Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-02-14
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
Free Swimming Baths.

Editor lStdr:-Durtng last spring / urged In
the newspapers the building OF free swimming
bath of half an acre or more In the northeast
corner of The Smithsonian grounds. opposite the
Center market, or in the armory square oppo-
site, near the two great city railroads And
collected editorials and articles from the city
papers In favor OF the bath filling three foolScap
pages, which have recently presented to the
chairman OF the Senate District committee. who
Is also chairman OF the committee for the pre-
yent1on OF epidemic diseases 1 accompanied
these papers with an amendment to some Dis
CHARGED s to BsTet be- 20 "
pended in building the bath, the use OF the
grounds and water from the mains being grant
ed, the bath to be drawn of and filled late at
night when the pipes are full and unused 50 as
not to decrease the supply for general use in the
daytime, a small stream only to run In and out
Of the bath when In use. The bath to be bllt
by and be under control Of the Secretary of the
Interior, who is also to have prepared an illus
trated circular descriptive OF the best and most
economic land bath, to be supplied by water
such circulars to be sent to the mayors of all
interior cities, county-SeatS and principal
towns in the United States. with the view of
their general adoption; for the purposes OF gen.
eral comfort, cleanliness the cure and preven-
ton of skin diseases and the prevention Of cpl
demic diseases; one thousand dollars to be ap-
of the preparation and distribution OF such cir
culars. To strengthen my proposition sent
for and obtained the following facts:
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS,
CHIEF ENGINEERS OFFICE, CITY HALL,
Ne,o York, Feb. 4th, 1880.
A. Watson, Esq. Sir: In answer to yours of
JAM 10th, we beg leave to state that there were
baths In this city In 1885, which cost $40, 0OO In
1876, 6; 1878, q 1879, and for 1850 there will be
S. The cost now of building is less than $1,000
each. When in use they require Waterman, 2
lady and men keepers each, at $3.50 per day;
with an assistant superintendent, whose duty
1t is to visit and examine each and every bath
once day, and oftener If possible. and report
to the superintendent at this Office Baths are
open from am. to pm, except Sundays;
then they close at IL m. Womens days, Mon
day, Tuesday and Friday. The season begins
June 1st and ends about the 18th october. They
are arranged around the river front, that Is In
the most densely populated portions of the city
q on the North River and 5 on the East River.
You may imagine their popularity, that the
least negligence OF anybody connected with
them causes complaint to be made to the daily
press, then 1t is written up, &C., &C. l might
also state that our cost of caring for them is
less than the private baths THAT is those owned
drowning case; heretofore there were hundreds
of cases during the summer. Number of bathers
In the floating baths for the last season: Males
1,s52. 40: females, o2s, 500. Total 2,ss1, 49,
Yours respectfully,
JAMES MCCARTNEY, Supt.
The great popularity of these free baths will
be seen by the great number using them, and it
will also be seen from the above that the gene
even village in the United States, by learning
both sexes how to swim, would save the lives OF
many thousands annually drowned by acct
dents On the water. l now ask that Congress
men, the two Boards of Health, the School
Board the two city railroads running by the
proposed bath, who will greatly profit by pas
SengerS to and from, the B. & p. r. r. Co. near
sy, the public generally, and lastly, the press,
the most important OF all, will all aid IN the
passage of the proposed bill. There Is not much
ume 70 lose to secure the bill in time for the
coming season. A. WATSON.