THE WAUPACA REPUBLICAN

December 14, 1894

 

WAUPACA STEAM LAUNDRY

 

Moved to New Quarters – A Growing Business.

 

            Two years ago when Henry Hansen started, in a small way, the laundry business in Waupaca, in E. L. Browne’s building on Union St., many were skeptical of its success.  Even Mr. Hansen, at times, the first year, almost doubted if it would be well enough supported to pay for putting in a first-class plant; but he kept right on adding to his facilities and turning out excellent work, until his orders were such that he was forced to put in a plant and get quarters suitable for a large business in the laundry line.  Last summer Mr. S. Hjortsvang sold his bakery and entered into partnership with Mr. Hanson, and together they have worked early and late to build up a good business.  A few weeks ago when Nels Christensen and Hans Georgesen put up their two new brick buildings near the stone bridge, Hanson & Hjortsvang saw their opportunity and secured a new location of Mr. Christensen.

            They moved over there this week and A. M. Hansen has had his plumbers working night and day, almost ten days. Getting all the intricate piping connections and cutoffs to go with a seven horse power engine and a thirteen pressure boiler, to run the business in the basement, noted as follows:  The pumping from a large well near the river is done by a hot steam injector.  The water in an overhead tank is boiled by steam.  One large 60-shirt hydraulic washer and one of smaller capacity for collars, cuffs, and sundries, are all rocked by power, and the clothes are washed by steam.  The clothes are dried by a system of steam heat run in pipes in a room 8 x 8 feet, supplied with eight drying racks.  The pumping,, washing, starching and drying, are all done in this basement room.  A centrifugal wringer will also be put in in a few days.

            After the clothes leave this room they are taken up stairs where they are passed through the ironing and finishing machines.  They have a large roomy office where the packages, all nicely done up and billed, are ready for the delivery wagon.  Off from the office room, to the right, is the sorting room.  The enlargement of their plant will enable them to compete for work from all the outside towns in a little while, and they intend to have every modern facility so the Waupaca Steam Laundry will do work second to no similar institution in the state.  May it achieve success.