Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1920-03-23
Frederic Haslkin's Letter
THE STRANGELY HEALTHY BoWERY.

8BlQulBQl0K Bt1tSm6uL - luAuC W
an inspector Of the s.-itary divis-
ion Of the new York health depart
ment that the Bowery, with all its
lack Of purity and cleanliness, is
the healthiest SPOT in America.
During the late influenza epidemic,
the Bowery was practically i'm
mune from the disease, and the
same holds true in regard to all
other affections affecting the rest
of New York, he says People liv-
ing along the Bowery never seem
to get i'll. Why? No one appears
to know. 1t seems as if the mys-
FERROUS element which kept the
Bowery safe from plague in early
days when the nearby town was
stricken with smallpox, is operat-
ing still.
Is it possible that there is some
health-producing quality still IN
discovered, which haunts the Bow
ery-more powerful than santa
ton itself, or rather the lack of it =?
This is the problem that New York
is bordering now, wishing that
Sir Oliver Lodge we're still here to
help it.
The inspector who is responsible
for this new interest in the Bow
cry, and who is now afraid that the
street may be converted into a ma
tional health resort. is known as
JEFF Davis, King of the Hoboes."
Those acquainted with Mr.. Davis
past have been inclined to suspect
him of undue Partially toward a
street which must have seen a
good deal of his early youth, but
there are health records to prove
the authenticity OF his -atements.
They show that the Bowery's
health is SO per cent to the good.
While the Bowery has struck a
slight vein of prosperity recently
it still attracts the poorest classes
of the city. 1t is tie one street
within miles of New York where
you can find numerous lodging
houses advertising shelter at 80
cents per night; where whole din.
ners may be procured for Is and
80 cents, and where clothing is
peddled at prices ranging below Sc
cents. Naturally, clothing at this
price is not famous for its veal
or warmth, SO that the citizens oil
the Bowery are ill-clad and insult.
ficiently SO. The men who patron.
ize the lodgings wear no gloves OF
overcoats, and their shoes general
ly leak. But they are healthy.
Cleanliness is also q possession
which is held in no great respec
by the citizens of the Bowery. 81
far as they are concerned, the,
| would just as soon it didn't exist
and especially that it was not 81
rigidly enforced by the health de
partment. Recently, Mr.. Davi.
had to send so men to public baths
and one of them caught bad COLI
/ afterward. He was extremely bit
ter in denouncing what he termed
such crazy practices il the deat
O. winter"
when it comes to buying soap,
says Inspector Davis, "the citizen.
of the BoEery much prefer eats
coffee and stef or beans-so tina
, sometimes soap is sidetracked
Perhaps all their necks are no
/ r1nont ihf,f fnr that
is in New York?) land their face
not polished up, or their bodie
scrubbed as thoroughly as on
might wish. still the dirtiest one
/ have come across are the health
lest"
In spite of this discovery, tn
health department refuses to argue
as might be expected, that filth i
conducive to health. Instead, it i
putting forth laborious efforts t
make the Bowery clean up. In
spector Davis, when not INSPECTING
lodging houses for signs OF dirt
spends his time addressing larg
audiences of men who patroniz
them, explaining the necessity o
sanitary precautions and askin
them for their cooperation. TIL
men are usually willing enough t
help, but the lodging house keep
ers are not quite so gracious.
1T was a Chinese joint tina
gave the first heed to our cam
paign for sanitation says In
spector Davis. Gee, what a dunn
it was! But the proprietor too
my advice, and in a weeks tim
all the old beds. sheets and dirt
blankets were thrown out. and i
their stead new hunks, new bed
ding and clean everything put il
The floors that were dirty now loo
white, and the spiderwebs 9TH
Chinese proprietor called ther
'whiskersD are gone.
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