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in a peculiar manner to claim support from the
wealth and authority of your great municipal
government, have hitherto not made a beginning
within the City. But I have reason to believe that
many Members of the Corporation feel a warm interest
in their projected establishment; and without
expressing any opinion as to the degree in which
such an undertaking belongs to this Commission, I
do very earnestly hope that, either by your agency,
or through some other section of the Corporation,
there may soon be bestowed upon the industrious
poor of the City, east and west, the incalculable
boon of public baths and wash-houses; and that
instead of many a noisome court, and in contrast to
the wretched hovels of to-day, there may soon arise
some fruitful types of model dwelling, built as
beseems the richest municipality in the world,
thoughtful for its laboring poor, and seeking to be
recorded in the monuments of a wise beneficence.
Reverting to what is at present in operation—
to your inspectional system as it has existed for the
last four or five years—there may be in it some
drawbacks and imperfections, on which, at various
times, I have not hesitated frankly and freely to
speak. But making all allowance for these, I
believe I may honestly congratulate you on having
established, at least in rudiment, as a pattern for
other local authorities undertaking the like task, all