The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-09-09
VISIT ST. PAUL BATHS
Minneapolis City Councilmen Get an
object Lesson on the Benefits
of Public Baths.
Members Deliberating the Plan to
Convert the Old City Hall Into
Municipal Bathhouse:: s J; ss;t ~

Aldermanic POLITICAL fences werelineg-
lected for the afternoon by most of the
city council who went to st. Paul at the
invitation Of DR.. Justus Ohage and in
spected the admirable system of public,
baths he has established and organized.
The Minneapolis junketers who We're in
charge of Health Commissioner r. NJ.
Hall. boarded a special car, which the
street railway company had provided for
the occasion, at Second street and First
avenue, at 2 o'clock and ran straight
through to st. Paul. They alighted in
front of the city hall on Fourth street,
Where they were met by DR.. Ohage and
a. corps Of st. Paul health officers who
immediately conducted them to Raspb berry
island, where an hour or more was spent
In looking over the baths which have
given st. Paul no small measure of fame.
Owing to the approach of cold weather,
the baths We're closed last week, so that
the visitors were unfortunate in not see
ing them in use. There was enough to
see, however, even in the absence of the
bathers, to show the Minneapolis council
men what the value Of an institution Of
like kind would be if conveniently To-
Gated in Minneapolis. DR.. Ohage
heightened this impression by presenting
statistics showing the great popularity Of
the baths during the heated term.
.-- Reason for the Trip. ..-..
The trip was taken as a result Of the
movement now on foot to give Minneapo-
lis even better bathing facilities than st.
Paul enjoys, by the conversion of the old
city hall, soon to be vacated, into a mu-
nicipal bath house for use in summer and
winter. The aldermen in the party who
had any doubts as to the feasibility of the
proposition, were won over to DR.. Hall 8
view of! the. proper disposition Of the old
after OhaGe
patiate upon the advantages of free baths
to. a municipality, both from the stand
point of municipal health and recreation.
The lively interest which the Minneapo-
lis Commercial club is taking in the prof.
ect-as we'll as that already manifested
presence Of Wallace G. Nye, secretary of
the public affairs committee of the Min
nea polls club. Mr.. Nye had never seen
the st. Paul baths. He said he was pro-
foundly impressed with the Importance of
establishing, as soon as possible, central
downtown bathing house in great,
growing city like Minneapolis. He .said
Il have been strongly in favor of the
scheme to use the old city hall for that
purpose since the idea was first preached
by L n e j n a !, and trust that the
aldermen have seen enough day to con
vince them that no golden opportunity
like this Of rendering the public such q
service should be allowed to slip by. With
our constantly growing and -congested
lodging house district, we are peculiarly
In need Of central free baths. BY virtue
of being the great employment bureau OF
the northwest, Minneapolis is called on te
lodge more transients than most cities OF
her size, and free baths should be provided
IN the interests of public health, If for nc
other reason" = ~ - : -" =: ..
The Minneapolis philanthropist who has
agreed to furnish the necessary funds TO,
the remodefing Of the old city hall into 8
municipal bath house, was to have accom-.
panied the aldermen this afternoon. Bust
ness affairs prevented his attendance a,
the last momenttay .;, ..c';5 I~e- ~s.~