Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1891-02-07
THE BATHS OF LONDON.
Large Institutions PIcntifully Provided
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LHTEo institutions BICntnuny GToVtutu
for the Public. rrt II
Who knows or ever could think of the
fondness of the London people for
swimming and bathing, or of the means
they have for enjoying their baths? In
one of the great parks in the heart Of
London an ornamental sheet Of water,
more unsecluded than the lake in Gem
tral Park, is made all but alive with
bathers between five o'clock, or earlier
in the morning, and eight o'clock a. m.
AS many as 20,000 men and boys have
been known to bathe in that pond in
one day. That is the same park, by
The way, wherein If you should go on n
summer night, you would see the sward
literally dotted, peppcred, with the
black forms of sleeping men-homeless
and unemployed, or lux rious men who
prefer the grass to crowded tenement
quarters. There is no too nice objec-
ton to this by the law or its blue-clad
myrmidons.
There are MS many great ones in Lon
| don as there are theaters in New York
City. They are Turkish, Roman, vapor,
electric, swimming, medicated, hot,
cold, tepid and salt. The most interest
ing are the great public baths. Nearly
every district of London has one, and
often there are public wash-houses in
connection with them. Some of the
older of the baths are dark and more
or less gloomy, but the newer ones are
very inviting. Take the Battersea Pub
lie Bath as an example. It's first-class
tank is 100 feet long by 35 feet wide,
| xr-;41, IaAtL ofe - on1
811 at the other. 1t is lined with white
glazed bricks, rooted with wood and
iron and ventilating slylights, and has
50loclled dressing boxes. In the same
building there is n second-class bath,
rs feet by 25 feet in size. AT GER
| tain times women use both baths.
! The water is heated when it is desira-
BILE. These baths are distinctly popu-
lar. The first-class price varies from a
shilling to fourpence, and the second
class from siXpence to twopence, the
cheaper baths being those in the more
thicllly populated parts of the city. The
wash-houses connected with many OF
the baths seem of very great public
benefit. Our philanthropists at home
should consider whether there is not &
/ lOI IutIu III NEW lOEh. hSot
| wash-houses are each fitted with g
steam-engine, rinsing and boiling tanks
centrifugal wringers, a washing-ma
chine, and drying-room. For a penny
or three ha'pence the poor of the neigh
borhood may perform all their 'blue
Monday" duties on any day of the week
When the washing is over and theil
goods are in the drying-rooms, they &C
away, and return again to lease the use
of irons, ironing tables and ironing
blankets wherewith to complete theil
tasks.
Those who can afford them and want
sea-water baths at home purchase ocear
water at two-pence a gallon, delivered
at their DOORS 1t comes to town every
night, the trade in it being specula
ton of one of the railroad companies
There is swimming bath in the Peo
| ple's Palace-another institution which
conveys to the mind n sense of the size
of London. II did not see it, but know
in general way that it is an enormou!
building, containing library, reading
rooms, billiard-hall, baths, trade anC
scientific schools (having 5000 pupils IL
the evening classes, by the way). re
treshment-rooms, public halls, winter
gardens, and many other attractive anC
improving eatures.-Harper's Weekly