THE COMING OF STEAM LAUNDRIES-2
Yesterday's article gave a brief summary of the history of improved and sanitary laundry work in the Colony, with the varying fortunes of the pioneer steam laundry companies. The earliest of these, opened in 1877, must have had but a brief existence; I can find no record of it. The one which followed, in 1883, does not appear to have developed beyond the formative stage. In the Hongkong Telegraph of October 13, 1883, appears the only full mention of the concern (it must have been quietly buried some time later). The account is as follows:
"A meeting of the shareholders of the Hongkong Steam Laundry Company Limited was held this afternoon at three o'clock in the offices of Messrs. Hughes and Legge, in Queen's Road. The meeting was of a purely informal character, and was convened for the express purpose of reporting progress and electing a permanent board of directors. There were ten shareholders present, Mr. Woodin being elected to take the chair.
"The chairman... was happy to say that when the company was floated, all the shares at their disposal had been taken up. In fact more shares had been applied for by the public than they could be accommodated with. He would ask Mr. Legge to give a detailed account of what had been done towards placing the company on a working basis since the last meeting,
"Mr. Legge explained... that the Hongkong Steam Laundry Company had now been in existence a little over three months. That the company had made some progress towards arriving at a working condition might be taken from the following facts. The plans had been drawn for, and a portion of them arrived by one last mail; the balance were expected by the next mail. The necessary machinery of the most approved principle had been ordered from Home, and the ground had been purchased. Although there had as yet been no actual work or foundations commenced on the ground, the company must consider that they had secured a very good site for the nature of the business to be carried on. A tract of land of 24,000 square feet had been purchased for the sum of $4,020 (equivalent to 15 cents per foot or two cents per foot above the Government upset price). The land was situated... on this (west) side of the (Bowrington) Canal, near the Lee Yuen Sugar Refinery, where the circus had been formerly. Now that a portion of the plans were here, and the balance were to arrive almost immediately, actual work in erecting the premises, etc., could be at once begun.
"The company had secured the services of an experienced manager who was now at Home; he was there superintending the building of the necessary machinery, and would visit the various Laundries in England and Scotland and note the best and latest improvements. He could not tell the exact date when dirty linen could be washed, but he thought it would be in about five months. The Company were fortunate in having in the meantime the services of a practical engineer to see after the building of the premises pending the arrival of the machinery....
"Mr. Layton proposed that the provisional directors, consisting of Messrs. E.L. Woodin, H.J.H. Tripp, W.N. Bain, Andrew Johnson, and Wm. Legge be elected as permanent directors and Committee. The proposal was seconded by Mr. J.T. Chater and unanimously carried."
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THE COMING OF STEAM LAUNDRIES-2
Yesterday's article geve a brief summary of the history of improved and sanitary laundry work in the Colony, with the varying fortunes of the pioneer steam laundry compenies. The earliest of these, opened in 1877, must have had but a brief existence; I can find no record of it. The one which followed, in 1883, does not appear to have developed beyond the formative stage. In the Hongkong Telegraph of October 13, 1883, appears the only full mention of the concern (it must have been quietly buried some time later). The account is as follows:
"A meeting of the shareholders of the Hongkong Steam Laundry Company Limited was held this afternoon at three o'clock in the offices of Messrs. Hughes and Legge, in Que en 's Road. The meeting was of a purely informal character, end was convened for the express purpose of reporting progress and electing a permanent board of directors. There were ten share- holders present, Mr. Woodin being elected to take the chair.
"The chairman.... was happy to say that when the company was floated, all the shares at their disposal had been taken up. In fact more shares had been applied for by the public than they could be accommodated with. He would ask Mr. Legge to give a detailed account of what had been done towards placing the company on a working basis since the last meeting,
*
"Mr. Legge explained....that the Hongkong Steam Laundry Company had now been in existence a little over three months. That the company had made some progress towards arriving at a working condition might be taken from the following facts. The
plena had been written for, and a portion of them arrived by one last mail; the balance were expeated by the next mail. The necessary machinery of the most approved principle had been ordered. from Home, and the ground had been purchased, Although there had as yet been no actual work or foundations commenced on the ground, the company must consider that they had secured a very good site for the nature of the business to be carried on. 4 tract of land of 24,000 square feet had been purchased for the sum of $4,020 (equivalent to 15 cents per foot or two cents per foot above the Government upset price), The land was situated... on this (west) side of the (Bowrington) Canal, near the Lee Yuen Sugar Refinery, where the circus had been formerly, Now that a portion of the plans were here, and the balance were to arrive elmost immediately, actual work in erecting the premises, etc., could be at once begun.
"The company had secured the services of an experienced manager who was now at Home; he was there super intending the building of the necessary machinery, and would visit the various Lamdries in England and Scotland and note the best and latest furrovements. He could not tell the exact date when dirty linen could be washed, but he thought it would be in about five months. The Company were fortunate in having in the meantime the services of a practical engineer to see after the building of the premises pending the arrival of the machinery....
"Mr. Layton proposed that the provisional directors, consisting or Messra. E.L. Woodin, H.J.H. Tripp, W.N. Bain, Andrew Johnson, and Wm. Legge be alacted as permanent directore and Committee. proposal was seconded by Mr.J.T. Chater and unanimously carried."
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