The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-11-06
THE LICK BATHS.

Now that people have time, after election,
TO think of something else besides politics,
they NAV devote moments consideration
70 the o ening, last Monday, of the first
free baths ever established in San Francisco.
Politicians come and go, and by and by
their very names are forgotten, but free
public baths are a boon which last forever
and their builder earns gratitude which
does not fade. Many Roman who lived
nearly twenty centuries ago is now chiefly
remembered by the free baths he founded in
Rome. Such Emperors as Titus, Domitian.
Commodus. Caracalla, Diocletian and Con-
stantipe rested their claims to popularity as
much on their baths as on their conquests.
1t was left ior James Lick to emulate their
example in our day.
He left $4,000 for the construction of a
suitable edifce, and for the maintenance of
baths, and now, at last, after an interval of
fourteen years, his executors have fulfilled
their trust. They have spent S122, 500 on a
lot and building on Tenth and Howard.
This leaves ST., 800 of the original bequest
uneXpended, and the proceeds of certain
portions of the land which are to be sold for
building lots will bring up the cash resources
of the baths TO about $4,000, the interest on
which will defray the cost OF running the
establishment Last Monday. for the first
time, people in San Francisco benefited by
Mr., Lick's liberality.
CapliOus critics will of course find fault
with The manner in which the trust has been
executed. The site of the baths, Tenth and
Howard streets, has been oddly chosen. 1t
is an out-of-the-way corner of the south
western portion OF the city, which is not
easy of access 10 people who live in the
thickly settled quarters. IL is only within
a year that the population surrounding the
baths have been considered OF sufficient I'M
portance to be provided with cable-line.
The water to be used is fresh water, pro-
yided by an artesian well. Persons who
prefer saltwater baths, or who are directed
by physicians to use them, will not find what
they need at the Lick establishment The
we'll is calculated to furnish 5000 gallons of
water per hour. 1t is 10 be hoped that 1t
Will keep up its supply unfailingiy. Some
artesian wells have a way Of stopping Their
flow when the bench of water on which
they rely is tapped at some other point In
the event IF such an accident, however, the
baths could be supplied from the reservoirs
of the Spring Valley Water Company.
There are in the building 100 baths, sixty
fer men and forty for women, and il is reck-
oned that each bath may be used ten times
in day, or seventy times in a week. Thus
in the hot weather, when baths are chiefly
in demand, loco people may enjoy the lux
ury of bath each day. The free public
baths III New York. which are supplied
with salt water from the Hudson and the
East rivers. accommodate a much larger
number. But they are chiefly swimming
baths, and are patronized as Il recreatiOn as
we'll rs a sanitary resort.
The number of baths provided in the Lick
establishment will probably be found quite
adequate. The class of persons who viii be
willing to undertake long journey by cable
car to wash themselves in a tub, free of eX-
pense, is not large H6usehoidefS all have
baths of their own, and the value Of
regular bathing, as a secret OF health
is not as generally realized among other
classes as it should be, 1t may per
haps be a question whether the establishment
at Tenth and Howard streets is exactly the
sorJ If institution which Mr.. Lick had in his
mind when he bequeathed his money. Per-
sons who have watched the crowds that as
semble t. enjoy Il swim at Alameda or North
Beach on n hot afternoon VIII be rather in
clned to think hat great free swimming
bath, with tubs III rooms for iuya ids, would
have more nearly supplied the present need
OF the city, and more accurately interpreted
Nj. LickS wish, than the new establish
ment. though We sincerely trust that it will
Prove a success.