S BOND. 
 
 Through the kindness of one of the leading lenrdry supply 
 houses we are enabled to pressent to our readers two forms Iha 
 
 t^p cpirl firm had their law5-er prepare especially for the laundiy 
 Irtdv.e. 
 
 EMPLOYES CONTRACT 
 
 HcUdCS of HOrCCment, Made and entered into this 4»y of 
 
 __A. D., 180 , bj aad between.. 
 
 and .- .. _ .. ._of the Citj c. . 
 
 Countj of . . State of . 
 
 WHEREAS, the said. , are the owners 
 
 and operators of a certain laundry- plant and arc about to employ the said 
 
 — ID and about said laundry, and in consideration of the said employment, 
 
 it is aifreeil u follovu 
 
 _,. _i- .-^•.■■•-. i 
 
 T»t waML~.iL-.' — — ^-. -^ . .^tf«by mplajrea the said 
 
 ) . -.J-*- A- —- 
 . ataaalaryof - ^ ^^ Dollars 
 
 ({ ) per day, with the right to tein>iii*t6 Said eiaploymaat at any time. 
 
 In consideration of the said «inplojrment 
 
 ..grees to work for thS said employej- at a salary of dollars (S - _ _ ) 
 
 per day, until said emptoymeDt shall he .terminated by the employer, and the said employer :.n.ill h.ne 
 
 the right to reUio Jajn' salary in hands ai. securu> that said employee will not 
 
 leave the employment, withont first having given at least six days' notice of intention to 
 
 leave the employment of the saU employer, and upon failure to give such notice, then said employer 
 
 snail retain aa liquidated damages, t*te days' salary retained by 
 
 If the said . .gives ;v.;:ce as ibove provided for, then 
 
 IS to receive the manej retained by the said employer. 
 
 WITNESS our bands and seals tha day and year first above written. 
 
 ---■ [SEAL] I 
 
 {seal] 
 
 [SEAL] 
 
•DRIVER'S BOND 
 
 ■Rnovf* all men b? these pte6ent8.Ti.rt 
 
 
 «S«I«JM ■*« •■n'u ■" ""■ ' — ' ■.■..■■■ ^ . ,» ^— ^_._^j-.. ^^ „ , 
 
 - *iiil State «».. , , .^ait teW and lirmly 
 
 bMnd unto , . — . __ ^ .. OWigees, 
 
 . .. „ . , '*^-i" -1 - '•«-r.*yfi|.»i,^V. ■■-'■ ^. - 
 
 lO'tne Cuiwt^ aod stale aforeMM, tn the penal juH of _—__, . , .._.. „ 
 
 Dollars, IS } lavful money iif tha Ujiitoil States, wfaicb lajjunoit well ^ad truly to be 
 
 made and performed, we. and each of in, biqd ourselvcn, ouv hein, *xecvtoi-s and adirinistranrs, 
 Toiotly, act-eraMy and Gimly by these prtKDta. 
 
 The Condition of thl» Obligation Is such' That tlie above named^ . ^ 
 
 — . ^. is «bout t3 enter the euvploy of the said 
 
 ■ ^~i - — -■ . ,., 0blig4f;B, tP the capacity of a driver 
 
 and collector, and will come idto contact with the trade and cuatqmeik- of tfiB said Obllpocs. and will 
 receive for the said Obli^ee» hibw of money -and otbvr praperty from-tiai* io time, 
 
 KOW if thosaid '^ . shgll fa-'ShfuHy acccunt for 
 
 and pay over to the said . _ , , all-isoBcy wh',-h 
 
 '• may cbme iottr his hands or which be mty collect or rcceiw, for or .on accoL'nt, of the i.±ii 
 ! Obligees, and shall also take proper care of an4- account for ahd^deliver up*n the order of s^id 
 { Obligees, all other property wbiidtl V)ft7 <VIQe ioto his possession as such jlhiver qr collector, and 
 j shall save and koep barmliess the said Obligeftt from any and all claims, damag-cs and oxpens>< 
 { caused to tlie property of the said Obligeet^ by his set pg t»the lif^, person or ptO];>epty,a>fpther&, and 
 I shall not, and will not. during his said employ^evt, and (or a period of three n^opths after t!ie 
 I termination uf his employment by uid Obligvca as such driver and colleclor, petsonally, or' by sjij 
 I otlier means, sblicit or epdea^or tp-nbtaiti ffir himself cr for i^Dyothea person, 4rm or corpo.atictl, 
 j-the laundry worJc, custom or (ctde ^f any sjiid customers of- said tOblig;ee^. Now if the said 
 
 .__„^ - — 5 shall pera^ally or hy any other pr:sk>ti or 
 
 I means, solicit or endeavor *Jt obtain fpt himself, or for Any otlier person, $rm or C9rpq>-atian, tL>' 
 I laundry worV CM&toffl.or tradf of any of the customers of the said Oblige^o, ^liile in their employ 
 , dr within a period of three months after the termination of his rmployment by said Obligees as 
 
 I such driver and collector, the said , - - _ - — shall 
 
 pay to the said Obligees, bn demand, tju sura -of - — — .-.'- 
 
 Dollars, tS > as liquidated and agreed damages forewiry oi;eof such cilstomers whose 
 
 laundry work, custom or tra^e be ipay.voticit or endCiiVOF to ol)tain during the s^id pjeriod of three 
 months, or while in the cmplojunent of the sajd Obligees, and if he shall pay lUl damages occasioned 
 through him, all money w^d'for jill property coming into his fyantls or undiii his control, then this 
 obligation to be void, otherwise to rcidain in full fowe and effect. 
 
 WITNJSSS our hands and seals this day of. _ . a. D.,'l8y 
 
DOWST'S LAUNDRY TABLE OF WAGES. 
 
 FOR ONE OTi TWO WEEKS 
 
 Ers 
 
 11.00 
 
 11.50 
 
 |a.'00$2.50||3.00| 
 
 $8.50 
 
 $4.00. 14.50 
 
 $5.00 
 .41-6 
 
 15.5016 00| 
 
 H 
 
 .05-6 
 
 ■m 
 
 ■1% 
 
 .81-12 
 
 ■2« 
 
 811-IS 
 
 ■sa 
 
 ■SH 
 
 .4712 
 .916 
 
 .5 
 
 1 
 
 •m 
 
 m 
 
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319 
 IvAUNDRYMEN'S NATIONAI/ ASSOCIATION. 
 
 The following is the constitution and by-laws of the 
 lyaundrymen's National Association. 
 CONSTITUTION. 
 ARTICLE I. 
 The name of this Association shall be the 1,aundry- 
 men's Nationai, Association of the United States. 
 
 ARTICLE II. 
 
 The membership of this Association shall be composed 
 of those who are actively engaged in the laundry busi- 
 ness as proprietors or owners of laundries, in good 
 standing. 
 
 ARTICLE III. 
 
 Laundry machinery dealers, dealers in laundry supplies 
 and those whose business is such that they have interest 
 in common with laundry men, are eligible to election as 
 associate members, such members being arnenable to all 
 the laws of this Association and are entitled to a seat 
 upon the floor at all annual conventions, but can have no 
 vote in the proceedings thereof, and are not eligible to 
 ofl&ce- 
 
 ARTICLE IV. 
 
 The o£5cers of this Association shall be a President, 
 four (4) Vice-Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer, and an 
 Executive Committee of five (5) members. 
 
 The chairmanship of the said committee shall be vested 
 in the member of longest service. 
 
 There shall also be a Sergeant-at-Arms to attend the 
 door and keep order upon the floor of the conventions, 
 this ofi&cer to be appointed and controlled bv the 
 President. 
 
 ARTICLE V. 
 
 All oflBcers, except the Executive Committee, shall be 
 elected by ballot, nominations to be made from the floor 
 during the second day's session of each annual conven- 
 tion, and shall hold ofiice for one year thereafter, or until 
 I he election and qualification of their successors 
 ARTICLE VI- 
 
 Amendments to this Constitution shall be made only 
 by written resolution ofiered and read at a regular meet- 
 
320 
 
 ing of the Association, and a two- thirds vote of members 
 present and voting shall be necessary for adoption. 
 
 BY-LAWS. 
 
 Section I. The annual convention of this Association 
 shall be held upon the second Monday in September of 
 each year, a»d at such places as shall be designated by 
 the Association in convention assembled. Special meet- 
 ings may be called at any time by the Executive Commit- 
 tee. The Executive Committee shall also have power to 
 change the date and place of the annual meeting or either 
 of them, provided that such change be deemed advisable 
 or necessary. 
 
 Sec. II. The order of business at annual conventions 
 shall be as follows: 
 
 I . Reading of minutes of last convention. 
 2- Payment of dues. 
 
 3. Reception of and balloting upon application for 
 membership. 
 
 4. Announcement of committees. 
 
 5. Consideration of communications. 
 
 6. Report of President. 
 
 7. Report of Executive Committee and report of 
 Standing Committees. 
 
 8. New business. 
 
 9. Report of Special Committees. 
 
 10. Election of officers. 
 
 1 1 . Report of out-going Secretary. 
 
 1 2 . Report of Treasurer. 
 
 13. Installation of officers. 
 
 Sbc. III. Twenty-five members shall constitute a 
 quorum for the transaction of business. 
 
 Sec. IV. The President shall preside at all meetings 
 of the Association. He shall appoint a Sergeant-at-Arms 
 for each regular meeting, and all other committees not 
 otherwise herein provided for. It shall be the duty of the 
 Vice-Presidents, in the order pf their election, to preside 
 and act as President in case of the absence or disability of 
 the President. 
 
 It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep the min- 
 utes of each meeting of the Association, and of the Exec- 
 utive Committee; to give members due notice of regular 
 
32' 
 
 and special meetings; to keep a complete record of the 
 names of the members of the Association, to collect all 
 moneys due the Association, and to pay the same over to 
 the Treasurer, taking his receipt therefore; he shall have 
 charge of all books and papers of the Association at each 
 annual convention; for the faithful performance of these 
 duties he shall receive such compensation as may be 
 voted by the Association at the convention at which he is 
 elected. 
 
 It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to have custody of 
 all moneys of the Association; he shall disburse the same 
 only upon orders drawn by the Secretary and counter- 
 signed by the President; he shall keep, upon a suitable 
 book, a correct account of all receipts and disbursements, 
 make a detailed report to the Associatiom at each con- 
 vention of its financial condition and at any time, upon 
 the request of the Executive Committee; for the faithful 
 performance of his duties, he shall give bonds of such 
 form and amount as shall be acceptable to the Executive 
 Committee. 
 
 All sums in excess of three hundred dollars remaining 
 in the hands of the Treasurer after the close of each 
 annual convention, and after all lawful debts are paid 
 shall be turned over to the Executive Committee for in- 
 vestment, in the interests of the Association, and in such 
 way and manner as the majority of the committee shall 
 elect. 
 
 Sec. V. The Execiitive Committee shall have charge 
 of all the business of the Association in the interim between 
 conventions. They may hold meetings as often as they 
 deem necessary for the interest of the Association. They 
 shall duly consider all questions of grievance and other 
 questions submitted to them by members of the Associa- 
 tion, and in every case take such action as is agreed upon 
 by the majority. A quorum of the Executive Committee 
 shall be three (3) members. They shall have power to 
 fill any vacancy in the office of the Association caused by 
 death or disability, unless otherwise herein provided. 
 The Secretary may draw upon the Treasurer for the 
 actual expenses of each member of the Executive Com- 
 mittee incurred in attending regular or special meetings 
 of the Committee, and pay the same oyer to them, taking 
 their receipt therefor. 
 
322 
 
 Sec. VI. There shall be the following Committee, 
 consisting of three members each, appointed by the Pres- 
 ident and announced as provided in the order of business: 
 
 (a) Committee on Credentials. The duty of this 
 Committee is to examine and report upon all applications 
 for membership that may be referred to them. 
 
 (6) Committee on Finance. The duty of this Com- 
 mittee is to audit the books and the accounts of the Sec- 
 retary and Treasurer, and report upon the condition to 
 the Association. 
 
 (c) Committee on Resolutions, who shall take into 
 consideration the condition of the trade, and report suita- 
 ble resolutions to the Association. All resolutions pro- 
 posed in convention, not immediately passed upon by the 
 Association shall be referred to this Committee. 
 
 Sec. VII. (a) The membership fee for regular and 
 associate members shall be $3, which amount must accom- 
 pany the application. 
 
 (6) The dues shall be $3 per annum, payable in ad- 
 vance. 
 
 Sec. VIII . All applications for membership shall be 
 made in writing to the Secretary, who shall announce the 
 same in some regular or special meeting. A majority 
 affirmative vote shall constitute an election to member- 
 ship. In case objection is made to any application or ap- 
 plications, the same shall be referred to the Committee on 
 Credentials. 
 
 Sec. IX. Any member whose dues are thirty days in 
 arrears shall be notified of the fact by the Secretary, and 
 if such dues are not paid within sixty days after such 
 notification, such member or members shall be considered 
 suspended, and can have no voice or vote in the meetings 
 of the Association until all arrears are settled. 
 
 Sec. X. Whenever it is deemed advisable for the good 
 of the trade to expel any member, or any person or per- 
 sons, the same shall be made in writing, setting forth the 
 reasons for such motion, the same to be made at some 
 regular or special meeting, of the Association. A ma- 
 jority vote shall expel or place upon the black list, but 
 in case of any objection, the matter shall be referred to a 
 special committee of three members for investigation and 
 report. 
 
 Sec. XI. No President shal^ be eligible to re-election. 
 
323 
 
 Sbc. XII. Any oflScer of this Association may be re- 
 moved for cause shown, by a two- thirds vote of members 
 present and voting. 
 
 Sbc. XIII. All deliberations of the Association shall 
 be conducted according to the rules of Gushing' s Manual 
 or Parliamentary Practice. 
 
 Sec. XIV. An obligation rests upon the members of 
 the Association to familiarize themselves with its consti- 
 tution and by-laws and rules adopted for its government. 
 All should, in so far as possible, attend all regular meet- 
 ings, abide by all provisions of the Association and work, 
 heartily for its interests, aid the ofl&cers in their work in 
 possible ways, avoid all acts and methods of business 
 likely to prejudice the good name of the Association. 
 
 Sbc. XV. These by-laws shall only be amended 
 after the proposed amendment shall have been submitted 
 to the Association, at some regular or special meeting. 
 An afi&rmative vote of two-thirds the members present 
 and voting shall be necessary for the adoption of such 
 amendment. 
 
 I,OCAI/ I,AT7NDRV ASSOCIATIONS. 
 
 Among the movements that have been made to bene- 
 fit the trade, the forming of local associations has 
 proved to be of great importance and as laundrymen, in 
 contemplating such organizations, are often desirous of 
 ascertaining the form adopted by like associations else- 
 where, we herewith present the constitution and by-laws 
 of one such association as will give a general idea on 
 the subject and most likely be helpful to those desiring 
 such information. 
 
 CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS 
 
 OF THK 
 
 INDlANAPOIvIS LAUNDRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 
 
 CONSTITUTION. 
 
 Indianapolis, Ind., Aug. ii, '94- 
 
 ARTICLE I. 
 
 The objects of this Association are to bring about a 
 better acquaintance of all the persons engaged in the 
 
5!24 
 
 laundry business in the city of Indianapolis and vicinity; 
 to protect ourselves against non-payings customers; to 
 adopt a uniform scale of prices and commissions, and 
 other measures from time to time as may be of benefit to 
 its members. 
 
 ARTICLE II. 
 
 The officers of this Association shall be a president, 
 vice-president, secretary and treasurer. They shall be 
 elected by ballot at the last regular meeting in August 
 of each year, and shall require a majority of all the votes 
 east to constitute an election. 
 
 The term of office shall be one year, or until their 
 successors are elected and duly qualified. 
 
 ORDER OF BUSINESS. 
 
 1. Roll call of Members. 
 
 2. Reading of Minutes. 
 
 3. Report of Special Committees. 
 
 4. Report of Standing Committees. 
 
 5. Unfinished Business. 
 
 6. New Business. 
 
 7. Remarks. 
 
 8. Adjournment. 
 
 BY-LAWS. 
 
 ARTICX,B I. 
 
 The regular meeting of this Association shall be held 
 on the second Tuesday of each month at 2:30 p. m. 
 
 ARTICLE II. 
 
 Special meetings may be called by the president, with 
 the concurrence of two members, or shall be called by the 
 president upon the written request of three members. 
 ARTICLE III. 
 
 A written or printed notice shall be sent by the secre- 
 tary to each member at least one day in advance of all 
 meetings,, provided however, that a special meeting may 
 be calkd forthwith, as provided in article second of these 
 by-laws by personal notification of each member. 
 
 ARTICLE rv. 
 Sec I. It shall be the duty of the president to pre- 
 side at all meetings, to preserve order, put all questions 
 to vote, decide all questions of order, subject to an appeal 
 
325 
 
 by the body. He shall give a casting vote in case of a tie 
 and shall sign all orders drawn on the treasurer. He 
 shall appoint a committee on arbitration, to whom all 
 questions at issue between members of this Association 
 shall be referred. 
 
 Sec. 2. The vice-president shall, in the absence of the 
 president, perform the duties of his ofiBce. 
 
 Sec. 3. It shall be the duty of the secretary to attend 
 all meetings, keep accurate minutes of the proceedings 
 thereof, and record the same in a book kept for that piir- 
 pose. He shall keep an accurate account of the receipts 
 and expenditures of the Association, shall keep on file all 
 bills and such other matters as shall be placed in his 
 possession. His books shall be open at all times to the 
 inspection of any member, and he shall deliver to his 
 successor in office,- when duly elected and qualified, all 
 books, papers, etc., belonging to this Association. 
 
 Sac. 4. It shall be the duty of the treasurer to collect 
 all money due the Association and pay out the same only 
 on orders drawn by the secretary and signed by the pres- 
 ident 
 
 ARTICLE V. 
 
 All vacancies shall be filled at a stated meeting by an 
 election by ballot. 
 
 ARTICI,E VI. 
 
 Seven members shall constitute a quorum. 
 
 ARTICLE VII. 
 
 No more than one person connected with the same or 
 interested in the same laundry, shall be entitled to vote 
 on the same question, and no member who is more than 
 thirty days in arrears for dues shall be entitled to vote. 
 
 ARTICLE VIII. 
 
 The proprietors or manager of any laundry may become 
 a member this Association by receiving a majority of all 
 votes cast at a regular meeting, paying an initiation fee of 
 three dollars, and signing the constitution and by-laws. 
 
 ARTICLE IX. 
 
 All resolutions providing for assessments shall be acted 
 upon at a stated meeting and require a majority vote. 
 
 ARTICLE X. 
 
 Section i . Charges against a member for a violation 
 of these by-laws or any part of them, shall be made in 
 
326 
 
 writing to the committee on arbitration, and the accused 
 party or parties shall be notified in writing by the secre- 
 tary. 
 
 Sec. 2. It shall be the duty of the arbitration com- 
 mittee to investigate and decide all disputes of a financial, 
 mercantile, commercial, or of any other character sub- 
 mitted for its adjudication by members of this Association. 
 It shall have the right to summon witnesses through the 
 secretary, and any member or employe of a member 
 refusing to appear or testify when so summoned, shall be 
 reported by the chairman of the committee to the members 
 of the Association, and the member so refusing may be 
 suspended or expelled at the discretion of the Association. 
 
 ALTSHATIONS AND AMENDMENTS. 
 
 Sec. 3. Alterations and amendments of the constitu- 
 tion and by-laws shall be made only by written resolutions 
 offered and read at a regular meeting and laid upon 
 the table until the next regular meeting for action, and 
 decided by a two-thirds majority of members present. 
 
 ARTlCIvE XI. 
 
 No member of this Association will employ a driver of 
 a delivery wagon while in the service of a member of this 
 Association, and not within thirty days after said service 
 has ceased, except with the consent of his last employer. 
 
 In case of fire, breakage or accident, trouble with help, 
 whereby a member of this Association needs assistance, 
 members of this Association are to do work for him or 
 them at two-thirds of the adopted price-list during the 
 continuation of said trouble. 
 
 No member of this Association will do work for any 
 laundryman not a member of this Association, or for any 
 agent or office which is in arrears to a member of the 
 same. 
 
 ARTICLE XII. 
 
 The amount of dues shall be $3.00 per year payable in 
 advance. Any member neglecting to pay bis dues within 
 thirty days after the expiration of proper time, shall be 
 considered in arrears. 
 
 AGREEMENT AS TO PRICES AND COMMISSIONS 
 
 The undersigned laundry proprietors doing business in 
 the City of Indianapolis, have this day adopted the follow- 
 ing list of prices and commissions: 
 
327 
 
 Shirts 10 to 12}^ 
 
 Shirts, stock work 12)4 to 15 
 
 Shirts, night 10 to 20 
 
 Underwear 8 to 15 
 
 Collars and Cuffs.. 30 cts. per doz. 
 
 Socks per pair 5 
 
 Handkerchiefs 3 to 5 
 
 Shirtwaists 15 
 
 Vests 15 
 
 Coats and Jackets 10 to 25 
 
 Duck Trousers 25 to 50 
 
 An extra charge of 20 per cent shall be added to this 
 list for all work done in one day. 
 
 It is further agreed that no commission in excess of 20 
 per cent to any agency or branch office, shall be given on 
 above list and that we will not receive or do any work for 
 the so-called laundry soliciting companies or agents. This 
 is not to be construed as interfering with any arrange- 
 ments that we may have with bona fide offices or agencies, 
 except so far as the commission is concerned. 
 
 It is further agreed that any existing contract for a per 
 cent in excess of 20 per cent shall terminate, and shall not 
 be renewed at a per cent in excess of 20 per cent on fore- 
 going list, and that no new contract be entered into from 
 date of this agreement, based on a commission in excess 
 of 20 per cent on this list and no dead head work shall be 
 done for branch offices or agencies, and that all other 
 agreements for a per cent in excess of 20 per cent, shall 
 terminate September i, 1894. 
 
 Penalty for violation of this agreement or any of the 
 by-laws of this Association, shall not be less than $5.00 
 or more than $50.00, amount to be determined by com- 
 mittee on arbitration, and these fines shall be paid to the 
 treasurer and become a part of the moneys of the Associa- 
 tion. 
 
 An appeal may be taken from the decision of the com- 
 mittee on arbitration to the Association, and a two-thirds 
 vote shall confirm or reject the decision of the committee 
 on arbitration, which sliail be final. 
 
 When a member of the committee on arbitration is a 
 party to any controversy before said committee, the presi- 
 dent shall appoint another member of this Association in 
 his place, pending settlement of the question at issue. 
 
THE STEAM LAUNDRY 
 
 And Its Methods. 
 
 BV C. 75. ROVCB, 
 
 BE»RINGFIKi:i.D. - - MASS. 
 
 • • • • 
 
 INDEXX. 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 I^ocation 5 
 
 Building 7 
 
 The Office g 
 
 Book-keeping. 11 
 
 Collection and Delivery 13 
 
 Drivers 18 
 
 The Marking Room 19 
 
 Sorting and Bundling 24 
 
 Soap . : .' 24 
 
 Soft Soap from Chips 28 
 
 ^Starch 29 
 
 Water 32 
 
 Caustic Soda , 36 
 
 Carbonate of Soda '. 36 
 
 Sal Soda 37 
 
 Turpentine , 37 
 
 Ammonia 37 
 
 Borax 38 
 
 Marking Ink 38 
 
 Washing ' 38 
 
 New Met'nod of Washing 44 
 
 Washing Without Bleach 46 
 
 Washing Woolens 48 
 
Bleaching 50 
 
 Chloride of Lime and other Bleaching Agents S3 
 
 Black Specks 61 
 
 Family Work -. 62 
 
 Mangle Work 64 
 
 Stock Shirts , 65 
 
 Lace Curtains - 66 
 
 Stains 66 
 
 Dampening 69 
 
 Exhaust Steam. . . ■ 71 
 
 Gas 73 
 
 Color 73 
 
 _..^P!-eparing Bluing 73 
 
 Carpet Cleaning 74, 
 
 Motive Power and Fuel 76 
 
 Ventilation 79 
 
 Agencies 84 
 
 Advertising 88 
 
 Day Work versus piece Work 91 
 
 Work for Employes 92 
 
 Care of Machinery 92 
 
 Cleanliness ' 92 
 
 Insurance 94 
 
 Combination versus Competition. 96 
 
 Claims 99 
 
 Chinese Competition 103 
 
 Covering of Machines 105 
 
 Disinfection 106 
 
 Remedies 106 
 
 A Portable Laundry. . . .- .' .107 
 
 Points 109 
 
 CONVENTION ESSAYS. 
 
 Essays 117 to 315 
 
 Soap 117 
 
 Washing and Bleaching 119 
 
 Competition versus Combination 123 
 
 Boilers 128 
 
 Cash versus Credit 131 
 
 Cleanliness and Order 135 
 
 Progressive Ideas *. 140 
 
 Soft Soap for the Laundry 149 
 
 Work and Win 154 
 
 Insurance 160 
 
 Lavindry Accounts ...,..,.,,,.., 164 
 
Advertising i68 
 
 Discussion on Advertising i 179 
 
 Agents 183 
 
 Discussion on Agents X94 
 
 Is Bleaching Necessary? 197 
 
 Washing 200 
 
 Discussion on Washing 204 
 
 Collection of Accounts 209 
 
 Blectricity in the Laundry 213 
 
 Discussion on Electricity 216 
 
 Local Associations 220 
 
 Problems 231 
 
 Discussion on Bleaching 237 
 
 Office System 243 
 
 Objective Points '. 246 
 
 Room at the Top 251 
 
 Waste 254 
 
 Discussion on Waste 258 
 
 " " Marking 259 
 
 " " Washing 263 
 
 " " Bleaching 268 
 
 " " Soap... 270 
 
 " " Blue .• 270 
 
 " " Dry Room 2-/0 
 
 Are Local Associations Beneficial? 271 
 
 Washing 277 
 
 Discussion on Washing 280 
 
 Wagon System 29° 
 
 Discussion on Wagon System 298 
 
 Cash System 302 
 
 Discussion on Cash System 305 
 
 Mangle Work 312 
 
 Discussion on Mangle Work 313 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS. 
 
 Employe's Contract 316 
 
 Driver's Bond 3I7 
 
 Table of Wages 318 
 
 Constitution and By-Laws L. N. A 3^9 
 
 Constitution and By-Laws Local Associations 323