Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-03-07
ADVERTISEMENT
Saturday Bath the Vogue
For Seventy-Gve Years

One of the most depressing pieces
of literature of recent times will
have 10 be charged against II. l..
Mencken who, in the Evening Mail,
calls our sorrowing attention to the
fact that December 20, 1917, has
come and gone without any public
celebration to mark that day as the
seventy-fifth anniversary of the his
toric bath in which dam Thomp-
son, of Cincinnati, N lde history.
There is romance about the bath
tub that is fascinating. Mr.. Mencken,
who has dipped deep into the wa
ters of time, tells us that Mr..
Thompson, who dealt in cotton and
grain in the Ohio city, and who
went abroad occasionally by way of
the Ohio and the Mississippi and
New Orleans, learned while in Eng
land of the remarkable fad that
Lord John Russell had introduced.
1t seems that his lordship had fixed
up in his home a remarkable con-
traption-a sort of glorified dishpan
and now and then, with the aid of
a servant, laved his hide.
Despite the ridicule to which he
was subjected by this unusual prac-
tice his lordship obstinately persisted
in the belief that 1t did him no
harm. We ever have been wont to
ape the British and Mr.. Thompson,
when he returned to America, be-
gan to think of ways and means
whereby he might do as his lordship
did. Being wealthy he was able to
indulge himself in many ways
Therefore, he had a pump fitted on
to the we'll at his home in Cincinnati.
Six colored gentlemen worked this
pump assiduously and managed to
hoist enough water to fill a cypress
tank in the garrett of the Thompson
mansion. That furnished a supply of
cold water. AS the weather was
cold, Mr.. Thompson, who was bit
of genius, rigged up coil of pipes
in the chimney and the heat from
the large CRATE fires warmed the
pipes and the water within.
The tub that was the Adam of all
bathtubs was a noble and notable
addition to the worlds possessions. 1t
was designed on Mr.. Thompson's
order by cabinet maker and its ma
terial was mahogany. 1t was feet
long, 4 feet wide and weighed 1850
pounds. To insure the floor from
collapsing under it's weight the
beams were reinforced and strength
ened.
Celebrate in 1912? Why wait un-
til then? We have heard of per-
sons who celebrate every Saturday
night.
The bathtub is recognized now as
very useful piece of furniture
There are few structures in New
York worthy of consideration that
are without bathtubs.
Queer stories are told in connec-
ton with them. A truthful lady
who lives in Eighty-Third street
Brooklyn, solemnly declares that a
tenant in one of the houses which
she owns reported one winter that
the bathtub was out of order and
she couldn't explain how it happen
ed, as it hadn't been used in six
months.
On the other hand, a Tammany
leader came near losing control OF
the organization" when it became
known that he had taken as his So
cial mentor gentlemen addicted to
two baths a day.
To-day the modern bathtub is an
asset in every home. What would
the multitude do without their usual
bath? And how different the bath
tub of to-day is from that of yester-
day. Those days it was luxury
only the millionaires could enjoy
while to-day they are within the
means of every one.
M. II. Baker and Co., plumbing
and heating outfitters, install mod.
ern and up-to-date bathtubs. They
are equipped to do all kinds o.
plumbing work on short notice. Al
the present time they have equip.
ment to do all kinds of work.