St. Paul daily globe., 1893-06-24
THE Free RATHs.

At O'Clock this afternoon the nata-
torium at the Bethel boat will be thrown
open free to the poor, and all who desire
to battle. The swimming pool is sew
enty feet long, twenty-four feet wide,
and the water will be five feet deep at
the times set apart for men and boys
who can swim, and on other occasions it
will be more shallow for boys who can
not swim. The water will not be dirty
river water, but will come from artesian
wells, and be as pure and clear as that
of Lake Phalen. 1t will be warmed to
a comfortable temperature by large
boiler. There will be soap and towels
and every convenience. Everything
about the natatorIum will be so COM
Portable and inviting that any one who
cannot afford to purchase bath and is
not attracted to it is unworthy to live
among men. In another place in this
issue will be found the times on which
the bath will be free to men and boys.
when free to women. and when it viii
be reserved for the use of those who can
afford to pay 10 cents for a bath.
DIT is new undertaking in st. Paul,
and its happy perfection of detail should
make'it success. Poor people may be
excused for wearing poor and ragged
clothing: but with such an institution
in the city as that at the Bethel they
cannot be excused for not keeping their
persons clean. Cleanliness of the body
is one of the greatest of health pro-
moters, and if there are any in the city
so ignorant that they do not know this,
efforts should be made to inform them
of it, and impress it firmly upon their
minds. 1t is important not only to the
poor that they should maintain good
health, but to the ceanly people with
whom they come in contact, who may
contract contagious diseases from them.
Many of the cities OF Europe which are
amply provided with free baths have
ordinances making it an offense for peo-
pie to neglect to bathe at least once
week. The ordinances ars justified on
the ground that the general health of
the city is largely dependent upon the
cleanliness of all the people. But it is
to be hoped that no such ordinance will
be necessary in st. Paul; from present
appearances it will not be.
The indications are that there will be
400 and over present to initiate the free
bath. 1t will take little time for news
of the existence of the free bath to
reach all who should take advantage of
it. and it may take a little missionary
work to get some people started to it.
But with the right steps taken it is more
than probable that the natatorium Will
attract to it regularly about every poor
person in the city. Then, too, it should
become popular resort for all classes
who can afford to pay for baths. Such
all extensive eXpanse of clear, pure
water, with fiYe-foot depth and a COM
Portable warmth, should afford swim
mers more pleasure than they can find
in swimming at lake resorts. The
water from the wells runs contn-
ually through the basin, so that
there can be no accum ulation of
filth or filthy water. 1t will be
perfectly safe for those of cleanly habits
to use the pay-baths. All will, no
doubt, soon discover this fact. and we
may expect to see people flock to it in
great numbers during the pay-hours.
Every effort will also be put forth to
make the place popular to women.
Their hours will be enjoyed in the
strictest privacy, and matters will be so
arranged that they need have no fear of
intruSions.
1t is hoped and believed that the
natatorium has come to stay, and that it
will be one of the most literally pat
roniZed institutions in the city. To
those who brought 1t into existence
great credit is due-a fact which will be
more fully realized when the public be-
comes more acquainted with the place.