The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1905-03-30

bland smile, and before / could ques-
tion him further the lord mayor mo-
toned him to open the meeting. From
other sources equally reliable have
learned that Mr. Talbot's prediction of
violence in the event of a packed meet
ing was entirely justifiable.
The town clerk read the proposed
bill, and it was voted to take it up and
discuss it by sections. The lord mayor
moved the passage of each section and
called on some member of the council
to second his motion. The question was
then open to general debate, and any
citizen of Manchester could speak for
or against it. Many speeches were
made, and as a result some unimpor-
tant amendments were agreed to, and
when every one had had his say the
motion to indOrse the action OF the
council was put and passed without a
dissenting vote.
What struck me as extraordinary
was this: Here was measure which
combined in itself all that is radical in
the movement for public ownership.
1t committed the city to closer part
nership with private business COR
poration. 1t authorized large expendi-
ture for houses which would compete
with those owned by landlords. 1t pro-
posed an extension of municipal tram
ways beyond the corporate limits of
Manchester, thereby establishing a
new precedent which may gridiron
Great Britain with steel railways
owned and operated by municipalities.
1t bestowed other powers of con-
structive nature on the officers of the
council, and yet not citizen Of Man
chester nor an accredited attorney
of any vested interest uttered one SEN
tence or expressed one sentiment
against the general principle of the
establishment and extension of mu-
nicipal enterprises.
One of the distinctive features of the
modern British city is its system of
public baths and laundries. The latter
are termed "washhouses.' Liverpool
and Manchester are especially progress
sive in these institutions. Liverpool
has expended or appropriated more
than a million dollars on it's public
baths.
The CORVALLIS street baths of Liv-
erpool compare favorably with any
public or private establishment, no
matter where located, save perhaps in
the matter of useless adOrnments. Liv-
erpool has comprehensive system of
public bathhouses, and it is its proud
boast that no citizen is more than a
few minutes walk from public bath
ing establishment.
The CORVALLIS street baths cost
about $125,000, and Liverpool has
begun the construction of buildings
at Pier Head which will demand an
expenditure of $375,000 l made a
careful inspection of some of these
establishments. The swimming pools
are large, and the temperature OF the
water is automatically regulated.
There are several classes of baths with
varying prices, and one can have a
plain tub bath with hot and cold wa
ter, soap, sponge and towels, all for
the sum of 2 cents in our money or
penny in theirs. Two days in the week
this price is cut in half You could
not get as good bath in the best hO-
tel in Liverpool or London for fifty
times the money.
"The average price of plunge bath,
with the use of the pool as long as de-
sired, is less than cents. But the
free open baths Of Liverpool are more
interesting and hardly less attractive.
Whenever it is possible to secure an
open space the baths department con-
structs pool, provides warm water
and erects shelters for the little ones.
One day last summer $500 lads used
one Of these open baths.
While the receipts from Liverpools
baths are large, there is, of course, an
annual deficit. Lasts years receipts
were about $4,000, and the deficit was
not far from the same amount. But
this is one of the enterprises conduct
ed without hope of financial gain. The
city is fortunate in it's baths engineer
and chief superintendent, w. R. Court,
a man who has been connected with
bathing establishments for years and
to whose energy and forethought is
due the planning and success of the
"slum baths"
I'VE believe" said Mr.. Court in the
course of thorough inspection of
these baths, "that it is as important to