If you have been following this blog for a while, you may remember other posts featuring homes and businesses that were included in the publication, “Picturesque Algona.” This post will tell the story of F.L. McComb and his business, McComb Laundry. By 1900 when “Picturesque Algona” was published, F. L. McComb had been in Algona for five years. Photographs of both his home and his business, McComb Laundry, appear in the book. McComb’s name may not be one that is extremely familiar in our local history, but for a short period of time he ran a very successful steam laundry business.
Franklin Lewis McComb was born in Genesee County, Michigan on February 3, 1855. He had been an Iowa resident for just a short time when he married Sarah Ardelia Elliott on January 30, 1889 in Des Moines. By 1895 he and his family were living in Clay County. In that year he traded his 240-acre farm to Elihu Wright in exchange for the Wright residence in Algona and a smaller farm near Wesley.
McComb came to Algona with brand new steam laundry equipment from Chicago and set up business. An article from the Upper Des Moines published on June 26, 1895 stated:
“If anyone believes that getting a collar ready for wear is a simple process he should visit the laundry building back of Heise’s block. It is washed in a patent washer, wrung in a machine which revolves like a milk separator and throws the water out, dried in a kiln heated by steam to 250 degrees, starched in a patent machine, ironed on a fancy brass ironing machine, and all but wrapped up and delivered by automatic action.”
THE HISTORY OF THE HOUSE
The house that the McCombs traded for had been built by James McLaren in 1880 in anticipation of his upcoming nuptials to Miss Mary Patterson. The structure was a large frame building with two uprights, one 16 x 32 feet and the other 16 x 22 feet, with an additional wing 14 x 16 feet in size, all of which were covered by a hip roof. McLaren worked as a “confidential clerk” at the J. J. Wilson store and Miss Patterson had been employed as a school teacher prior to her marriage.
The following year the McLarens welcomed a son who brought them much happiness and contentment. Sadly, their precious utopia would not last. Mrs. McLaren became ill with a stomach ailment in the summer of 1885. She passed away on August 9th, leaving her husband and 4-year-old son to mourn her loss. The funeral was held at the couple’s home. The room where the viewing and service took place was filled with floral tributes created by many friends, including drapes of evergreen and flowers over door arches. Rev. W. H. Burnard spoke on a selection from the New Testament and Mrs. R. H. Spencer and several others rendered beautiful hymns in tribute to the deceased. Mrs. McLaren was laid to rest in Riverview Cemetery.
McLaren’s sister, ElizabetH, stayed for several months after the funeral to care for the grieving husband and son. On November 11, 1885, she was married to W. B. Harter at the house which this time was joyfully bedecked in wedding flowers and greenery. James McLaren remained in Algona until November of 1887 at which time he and his son moved to California where he went into banking.
THE HOUSE BECOMES THE MCCOMB RESIDENCE.
The house had several other owners before it was traded to F. L. McComb as part of his transaction with Elihu Wright.
The McComb family moved into the Wright house in October of 1895. The couple had two active young boys, Arthur and Carl, who filled the house with noise and laughter. Just a year later, however, the house was once again permeated with darkness and despair when five-year-old Arthur became ill and succumbed to diphtheria a short time later.
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| The McComb house in 2021 |
THE LAUNDRY BUSINESS
The steam laundry was considered a model establishment in the city of Algona. From lace curtains to shirt, collars and cuffs, they were known to do excellent work. Special rates applied for family laundry which they were happy to handle in bulk.
By 1898, McComb desired to move his business to State Street. Finding nothing suitable there, he decided to construct a building to suit his needs on a side street. He bought a lot at 113 North Dodge Street where a flour warehouse stood. He moved that building to the back of the lot and erected a one-story front next to the office of the Algona Republican.
When the new site was completed, McComb filled it with the latest laundry equipment, including a $700 ironer that was wide enough to iron a bed sheet and warranted to iron everything but barbed wire. He then moved the old equipment to Blue Earth, Minnesota, where he opened another laundry establishment. The new equipment was tested in mid-June of 1899 and was soon fully up and running. The business employed a dozen people either working in the laundry or doing pickup and delivery. As they began to pull in custom work from neighboring towns more workers were needed and it was expected that their staff would grow to 20. Mr. McComb must have been a good employer as his staff presented him with a handsome office chair for Christmas in 1899.
THE MCCOMBS MOVE ON
Business continued strong for the next few years. A small fire in the building and a break in at his home which resulted in the theft of a gold watch and $20 added some excitement to the regular routine, but the best news of the McComb family was the birth of their daughter, Ruth, in 1902. The new baby girl brought much joy to the family, but her arrival also made Frank realize that his drinking had gotten out of hand. A few months later he began treatment at the Murray-Lange Institute for his alcoholism.
McComb sold his business to Will Lacy in 1904 and he and his family moved to Sioux Falls where he opened another laundry. A short time later they moved to Cass County, Iowa, where they remained. Frank became a prominent farmer in the Lewis area. He died in 1928 and Sarah passed away on November 1, 1947.
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| The old post office building built on the site of the McComb Laundry |
In 1934 the laundry property was purchased for the purpose of building a new post office and was demolished. The McComb house still stands at the corner of Jones and Kennedy.
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Until next time,
Jean
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