Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 56, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 March 1912 — Depot Smoking Room Much Abused—Men Are Filthy. [ARTICLE]

Depot Smoking Room Much Abused —Men Are Filthy.

That men are not much removed from hogs is demonstrated every day at the Monon depot. The building contains a smoking room for men, with a wash room and closet opening from it. The room has not served so much as an accommodation to the public as it has a- lounging room for the unemployed, who treat it with no respect and who have contributed to the filthy in which it is frequently found. A cuspidor sits in the center of the floor but the tobacco chewers and liberal spitters ! do not often hit the vessel and the floor is generally strewn with match stems, tobacco quids, pipe ashes, bits of paper and all manner of filth. It can be scrubbed out three times a day and still not be kept clean. Agent Beam has hit upon a manner of disposing of the neighborhood loafers and during the time of the day when there are no travelers he has been keeping the room locked. “It is disgusting,” said Agent Beam, “to think that any man could be- so unclean. Why, they drop down in a corner seat the farthest removed from the* spittoon and then try to see how close they can come to the opening without hitting it. Sometimes I feel like keeping it locked up all day long.” The toilet room is also abused by many and is not serving as good a purpose as had been hoped. The ladieß rest room, which occupies the other corner, is properly treated and there is no difficulty In keeping It clean. .7 ....