The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-02-13
THE BATHS OF LONDON.
Large Institutions PIentifully Provided
for the Public.


for the Public.
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 Cen
trail 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 10000 men and boys have
been known to battle in that pond In
one day. That is the same park, Dy
the way, wherein If you should go on
summer night, you would see the sward
literally dotted, peppered, 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 as 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. Its first-class
tank is 100 feet long by IS feet wide,
with depth of 6 feet at one end and
81 at the other. 1t is lined with white
glazed bricks. rooted with wood and
iron and ventilating slSylights, and has
5Olocked dressing boxes. In the same
building there is 4 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 dcsira
BILE. These baths are distinctly popu
| lar. The frst-claSs price varies from &
shilling to fourpence, and the SECOND
class from siXpence to twopence, the
cheaper baths being those in the more
thickly populated parts of the city. Th'
wash-hoUses connected with many o
benefit. Our philanthropists at hom'
should consider whether there is not
demand for them in New York. Thes,
wash-houses are each fitted with
steam-enginc, rinsing and boiling tanks
centrifugal wringers, washing-m
chine, and drying-roOm. For penn,
or three ha'pence the poor of the neigh
borhood may perform all their "blu'
Monday duties on any day of the week
When the washing is over and thei
goods are in the drying rooms, they g
away, and return again to lease the u.s.
of irons, ironing tables and ironing
blankets wherewith to complete thei
tasks.
Those who can afford them and wan
sea-water baths at home purchase ocea1
water at two-pcnce 4 gallon, delivered
at their doors. 1t comes to town ever,
night, the trade in it being specula
ton of one of the railroad companies
There is a swimming bath in the PEG
Piles Palace-anothcr institution whicl
conveys to the mind a sense Of the sizC
of London. / did not see it, but know
In general way that it is an enormou
building, containing library, reading
rooms, billiard-hall, baths, trade AM
scientific schools (having 5000 pupils il
the evening classes, by the way. re
freshment-rooms, public halls, winter
gardens, and many other attractive an
improving featureS.-llarpcr's Weekly