National Republican., 1883-02-14
IN HOT WATER,
As People Are who Go to Hot Springs
The Army and Navy Hospitnl-A Good
Joke ON DIR. baldwin.
NnrNLnI LrIIar.

joke ON Dr. BnidtVtns
Special Letter.
Hot SPRINGS, ARK, Feb 9-Your readers
have undoubtedly been regaled from time to
time with accounts Of the curative properties
of these waters, as well as with description
of the place. 1 will therefore refrain from
any special reference of those subjects, and
touch upon matters that are apropos to the
examination by the senate committee on
education and labor which I observe
is now progressing in Washington
Owing to the litigation which has been
going on so long in Hot Springs in regard
to the ownership of the property but little
has beon done toward improving the city, as
it is termed, for, although containing but
about 5000 inhabitants, it is already burdencd
with municipal government. The visit of
Senator Logan to Hot Springs resulted in an
appropriation of 100000 for the construction
of an army and navy hospital. | observe
that the Washington correspondent of n ST.
Louis paper states that great objection
Is made to the building being erected
upon the site which has been selected
for the purpose. 1t asserts that il will be
greatly detrimental TO private interests as well
as to the best good of tho place. Now, there
is nothing in this whatever 1t will noccssi
tate the removal of a bath house or so and an
old, rickety wooden structure dignifcd by the
title of city hall. Tho first floor of this Is
used as n iire-engino house, and tho second
story is utilized as place for the aldermen
of this city to hold their meetings. Tho bath
houses can be located in some spot equally ns
available, and the aforesaid city hall can be
put in some other place as we'll as not. No (;
the trouble is the sorcheads are few who
want to mako some money by kicking little,
so il is hoped that the Interior department
will not be misled by any eX partc statement
gt n n bngpitul will fyix
employment to large number of men, and
besides, there is front amounting, | am told
to about $4,000 which can be devoted to the
walling up, &C., of tho Hot Springs creek
which flows through the centre of the town.
This stream is the sewer of the place, and
after it has been covered the principal street,
which is called Central avenue, will be quite
q fine thoroughfare. The wages which are
paid at present in this place are, | am told, as
follows, Wis masons and bricklaycrs, So n
day; carpenters, 50 to $3.50; painters, $3.50
to $3 printers, 25 cents per thousand cms
and laborers S1.50 to $2. 1t is expected there
will be plenty of work for the latter class, MS
two and perhaps three, railroads will be con-
strnctcd ere long to connect Hot Springs with
Little Rock and other localities 1t is stated
that Jay Gould has already began the survey
of a line. Two knights of labor assemblies
have been organized hero during the month
Of January by Mr.. Shrewsbury from Mont
gomery, Alabama. One is called Hot Springs
assembly, and is composed of whites, and the
other is named Layton assembly, and tho
members are blacks.
There have been quite a number of Wash
ingtonians here during the past month, among
them Capt. Frank Hollingshead Walter
Hutchins of the Post, DIR. and Mrs. Baldwin,
and the two Thorn brothers. They tell here
a story about the doctor which conveys u
moral. 1t seems that Mrs. Baldwin was quite
IN vi al hpr IN ahan nd . I'd
questod him to let her know by telegraph. As
he wired, "Am out of pain, gaining fast"
The operator made it read, "Am out of pain,
going fast" OF course Mrs. Baldwin packed
up the necessary burial habliments and
started for Hot Springs without delay, where,
to her great astonishment, she was met at the
railway station at an early hour in the morn
ing by the doctor, to all appearance insa pretty
fair state of preservation. The doctor was ad-
vised to sue for damages, but the pleasure of
seeing his wife was, he thought, u sufficient
compensation. Il.