"MANGLES" AND "FLATWORK IRONERS"

BY ROBERT STEBBINS, guest writer

(Mil's note: Robert Stebbins, CHS '51, a friend and classmate 
should know about mangles--his father, Calvin, and
uncle, John, bought the Magic Steam Laundry from
my family in mid-August, 1945, right at the end of
WWII. Robert knew "my" mangle. MSL was a little
later moved to a West Seventh location.)

Robert: Mil, after reading your piece, I started wondering 
about the word "mangle."

Reaching back some 70 years or so, I remember that 
a few households had a little ironer with a cylinder that
revolved. It took up about as much space as a sewing
machine (not the table-top one.)

After placing a handkerchief, napkin, or even pillow case,
or whatever into it...the item was supposed to come
out the other side pressed/ironed so that it could be 
folded and ready for use. I am certain that some wives
got together and in discussing their chores, brought up
the subject of laundry and ironing. 

The little ironers were designed with the technology of 
the day, but inevitably items came out the other side 
"mangled," not neatly ironed or suitable for use--thus
leading to the use od the word "mangle," as it is 
associated with laundry.

I always associated the term mangle with the little
machines that had electrically-heated drying elements.
But a "flatwork ironer" was a big baby (with its heat
coming from steam) into which you could insert sheets,
towels, and other large items...hoping they would not
come out the other side--mangled.

I remember that my dad and uncle bought a second-
hand flatwork ironer and what a job it was to unload
it from a flatbed truck and install it at 301 W. Seventh
St. there in Clovis. I believe it came from Hereford, Tx.,
but I could be mistaken. 

I do remember that they bought a used steam boiler
that came from a WWII prisoner-of-war-camp in 
Hereford that was closed after the war ended.

Who knows where the term "mangle" originated? 
Maybe we need to sit down with a laundry expert
and find out.
------------------
"LAUNDRY MEMORIES" from Robert

I want to add a few memories to my previous
remarks.

There always seemed to be a lot of "laundry lint"
on the floor around the flatwork ironer. Of course, 
as I used to do a lot of the sweeping after scattering
that "red sawdust" on the floor, I always noticed 
the lint on the floor. However, there was a lot of it---
everywhere in the laundry.

And clear in my memory are images of Thelma
and Annie feeding damp sheets, pillow cases,
towels, etc. into the ironer.

The laundry did a lot of hospital, motel, restaurant,
and railroad flatwork in those days. Thelma and
Annie were both "up in years"" as we used to say.

Thelma, was the tall one, with coal-black (dyed?) 
hair, and Annie, with grey hair, was probably a 
foot-and-a-half shorter. Sort of a Mutt and Jeff 
women's team, standing on those hard concrete 
floors hour after hour, feeding that ironer.

They were so loyal and dependable---rarely late for
work or absent. Valued employees---who for years
were considered part of the "laundry family."
******************

BY ROBERT STEBBINS, CHS "51
   for MIL'S PLACE
10/09/14