The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-08-02
FORMAL TRANSFER OF PUBLIC
BATHS TO CITY OF ST.
PAUL
THOUSANDS UPON THE SCENE
Name of Harriet Island Is Changed
as a Tribute to the Founder
OF the Popular
Retreat
GOVERNOR AND TWO MAYORS

Three cheers and tiger for DR. Ohage
| and Ohage island!"
Leaning recklessly over the platform OF
the little pavilion on Cranberry island.
| GOV. Van SAINT last night gave the signal
| tor the cheers that arose from thousands
| OF throats down below him and from as
many thousand more behind him. cheers
that were taken up by everybody with q
| VIII and shouted back until even the Jan
| lanterns quivered with excitement the
branches of the trees waved their an
| proVal and the river splashed hear
| hear" against the shore.
For Harriet island was christened
anew last night Attorney Armand Al
| brecht, in presenting the deed Of the
| island TO Mayor Smith, was the first to
| suggest "Ohage island" as a fitting name
| Tor the bit of land that DR. Ohage AMI
| ms public baths have made famous. and
| the multitude that assembled to witness
| the transfer of the baths to the cirv
shouted itself hoarse last night while en-
aeaVorlng TO express it's approval of the
| fitness of the name
| The cheers We're an approDriate oDeri,e,
| Tor the enthusiastic exercises that mark
| the transfer to St Paul of one Of rba
! pest bits of philanthropy that has ever
| lShtened the burdens of the Door DR.
| Ohage was the name on every In. anI
| magnificent ovation was rendered the
labor executed that luxury for the
needy" the st. Paul free public baths.
CROWD is DEMOCRATIC.
Shortly after 6 o'clock the people be-
| gan TO gather at Harriet island Some
| came in carriages, but most were on foot
The gathering was neither exclusively Of
| the masses nor of the classes. An auto
| mobile squeezed its way democraticaTly in
/
| Knot Of gleeful little folks found a com
| Portable resting place during the speech-
! making on the steps Of a well appointed
victoria. Previous TO the programme The
attendants at the lunch counter were kept
/ busy, and many accustomed to dine I'm
! state sampled contentedly last evening
| the counters coffee, sandwiches and apple
pie, and marveled alike at their cheaD-
! ness and their goodness.
I After the marine band began to DIav
! the policemen and the island attendants
| hogan to light the many jap lanterns
! that were strung from tree TO tree until.
as Attorney Albrecht said in a very happv
! speech II was prosaic island that dot
| ted the river, but forest Of Arden naOuIad
! with beautiful Rosallpds and gallant Or
landos. The speaker made one mistake.
! lie included the melancholy Jaques. but
there vas no such dismal person there
last night, for even what seemed a very
surfeit Of praise did not make Dr.. Ohage
melancholy.
The speakers last night occupied seats
| on the pavilion. Seated with DR.. Ohags
! were Gov. Van SAINT Mayor Smith, Col
Mon1ort, ex-MayoT Kiefer. c. p. Albrecht,
Lieut.. Gov. Smith, Mayor Ames, Of Min
| neapolis; c. NJ Loring, Of Minneapolis.
| and other prominent citizens Of St. Paul
and Minneapolis
DR.. Ohage was introduced by Gov. Van
SAINT, and after the cheering had subsld-
ed the doctor spoke as follows:
DIR. OHAGE?s ADDRESS.
Ladies and gentlemen: It is with pleas
ure and deep sense OF qualification that
( ! can lay this day in the hands of MayOr
Smith, as representative Of the people OF
Paul, document which absolutely and
Tor all time to come conveys to you this
complete institution known as the St
Paul Free Public Baths and Play
grounds
To at once give you a proper UNDER
/ standing what this means, l reclte to you
! the first few lines Of the notice TO the
public, which you find posted on con-
Yenent places in this institution: "These
bGths and Fairgrounds and everything
pertaining thereto belong to the citizens
Of st. Faul-to you. You are part owner
or them and therefore interested I'm their
success and reputation. Interest yourself
/ sufficiently In them by your own good
/ conduct and your treatment Of others
/ healthy recreation for our fellow citizens
oS intended" This has been acted uDon
by the people, so that today ! am In q
position and can proudly proclaim that
Harriet Island is the most orderly place
in this city; let it be for all time to come.
Let people understand that this is in
| tended alike for the rich and the poor.
for the millionaire and the iaboring man:
! that it's benefits shall be extended to ali
alike irrespective of nationality, politics
or religion, and even to those who have
none.
This magnificent present is a gift Of the
people to the people. IT mas been entirely
done by voluntary contributions and has
not cost the city one cent It's valuc as
/ health resort and recreation grounds
Tor the people is inestima bic tt there
/ lore should be kept sacred and free from
/ polluting influences forever.
l have been but an instrument IN the
I accomplishment Of this object carrying
! out the wishes of the donors and Ia
obedience to my official duties.
To all thGse who contributed 10 this
end especially to tho able and uutirng
/ SUPPORT Of our entire press irrespective
OF party Rhtlation, and prompted only b.
| humanitarian sentiments and local pa
/ trio tism, [ herewith extend my sincere
thanks.
To the school children Of St. Paul. who
( have also literally donated 7 wish 10 say
( that my object in asking for their penny
| contributions was to enable them 20 say
| Wnen they were grown and had become
old men and women I also have helped
pride and interest VIII be aroused. and
therefore. they viii be the guardians OF
his institution after we have passed
away
In the interest Of the masses OF the
people have made the following coudf
tlons part OF this deed. that the St. Paul
FREQ Public Baths ana Fairgrounds shall
for al ttmc 10 come belong TO the peO-
pie of St Paul for tiiese purpose. that
they sEai: remain under the management
or the department. of health and be nom
ssctarlan and no1l-politioal: that they
shall be open 70 the people during the
season Sundays as well as week days
For the I-.0ttO OF our institution I have
chosen the following: IN the health Of
the people les the strength OF a nation"
now place this Island and everything
pertaining thereto CnGer the fostering
care and DTotSc,ic2 Of tbs people of ST.
Paul and agk Mr.. Ai5Tscht. az ali cOndf
tlon5 hsVe been FULFILLED. &c deliver to
Mayor Sniyl the decd executed by mo.
which you hold IN trust li1tl yuC.i coudi-
tone shall rave bsen satisfied.
Attorney Aibreulu receiving the deel
from Dr.. ohage rendered It 20 Nayor
Smith. Hardly year ago" ne said,
the island on whloh you aIe now as
sembled was = sandy waste. It's magic
transformation constitutes an imp -essivo
object lesson Of how much can be occom-
plisirsd IN q short time by a publ!c-sDir-
tied litlzSE. Or. ohage mas erected tor