The New York herald., 1922-03-17
LITTLE PALM BEACH
UNDER HYLAN OFFICE
Spiral Stairway Leads Down
to Shower Bath Amid
Potted Palms.
FANS TO STIR BREEZES
Where Mayor Got Money to
Install Private Shore Puz-
zles Officials.
FANS TO STIR BREEZES

Inadvertent admission by Aristides
appointment to Mayor Hylan. that he.
Aristides. had spent considerable part
of yesterday combing Brooklyn for rub
Der plants and palms in tubs taken
with the extraordinary degree of anima-
tion displayed by David Hirshfield.
Commissioner OF Accounts. and all ap-
piled to the obvious fact that hammers
were rat-tatting and saws rasping in
| the basemen of the City Hall disclosed
the purpose of the work being done in
the basement at Mr.. Hylan's orders
The Mayor is installing in the cellar
of the City Hall a little Palm Beach of
his wn--abundant hot air. palms sway
ing and bending under the zephyrs cast
by battery of electric fans. a noble
bath at pleasing temperature and such
other useful or decorative features as
seem desirable.
Come midsummer. 1t is the Mayors
purpose to relieve himself Of his hot and
cumbersome garments, to attire himself
lightly and gracefully in hat of straw
with widish brim and Turkish towel
or so. and to descend from his usual
official quarters by means of a secret
spiral stairway to the little bath para
disc he is now in the way of contriving
According to Aristides Constantine
pouios, usually well informed. all diff
culties nave been surmounted and the
tlny Palm Beach In the basement should
be ready weeks before the Mayor feels
the urge or palm and sand and gushing
ioantains and good hot air beating upon
MS prlsket. Arfstides told reporter for
The NEW YORK HERALD yesterday the
finoing OF a method of maintaining a
constant flow of hot air Of the Palm
Beach temperature was the only really
vexatious problem that had to be solved
IL was easy to get the palms. some
dozens to be arranged in artistic dis
array around the official bath, and easy
10 provide other accessories, but when
1t came to getting the hot air the Burgo-
master was stumped for some time
Then he thought of various possible ex-
pcdients and at last directed David
Hirshfield to be ready to join him on
call and to deliver talks on the state Of
the times.
Six rooms formerly occupied by the
Child Welfare Board, are being thrown
together to make suite of four for the
Mayors greater privacy and pleasure
Access to these will be from within the
Mayors present office and by means OF
secret stairway to which only the
Mayor, John F. Sinnott, his vizier Gro
Yer A. Whalen and Mr. Hirshfield have
the password. Work is being rushed,
painters. decorators and carpenters la
boring zealously.
Mr. Sinnott explained that new quar-
tcrs for the Mayor We're necessary be-
cause His Honor is much too crowded
upstairs and finds urgent need OF more
elbow room. He did not attempt to ex-
Rain where the money to pay for the
Improvement was coming from. the Sink
| ing Fund Commissioners not having au-
thorized private Palm Beach so far as
any one of them could recall. Nor did
Comptroller Craig have any knowledge
of the financing OF the project. 1t was
| said that there has been no authorize
| tion by the Sinking Fund for the new
suite Of offices.
The Mayors new private stairway is
the third getaway of the sort that
has attracted public notice in the last
| fcw years. When Charles s. Whitman
| was Governor and desired to sidestep
the maddening throng. he used a similar
contrivance. The District Attorney of
New York county knows how to steal for
home and now the Mayor Is to be SINH
larly equipped.