The New York herald., 1877-07-02
BATHING FOR THE MILLION,
The Free Swimming Baths
CT New York.
HOW THEY ARE MANAGED.
Their Capacity and Accommodations
The Clamor for Cleanliness.

we are led 10 believe characterized the sump tuous |
bathing palaces OF the ancient Roman cmporors, II
must DO remembered that We live q democratic city |
and in democratic age, and that they answer remark
ably well the purpose for which they wero intended
that is, TO furnish general opportunity TO the
poorer classes enjoy the refreshing luxury OF Clean
illness without charge and with reasonable an out
lay OF the city's money possible. That the oppor-
tunity is almost universally accepted is TO be w.t.
messed in the lhrongs OF people-working men and
working boys, schooboys. gen ntlemen's sons" street
gamins and many others who congregate az tho
different bathing places what arc called ''men's
days" This is conlradistinction TO ''adies days"
when the masculine sex is rgidly excluded from the
vicinity of tho establishments. Tho ladies' days are
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, tho men and boys
having the balance OF tho week. excepting Sunday
afternoons, when the baths are closed. On ladies'
days tho baths undor the exclusive charge OF
selected with especial reference to their good
character experience and kindly dispositions, for
they frequently hurdrcds OF young girls and
infants undcr their
Tho baths six IN number, four having been added
the present season. and the cry still for more They
severav located at the foot OF Bethuue street and
West Finy-6rst street, North River; in Harlem be-
18th aud Hath sreets Eos River, foot Of Eas
Thirty seventh street, foot oil East Fifth street. and
foot OF Gouvcrneur slip.
The baths fastened with hawscrs to tho docks,
piles beng driven round for protection. The depth OF
tho water IN tho baths regulated by the amount Of
water let In the pontoons, which iu each
ner OF tic bath The wafer in tho bath proper about
four eot six inches In depth. 1t DO increased TO
Ieet If necessary, but this required The
baths opened on the days above named at five A.
~ and kept open until zine +. NJ. every day in
the week except Sunday whom they opened at i've
A. NJ and kept open until An effort Is being
made to have them Kept opcn all day sunday, as that
is the only day In the week whom the working and
boys avail themselves their benefits without any
interference with their work.
BETMrXE STREET BATH NORTH RIVER
John IL. Stadtander IS tho superintendent OF this
BATH He informed the HERALD reporter that the bath
wus visited BY all sorts Of peoplc-high anu low, rich
and poor, working men and working boys, shop girls
working girls, school gris, mothers with children
On mems and boys day 1t Is u curious medley 10 see
the youngsters they form line prepared to enter
the bath AS soon as tho batch already III have COM
plei ed their ablutions To say they ike 10.
sephs coat oi many coors would scarcely idea
OF their appearance Tor many without coat at
ALL most all OF them bareoo, cd, many with scarcely
apology for all undcrgarmen trousers hanging together
by patches aud stitches, and caps rim.
crowL with hair unkept and faces unwashcd. Thcro
arc the street Arabs truant players and "wharf
times OF the day-comi iortabiy dressed working boys
schoOlb0ys and the OF tho we.to-d people IN
the nelghborhood Once In tho bath, however, tho
scene changed, and The little rasnlnufin you saw
enter little while since is among tho cheerest and
best formed youngsters Of large group Stripped 10
c0mpanions the sch0Oiboys and tho gcntlcmens sons
in physical development. They mostly work In tho
their manual labor brings out their biceps and other
muscles in more prominent degree than IN any other
incorrigible wharf rat who is too ui mischief
10 be entirely Idle, and making his hauns around tho
ing ropes, stealing rowboats, borrowing yawls,
gathering junk where II rs oo' 70 DO p,i.
ud sn n 1Sr aoras: Win Win
gingerbread ana green apples, provided there Is no
chance TO obtain the same by other means tnan the
outlay OF pcnnics These little rascals naturally have
plenty Ut exercise and being cntircIy independent OF
parental control, they become pest 70 all who are
J obiged TO encounter them. Yet they show lair
skin and hner Iorms than many who are more gcncr-
ousty and carefully provided ior. One pnysio-
logical TACT apparent from the exhibitions Of
these different classes II boys when bathing aud that
s that tho schooboys the most deficient In phys-
cal development This would argue that better sys-
tenn Of gymnastics should be adopted in our public
schools, where they have any nt ALL than now pre-
walls What is stated here IN regard to the physique
these youths may bc sad In regard the other free
bathing places and II Will not bc necessary 10 repeat
the statement when referring 10 the different es.ae.
| lishments. Once In the bath all equal, and such
scene of deafcning chatter, such splatterinR and
spluttering, such screaming laughing. diving, such
tricks upon comrades, such dashng and splashng. all
full Of fun, froc and salt water, cannot be IN any
other place under the sum- unless he In another New
rIYry.rlRsr STREET BATH
This bath Is located At the loot OF Ffty0 street.
borhood. easy Of access, and OF the es,ab
lishmcntx Thomas Ackcrson Is superintendent and
Michael kchOc ono oil thc keepers. AT the time our
reporter visited tho bath most OF the bathers
boys, II beng rather TOO cool Tor As general
thing tho boys appeared Of better class, so far as APP
concerned than those at the Bcthuuc street
bath. II novel spectacle TO witness the school
boys rush for the bath after their schools out
the afternoon carrying with them their school books
and satches and iuncn boxes Although tho day was
quite cool the number large, anu tho cagerness OF
The little fellows to take a plunge and a SWIM
livening TO wltness II is plain that the boys OF this
ncighborhood like laviny IN tho Iimpd, and somc OF
IL.
has capacity to accommodate nearly a Thousand
an hour II rcqured--thc fifteen to twenty
minute rule operating here as al the Bethune street
bath. 1t Is to Ue arranged to modatc men from
nvo to eight A. NJ, boys eight A. NJ to SIX I. NJ even
ing Tor men and work Ing boys TO nine. Tho bath
is quito popular institution IN the ncighbOrhood, the
best families enjoying It's privileges
THE HARLEM BATH
This bath Is located the East River, between
ll3h and l14th streets aud is one OF the new ones
Charles f. d. Colin Is tho superintendent, with John
Mooney and J. W. Moore keepers Tho bath is sit
uatct directly opposite Wards and Randull's Islands.
pure water, the current coming swiuly from Lltto
He'll Gate aud passing through the bath. thus keeping
the water In the bath fresh and pe!lucd and washing
away all impurities The most respectable families In
tho neighborhood take great interest IN this bath.
The bath has capacity for accommodating from 1000
to 900 per day, amt more II pressed. The WOW from
this point OF the most beautiful and romantic
on The whotc river 'front.'
EAST THIRTY .sEvExrH STRICT BATH
This bath Is situated IN The Twenty-third ward,
which is the residence OF such noted public men as
| Comptroller John Kelly. ex-Mayor wickham, Alder
incncc II ought, therefore. to be one OF the best
conducted free baths on the rivers fronts IL Is SIT
uatcd IN region largely devoted TO manufacturing
purpo-cs, with swarms OF boys Of all kinds aud char
ac,er In ine nclghborhood: Mr. Ryan s the supcrin-
| tcndcnt. with Keepers PoIstcr and Mcdonald AZ
noon time The use of the bath is mostly gwen to
workinemcn and working boys AZ tins time tho
operatives In the factories nave half hour 10 spare,
which they utilize by rushing down to take a oath.
''rhe idlcrs about here" sad one OF tho keepers.
''are truant players Some have learned TOO mucn IN
a short space vi time, aud do not care about either
working going to school. TINS class Is quito nuncr
GUS rnc district Is quite large ono. and boys come
from great distance to bathe here u they duplicate
we cannot help H. The rules on ladies' days are very
strict IL there is any appearance of rudcncss the
party is promptly removed. fhc dock has boon In
bad condiIicn bat little better Today than
The dock rats dangerous element, have been got rid
o.. We ought to have policemen hero so long as tho
bath is opcn-ironi i've A. W. MI nine L. ~"
FIFTH STREET BATH
This bath has capacity tor accommodating from