The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1916-06-09

ApAAODAD! well, uOt tulS
year, possibly; not next year
either, as it looks now. No,
nor Baden Baden nor any
other OF the famous European spas"
But there is still the Arkansas Hot
Springs-now owned by Uncle Sam
and because of the European situation
it's likely to have a big boom, cor
respondent of the Philadelphia Record
writes.
The water Is there, million gal
Ions a day, so pure that chemical
analysis shows but a faint trace Of
mineral, and the AZ springs are all
hot. Not drop of this water is sold.
From the various springs one may
drink it by the cup and carry 1t away
by the gallon. In the lighthouses one
may soak in it by the hour, at cost
within the reach of every purse.
This statement is made because
there are "a private lighthouses, and
the large government bathhouse for
the INDECENT In the private bath
houses, which cost from $4,000 to
100000, the government regulates the
price, making allowance for the sum
invested, the cost Of maintenance, ETC.
The average price for course Of 81
baths is around eight dollars, and then
there is the fee for attendants, also
regulated by the government.
Everything Is under government con-
trol-the water, the lighthouses, the at
tendants and the physicians. Many Of
the lighthouses are on government
property, that part OF the reservation
facing Central avenue, and known as
"Bathhouse row. The occupants Of
these plots have no leases and pay no
ground rent. They are there because
the government allows them there,
and can be closed up in ten minutes II
their behavior is not all it should be.
The attendants are all negroes, and
none of them can get job in bath
house without his or her little GER
tif1cate bearing the signature of Doc
tor Parks, representing the depart
ment Of the interior.
Physicians Must Qualify.
The physicians, as the result Of
some high-handed robbery by quacks
in the old "wide-open" days when Hot
Springs was about as wicked a spot
as could be found on the map, have
to qualify before a federal medical
board before they are allowed to pre-
scribe the waters and baths. Any pa
tient being treated by physician who
has not so qualified will not be re-
ceived at any of the lighthouses, for
the bathhouse SO offending could no
longer trent" water from Uncle Sam.
This term may seem trif1e odd to
one not knowing the conditions at Hot
Springs, but 1t exactly describes the
situation. The bathhouse owner rents
the water. paying $50 per annum for
the water for each tub in his bath
house. This water belongs to the
government, and is under government
supervision in the pipes, in the tubs
and until it passes out through the
sewer connections.
A larger sum, to be estimated only
through the imagination, in fact, could
be realized If the government would
allow the waters to be exploited COM
mercially. Vast sums have been Of
fered for the bottling and shipping
privileges, and while the water doubt
less could be sent to the ends of the
earth in perfect condition, Uncle Sam
will not allow any such experiments.
There are in the valley half dozen
springs, privately owned, whose wa
ters are known throughout the coun-
try. One of these has great reputa-
ton as cure for Bright's disease.
Yet Uncle Sam will not allow them
even to use labels which might mis-
lead people into believing that they
were part Of the group OF wonder
working springs that the government
guarantees as being par excellence.
They are the dow OF outlying springs
not considered of value at the time
the main group was taken over, and
probably are worth no more today,
from a medical viewpoint, than they
we're at that time.
Baths for the INDECENT.
II seekers after health who journey
TO the springs have not the where