Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-28
NEED PUBLIC BATHS.
Popular Sentiment Makes Another
Cry for Cleanliness.
CHEAP LUXURY FOR WORKINGMEN.
PatrOnized by Many Thousands in other
Cities
WHERE THE EXPERIMENT is A SUCCESS

The public bath question is gaining
ground. The DISPATCH at frequent in
tervals has produced facts and figures show
ing the grea. necessity of such an lnstitu-
tion. This has led to an earnest considera-
tion of the subject by prominent men, Off
cial and otherwise and from one and all
came unqualified appreciation. 1t has been
shown that the desire to bathe on the part
of persons to whom the proper places are
unavailable has resulted in the destruction
of more life than all the great mills and fac
tories surrounding Pittsburg, and as much
as the railroads all over Allegheny county,
have destroyed.
The rivers are frequented on warm even
inCs by scores of men and boys eager to
take plunge into the cool, cleansing water.
Men who work in the mills all day till they
are covered with SCOT and CRIME have no
place to 90 to thoroughly cleanse them
selves but the rivers. In two-thirds of
these cases they cannot swim, but in their
eacerness to reach the water they forget all
about treacherous, slippery banks and deep
holes. Many are drowned, as the records
have shown.
MANY HOUSES WITHOUT BATHROOMS.
Although there are no statistics to prove
the exact figures it is safely estimated that
more than one-half of the houses in the
more thiclllv populated and less desirable
portions of the city are without bathrooms.
Their inmates are almost totally un-
acquainted with the luxury and health
giving qualities Of the morn'ng bath. To
many OF thesA people the nature of their
worl, makes such a bath much more neces-
-hsN nIfNr-
it daily. Til, nnly remedy for this undesir-
able condition of affairs is a public bath.
The idea is not new one at all. In nearly
all rnc larger cities CT the country pub
lie baths have beaor.e an indispensable
feature of the city regul Stions. These who
argue that these baths wcull not be patron
lied have only to look at the records Ii
other places where the experiment has been
tried.
In Philadelphia their success has bee, far
beyond the expectations of their most san
guinc advocates. Commissioner DiXey in
reporting the numbe" of people who took
advantage OF the public baths during last
week showed that 1889 men, 100 women.
gS,gl0 boys and 9Sl girls had immersed them
selves. This makes n total of liz, $50 baths
for the week. These baths were distributed
follows: Twelfth and Wharton, 1891:
Thirty-third and South, 1915; Twentv-sev-
CDth and Master, p. .562; Twenty-second and
Ridge avenue, 4G46; Shackamaxon bath
house, l,006
HOW NEW YORK WORKS IT.
Another instance of the avidity with
which the public rushes to lighthouses was
shown Monday in New York, when the De-
milt Dispensary threw open a portion of its
cellar on Twenty-third street, which had
been converted into bathrooms for the pub
lie. No demonstration of any kind attended
the opening save the placing in conspicuous
places on the outside of tie dispensary of
VlacRrCls announcing that tie baths were
ready for the public use. Ten cents was
charged for bath. although any one too
poor to pay this sum could obtain ticket
from the house physician of the dispensary
that would permit him to battle for nothing:
1t didn't take very long to assure the man.
ayers that the baths were bound to prove
successful, for within a few hours after they
were opened a score OF persons had used
them, and each had paid 10 cents for the |
privilege. 1t cost about =, 900 to fit up the |
baths When IL lS shown that more baths |
nre needed another big section of the cellar |
will be devoted to them. There is room for |
at least u more baths and il these are added |
20 the present number il Is likely that sec
tion viii Be reserved for the use OF women.
One of the most hearty advocates of the
public bath question is Superintendent of
Police Gamble Weir. In speaking of it YES
terday he said:
SUPERINTENDENT wEIR'S IDEAS
There can be no question about the great \
benefit public baths would be 10 the people |
OF PIttsburg. hope to see movement on |
foot for the establishment of such a place |
here. Considering the amount of patron
age public bathhouSe would draw and
the incstimable benefit it would be us a san
ltary measure alone the cost would be very
small. There is no necessity for anything
elaborate: On the other hand, it would be
3 mistake to have the place constructed in
any but very plain STYLE since its patrons |
would be plain people My idea would be
20 rent or build a house at as small cost as
possible, equip &c with sufficient |
number of tubs, shower baths and all neces-
sa1y equipments \ swimming pool might
also be added, but that would not be abso-
lutely necessary. 1t might be well to
charge cents a bath to all who cared to |
pay it in order TO make the establishment |
or nearly SO, a small charge
would not make IL any less a public bath |
Those who felt indispOsed from one reason |
or another to pay even that small sum could !
be furnished u ticket on application to the
proper authorities which would admit them !
at all times. The cost of keeping the place
UP would be very snail and the city could
well afford it.
ADVANTAGES FOR MILL MEN.
working in our many manufactures are |
hundreds of men, and women too, to whom
such an establishment would provide a
luxury heretofore unattainable by them.
Many Of these people would now patronize
baths run by private firms in barber shops,
hotels, etc. but they will not be admitted |
A man who has worked all day in an iron
mill and comes out black and dirty cannot
go to these places. II he applies he is told
an Ine luOs art occupied, or something of 4
that sort. 1t is this class of people, just as
worthy anc respectable as those with cleaner
that would be benefited by
public baths. / know nothing about how |
these affairs are conducted in other cities
but do know the people of Pittsburg are
sadly in need of something of the sort, and |
will lend my aid heartily to any movement
10 further it
Coroner Mcdowell has repeatedly stated
MS approval of the public bath idea His |
work IN the summer months brings him in |
iGiy contact with the effects of a lack of
proper bathing facilities. His records |
iDOInd with cases of acciden tai drowninrs |
Is was shown by a publication of a portion |
1f these records in THE DISPATCH several |
weeks ago.
Public baths have become an absolute |
said he, 'and they must come"