d with racks, upon which clothing is hung. If a man's appearance or
clothing looks suspicious in any way, his clothes are placed in a sack
with a number corresponding to the number of his bed or room, and hung
in the fumigating room over night. Early the next morning his clothes
will be returned to him. The dormitories and rooms themselves, every few
days, receive a fumigating and cleaning. Thus, except in very rare
cases, no fault can be found with the cleanliness of the Army hotels. We
hardly ever visited any of them without coming into contact with the
scent of fumigation, or finding some individual working with mop and
broom.

The above description, except where stated differently, fits both
classes of men's hotels. The higher class, intended for transients of
the better class of poor and for workmen with steady employment, has
some distinctive features. In addition to better equipment along the
line of furnishings, lavatories, etc., this class of hotels necessarily
has a better social environment than the other. For instance, there are
many lower class hotels where the reading room is dark, poorly
furnished, without attractive reading matter, and where it serves as
smoking room as well as reading room. While this might be improved, yet
so low are the occupants that such improvement would not be appreciated.
But when we come to the higher grade hotels, we find a difference. Take,
for example, the Army Hotel in the city of Cleveland, O., on the corner
of Eagle and Erie Streets. This corner building was built by the Army to
answer its purpose, at a cost of $100,000.00. There are no dormitories
in the building. The three upper floors are given over to the hotel,
which comprises 130 rooms, each room being steam heated and electric
lighted, and each floor being reached by elevators. Bathing facilities
and sanitary arrangements are first class. A comfortable reading room
and lounging room is provided for general use, where there are popular
magazines, daily papers and writing conveniences. As another example,
about the highest grade Army institution of this class is found in
Boston, and is called "The People's Palace." It is a large, five-story,
corner building, built by the Army for the purpose. In this institution
the social environment is especially emphasized. There is a reading
room, a smoking room, one or more social parlors, a gymnasium with a
swimming tank, and an auditorium with a seating capacity of 600. The
who