The Harlandale Bath House is one of San Antonio’s highly famous bath houses. This news article will explain what Harlandale Bath House was. Harlandale Bath House was also known as Harlandale Baths and Harlandale Hot Sulphur Baths.
Harlandale Bath House was a bath house which used hot sulphur springs and mud baths to cure nervousness and liver problems. Their baths were using tributaries from hot sulphur springs. Harlandale Bath House was incorporated and chartered with a capital stock of $50,000 dollars on the date of November 11, 1911. The incorporators were Ramsay C. Bogy, H. J. Benson and B. B. Harlan. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/94924453/)
Concern Is Incorporated at $50,000. Other Charters Filed. The Secretary of State yesterday filed the following charters: Harlandale Bath House Company, San Antonio; capital stock, $50,000. Incorporators: Ramsay C. Bogy, H. J. Benson and B. B. Harlan.
Harlandale Bath House was chartered in 1911 to a syndicate including several of the owners of the residential development, the bath house was capitalized at $50,000, compared with Harlandale Realty, which started two years earlier with $100,000. (Ref: https://www.expressnews.com/life/life_columnists/paula_allen/article/The-various-San-Antonio-ventures-of-the-founders-14474410.php)
The new wells, as described in the San Antonio Light, May 14, 1911, were said to have curative properties “rivaling the great watering places of America and Europe.” Besides men’s and women’s pools of naturally warm water, the bath house, designed by noted architect Alfred Giles, was to have mud baths, “electric baths” and cold plunges.
During a short stop in San Antonio en route from Chicago to California, “banker, grower and enterprising citizen” Harlan criticized San Antonio for its lack of paved streets in an article published in the Light on Oct. 29, 1911. He also observed that he was “entirely satisfied with the Harlandale investment and that he and his associates would continue to make improvements there.” Business done at the bath house, then open only a month, “has exceeded any expectations,” Harlan said, adding that “The water is absolutely curing people.”
Harry Grabiner, assistant secretary of the Chicago White Sox club, inspected the Harlandale Bath House training station and pronounced it ideal back in 1912 when the Chicago White Sox were using San Antonio for their spring training and baseball practice. This was because the baths were using tributaries from hot sulphur springs. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/249325051/)
Prices for this bath house were reasonably cheap. Terrell Hot Sulphur Wells offered a lower cost experience for visitors taking advantage of the warm climate. (Ref: https://books.google.com/books?id=Ux8jDgAAQBAJ&pg=PA124&lpg=PA124&dq=Terrell+Hot+Sulphur+Wells&source)
Doctors and physicians are strongly recommending Harlandale Hot Sulphur Baths for all forms of nervousness and liver troubles during the 1910s. The mud sulphur baths claimed to cure inflammatory rheumatism. (Ref: https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth433162/m1/9/)
Harlandale Bath House has had many success stories. The success story of William C. Ball, of the Kali Bros. is one example of Harlandale Bath House’s success stories. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/251306210/)
On Sunday, February 2, 1913, The Star Press from Muncie, Indiana reported about the success story of William C. Ball as one of Harlandale Bath House’s success stories in their newspaper. Ref: The Star Press, Page 8, Sunday, February 2, 1913)
William C. Ball, of the Kali Bros went to Texas in search of relief from rheumatism had been completely cured of rheumatism. When he arrived here he could not walk and step without the aid of using his crutches. So he was bedridden most of the time which led to his inability to move or even in an sit upright position correctly. The mineral water proved to be beneficial for William C. Ball as he had been completely cured of rheumatism. He could walk without pain or without losing any of his equilibrium.
Reports Self Completely. Cured of Rheumatism.
William C. Ball, of the Kali Bros, manufacturing concern, who went to Texas some few weeks ago in search of relief from rheumatism, has been completely cured, according to the San Antonio Light. Three bathe inn the mineral water to be found around San Antonio were so beneficial to Mr. Ball that he discarded his crutches and has since not used them. Dr. L. U Ball, a brother, is in Texas with Mr. Ball, and after the latter has continued his treatment for rheumatism for a short time, the two will tour the state looking for a possible location for a branch factory besides the one recently located at Wichita Falls, Texas.
The San Antonio Light quotes Mr. Ball as raying the following about his cure: Suffered From Rheumatism. "When I came to San Antonio a short while ago, I was 'flat on my back,' you might say, suffering from a form of rheumatism." said Mr. Ball, at the Harlandale bath house, where he Is being treated, "I never dreamed of finding such relief as I have obtained here. I came to escape the low temperatures, which kept me in pain at all times with aching bones. When I arrived here I could not walk and step without my crutches and had to keep in bed most of the time. "And now after having taken first three baths count 'em on your fingers. I can walk without pain or without losing my equilibrium. In the combination of mineral waters of great medicinal value, and a climate such as you have, San Antonio has the most valuable asset that can be possessed by any city in the world. Now here's where you have it on every other section of the country. I can take the treatment here any old time of year, and not suffer from the ill effects of coming out into a frigid atmosphere. "If this treatment was sufficiently advertised through the North and Kast. You could fill your town with great 'droves' of hobbling rheumatics, just like I was when I came here. I know of some dozens of well-to-do men who have the same trouble I had." "They will know about this when I get back home,"
May Establish factory.
Speaking of San Antonio as a busy location for a glass jar factory. Mr. Ball pointed out that Texas is now raising more fruit than ever before in history, and, as a result, is demanding more glass vessels in which to preserve them. Ills factory last year shipped several hundred cars of jars to Texas. This totals several million Jars, one car averaging about 200 gross. "As soon as I am more fully recovered I will investigate the possibilities of San Antonio and surrounding territory as regards such a project," said Mr. Ball.
Another example of one of their success stories was the success story of a man named Nick Meiers. San Antonio Express reported about his the success story as one of Harlandale Bath House’s success stories in their newspaper. (Ref: https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth432124/m1/3/zoom/?q=sulphur&resolution=1&lat=2386.2137629995505&lon=3714.547158462291)
Dr. J. O. Kemp advised Nick Meiers to try the Harlandale Bath House. His health improved as the baths made an entirely new man out of him.
In 1914, Houston Post reported about William C. Hogg being interested in purchasing the Harlandale Bath House. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/251306210/)
“An announcement was made tonight that, after negotiations continuing several times, Will C. Hogg of Houston, representing a strong financial syndicate of businesses has purchased the interest of the Mat of the late Claire G. Gates, son of the late John V. Gates, in the Harlandale Bath House.”
However this did not happen as Harlandale Bath House had their charter forfeited between July 2, 1917 and July 2, 1918 for non-payment of taxes. (Ref: https://books.google.com/books?id=TGjZAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA534&lpg=PA534)
Charles E Herrmann was the director for/of Harlandale Bath House during the time Harlandale Bath House had their charter forfeited for non-payment of taxes. Yet they kept operating. (Ref: https://books.google.com/books?id=x2jZAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA308&lpg=PA308)
Harlandale Bath House closed down and had officially dissolved on the date of May 17, 1950. This meant Harlandale Bath House would no longer operate after 1950. (Ref: https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_tx/0002377800)
Harlandale Bath House was located at 602 West Hutchins Avenue, San Antonio, Texas, US.
Great article. Love it!
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