The New York herald., 1877-07-04
METROPOLITAN NAIADS.

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METROPOLITAN NAIADS.
LADIIs DAY AT THE FREE SWIMMING BATHS
DAYs-MoDELs OF ART IN WATER.
As the HERALD has already given description Of sh
eystem OF management OF the free swimming baths II
this city on mcn's days" 10 thought not inappro
pirate to give account Of the. Same on ''ladics
days" Seek not. gentle reader, to ascertain how the
facts werc obtained.
POPULARITY or TIE lArHa
The popularity OF the free swimming baths amopl
the female portion OF tho community increases with
every and with tho additional facilities AFFORDED
for their accommodation. At frst II was only an OK
pertinent, but gradually the mothers. the young
women and tho young girls became accustomed TO the
novelty and they nock TO the bathing houses cu
the days apart for tAer sxoausivs benefit with
mach regularity II not m qutte iass namsers q
the men and boys The dnys ON. which The seutisr
havs possession OF the bashs Hssdays wsdnes
days Fridsys Tho girls at Asss iitts afraid
ofihs water II ID chilly, bat the bssses 80 almost
crazy with delshs whsn thvy become sccsnonsd %
ent baths visited:-- IN
TIE HARLEM BATH.
To begin at the uppermost free swmming bath. siiu-
aed tho East River, Little Hci Gate, at the
loot OF ll3th and Hath strscts, Harlem, tho lady
superintendent Miss Harvey here says that universal
expressions OF thankunsss heard from the mothers
in tho vicinity At the establishment OF the bath thcre.
Before tho opening OF tho bath they obliged
order IN that sss,r % precious little ones msns have tho
benefit OF It during the dreaded first years OF
their infancy when iho sum mer. beat 10 SO
fnt IN thern iat thA ~4sw A. nUnfiv
posed of houses built ot brick and reuied In noors
but with mono OF tho signs Of extreme poverty which
houses in some paris Of The ely There are no evidences
here OF carolessncss ndie but
on every hand are 70 be observed OF nca.ness
ixe the bath, ara mostly women who work during the
day In stores, factories DC. with quite number OF the
iorssbls cirsur stxnces bus, having pure air This
LOCALITY, prefer staying in their homes and take ad
' ' = =: 1s
swimmers and their trials Of skill and endufance arc
ircquestiy quite Interesting In the nerninE, from
evening. the hours during which most Of tho bath
ora come and n that there 10 constant stream
bsiaG twsn,y minutes. The average aI,endanco IRON
tho opening ~ 1sc A y, until closing (nIae Psh is
from 200 10 500 women and girls.
TuIRfy-SEvBNTH STREET (EAST RlvER) BATH.
At the bath situated At tho loot OF Thrty-seventh
street, East River, thero is undoubtedly The largest
number OF visitors on ladies' days thar at any OF the
one OF tne most experienced and visisnt OF the at
tondauts. The women and girls coming here number
from O90 TO 3. 900 daily. and the perfect order
prevails. In the morning many hopsokeepers and
girls attending school come here for their nalutnal
methers bring their babies regularly for a dip
Daring tie hours from about nIne A. N. 10
three +. n. there are comparatively few bathers,
and they are mostly OF the better classes, who
can command their own time. These are the
people living IN the moro ariaiocratic neigpornoods
but who democratic ana sensible enough 10 take
advantage Of these valuable public instMuronG Many
distance OF thirty or forty blocks or the pur
pose There may also 30 seen n the bath At tmos
plaints whoso phyHcans have ordered daily bath IN
salt walcr o tho best oi gaining bodily
geous disease Is allowed to bathe After three O'Clock
come the school girls, who are dressed plainly
but neatly, and are cieany 10 every dotail Of
clothing. Tho hours from six 10 nine are
allotted to those women who employed In the
Gus factoriss In the vicinity during tho day and the
children VINO not able bathe without their
motherE The schoolgirls noisy and frol,okseme,
built s In tho evening that tnc real fun may be socn.
somo OF tne women from the sik hoopakirt and oshcr
factories the vicinity take thoir before gong
to their homes IN distant parts Of the cy, but most Of
them wait until after tea. when they como by the hun
cicarer than at any OF tho ether bathing hooses The
cae Al Harlem, perhaps, excepted. fheplace sxncwn
ss Kipps Bay and the rocky bed dssocnds 10 depth
yirrY-riksf' arRkAr RAIN, NORTH ,krln
The bath a the foot o. FIfty.hss street, North
ths iactories 10 the vicinity one Of which has l. so
operatives Of the iemtnne sex. Tho atte endsat,
Mrs. Graves. does notnnd this nass OF web behaved
young women great . care % the schoolgirls,
who require constant watching, ss they are con.
tiuuay playing tricks upon each other. Sometimes
noss'' iron no other o.uso @ than tSss hats che cannot
keep her ieet from coming on q level with her
head but tho lady attendant Is ready In an instant 10
plunySin, clothes and ali necessary 10 bring up tho
hoad Of the frightened g,r VINO may, perhaps mover
have boon IN swmming bath before. The fearless
Of those around soon inspires conhdeace In tho
ttUtd embryo swimmer. after d1yS' K
perience she becomes SO accustomed to her new ele-
ment that she leaves tho ropes and begins TO enjoy the
luxury OF actual swln
BErHUNK STREET BATE, NoRrH RIVER.
Ono Of the baths most ireqacntcd BY women Is that
beautiful sight may be seen here about Avs or
six O'Clock in the afternoon, when q dozen
two expert swimmers have ,he bath tbemt elves
These women have hGures which, IN symmetry Of
development and gracsfuiness, equal the antique
statues thoee standards OF feminine beauty which arc,
IN great measure tho result OF perfect health OF
mind and body. These graceful water nymphs vic
with oaoh other IN performing didonIt iesls--swm-
ming under water. on she sde or back going through
aquatic gymnastic exercises diving, racing,
&C.. One woman, called "hasgie" by her companions,
Is ono OF the most expert OF the swim-
icns,h Of the bath in eight strokes. Two
sisters, named Mason, also ''pericct ducks"
In tho water These women all belong 10 tho working
classes, and their development OF muscle gives beauty
of limo, elasticity aud grace 10 their forms Meet Of
those frequcnting the iree baths supply their own
bathing dresses and towels They are not allowed to
wear skirts The iavorlie dress Is a single garment
with openInas for the lower limbs arms and head 70
pass through, reaching about half wsy 10 tho knees
with and neck bsrc. aud button fastening tho
garment AZ the back OF the neck. Those who do not
bring cir SUITS are charged moderate feo for
the use those obtained at tbs bathing
II is generally tho that the young women and
girls who have extra clothing 10 impede thcr pro-
grcss learn TO swim IN much less time han shosc VINO
robed In the iuIl bathing SUIT There arc sono
sixty or seventy closets in each bathing establish
mont which arc always kopt tidy and In good ordor
on ladies' days by the lady attendants.
SUCCESS OF THB BATHS tss ~.
Tho above will give tho readers OF the HERALD .
general idea OF the utility OF these establishments
without going through the cntise iis, tho rules and
usagcs being similar in all OF thcm Sufhcicnt 70
shown and knowh, however, TO estAbsh the fact that
the irce swimming baths OF the city OF New York
institutions that should be encouraged. upon every
consideIat connected with heathfulnoss and bodily
cleanliness and comfort
OBITUARY.