The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-26

capaDio VI eApiauatlOn IN no OCner manner than
by the suppostion Of an experiment. 1t required
a good deal OF bowling before even the two baths
were granted, and years Of invocation had to be
passed before the country ofncials or the Albany
legislators became convinced that the working
classes needed chance to battle their exhausted
bodies. A bin being now before the Legislature to
increase the number OF public baths to six 1t
Is hoped by all classes that there Is not even
remote probability OF Its being defeated. the
bill has passed the House and Is now before the
Senate. and Commissioner Van Mort Is anxlously
waiting Tor 1t to become law, In order that work
on the new baths may be begun at once. 1t is the
intention OF Commissioner Van Mort to locate the
new baths, one at some point above Charles street.
where the bath on the west side now stands, and
one below that point on the west side; one above
Filth street, where the bath stands, on the
east side, and one below that point thus placing
three baths on each side OF the city. II the bill
passes the Legislature and there can scarcely be
any doubt about that, the city VIII enjoy this sum-
mer the greatest luxury 1t has been favored with
for long time, and the sanitary condition of the
poorer classes will doubtless thereby be vastly i'm
proved. Upon this latter point no question can be
TESTIMONY or THE ABLEsr MEDICAL MEN
has been given abundantly 10 show that bathing Is
powerful preventive against disease. not to speak
Of evident advantages which personal cleanliness
must necessarily bring to tenement houses. The
need there Is Tor an increase III the number OF the
public baths appeared conclusiveIy last summer.
1t was found Impossible to supply room Tor the
numbers Of applicants who presented themselves,
and these, too, were from the very classes Tor
whom the baths were Intended. the two baths
were filed to their fullest capacity every morning
ana every evening the workingmen using them
over. Crowds OF men were each morning and
evening turned away. for want OF room to accom-
modate them. In
THE RECORDS
Kept OF the numbers who used the baths 1t appears
that from June u, the day on which the baths
were thrown open to the public, to the end Of
that month. the number or bathers was 1874, 24s;
in July the number was 2l4.7OO; in August,
which the batns were closed, 43,9O4. These num-
bers, 1t was admitted, would have been largely
aware OF the limited accommodations, the rush
there was Tor admission and the consequent dis
in working order this summer it win he
found that each oil them will be fully
required to accommodate the applicants. and
experience In other cities mas shown that each
succeeding year only adds TO the numDer Of
bathers. the beneficial results making the BATH an
slonal luxury, to the sons OF toll. There Is
even some difficulty in understanding how 1t mas
happened that IA q city like this, SO favored With
the rivers around It, bath houses have not been so
long IN operation as TO be now OF everyday use Tor
everybody IN the summer. With such terrible
mer the wonder is that she has not gone ahead OF
every other city in the world In bath houses and
IN the facilities for the general public for bathing.
THE EMPIRE CITY IS BEnrNDHAND,
and has had to be driven by sheer force OF public
outcry to supply lew baths for the thousands or
people VINO are choking with ioul air and sulro-
Gated with the heat In their TOUR aud six story
tenement houses. In other large cities such &C.
commodatlOns Tor dwelling purposes as are to be
found here are. fortunately, unknown. But still,
with their thermometers ranging many degrees
lower tnan at any period OF the summer these
cities are supplied with bathing establish ments ior
the people on q splendid scale, inviting the
laborer, refreshing TO whole families and largely
conducive to sound minds and bodies. Anybody
VINO is sceptlcal as TO the absolute necessity for
full and generous supply Of public hatns In New
York need only make u snort tour among
THE TENEMENT HOUSES,
in which dwell the laborers and mechanics OF this
city, and there Will be found such condition Of
things as will create an appalling dread OF
epidemic diseases. Huddled together unlike hui
with scarcely space enough to turn round IN; with
dark and unventIlated rooms to eat, drink and
by q breath OF pure alr, men are supposed to rest
and grow refreshed alter hard days labor, ana
70 preserve their health uDshattered to win bread
men start at sunrise for the public bath to cool
and ireshen themselves, and from which children,
wearing last from the noisome air, gladly rush
away to wash OF the lever coating from their skin.
such tenemeDG houses as New York has are not
the common residences OF the wor.ing classes in
the great cities OF Europe. and yet in European
cities the batn is common resort OF the laboring
classes-
there Ia full supply OF public baths, surrounded,
too, with many conveniences Tor the poorer peo-
permanent institutions, afrording great relief
apart from the lnvgorating Influences OF the
IN the smaller ones also the public bath has be-
come necessary part Of the peoples lite, and city
officials nave come TO neneve snas u Is dn1y 70
Gus stImulant. In connection with the English
baths are wash houses and laundries, these
poorer po,ss Classes s who Cannot atford to live
In houses having "m0dern improvements" For
q very small sum poor women can go to these
w
their apparel alter them TO be attended to and
thus avoid world OF vexatlous annoy IN the
narrow limits Of their homes. These facilities have
been so largely avaied OF by the lamllles OF tue
working people that the wash houses and aun-
the principal cities oil England. Il II has been there
found that SUCH institutions are OF great pubic
gn IS
said as to the still greater az vantages whch would
accrue TO
were this city to be supplied with houses affording
such accommodatons.f In New YORK SIX story
tenement houses. with four families on every moor,
the crying appurenanees are located on the.roofs.
In districts where the foul air is rendered louler
sun by the contguity OF rear tenement house.
the wind dries the clothing OF 'front.' and rear
houses in the space between the TWO, an extraor-
binary system Of ropes between the windows
being arranged Tor the purpose Ehe house,
vile must wash in her two narrow rooms, with
an army OF youthful Americans around the req
hot stove. IL Is plain that were the English sys
amount oil unnecessary labor would be spared,
working peoples homes would be made less I'M
pleas Int and the domestic cleanliness which the
Board OF Health has pccn so long beseeching Tor In
vain might reasonably be EXPECTED to follow IN
some degree as consequence But with
CITY OFFICIALS VERY DULL
TO the call OF poor mems wants, and with legisla-
tors who care much more Tor little political
notoriety than for the quiet comfort OF working
people, there Is very little chance OF procuring
this year public iaundres and wash houses Tor
New York. TO Judge from the apathy OF former
legislators and city officials in regard to pubic
baths IL may be safely concluded now that II New
be about as much rs she can expect Yet ell these
improvements have got to come and the time
cannon be far. distant when the people them
has been cited mere as an example Tor New Yofk