New Britain herald., 1927-09-02
BATH, ENGLAND, IS
 ECHO OF OLD DAYS
City Once Was Famous Water-
 ing Place

Washington, D. c. Sept, Bath, England, where tablets recently were erected in honor Of two citi- zens who developed the celluloid film which made possible the mo- tion picture. once was the iavorite watering place Of England.
 The city owes it's name, growth and prosperity 10 the mineral springs around which It is built. They are the only hot springs in the British Isles and yield daily more than half q million gallons of wa ter.
 Founded By Romans.
 While the Romans are known to have founded Bath in the first cen tlirv and to have built an elaborate system of bathing places. legend has it that about 500 years earlier the medicinal qualities of the springs Were discovered by Bladud, q British swineherd prince. Bladud was expelled from the court as taper and wandered westward By rolling in the mud where the fa- nous baths now are located, he is said 10 have regained his health.
 From the days of the Romans un- til the early part Of the eighteenth century, Bath remained q humble English town, occupying the eastern bank of the Avon at beautiful tend in the river about twelve miles south of Bristol Then eXCa- vators uncovered old Roman relics. Visitors came from all corners of England and the continent and the little town was overwhelmed. John Wood. prominent Bath citizen and architect, was designated to lay out and build a modern city to accom- modate the newcomers. Thus the slopes back of the old town that once were covered with forests be- came 3 series of beautiful terraces upon which handsome eighteenth century English houses are built. Numerous parks. terraced walks, circles and crescents add to the city's beauty. One writer called Bath the Florence Of England,
 Richard (Beau) Nash was ap- ponted master of ceremonies of Bath when the leisure throngs be- came unwieldy and the streets were beset by footpads. Frequent at tempts were made 10 discredit the esort but visits Of royalty in 1734 and 113S made the city fashion center.
 Mural tablets on houses and inns along the wide streets of Bath. at test it's popularity. They bear such names as David Livingstone, Major Andre, Dickens. Edmund Burke, Sir Walter Scott. Dr. Johnson and James Boswell, and other intcrna- tionally known persons. GaiEsbor- ough began his career at Bath and Jane Austen, Addison, Pope and Goldsmith visited and described the r, ort in their writings.
 Baths popularity was brief. In Is than 80 years it began 10 give way to new English and continental lesorts. But the model eighteenth century city. with its beautiful homes and what is left of the bath houses. remains as a remainder Of the gay center of less than 900 years ago.
 Pump Room the salon.
 The pump room, formerly the ia vorite meeting place of all the Who's Who of Bath is deserted eN- cept for the occasional visit of an inhabitant who goes there to pur- chase drink of the lukcWarm spring water II is a spacious stuc- co building. ornamcnted with two Corinthian pillars on either side of the doorway An annex contains relics of Roman days, including in taglios and q small Saxon cross said to have belonged to the queen ot Edward the Elder.
 Next door the Roman baths are housed In q modern building. The central corridor leading from the street is flanked with large con- cert hall. reading and drawing rooms. Beyond the steps leading to the bathing pool which is ?" feet below the street level is q gallery containing modern husts of famous Romans. When the Romans occu- pied Bath. it is believed the pool covered an acre. Now i' is IrCf- angular pool S2 by 40 feet. sur