The San Francisco call., 1897-03-10

where residents of Albany take Turkish
and Russian baths, and where members
OF the Legislature have been known 10 re-
tire for rest and refreshment alter nara
work which was not of Il strictly legis-
lative character. In Albany everybody
knows the proprietor OF the estao!isnmeht.
Garry" Bensen has served MS tune as
a swimming teacher, as a renter OF poats
in the "basin' he has won dlstln ctlon as
life-saver, and when the boy became
man he developed into politician with
aspirations toward office in the Legislature
during the months when the stald and
sedate atmosphere became 1mpregnated
with the wit and wisdom which go with
the average legislator. His ambition has
been rewarded, and Garry" Bensen, who
is known TO his townspeople as the man
who taught Grover Cleveland and many
others how 10 swim, is known 10 the vis-
itor as the Senatorial serseant-at-armsa and
the keeper of he Tub"
His Club" from which the new associ-
alton takes its name is not on the waters 8
edge, as its name might suggest, but on
the broad street which leads 10 the Capt.
tol, and was once one of the fashionable
residences Of the city. Besides the vari-
Gus Einds of baths the place contains
bachelor apartments, in which scenes
have been enacted when they were occu-
pied by newspaper men and clerks con-
nected with the various departments
which would have given the writer OF
roaring farces much good working ma
teria!.
There men have gone to write their
"stories" because 1t was quiet place and
because they could write there undis
turbed, and there, after their work was
done, they would go to bed, only to be
dragged out by self-appointed COM
mittee on Indian affairs and forced 10
take a plunge bath, despite their assur-
ances that they could worry along until
morning, at least. without immersion.
One of the characters OF the institution
is q yellow dog, said to be from the KEN
nels of Senator Edward Murphy. He
answers TO the name Tub" He stand 5
around knowingly when the regular
boarders take their morning plunge and
he follows the inmates to the Capitol.
where he takes it upon himself to keep
the messenger boys moving. When he
sees one coming or going he jumps at his
heels, ana until he gets out of the dogs
reach the messenger is likely to move
quickly.
a recent story about Bensen shows that
maturity has not robbed him of his spirit
of fun. Among other sources OF income
from the Tub is that which comes from
bathing dogs. A woman came to the place
q short time ago with pet poodle. 1.-The
dog is young" she said, "but L want TO
have you teach him how to swim. Do you
think he will learnP" Garry looked wise
and said that he supposed the dog could
be taught" Terms were agreed upon and
the dog came for his first lesson the next
day. he was thrown into bathtub Wit
no more ceremony than a com mittee would
show toward too temperate or too in
dustrious com panion, and report was
sent to the woman that her dog was doing
nicely, and with so and so many audi
tional lessons at a certain amount Tor
each lesson he would certainly learn to
swim. And now the woman shows the
poodle to her friends as the successful pu.
pill of Garry" Bensen.
One of the organizers Of the new club,
"The Tub" is prominently connected
with the historical department Of the
State of New York. but the society was
not formed for the pursuit of historical re-
search.-Nsw YORK Tribune.