New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-25
EAST SIDE CHEAP BATHS.
HOW THE GOSPEL OF CLEANLINESS Is
SPREAD IN A sQUALID QUARTER.
EVEN THE rIvE.cENT CHARGE is CONSIDER
ABLE ITEM TO MANY OF THE bNi"
THE TUB AS A RELIEF FROM HEAT.

EVEN THE FIvE-CENT CHARGE IL 'oNsipER-
,p,r ITEM TO MANY OF THE FATHERS
THE TUB AS A RELIEF FROM HEAT
To realize the force OF the time-worh aoage
that cleanliness Is next % goodness one shouii
go down on the thickly populated East S'de'
am,d the dirt and Glnginess and squaor and
see the nppro citation which some OF tha' 'ee'hhe
noru,atIon have for tie cheap baths provided
for them.
Sometimes I'VE have many more come than
can be accommodates then we give ''cHe. anu
,bov come the next day." explains the dark
browed Jewess who takes In the hcKeis ana
hands out the soap and towels at '"e Da'o" Nv
Hirsch bath In Market-st.
Her little office is the mems side of the
establishment. and even as she speaks her hands
and brain are busy counting and distriouting
Tor tho heneht of the laborers who flock into the
n,ace and silently extend hand containing the
,o,,o for their additions. They stalwart,
suartbv looking men, for the most part. and are
annarentlv habitual customers. judging from
their movements and their familiarity with the
arrangements OF the place Most 'ot them de-
scend the dark stairs t. the basement where the
majority Of the bathrooms are located.
Eve can accommodate on'y rev on tnis
noor" saws the cashier I'VE have not much
room. The people like to come mere because we
give the shower bath and they know that all Is
clean and no sickness can come we nave not so
many women as men ever unless, MAYBE the
weather is very hot as II was last week; then
they come with the children
.p,, univ shouldn't the baths be as popular
r.,,b tho women as the men, questions a puz-
zled visitor.
"Poca,se the men have more money. she re-
Mics with an expressive gesture Inc men
work for the money. and the women must De
o,uovs n home with the children. We ask three
cor,s for the children under five years OF age.
ond the mothers look at the money and think to
huv bread with II and not baths. Maybe
woman brings three children. none OF them so
we'll or so strong she would IKE. She gives
them all n fine bath, bat takes none herse'l.
,rho uoroen have always the hardest time. Then.
too the women must save their money Tor the
baths Of their religion and to pay in for the cere-
monies at the synagogue. They take the plunge
baths there
DEGREES IN sQUALIDNEsS.
The Raron de Hirsch baths occupy the first
floor and basement of a large house on the cor
ner Of Market and Henry SITS. They are support
cd nv the Baron dc Hirsch fund and are a god
send to the neighborhood which looks unsightly
and souald enough to the observer. but which Is
counted by the residents as more prosperous than
other vicntles. notably the district around Centre
Market Place. where other fve-cent baths are
located.
On the same block with the Baron de Hirsch
baths is an establishment more ambitious In
price II not in appliances The sign out In front
Of the house reads Ladies and Gents Baths, ~
cents. six tickets for dollar.
that baths Of this kind partake of the nature OF
the high-priced Turkish baths affected by the
lovers Of comfort and that hagelation a custom
among the Russian Jews. Is included in the manip-
ulations This hagellation consists In brskly
striking the body with birch rods until the blood
is thoroughly stirred and brought to the surface
when means are USED to cleanse the skin or I'M
purities.
II is a queer-lookng neghborhood where these
customs prevail. One wonders at first just what
II is that does make the street look so peculiar
can Il be the outpouring OF the inhabitants TO
the sidewalks. as If no single being was left with
I'm the tall, dingy tenements back OF them? Or is
IL the fact that much OF indoor domestic HE Is
being carried on outside-cooking. crocheting.
baby-mndng. sewing, peddling. ana what NOT!
Suddenly it occurs to the wayfarer that It Is me
hatless condition Of the women ana children. ana
their frowsy, unkempt hair which make the thor
oughfare look so strange. Every man ana every
small boy has on some sort OF apology for hat,
but one wonders what excuse the French MILL
merry" stores that abound in the neghborhood
have for existence. seeing that all the feminine
heads frankly uncovered.
Just within the door Of the De Hirsch baths n
stout woman sunburned and frizzy-headed con-
ducts saltwater counter. Her gay-coorcd
syrup Jars are plainly In evidence, and all the
simple ingredients for her connections are ready
at hand Three or four tiny blond-headed chcrubs
climb over her az she sits ready to dispense her
wares. and noting their smeary, chubby faces,
one speculates as to what their appearance would
be after a dip In the thrce-cent baths behind her.
1T is no uncommon thing for me to find FIVE or
six women waiting here on the steps when
open up at $50 in the morning. said the Keeper
OF the Centre Market baths. when displaying the
facilities Of his establishment.
NO CHARGE FOR SMALL CHILDREN.
Those hot nights they could not sleep, so
they would get up and come here for relief. We
keep open till at night and many men come
after working hours. Children. too. they bring
in plenty. We do not charge anything for small
children and often mother brings four or five
little ones and scrubs them up to her hearts
content
Sometimes two women bring their babies. and
attends to the others infant while the
mother gets her bath. We advocate the shower
bath altogether by its use there Is no possible
chance OF infection disease. OF course deli
cate women and little children must have tubs
The building containing this bathing establish
ment looks almost palatial In contrast to its UNI
attractive neighbors. The marble steps are white
and spotless. the brass ABOUT the ratings and
doorways shines like new, and the whole place
has clean. comfortable look. This establish
ment Is under the management OF the AssOcia-
ton for Improving the Condition Of the Poor.
and certainly II is carried out a practical
basis. The nominal fee of five cents scarcely
pays for the freshly laundered towels and neat
little square Of yellow soap with which each
patron is provided. and the appointments Of the
individual baths good as could be OBJ
tanned anywhere for a regular stipulated price
Everything about the place is bright and clean,
and there is a wholesome newness and freshness
everywhere present
These baths are as much an education as
anything else" afiirms the keeper. Il can notice
that those who once try them keep on coming
and come regularly every day, or once or twice a
week. according TO their means. OF course five
cents seems little enough to pay but to a man
with seven or eight children IL is quite an item
When 1t is very hot the people rush here, over
nine hundred day"
Even as he was speaking young woman