Years of experience have proven that better results follow by bathing under a physician's directions. The baths are open to everyone. If you employ a physician be sure he is registered by the Government and permitted and authorized to prescribe the baths. A physician who is not registered can not prescribe the baths and he violates the rules if he treats you and attempts to give the baths, and it is a violation of the law for anyone treating with a physician who is not registered to bathe or attempt to bathe. A list of the registered physicians can be found in all the bathhouses, posted along bathhouse row, and at the superintendent's office. It is a violation of the rules for any hotel proprietor or employee to solicit business for doctors or bathhouses, and any person who stops at a hotel or boarding house where the proprietor or any employee solicits business for doctors or bathhouses can not bathe. All information regarding the Government rules, physicians, and bathhouses, or anything which may add to your comfort, will be cheerfully given at the superintendent's office, the first office on bathhouse row. This arrangement immediately eliminated train drumming. It should, in my opinion, be continued. If it were discontinued, every train entering Hot Springs would be infested with from 20 to 30 alleged hotel drummers, whose real work is to take the visitor to a hotel, quote him a low rate for board and lodging, and then land him in the office of some unscrupulous quack doctor, who would proceed to fleece him of every available cent, the proceeds being divided with the steerer or drummer. The result would be that the visitor will be not only practically held up for an excessive fee, but will not in return receive even ordinary treatment. It is not long until the victim of these practices realizes his position, and when he departs for his home he usually takes with him a bad impression of the place. One of my first recommendations to the people here was that if they would expend one-half as much in seeing that the visitor was properly treated and cared for as they did in sending out runners to try to rope him in, it would result in every visitor leaving here with a friendly feeling. I believe it is generally conceded that conditions as they exist are infinitely preferable to those of the old régime. There is little, if any, doctor drumming practiced to-day. I suggest that a bill be enacted by Congress designating the Federal registration board as a sort of trial court, with the power of subpœnaing witnesses, administering oaths, and affording their witnesses protection the same as is afforded witnesses in other courts. Frequently when witnesses are brought to this office to give affidavits they reluctantly do so because of the fact that the doctors and those employed by them or otherwise implicated begin a system of intimidation and mistreatment. Cases have recently occurred where doctors would violently assault visitors that were brought here to give their evidence. Such witnesses should be protected. One of the greatest obstacles to the proper administration of affairs here has been that all our officers and policemen are now under the classified civil service, and I have been forced to employ men that have obtained a higher rating in the examination provided for them, instead of those specially adapted to the work. I am opposed to classifying these positions. What is required more particularly is men in whom the superintendent has implicit confidence and who are honest. Detectives should be known only to this office, but as they are required to pass an examination the public immediately knows who they are, and this seriously militates against effective work. My successor should be brought to realize that the task of maintaining proper conditions regarding the treatment of visitors is a stupendous one, and can only be maintained by eternal vigilance and constant investigation. WHITTINGTON PARK. During the past year the lower portion of Whittington Park has been filled in and leveled off, and there is now a good stand of Bermuda grass, making it a very attractive park. Cement walls have been built on either side of the creek to prevent caving. This is an ideal park, but inasmuch as it is strictly a park and used as such by the citizens generally, and is located in another section of the city from where the other Government property lies, and as it entails an expense of several thousand dollars per year, I think the best thing to do with it would be to dispose of it to the city for park purposes. I am not advised, but I believe the city would be glad to take it over to be continued forever as a park. The modern tendency of cities is the acquisition of a number of parks, and Hot Springs has no parks except this and the East Mountain, which has been parked, and is extensively used by citizens and visitors alike. During my term, under the direction of the department, I have constructed a very handsome pavilion on the summit of East Mountain, overlooking the city, and it was proposed to provide it with a fountain, with cold water, for persons and a trough for stock. No provision has been made for the installation of this fountain or providing the water. This should be done, I think, and I recommend that a pump be installed on the mountain and water be pumped up there for the purposes indicated. RECOMMENDATIONS. That a road be built from North Mountain to Park Avenue, about 11⁄2 miles, at a cost of approximately $5,000. That a new free bathhouse be erected or, if this can not be provided for now, that at least $10,000 be expended on the present one. All the pools should be either enameled or lined with marble. That a new fountain be erected to replace Noble fountain and that another similar fountain be constructed. These two should be placed on either side of the grand entrance. That a new cement walk be laid in front of bathhouse row. That a peristyle or colonnade be built on the reservation front from the superintendent's office to the Arlington Hotel. The creek arch should be used for all pipe lines on the reservation front. All of the pipes supplying the bathhouses on bathhouse row could be racked in this arch and used as a conduit, which would not only be a great saving of expense when the pipes have to be replaced, which frequently occurs, but would at the same time prevent digging up the lawns on bathhouse row every time this kind of work is necessary. I recommend that the salaries of the seven foresters and gardeners, to wit, Peter Nelson, William F. Jennings, Philander H. Bump, Jap George, Bishop H. Burrough, Hiram Walters, and Thomas Goins, be increased from $600 to $720 per annum. While these men are classed as foresters and gardeners, they really do all characters of work, such as pipe fitting, blacksmithing, masonry, painting, carpentering, cement work; in fact, everything there is to be done of work of this character is done by these men. They are hard-working, conscientious, faithful employees, and are entitled to better wages than they are now receiving. SANITARY AND STORM WATER SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE SYSTEMS. In the sundry civil act approved August 24, 1912, provision was made for preliminary survey of the sewer system of the city of Hot Springs, Ark., in the following terms: The Secretary of the Interior is authorized and directed, at the earliest practicable date, to make a survey of the sewer system of the city of Hot Springs, abutting the Hot Springs Reservation, Ark., and to prepare plans and estimate of the cost of increasing the present storm drainage system as well as the present sanitary sewer system of the city of Hot Springs, the report of survey, including estimate of cost of the work, to be submitted to Congress as soon as practicable after the 1st day of December, 1912. The expenses incurred hereunder shall not exceed $10,000; one half of such expenses shall be paid out of the revenues derived from privileges and otherwise on the Hot Springs Reservation, and the other half shall be paid by the city of Hot Springs, Ark. By arrangement between the department and the United States Geological Survey this work was undertaken by Mr. Sledge Tatum, geographer in charge of the Rocky Mountain division of that bureau, and he has submitted his report, which was accompanied by report of J. W. Barnett, consulting engineer. In their report, which was quite voluminous, an estimate was submitted in the sum of $26,595 for labor and material in perfecting a sanitary sewer system in Hot Springs, and for conducting an experimental sewer purification plant, together with alternative propositions for providing purification plants in the sum of $70,000 and $20,000, respectively, dependent upon the system adopted as a result of the experience obtained in experimental plant. An estimate was also submitted in the sum of $327,540 for drainage system to care for storm waters from the mountains on the Hot Springs Reservation, which amount includes $89,700 for extending the Hot Springs Creek arch from its present terminus on Church Street, in the city of Hot Springs, to South Water Street, approximately the city limits. The installation of the sanitary sewer system, however, it was stated, will obviate the necessity for continuing the Hot Springs Creek arch, with its present terminus at Church Street, because the impurities which are now flowing into the creek under the arch will be cared for by the sanitary sewer system. This report was submitted by the Secretary of the Interior to Congress and printed as House Document No. 1298, Sixty-second Congress, third session, together with an estimate of the amount of money required for the work in the following terms: For labor and material for perfecting a sanitary sewer system in the city of Hot Springs, the installation and operation of the experimental purification plant, and providing purification tanks in connection with such system, $96,595. For labor and material required in the installation of a drainage system in the city of Hot Springs, to care for storm waters from the mountains on the Hot Springs Reservation, $237,840. three new bathhouses the Maurice, the Buckstaff, and the Imperial— have been built. All are sightly structures with marble walls and ceilings, tile floors, latest model tubs, and thoroughly modern hydrotherapy rooms where every character of bath is scientifically administered. The Eastman, Park, and Arlington Bathhouses are now undergoing repairs and extensions and improvements which will place them in the same class. During the past year the Rockafellow, Great Northern, Moody, and Majestic Bathhouses have made valuable and extensive improvements. When it is considered that Hot Springs is within 24 hours ride of several million people, a large percentage of whom must necessarily be afflicted with rheumatism or other kindred ailments for which these waters afford relief, I am unable to understand why half a million visitors do not come here for treatment annually instead of, as now, about 130,000. GOVERNMENT FREE BATHHOUSE. The act of Congress approved December 16, 1878, provides That the superintendent shall provide and maintain a sufficient number of free baths for the use of the indigent, and the expense thereof shall be defrayed out of the rentals hereinbefore provided for. The following table shows the result of the operation of the free bathhouse for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1913: Baths given by free bathhouse fiscal year ended June 30, 1913. During my incumbency I have endeavored to improve the administration of the free baths provided for the indigent and I believe much good has been accomplished. The act of Congress which I recommended, and which was passed and approved March 2, 1911, as follows, has been productive of much good: Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That only persons who are without and unable to obtain the means to pay for baths and are suffering from ailments for which bathing in the waters of the Hot Springs Reservation will afford relief or effect a cure shall be permitted to bathe at the free bathhouse on the public reservation at Hot Springs, Ark., and before any person shall be permitted to bathe at the free bathhouse on the reservation he shall be required to make oath before such officer duly authorized to administer oaths for general purposes as the superintendent of the Hot Springs Reservation shall designate that he is without and unable to obtain the means to pay for baths, and any person desiring to bathe at the free bathhouse on the Hot Springs Reservation making a false oath as to his financial condition shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be subject to a fine of not to exceed $25, or 30 days' imprisonment, or both. 4 While the number of baths given this year exceeds that of last year by a few thousand, it shows a considerable decrease under 1910, in which year 200,048 were given, and under 1911, in which year 220,435 were given. I believe that the act of March 2, 1911, has been very beneficial to the poor who avail themselves of the baths. It has prevented crowding and given them more time in which to take the baths. The present bathhouse, while in good repair and quite sanitary and well arranged, is much too small and entirely inadequate to handle the number of bathers. I have recommended repeatedly, and I renew my recommendation, that a new bathhouse be erected. This building should be constructed at an approximate cost of $200,000 and should be located on Reserve Avenue, east of the present residence which was built for the medical director. EMPLOYEES. There are 30 employees, including the superintendent, required to properly maintain and care for the reservation interests. The names, duties, and compensations of the various employees, all of whom were appointed from Arkansas, are shown in the following table: Harry H. Myers, superintendent__ B. Frank Bayley, chief clerk and assistant to superintendent. J. H. Demby, manager of free bathhouse (duties are to have general Richard L. Lawrence, head male attendant at free bathhouse (duties are to have charge of bathtubs, pools, dressing rooms, etc., and see that same are kept clean; also to have charge of heating plant, electric motor and pump which furnishes water supply, and to act as manager during the absence of the latter)__ $3,600 1,680 900 1,080 840 Martin Winn, male attendant at free bathhouse (duties are to have charge of the white men's bathing department and to keep the tubs, pools, and dressing rooms clean and sanitary). 600 Van Cannon, male attendant at free bathhouse (duties same as other attendants) 600 William Clark, male attendant at free bathhouse (duties same as other attendants) 600 William C. Turner, male attendant at free bathhouse (duties same as other attendants) 600 Elisha W. Baziel, male attendant at free bathhouse (duties same as other attendants) 600 Mary Clark, female attendant at free bathhouse (duties are to have charge of the white women's bathing department and to keep the tubs and dressing rooms clean and sanitary) – 480 Mattie Fielding, female attendant at free bathhouse (duties to have charge of colored women's bathing department and to keep tubs and dressing rooms clean and sanitary). 480 Susie Fielding, female attendant at free bathhouse (duties are to assist other female attendants). Jonathan A. Jordan, supervisor on the reservation (duties are to have Edward Wheelock, policeman (detailed as train inspector on the Rock 15935°-INT 1913-VOL 1-58 480 1,200 90 |