The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-04-28
GREAT len IN TU BIS.
THE CAPITALS LUXURIOUS BATH
ROOMS FOR CONGRESSMAN.

One is Fitted Up as a LounginR Room,
and Here the Only Real Executive
Session in Washington is Held
"Uncle Sam" Pays for the Towels,
Soap, Etc, but He Draws the Line
at Cologne-He Throws in a Chiro-
podist, However.
From the Commercial Advertiser:
WASHINGTON, April l9.-Saturday is
wash day in the House, that is, it is the day
when all the members take their baths.
Some there may be who battle oftener than
once a week, but they all battle on .Satur-
day. When they come out of the marble
tubs, get into the sweat room and are
rubbed down, they arc sprayed with
cologne without cost, and come out as fine
as a fiddle.
The bath rooms of the House have been
greatly enlarged. They are situated down
in the ub-basement, where steam-heating
apparatus keeps the atmosphere at an even
temperature. Soft carpets are laid along
tine stained floor, and on either side of the
narrow corridor are nine bath rooms, most
of which are as large as an ordinary bed
room, lighted by electricity, carpeted and
WIFI SulCdDl0 UOlleU dTbiCleS-
Most of the tubs are of very large size,
cut out of solid blocks of marble. and a
shower-bath arrangement is attached to
each tub. Lately, two or three old-fashioned
tubs have been replaced by modern ones,
and one room has been fitted up with chairs,
table and lounges where members may
smoke or dream away half an hour after
the bath.
This little room is so arranged as to be as
cIht In
cation, its privacy and comfort have made
it favorable resort for members who want
to hold conferences or exchange secrets
which it will not do to whisper above
ground. No voice could ever penetrate
from this place to the upper air, and no one
could ever find these gentlemen. hid so far
under the ground.
1t is said that some of the majority mem
bers of the ways and means committee have
held their tariff conferences in this apart
ment. The only way to reach it from the
House is by means of the elevator. A sem
ator who says that he has tried all the baths
in Europe and America pronounces this the
best OF all. The member takes his place in
one of the ma BILE tubs and an attendant
adjusts the temperature of the room and
tempers the water 10 suit his pleasure.
Then, with delicate and scented soaps, the
statesman is lathered and scrubbed and
rolled and tumbled, put into a marble
tub and left to soak with his head just above
water until all the fumes of tobacco and
the recollection of the last nights dinner
are soaked out of him; then he is rubbed
down with crash towels, and if he desires,
he can get into the steam bath. Afterward
he can go to the lounging room and stretch
himself upon the soft upholstered couch, TO
smoke or browse, forgetful of all the great
affairs OF state that weigh upon his brain.
Congress provides all this for its own COM
fort II has paid for these rooms and has
fitted them up. Two men are employed as
keepers of the bath. and all the towels and
soaps are bought by "Uncle Sam" Bay
rum used to be furnished for bath purposes
at government expense, but this is no longer
done. The watch dogs of the treasury
shifted at the scent of bay rum and that ex-
travagancs was cut off, and now the more
expensive and delicate cologne is used. The
whole place is sweeter with its scent, but
the government does not pay for it. The
keeper of the bath, who gets salary of
s720 year. buys this cologne himself, and
the members pay him for it or not accord
ing to their liberality. If some fail to give
him the tip, Others overpay, so that the
balance at the end of the month is not
against him, and the supply of perfume is
not cut off.
Members not only get their baths free of
charge but they have a chiropodist. By his
delicate skill he keeps the feet of congress
free from pain, and the footprints left in
the sands of time may bear witness OF his
OBJ