The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-06-04

Continued from Page One.
them through the Louisiana purchase
there is no doubt that the springs had /
been resorted TO often by the pioneers.
| Soon after the government acquired the 1
/ springs and set aside tract as govern /
ment reserve, people from all over the
country who had heard OF the curative |
properties OF the water Travelled there TO |
/ be cured. There grew up a village OF
squatters, who had no real or legal claim |
to their holdings, but who held them by |
shotgun rule"
BY a Congressional act Of 1872 commits |
sion was appointed 10 investigate these
squatters The commission, howeve<. |
marked off the city in town lots, ap- |
praised their value and allowed the |
squatters an option to purchase within |
nine months. Most of them did pay then, |
nominal sums to the government. with
the result that the government retained
about one-eighth OF the lots only. The
other seven-eighths went into the hands
of private individuals or corporations.
Jurisdiction Is Divided.
The result is that to-day in Hot Springs
jurisdiction is divided between the State
Of Arkansas and the Federal government.
/
eminent reservation. The city. at the
edge of this reservation. IS governed by
municipal officers.
Hot Springs, the city, is probably the
most wide-open town in the United states
Every form Of gambling is carried on
there openly. and from every state in the
Union people go there 10 be treated for
disease and fieeced of their money. The
saloons are practically never closed; the
social evil is rampant, while takers,
drummers for quaek doctors. runners for
the gambling houses and dives. peddlers
OF ali description. and itinerants are to
be found in their streets.
Mr. Ticker points out some OF the ar
rant absurdities that are allowed 10 turn
this resort from a place Of beaefaetiOn TO
haunt of vice. People who go there 10
use the waters should be absolutely free
from the evil effects Of alcoholic liquor.
and yet it is in evidence on every hand,
furnished free in many Of the gambling
clubs so that people who go there for
treatment are often tempted and fall.
Seduced by liquor, they lose their money.
their health, everything, and daily there
are applications to the municipality or TO
, the superintendent OF the government
reservation for relief to enable men who
, have become destitute TO get back 70
their homes
There is little or no effective regulation
Of the lighthouses. There is a free bath
: house provided by the government, where
as many as SS6 people have been bathed
} In one day, and there Is the reservation
for the Army and Navy Hospital, Cut
q side of these. the lighthouses are run by
private individuals. There is no lack OF
water, but IN recent years the govern
: I mani has hfrflf resarx-ot-s int which the
, waters from the various springs are col
lected. It has been found that some Of
the springs have greater degree OF
radio activity than others, and this COM
, binatiou makes the water all Of equal
strength. and from these reservoirs It is
, pumped TO the various lighthouses. The
government charges $50 a tub a year
and the proprietors Of the lighthouses
net It is stated, on an average $500 profit
per tub. And these bathhouse proprie-
tors on the government reservation &C.
oupy land worth about s1.O0O.0o0 without
paying a cent OF ground rent for the
privilege. It is the government which
has to bear all the expense of maintain
: ing and protecting the springs.
Want Commission Form.
A movement is on foot in Arkansas 20
. try to induce the legislature 10 cede
back TO the government the original trac.
: OF land. the four sections surrounding the
springs, in the hope that through Con
gressional action a commission form os
government similar to that Of the Dis
triet OF Columbia might be Inaugurated.
II is recognized that only in some such
way can the evils that now make Hot
Springs notorious be eradicated
] The sentiment In Hot Springs is ex-
pressed by Charles Jacobson, Demo-
: 1 cratic nominee for the State senate from
that political district. He SAYS:
y 1T would be a fine thing for Hot
: Springs If we could have the commission
= form Of government. The citizens would
:, lose the suffrage. but this is a minor
: consideration when compared to the good
that would result; good, not only to the
city or Hot Springs. but TO the entire
State OF Arkansas. Hot Springs would
double its visiting population in two
years. and the business Increase en-
gendered thereby cannot be estimated,
for the city would be- the ward of the
United States and the object of its
solicitude. The people OF Hot Springs
and Garland County would have to make
some sacrifices, but they could well af-
fe=d TO do So"
The evils that assail Hot Springs. as
It is at present conducted, are Of such
number and variety as to fill a book.
The Arkansas regulations in regard to
licensing physicians are very lax, each
county having a board authorized to
permit men 10 practice. Mr.. Ticker dur
ing his investigation OF conditions down
there. discovered among the medical
practitioners a horseshoer and a ped
der. the latter having turned to prac-
tice after he failed to make good selling
wares on the street corners.
Not only that, but even If a patient
has a competent physician, there is often
e no assurance that he will be given the
q baths as have been ordered, or at the
temperature that has been prescribed.
: These matters are left to the discretion
o Of the colored bath attendants, who are
g very largely influenced IN the care of
I their patients by the size OF the tips
s they receive.
Another evil is the drumming system
: which extends TO all OF the railroads
4 coming into Hot Springs, These drum
mers pick up incoming visitors. recon-
y mend some quack doctor and soma vile
: boarding place, and very often help to
Z fleece the victim OF what money he has.
q Half OF the business Of the Hot Springs
Police Court is taken up with the prose-
{ cution OF these drumming cases.
: SO bad have conditions become that
: there is growing a strong public de-
1, mand FOR a betterment, and the Depart
! ment OF the Interior Is IN hopes that this
public opinion will make itself felt in