The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-01-19
THE N D BATHS.
As Numerous and Almost as Popular AZ
this Theatres.

the Theatres.
Who knows or ever could think of the
fondness of the London people for swim
ming n bathing, or of the meal they
have for enjoying their baths? In one of
the great parks in the heart of London an
ornamental sheet OF water, more unse
cluded than the lake in Central 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 q ,O0C
men and boys have been known to battle
in that pond in one day. That is the
same park, by the way, wherein, ii you
should go on a summer night, you would
see the sward literally dotted, peppered,
with the black forms of sleeping men
homeless and unemployed. or luxurious
men who prefer the grass to crowded ten
ement quarters. There Is no too nice OBJ
lection to this by the law or its blue clad
myrmidons.
TIL ere are as many great ones in London
as there are theatres in New York city.
Ih ey are Turkish, Roman, vapor, electric.
sw INNING, medlcated, hot, cold, tepid
and salt. The most interesting are the
great public baths. Nearly every district
Of LOndon has one, u often there are
public w-ashhouses ia connection with
them. Some of the older of these baths
are dark and more or less gloomy, but
the n ever ones are very inviting. Take
N1S - 40AAS 80 - al
It's first class tank is 100 feet long by 35
feet wioe, with a depth OF 6 feet at one
enc and 8 IL feet at the other. 1t is
lined with white glazed bricks, rooted
with wood and iron and ve~ntilating sky
lights. and has so locked dressing boxes.
In the same building there is a second
class bath, IS feet by 25 feet in
size. At certain times women use
both baths. The water is heated when
it is desirable. These baths are dis
tinctly popular. The first class price
varies from a shilling to fourpence, and
the second class from sixpence to two
pence, the cheaper baths being those in
the more thickly populated parts Of the
city. The wash houses connected with
manv of the baths seem of very great
public benefit. Our philanthropists at
home should consider whether there is
not a demand for them in New York.
These wash houses are each fitted with a
steam engine. rinsing and boiling tanks.
centrifugal wringers, a washing machine
and a drying room. For u penny or three
ha'pence tue poor of the neignborhOod
may perform all their blue Monday"
duties on any day of the week. When
the washing is over and their goods are
In the drying rooms, they go away and
return again 10 lease the use of irons,
ironing tables and ironing blankets
wherewith to complete their tasks.
Those who can afford them and wan {
sea water baths at home purchase ocean
water at twopence a gallon, delivered at
their doors. II comes To town every night,
the trade in 1t being a speculation of one
of the railroad com panies. There is 4
swim ming bath in the Peoples Palace
another institution which conveys to the
mind a sense of the size OF London. /
did u OF see it, but l know in a general
way that it is an enormous building, con-
tanning a library. reading rooms, billiard
hail, baths, trade and scientific schools
(haying 1900 pupils in the evening
classes. by the way, refreshment rooms,
public nails. winter gardens, and many
other attractive and improving features.
julian Ralph In HarpeT's WeeklB.