What does Pres Kennedy & Maytag Wringer washers have in common?

[launderall]

November,22. Both died the same day, 20 years apart.

MAYTAG Company 1 Dependable Square Newton,IA (once, wringer washer capital of the world) killed the production of the world famous Model E2L or "Master" Square Aluminum Tub washer 1st introduced in 1939.

Longest running production, of any model manufactured in the conventional line of their wringer washer. Customers could still order powered by gas or electric.

 

[launderall]

Time 1983/ October

They were bulky and loud and could squeeze unwary fingers, but millions of Americans relied on them for clean socks, shirts and underwear all the same. Since 1907, Maytag (1982 sales: $440.8 million) has turned out nearly 12 million wringer washers from its plant on the edge of downtown Newton, Iowa. But automatic washers and dryers have drained away much of the business for wringers, and Maytag will stop making them by the end of the year. "We're experiencing a great sense of loss here," laments a company executive. "The wringer was our only product for 42 years."

Maytag, a leading maker of home appliances, dubbed its first wringer "the hired girl" and cranked out some 2,000 machines a day during the peak production year of 1948. Workers put in 60-hour weeks to fill the demand for washers that cleaned the diapers for the baby boom. Now output is down to several dozen a day.

Those few wringers, however, have been finding some buyers. The machines use little water and can be handy in places where water or plumbing is in short supply. Maytag sold 2,000 wringers to Saudi Arabia just five years ago.

Consumers will be able to buy new wringers even after Maytag drops its line. The Chicago-based Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers says two other companies will still make wringers.

 

[maytagmike]

president kennedy and maytag

i can remember when Maytag made that announcement, I'd had often wondered why they picked November 22nd to have the last Maytag wringer washer roll off the assembly line. I have 4 of those Maytags in my collection, a 1926 model, a 1937 model, a 1962 n2l, and my mom's 1962 e2lp. And to this day they are all still up and running.

 

[jetcone]

Cool piece of

history there.

Poor Newton Iowa now! Merging is not always the best thing.

 

 

[mickeyd]

"Now output is down to several dozen a day."

Exciting news. Didn't know this; thought production had ceased. Gary, details would be wonderful.

A nod of respect by Maytag, perhaps, to pick that day for the end of a capable, beautiful workhorse.

 

[e2l-arry]

Nov.22 1983 was a Tuesday

So I think MickeyD is correct. If it had been a Friday I'd have said it was just a coincidence. But to be a Tuesday I'd bet is was Kennedy related. 20th anniversary and all.

I'd heard another reason they stopped wringer production was because of potential injury lawsuits. That was about the time lawyers started advertising on TV. Ambulance chasers mostly. But people starting suing every time THEY did something stupid and got hurt. Remember the old lady who sued McDonald's because she spilled her coffee and burned, how shall I say, her southern exposure? She spilled the coffee, which is supposed to be hot, and she sued them!

Consumer Reports had it in for wringers too saying they were unsafe. Well, so is a car if you don't pay attention when you're driving it. But as soon as Automatics were available CR would recommend them for safety. They even preferred the Easy Spin Dryer because there was no wringer.

 

[sarahperdue]

McDonald's Coffee

I, too, have spent many years ridiculing the McDonald's coffee case, but recently I saw a news video that stunned me. When I learned the facts of the case, I felt ashamed of how quickly and harshly I judged the plaintiff. She received third degree burns and spent 8 days in the hospital. Yes, coffee is supposed to be hot, and we think a warning label telling us so is ridiculous, but I don't think many people expect their hot cup of coffee to be dangerous to the point of permanent damage or disfigurement. The photos of of Mrs. Liebeck's burns are horrifying.

http://retroreport.org/taking-the-lid-off-the-mcdonalds-coffee-case/

 

[e2l-arry]

Yes but. . .

Did McDonald's spill the hot coffee on the old lady or did she spill it on herself? Millions of other coffee drinkers were not scalded. Same with car crashes. Thousands happen every day due to driver carelessness. But someone hurt in a car accident that THEY themselves caused will try to sue the other party that was only a victim. So back to Maytag wringers. Someone being careless and getting some body part caught in the wringer could very well sue Maytag or Speed Queen or whoever the manufacturer was. The possibility was there and I'm sure had some influence on the decision to discontinue wringer production. Sure, sales were way down but there are still a few customers out there that would still buy them new, myself included, given the option.