The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-07-23
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FUN AT THE BATTERY.
THE FREE SWIMMING BATH IN ACTIVE OPERA
TIoN-REpEATERs' RUsEs.

THE FREE SWIMMING BATH IN ACTIVE OPERA
MUNICIPALITIES RUsEs.
Thousands of perspiring and begrimed men and
boys availed themselves of the opportunity to
cleanse and cool off in the free bath at the Bat
terry yesterday The place was opened for the first
time on Monday that day being devoted exclusively
to and female children will also be
Wednesday and Friday in each week. Yesterday af-
ternoon the in the neghborhood of tho bath
were OF u decidedly animated character. Around
the entrance to the bath, where po-
lice officer was stationed in order to
prevent the place from being taken by storm, the
impatient young bootblacks newsboys and oilers
jostled pushed and shouted at each other while try.
ing to get nearest to the gateway when tho signal for
its opening should be given. This took place every
twenty minutes. each batch Of bathers being
allowed twenty minutes in the water and five min
to dress and get outside. Preference given
to adults after which the rank and file of the multi
tude, varying in ages from four Ave years up
ward. would precipitate themselves down the gang
like many sheep rushing into pen. 1t required
all the ingenuity which the two police officers sta
toned at the bath possessed to prevent repeating
go into the Battery Park and there dry their
hair in the sun and roll IN the dust.
rubbing the dirt on their faces. II aus
pected of having already bathed they would at
appeal to Jimmy McGuinness' or Johnny Hool-
alhan' az witnesses to their veracity. When each
batch OF bathers admitted the act Of denuding
themselves was performed almost in the twinkling
OF an eye and then ensued the noise and confusion
of perhaps three hundred persons struggling in o
space of about thirty by sixty fee and all scrcam
ing at the tops OF their voices. The signal to leave the
water is obeyed with alacritv. Some few who bring
towels use them but the great majority slip into
their clothes wet and march out of the enclosure
well satisfied with having had a swim.
Around the bath on all sides miniature rooms,
little larger than boxes. with doors TO them. and
here the bathers undress and hang their garments.
While bathing IL going two keepers constantly
inspecting those boxes to that il tamper-
ing with the clothes. Those having money or
vauablcs generally intrust their treasure tenn.
porarily to the OF the Superintendent his
assistant Many of respectable appearance
patronze the free bath, ana u handful OF gold
watches and rolls of greenbacks were placed In pos
session OF Assistant Monaghan tor safe
keeping. The baths were opened to men ut five o'clock
yesterday morning, ut which hour the crowd outside
unexpectedly large. The hours for working
from five to seven A. NJ, from twelve NJ. to
one Y. NJ and from six Z. NJ to nino T.. M. During
the intermediate portions of the day the boys
admitted The water varies in depth from three to
four feet. while ropes are stretched across the bath
in such manner to almost preclude the POSSIBLE
ity of accident to tho smallest boy admitted. No
one of either sex having any contagious disease
the body Is allowed to enter the bath, which
tx thoroughly cleansed by tho Keepers three times
daily.