Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-29
MAY BE THE RELATION

days-t l. DeyOnd question SOOd lhinS lor
city's poor to have somep place where they can
wash. Bath tubs are Injuries in some quarters
and water is scarce commodity In others.
Bathing, therefore. is for them largely pas
time, not duty, and the result is dirt, and,
succeeding dirt, disease
Washington has apparently ignored these
facts for a long time. but the day has come at
Last when the folks without bath tubs, and those
who don't believe in bsth-tub bathing, can keep
themselves in such condition of body and frame
Of mind that the advertised relationship set
forth above may be counted as possibility.
But beyond all moral and economic views Of
the matter there is a very large and import
ant class In the world that must swim. This
class is always large and necessarily important,
for ii is the future worid-the BOYS. If there is
one thing above all others that a boy likes it is
plunge into a cool pool of water, quick dash
about the water, hurried crawling back into
moist clothes and a hOme-gOing that is full OF
the pleasure Of fear that cannot be analysed
Swimming Is to q boy what terrapin Is to
grovn-up gourmand, or a new bonnet to a
woman 1t is one Of the goals OF hfe
IN CITIES.
But one Of the greatest drawbacks to boy life
In large city is the inaccessibility of cool pools
and the danger of other sorts of swimming than
that which is afforded by brooks and mill ponds
initiating ashland may pity go forth to him
who Is nOt-there can be no greater depriva-
tion than the hack of swimming place In
the country the market Is overstocked with
them, but III town they are at a premium 10
be sure, it adds to the pleasure sometimes to
walk 1--WE miles In the hot sun for half an hours
refreshing dive and paddle, but time counts as
well as warm weather. and there are dinners to
be missed ami seedlings or even worse to get,
and o boy, besides, does not want to walk any
more than he can help.
WASHINGTON FALLS IN LINE.
30 it is that both for the good of the town
and the pleasure of the boys it has come to be
regarded as necessary in all large cities now
adays to establish bathing places within easy
access OF everybody and sufficiently guarded
from general observation to prevent the use of
them from becoming public nuisance. Wash
ington has heretofore been sadly deficient in
this regard. and il has only been after the ex-
ample has been set by nearly every other city
worthy the name in the country that the CAPT
tai has followed suit and established bathing
beach for the public use.
THE NEW BEACH
Is located on the eastern edge of the great tidal
reservoir that forms a part of the flats i'm
provement system The place is Just west of
the Washington monument and we'll screened
from the view of passers on the roads of the
grounds by a good-sized bank and some cur
tanning willows The water Is clear and cool
and unpolluted Ii rises and falls with each
tide and Is far less muddy than the water of
the river proper. which is stirred up into a SAT-
from hue by every rain that falls IN the noun
tains-
A GOOD START.
There has been good deal of talk from time
to time about the necessity of a well-regulated
bathing beach IN this city, but it was only last
winter that Congress was prevailed upon to set
aside the large and munifcent sum Of 900 for
the purpose of establishing such an institution
This SUM Is about one-tenth what il should have
been, for II has been found that bathing beaches
are not as cheap sugar and that they must be
made we'll to DE of any value. But the start
that has been made here this year will be of in
ealeuiabie value hereafter as the beach is added
10 and improved and the public gets to be
educated to the idea of free and general bath
ing.
THE PROTECTOR
The credit Of the establishment should be
given without reserve 10 one pablic-spirited
citizen, who has given not only mis- time and
energy. but his means as we'll to the project
For some years past Mr.. W. y. Stevens of this
city has been in the habit of utilizing the shell
tered PORTIONS of the new river front by the
monument for bathing purposes, being an ex-
ceIlent swimmer and enjoying the sport with a
zest that seenls a retained part OF his boy hood.
AT last he built himself small house near the
edge OF tue tidal reservoir, among the trees,
and there he and his boys and his neighbors
and their boys went in swimming
WORKING HARD YoR IT.
That was the start Of the bathing beach. As
time went on and the daily papers were filled
with accounts of accidental drownings of boys
taxing surreptitious swims or of youngsters
taken before the police magistrate charged
with violations of the city ordinances on ac-
count OF their desire to keep cool and clean,
the idea became stronger and stronger within
this man : mind that what the city needed WAS
q place where boys of all ages and colors bows
In their teens and boys in their forties might
20 a-swimrning without danger Of drowning or
lear Of arrest He set about creating a public
sentiment to this effect, and he bent his per-
sonal efforts 10 the end Of obtaining an appro-
priat,on that might suffice to start the project
HIS success. though not as financially great a.
~ might have bee2, could not be more COM
piete III the way Of convincing the town that il
was running grave risk III not giving the
rising generation a chance to drink TO the full
that cup OF pleasure that is often muddy and
sometimes fatal
The beach has been running now about a
fortnight and II Is yet Uncompleted. 1t was
thought, however. that as the summer vas
drawing 10 close II was useless to wait until
III should De entirely spent before opening the
privileges OF free bathing to the public, and so
the boys have been allowed TO use IL as they
pleased. though they have not the facilities OF
dressing rooms or Of the proper guardian
ship.
on rHE6EAcH.
4 STAR reporter stood on the bank Of the
reservoir last night and watched the antics of
the bathers- The sun had Just set and was
throwing blood-red lines across the still water.
broken here and there by black head as its
owner dextrously padded his way out into the
ceePer part OF the basin. The mosquitoes were
BEGINNING TO come from the Willows and thrust
their anstOmies into other peoples affairs.
Inc arr was quiet. save for the shouts of the
boys that gurgied up mingled with the sound
OF splashing water Through the monument
grounds there streaned several lines of boys.
some going, others coming, the former with
their hair wet and dangling little bundles OF
lamp cloth by strings, the latter with their
eyes iuli OF eager expectancy and their faces
covered with the day dust On the banks OF
the basin stood and sat half q hundred specta-
tors Some were grown and they watched the
ANTICS OF the boys ia the water with a wistful
longing that seemed to tug at their buttons and
bid them take one plunge for the sake of old
tnes But there were others who were bows
OF tne present, whose mothers would not lei
tnem swim, and whose consciences would no,
let them risk detection
o.