Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-11
THE BATHING REACH.
Superintendent stevens Discusses the Views
of Mai. overman At some Length

Superintendent steven. Discus.e. the Views
of Maj. Overman at some Length.
Mr.. W. y Stevens. the superintendent Of the
bathing beach, has addressed the following
letter TO the Commissioners in reference 90 the
recent report of Maj. overman upon the subjects
Since so high engineering authority -
Maj. Ayerman has been consulted and sug>
gestion obtained from him of a plan for bath
ing beach. cannot pass IL unnoticed. even
though his fiat grade plan Is the one on which
we have been at work unsatisfac torily. and the
movable rope has been to some extent dis
cunsed before the public The simple open
water plan naturally seems the least expensive,
but as the major has not gone into details I
must do 30 to show Why think the pool plan
better.
First. BY the pool plan obtain 200 wards
OF area at depth Of three and one-half 20 fiya
feet. Ii this were evenly distributed along tho
proposed front IL would be 10 feet wide. ono
and one-half feet grade in ITO feet Is one foot
In seventy-throe. To obtain this width on an
open beach at all tides would require ill So
feet wide from the shore outward. This item
alone would cost to make even grade all
under water. more than the $4,000 proposed
Tor my whole plan.
Then every wharf would have 70 be the whole
5s4 feet loIg TO get the benefit OF ITO feet of it,
which would cost five times as much as nv
plan IN that particular. IL there were no
wharyes man would have to walk out in the
water distance equal TO twice the width Of
fennsylyania avenue TO get waist deep. Then
II the tide were TO fail az low il has done for
a few days this season there would be dry
sandy beach left s4O feet wide out of the wnter
and man could wade only knee deep before
he would walk down the edge of the fill
Second. The rope barrier has been studied in
many ways, but 1t fails 10 meet our wants A
rope set at three feet deep would not give room
for swimmers and If set at five feet deep chill
dren would drown inside. IL supported ON
floats the waves would change its position 40
that II trusted 70 II would be a source Of dan.
ger III supported on movable stakes they
would be tipped over every five minutes and 10
would require $4,000 worth Of attendants
every year to keep the rope where
u would do any good. Suit has been
threatened against the District TO recover
damages in case where a young man DELHI,
erately swan into deep water from the edge Of
the NIL and failed TO return. What could we do
TO save any one of the strong swimmers who
strike way out into the lake, quarter mils
away. II anything should disable him, when
would he be found If he sunk quietly and
mysterlously as those have done who have been
drowned near The beach.
The major may not have considered how diff
ferent a free public bathing place is from those
| which are run to make money. There the stiff.
| ness and restraints of fashion prevail. Here
all Is relaxation from restraint aud free abans
don. Let me bring illustration within the
comprehension of everybody.
soclable for the entertainment OF the chile
| dren OF a Sabbath school was proposed and
many of the projectors were puzzling over .
program, when the superintendent remarked
Just turn the children loose into q room
where they cannot break their necks, nor the
furniture, and they will enjoy themselves With
out any program"
| Now when young boy-or an old boy, foe
| that matter-lays OF the clothing Of conven-
tionality and steps forth with q load of his
mind and body he will want TO kick up his
| heels like colt in a new pasture, or
| else he is a sample we have not seen. So 10
is my opinion that We must make one shallow
pool for the chil3ren, n deeper one for
grown people and a deep place, q mere
hole, for divers Tue latter will be 30 narrow
| that single guard can keep note of every per-
son in it, can throw life preserver TO the very
middle OF IL ana be there in five seconds 20 help
any one in need. The basins will be abundantly
large for all reasonable bathing purposes and
We propose not to Permit any one 70 swim on
| the lake outside.
All foolhardy tricks will be discouraged and
so far as possible suppressed. We will try to
make il impossible for anybody even 20 COM
init suicide by drogning In our pools, and Yet,
TO discourage sIeculators in human life,
We propose TO post notice that "Ali use
your own risk" An increase in the num-
Der OF houses As positively neces-
sary to meet public demand. The wharves
| add greatly to the means of enjoyment and are
| not expensive lne amphltheater OF seats Tor
spectators could be dispensed with, but 10
| would seem very discourteous not 10 offer our
visitors a seat after walking 30 far TO call on
| And when we consider that the whole
bathing beach would not increase any
mans taxes one cent II would seem
niggardly to refuse the expenditure on account
| of expense. But the houses the seats, the con.
crete walks and ornamentation will cost the
same whether we have pools n plain beach,
while the pools will maintain a swimming place
alike at all tides at one-third the expense that
the same area can be obtained by plain al;
the cost of the wharyes Is proportionately still
less, and the pools secure the greatest obtain.
able degree OF safety. For these reasons sd-
vocate the pool plan
Z. 81 note the Rev. ID. f. Wiseman's ques>
ton in The STAR Of December 10, why does
Mr.. Stevens assign a special place for the col-
ored folks?' 1 had hoped that by treating
white people and colored people with equality
in the matter of the bathing beach ] would
avoid all discussion Of the question, but
| since am publicly asked 10 give my reason fog
| the proposed plan will do SO soon ~ can
| give the question due consideration