New-York tribune., 1903-02-10

those magnificent structures. their giant halls
paved with mosacs of marble or porphyry, carved
and frescoed. supported on noble pillars ana
adorned with splendid sculptured groups WINCH
like the LAGOON the Farnese Hercules, re-
main create the despair of modern art Gym
nasia. libraries, every species of bath and every
variety of personal attendance were to be found
under the roof: and the baths were quarter OF a
cent each: to children. free The baths of Caracalla
could accommodate 500 bathers at once.
IF Agrippa, great Roman, close TO the En-
peror could present public bath to his city sure
Iy a merchant prince of New-York could find in
similar gift suitable memorial to his name.
From the fall of Rome down to 1876 there was a
great. a sudden and an awful pause in the history
of baths is d deadly hiatus, in which the most
industrious antiquarian will find bath statistics
to reward his research. In 1916 the English Parlia-
rnent passed an act for the encouragement of pub
lie baths and washhouses. The agitation began only
three years later in New-York, with the organiza-
ton OF the Peoples Bathing and Washing Associa-
ton. But while London, with 100000 inhabitants,
has now thirty-eght public lighthouses; New-York.
with 100000, has only There are three others
under way and several operated by philanthropic
agencies; but altogether they do not approach the
number or capacity of those in London"
But don't you think that Americans wash more
than the English?' interrupted Mrs Russell Sage,
= Certainly do replied DR.. Tolman, gravely;
when they get chance
I a AssGeia6n @ nea 58r aPToyg pr IG If o0ened
the frst public bathhouse. and recently Mrs. E H
another A woman also Mrs. William Thaw. OF
Pittsburg The first citizen in America TO erect
a public bathhouse. and in Philadelphia the great
society which has established public baths in that
city grew out of the Investigations of Miss Sarah
Lowrie, who found that only one family in twenty
among Philadephia's poor had access to bathtuh.
Between 1873 and 1892 there no legislation
the subject Of baths in any State in the Union.
Then suddenly the bathtub loomed up a social
and sociological factor
LAS usual" said DR.. Tolman, cynically; New
York talked and other cities acted" Yonkers es-
tablished the hrst municipal bath In America in
1896 Chicago has four TO New-Yorks one. Boston.
Brookline Detroit. Newark and St Paul are among
the cities well to the fore. In New York the
movement is well under way. In the soCialization
of the public schools bathing facilities will have
prominent part. Over 100000 bathers took advan-
fage of New-York's floating baths last summer.
TSTt DR. Tolman quoted DR.. Moreau Morriss to the
effect that many Of the city's sea baths were dan
Eerous because of their proximity to disc9arglng
sewers - IL; -,
cerebrospinal diseases contracted in the contain
mated waters of these bathing places he said
referring to public comfort stations the speaker re-
marked: ''President Cantor asked me to organize a
committee TO take under consideration the subject
of public comfort stations. | wrote him, because
knew him TO politician, that 1 would be very
glad to do so If he would embodY his request 10
me in writing He has never found time TO answer
that letter"