New-York tribune., 1898-11-23
A NATIONS HEALTH RESORT.
HOT SPRINGS OF ARKANSAS "hi|ii
THE GOVERNMENT OWNS AND
CONDUCTS.


The functions OF government take ocd turns
sometimes and here is an example o. m" EXTREMIST
patcrnallsm exercised by the most liberal OF gov
crnmcnts The United states rs here engaged III
tho healing business on tremendous scale po'"
directly and through the fundamentally Of others.
The not waters which flow from the side OF one OF
the Ozark Mountains down In Arkansas, In volume
approaching i00,0O0 gallons daily, arc all under the
direct ownership and control of In" United states
Thc Cove 'nmcnt not only owns the springs then-
selves ana the mountain from which they flow
but three other aij9cent mountains and inter-
vcrinS property amounting 70 one thousand acres
Not u bath can be- taken glass Of water
drunk except by the consent Of the Government
individuals. Of course DO not have to apply Tor
tho privileges Of the baths but the concessions
have to be first obtained hy those who dispense
them 20 the public The GIo' Springs are he'd a.
Government monopoly. Just the making ana
sale Of postage stamps are. and the income de-
rived from the Of tho by the various bath-
houses is all expended in improving ana Dea''iF-
ing the reservation. The process OF lmproN'n''l''
has been going on for years under the charge o. inc
superintendent appointed by the Secretary oi lhs
Interior in whose Department control Of the springs
s vested. II Is one OF the Government most ped"
tifUl and artistic pieces of property
Without going into details. ii is enough 10 say
that early in the present century the Government
becamc convinced that the waters OF Hot springs
Arkansas ssessod marvellous curative proper
tics and & would result in a great wrong ana
hardship to the people to allow them to remain IN
private hands so in 1882 by act Of Congress. they
vita amp.c land around them. were set apart as
"a National sanitarium for all time. ana we're
dedicated the people OF the United states 10 ne
forever fro. from sale or alicna ION 80 inc AZ
reads.
Ry this act the Government became the owner
OF scventy-two hot springs. with temperature
reaching as high as - degrees. and averaging I'D
aud n
manner similar TO mo control exercised j.! their
respective, governments over Carlsbad and Baden
Baden The springs issue from the ground from =
fow fcct above the base OF th" mountain 10 '"o
hundred feet up it, side. and arc now ar moloSed
in noasonrv and conducted 70 reservoirs. with ;No
or three exceptions where they arc icft open for
the inspection Of trose curious . view tho wonder
fu phenomenon ana drlNk a. h'd' - fV
tho fountain head.
The bathhouses pay for the privilege OF using mo
hot wate~ at the rate of go a tub. There are
twcntv-four batnhouses. exclusive OF the "o|''"-
r1ent free bahhousc. using tho hot wator ana '"'s
have canac,,v FOR about $3.50 baths a day and
there is water enough to Increase thls hummer I"
liGoo If necessary. Tho number OF ba'hs aetudAy
odr,inIstorad in tho fiscal year closing August
las, was 9,430r not including thcS" hathed irce
hv tne Government which 1860, making
total OF 50S.9s7
The price Of baths AMI attendance is fixed by tho
Government FOR e8cn bathhOuse according % is
.ouinrnont aud facilities and the batnhouse - A"'
allow ed 70 depart from this price in either n'r"'-
ton II ,au charge moro and no less. unH''
rcnaltv of having the hot water cut off. Tn" RUE
Is rigdly enforced and no imposition - possible.
OF tho bsthhouses about half are scat''r"' OH
the reservation. IS also one of the great hoteS
tho Arlington. for whicn rental il paid ana the
othc~2 are scattered about the city. They vary
in quality from plain TO the most elaborate and
luxurious.
The bathhouscs situated upon the reservation
form what i. known as "Bathhouso Row aud It
is proba bly az beautiful an1 cert iny a. unique
sight a. is 10 be seen in Cnce Sans domain
IRE place presents a variety Of choice architecture
cxtcndina for about three ordinary city blocks
,ior,, ren,roI-aye and the hathhouses themselves
arc nsarl, hidden by tho foliage - semi-ttoplcal
trees and shruhlcry which form beartful park.
through which runs broad concrete walk ca''H
the promenade
The Government free bahhouse IS one or me
monument features Of The Row II is little
back, and higher upon the mountain thah me
otbor lighthouses. and is devoted exclusively 10
bathing the irdigcnt those who need the treat
mont and cannot afford 70 pay for baths al inc
,eyuIor houses Thus ihe Government inSurcS 'he
boncat Of the waters 10 all and people IN needy
circumstances are provided for, rs well as tnc most
opuont In this bathhouse pools take the place
Of tubs Four large pools are provided one each
women Of the two races. An average OF fVe
hundred n day for every day IN th' year take THESE
free baths Sufferers from almost every known all
mcnt plunge into the pools. which ar" kept "t
the proper temperature by attendants. STATISTICS
from those thus treated show that over 80 per cent
Of them are either cured or greatly benefited Pans
have been approved a. Washington, and Will he
nut in effect nj an early date 10 establish a FIRE"
lIsponsarv and free medical attendance for the
aiIing poor In connection with the free baths
In the early eighties the Government selected
Hot Springs the seat of Its Army ana Navy
General Hospital and constructed building or
group Of buildings for the treatment Of the sick
soldiers and sailors and officers of the Army ana
Navy. and soldiers Of the civil War. Inc not
water treatment is administered i'm all its forms
at this institution. II Was Oh account or the not
waters that Hot Springs was selected Tor us site.
It has an efficient medical corps and d'spe nsary
ard the record OF cures and materially pehrn'''
reaches the astonishing figures OF more IMAM - per
ceI, -, oe,ci, circular signed ny George NJ Stern
peIE S"' Aleer secretary Of War. the Govern,
@ anu mixes known Just what ailments arc treated
and henefl,od M this hospital II states u.t re- re-
t,t ;, y easonablv he expected at the Hot Springs
I'm tho following conditions. IN te N"IiuuS W ,',,
OF gout and rheumatsin tsx enrly stages
~ ~ pr;cht's dsr1sc functional diseases OF the iiV.F
dyspePs1, Yin diseases Thus the Government
not only conducts the Hot springs @ @pus .nuTi az 9e'
them the or TINS l'iiie va -.
'''J,, ,,drads Of thousands OF dollars have oeen
spent by the Government for Improving ana n'1um n
far,rg IL reservation here All of lis income rom
IL ran,als of the hot water and GROUND privileges
is thus expended and In addition arBc rinh sH,h
.,..rtr, realized from the sale ~ city lots Whl'h
VIZ. reserved when the Cover n'n"it TOOK p"SS'S
sion OF the springs. The mountains M,.'' ,oa g,Tn
converted into beautiful parks. with walks. nriNrS
and bride paths encircling and ,eadinR 10 I' t'i
I'hoic, flow ers and shrubbery haN" been llfht,a
and the natural situation has been tAe" @'N'''"7'
of FOR architectural AdOTnment ,,.t
TN. various entrances to Hot Springs are nleiI
f-l lfNFts T. 4
pra nd succession NJ artistic designs IN masonry ~
tending "a dstanc, OF TWO hundied irrt up l,e
mann. Ain side and crowned with "A trcctan temple
1'hts fg a monument 70 the Harrison ana 'i"N'l'nu
lnistra tions and bears the names or Jolln W.
Nni,ir Iinlt. smith ani David r. Francis, S"cie-
tares ~ the Interior while the architectural gem
wns I'm ,ours. OF construction. II - OF sold granite
-.-..L y. = foot md cArrlaEr rnLLAncN 70 LM-