Multnomah County OR Archives Biographies.....Allen, Percy G. 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ila Wakley iwakley@msn.com February 14, 2011, 3:25 pm

Source: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. III, Published 1928, Pages 942 - 945
Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company

     PERCY G. ALLEN, head of the Troy Laundry Company, which was organized 
about 1885, is a native of Denver, Colorado, and has been a resident of 
Portland since about 1910. In 1918 he bought a controlling interest in the 
Troy Laundry Company, thus becoming active in the management of a business 
that was established on the west side about 1885. From time to time removals 
were made to meet the growing demand of the trade and prior to securing the 
present location the business was conducted on East Water street. The present 
building was erected in 1917, one hundred by two hundred, feet in dimensions, 
and three stories in height, containing sixty thousand square feet of floor 
space. The company utilizes thirty-two auto trucks in serving the entire city, 
its trade coming from about twenty thousand homes in Portland. Employment is 
furnished to three hundred and fifty people, who handle about eight hundred 
thousand pieces of laundry per week. Only metal washing machines are used in 
the plant, which represents an investment of one million dollars, over eight 
hundred and sixty thousand dollars being spent for equipment alone. This is 
the last word in laundry devices and the work turned out measures up to the 
highest possible standards. Mr. Allen is president of the Troy Laundry 
Company, with F. D. Richard as secretary and J. A. Clancy as director. In 1912 
Mr. Allen established the Crystal Laundry, which he still owns. A new plant 
was erected in that year and since that time another building has been put up 
in which to house this enterprise. Another business undertaking in which he is 
actively engaged is Allyn's Dyeing & Cleaning Establishment, the business 
being carried on as a corporation. It was organized in 1921 by Mr. Allen, who 
adopted the spelling of Allyn for the conduct of this venture. The plant 
contains about forty thousand square feet of floor space, with thoroughly 
modern equipment, and serves about twenty thousand homes, also various firms 
and many laundries in the city. Employment is given to two hundred and fifty 
people and twenty-one trucks are used for collection and delivery. This 
business represents an investment of six hundred thousand dollars in the 
plant. In 1920 Mr. Allen incorporated "The Home Service Company," organized 
for the purpose of a holding company of the numerous and varied enterprises in 
which he is interested.

     Mr. Allen is a member of the Portland Chamber of Commerce and of the East 
Side Commercial Club. Fraternally he is connected with the Knights of Pythias, 
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Benevolent and Protective Order 
of Elks. He is thoroughly resourceful and progressive and has built up large 
enterprises which are the tangible evidence of his capability, firm 
determination and broad vision. He accomplishes results with a minimum 
expenditure of time and labor, which is the basis of all business success, and 
the passing years have chronicled his progress step by step until he ranks 
with the leading business men of his adopted city.

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