The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-07-07
ST. PAUL'S PUBLIC BATHS.
Harriet Island Resort the Result of Years of Work
and Careful Planning.

A great essayist once wrote that every
reform or important event which is
chronicled in the history of the doings
Of mankind was once the private idea
of some individual. These private ideas
are frequently bringing forth their fruit
in the development Of the world, and
their fruit is being written upon the
pages of history. The private idea Of
one man, DR.. Justus Ohage, health COM
missioner of the. city Of st. Paul, trans
formed into the concrete, has gwen to
the city an institution which is the envy
of all cities and the pride of this one.
The public baths Of St. Paul is the re-
suit of an idea which was conceived
by DR.. Ohage several years ago, and by
his indomitable will power and a great
deal Of perseverance and hard work, has
been made reality.
DREAM OF MANY YEARS.
The idea Of establishing public bath
ing place for the city first occurred to
DR.. Ohage when he was touring upon
the continent nearly ten years ago. This
idea seemed so important to him that
he could not lose sight of it, but la
bored and planned for years to accom-
plish that end, and did not rest content
until the formal opening of the baths
| upon the 18th OF May, 1860. Then he saw
! that his hope was at last realized, but
found that his work was not yet finished,
and has constantly labored from that
time for the further improvement of the
institution.
| For several years Harriet Island, In
! the Mississippi river, just above Waba-
sha bridge, was a waste growing up to
weeds and underground, and furnishing
! an ideal breeding place fer mosquitoes.
This island in all the years of the devel-
! oping and building of the city had never
been taken into consideration in connec-
ton with commercial enterprises 1t was
! overlooked each year and became an eye
sore to the city. 1t occurred to DR..
Ohage that this would be an ideal loca-
! ton for the baths which he wished to es-
tablish in the city. He made an eXami-
| nation of the SOIL beach and other natu-
: the conditions for which he was search
ing. The location was splendid. The wa
! ter which washed its shores seemed to
be pure. To verify this he had several
chemical tests of the water made and
found that the water was absolutely
! pure, pure enough for drinking purposes,
and purer than the water which runs
from the fountains In many Of the cities
Of the land. The island being situated on
the west side of the river, receives none
of the sewage which enters the river
on the cast side, a few yards further
down the river. The current on the east
side of the river is quite strong, and all
this is carried away without ever coming
near enough to contamtnate the waters
Oll l1O SIlOI6S VI IllC 4n0 WdJSI
which comes to the island is from the
Minnesota river and receives no inpuri-
ties. Even the impurities which enter the
river through the sewers at Minneapolis
and are not disseminated by the eighteen
miles of flow are carried past the island
on the east side of the river and leave
the water near Harriet Island pure and
untainted.
BOUGHT ISLAND IN 1889.
Finding all these things so favorable to
the project which he had In view, DR..
Ohage began negotiations for the pur-
chase of the island in October, 1885, and
during tho following winter secured a
deed for the entire island, which contains
nearly forty acres This was the begin
ming of the real work Of establishing the
baths. Subscriptions were then solicited
and money collected for the work, and
construction began at once. Pilings were
driven in the ground, pavinons were
erected, a bathing house was built and
pools were eXeayated. AL this work was
done by money which had been subscrib-
| ed by people who were friendly to the
project. The work was pushed to COM
pletion, and the formal opening of the
baths occurred May 20, 1900.
The island Is reached by foot bridge
from Water street on the West side, A
stairway has been constructed from
the south approach to the Waba-
sha bridge, which makes It easier
OF access. A ferry runs from the foot
Of Chestnut street to the baths through
the day, and those who wish to reach
them in that way can secure transporta
ton for the round trip for cents. In