Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-13
A Dangerous Bathing Place.
To the Editor of III e Dispatch.1

10 the Edlt0r OF In Dlspabcn.l
The unfortunate drowning of Sheriff Nc
Candless oldest son at Lock No. on Tuesday
last should prove a warning to boys of tie
dangers attending bathing in that vicinity.
The warning will prove, however, more
effective to parents, for it is unlikely that that
portion of young America" which indulges
in the pleasure of river bathing can be intim-
idated by any number of examples of this
kind.
Owing to the severity of the police regula-
tions farther down the river, the boys of Pitts
burg have been driven to the vicinity of Lock
No. l for their bathing place. There being few
dwellings and 10 bridges in the vicinity, bath
ing is not considered SO much of public
nuisance as it is elsewhere. The only parties
who have entered complaints against the prac-
tice here are the officers of the Monongahela
River Packet Company-and truth compels the
statement that they have been justified in their
complaint, for ladies on the steamers have been
treated to many unexpected and disagreeable
sights at close proximity, as the boats pass in
along the crib to the lock.
But in referring to this subject wish to call
attention to two points. First, that the vicinity
of the lock is an extremely dangerous place for
children to bathe, particularly those who have
not yet learned to swim. The operations of
dredge boats and steamboat wheels have made
the cotton very irregular and lumpy. There are
shoal places even in mid river where little boys
can wade at low water, yet close alongside may
be deep holes where one false step or the yield
ing OF the foothold in the soft sand, may cause
the urchins to reach water beyond their depth.
So also is the main shore between the crib dam
gerous from the same causes, which are greatly
aggravated by the swells of steamers, which
often bodily wash the boys away who may be
wading along the narrow strip OF fordable
water. Yet to most boys the steamboat swells
furnish the greatest source of delight. for boy
riding the swells can fairly imagine himself en-
joying a veritable surf bath.
think 1t is safe to say that ten boys are an
nually drowned in the vicinity of Lock No. l.
and that during the last 20 years fully 200 per-
sons have lost their lives here. This is terrible
record for one locality, and probably exceeds in
the number of lives lost that of any bathing
place, area considered, to be found in the
country.
Yet to this place hundreds of boys, ranging
from as young as to as old as 20 years, during
the Eeated term daily 20 to swim.
The second point calling for attention IS the
necessity for providing better and safer place
for our boys to learn tine art of swimming. As
it is now in this city the number OF persons who
cannot swim must be on the increase; but that
every person, and certainly that all our youth
and men, should know how to take care of them
selves in the water admits OF no question.
Frequent indulgence in swimming develops
taste tor bathing, and this leads to greater per-
sonal cleanliness and more vigorous health.
If there were places roped off along our river
banks at suitable localities, and presided over
rescue those in danger beyond the lines. 1t
would be well. The city, however, should
maintain better system of covered bathing
boats, and then moor them where they would
be accessible to the greatest number OF people,
and until this is done we may expect many
rcpetitions of the sad accident which befell the
Son of Sheriff McCandless. 7. P. r.
PITTSBURG, SeDtember II,