The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1908-01-16

is located the army and navy hospital
the government bath house and free
dispensary and last hut not least by
any means, the hot water springs
There are several of them in the city,
one, the main spring, is located near
the army and navy hospit a., /, the Stevens
spring is one and One-haif blocks north
of the government bath house, and the
Arcadia is just back of the Arcadia
bath house. Another is in Govern
ment Park i'm front of the Eastman
hotel whiIe still another is to be found
near the post-office. These are all hot
water springs, and white it may seem
strange, it is nevertheless act that
on the same land separated by only a
few feet is the sulphur spring, rusty in
color with the taste of rotten eggs, but
as Geld as the Arcadia is hot. And
still, not contented with that, nature
hss carried the prank further, for at
the head of Happy Hollow, matter OF
a hundred feet Or SO, we find the Ex-
celsior spring, as clear as crystal and as
cold as ice. This Excelsior spring is
owned by private individuals, the rest
belong to the government; SO you will
understand that the government is the
dominating figure here.
Virtually speaking, the government
has said to the private bath house own
ers: "Get all you can from those who
eau afford to pay, but we retain the
right to do as we please by those who
are in need of treatment and have not
the means to. pay for it," And with
this thought in view the government
free bath house was erected, which to-
day stands as beacon of hope to the
poor but self-respecting man, for there,
without money and without price, the
poor man enjoys the same privilege as
the rich-the privilege of bathing in
the boiling waters Of Hot Springs.
Nor is this all. In conjunction with
the government bath house is the gov
ernment free dispensary where medi-
cine and expert medical advice are
free for the asking.
Perhaps ameager description of tie
government bath house will. not be
amiss here. The building occupies a
site of land in government park some
two hundred feet back from and ia
cling the main street, is stone thruOut
and one 81 tory in height, with a square
tower in front in which is located the
doctors office and free dispensary. In
the center of the building Is the main
office in charge of an officer of Uncle
Sam. On the right hand side is the
ladies entrance, on the left the mems.
On entering the Office one must pre-
sent their bathing ticket to the officer
in charge who will punch off from the
ticket one of the twenty-one baths
that the holder is entitled to.
Entering the first room on the left
we find lockers arranged tier upon tier
along the walls. It is here that the
bathers disrobe, placing their'clothes
i'm their locker which is secured from
the porter for the sum of twenty y-five
cents per week. Those who have not
the money to rent a locker must place
their clothes upon the floor and trust
to providence to find them when wanted.
From the dressing. room we enter
another room known as the "cooler" or
cooling off room. where the bathers
stop few moments after leaving the
bath room before venturing into the
colder air to dress.
Passing thru this room we now en-
ter the bath room which is rectangular
in shape with tank about three feet
deep extending the full length Of the
room, but divided in the center by q
concrete wall, flush with, the floor, SO
that in reality there are two tanks, in.
to, one is running both hot and cold
water, into the other hot water alone
AS rule there are fifteen or twenty
bathers in the tanks at the same time
while others seat themselves on the
benches and never go near the water
other than to take drink now and
then. The result of course is the same
as the turkish bath -only somewhat
warmer. ~ go \ sss
! AS before intimated, Hot Springs