The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-07-31
J. LESTER WELLS, Secretary.
THE sCHE,fE NEEDS FUNDS.

THE SCHEME NEEDS FUNDS.
From Secretary Wells report presented
above it will be seen that the Stree Bath
ing Scheme of the Peoples Palace, first
suggested by THE JERSEY CRY News, is
becoming extremely popular and the funds
for this charitable work are coming in daily.
But more money is needed for the work, and
the authorities of the Palace, as well as the
Editor of this paper will gladly
publicly acknowledged daily in
these columns. To maintain the baths, pro-
vide additional help and meet many other
expenses attendant on giving as they do
now, over two hundred baths per day, about
fifty dollars should be subscribed weekly,
and that amount will just cover the expendi-
ture.
To begin with, the bath, which is 80
feet long by Is feet in width and has depth
of feet, contains about fifty tons or about
40 900 gallons of water. That is emptied
very day into the sewer and fresh
supply run in. If only few have bathed
during the day the water is retained in the
tank for another day, and then run off.
Since the Peoples Palace pays yearly sum
to the Water Department of nearly a hun
dred dollars, the cost per week is about 81
Extra help has been required, and two
men at salary of one dollar per day look
after the both, and keep the boys within the
rules of the institutions. Extra towels, two
IOr a quarter, says MI. w WollS, HdHe ut0H
purchased. and the washing and laundering
of these ''wipes' is performed at a laundry
which will insist on charging for the same,
and what with gas, repairs oecasioned by the
exuberance of the boys spirits, stationery
for collecting funds and other expenses, Mr..
Wells figures out that it will cost about $50
week.
WHAT THE BATH is LIKE.
AS it has already been said, the bath is
about 30x15x6 feet. but the depth is not uni
rorm. On entering the plunge near the door
the be tom slopes down to the furtheSt end,
where it is about six inches deeper. The
tank is huge wooden box made OF solid
timber and thick planking sheathed with
lead one-eighth of an inch in thickness and
weighing in the mass about 5000 lbs, On
one side Of the plunge is a row of tents fG
the men, The boys dressing room is in a
narrow room adjoining and placed there for
an excellent reason After undressing he
must first pass through the room where g.
scrubbing and shower bath process are a
sine qua non before the actual dip into the
plunge.
WHEN THEY MAY BATHE.
To the boys the bath is open every day
from ten in the morning until ten In the
evening, excepting Tuesdays and Saturdays,
when young men only are admitted. The
bows are counted out into patches of twenty
each. or, if they are little shavers, twenty
be small host waiting for a plunge, the
"batch' is allowed twenty minutes, but if
there are none waiting, they will be allowed
In an hour Through the courtesy of Chief
OF Police Murphy policeman comes on the
scene every morning at ten o'clock, and
keeps the crowd outside in order. ss1t's
lucky for de cop.n said one little, dirty,
ragged fellow, 'sdat he don't come inside;
we'd soak him, and there is not the slightest
doubt that would be the case.
CLEANSING THEIR HIDES.
w hen the doors of the frame building on
Grand street are opened every morn
ing the janitor sees long line of dirty
clothing all going to make up procession of
Young gentlemen who formerly patronized
the Morris Canal.
Taking his stand at the little wicket the
ianitor let's off twenty, the first batch, and
then closes the door. Those outside must
wait.
When the first batch, lucky, much envied
fellows, reach the door of the bath, another
man takes them in tow and steers them into
the dressing ROOM
ssTake off your duds," he cries, sand hang
them up there" pointing to row of hooks
nailed across sci les of small lockers. These
latter were originally used by the boys. but
their love of destruction got in its fine
work and the doors were promptly wrenched
the lockers to be boarded up.
Well, when the youngsters have arranged
on each hook q motley collected OF we'll
patched pants and torn shirts there is no
underclothing to speak OF, as most of the
boys are superior to the weakness of wear
ing these articles. they are told to each step
into little compartment, and piece Of
soap and a brush are handed to him. Above
his head is a sprlnkler which sends a cool
shower over his dirty little carcass. After
this operation is finished, the boys have the
most trying ordeal to go through-th chat is,
the inspection.
The ianitor stands at the door leading to
the plunge. and narrowly ipspects each
young candidate for the bssvn. 1t he does
not think the scrubbing operation has not
been satisfactorily performed, the janitor
tells him to go back and scenes like this are
frequent
lobby Davis" says the ianitor, you
are dirty little boy; go back and clean
yourself" and the individual referred to
sinks back into the shower bath closet.
Now then George, this won't do; your
hands are filthy" he says to curly haired
little chap who whines in reply that he
can't clean them because its chemical
stuff"
Where did you get the stuff@
W Oh sir, sings out the little fellow be-
hind, He got It in Hillier's drug mill, and
SO did Allie and Rubie there. We were all
in it.
It's no go, though the janitor is obdurate,
and sends them back to wash their hands of
the chemical stuff"
The dirty hands made little cleaner, the
troop is allowed to enter the plunge, which
they do with a triumphant yell and splash
which sends the water up to the ceiling and
incidentally sprinkles the janltor
a sCRUBBER NEEDED.
Secretary Wells is not however, content
with the present arrangements and hopes
to be able to have ''scrnbber," who will