The record-union., 1891-08-08
TEE SWIMMING BATHS.
An Effort to Make Them Unpopular
Exposed.
Outrageous Falsehoods Published to
Injure a Beneficial In
Stitution.

| A juvenile evening sheet, which ap-
par emily delights in doing what it can to
injl1re Sacramento, devoted large
am ount of its very limited space last
evening to abuse of the new swimming
baths, which for the past week have so
delighted the young and old in this city.
Nc institution was ever opened in Sacra-
monto that became at once so universally
30 pular, or met with such immediate and
| pr onounced success, or that was founded
in a more unselfish manner, yet it evil
dently has its enemies. The sheet re-
ferred to last evening published four diff
| forent articles against the baths, and
each one was filled with false
| h ood. It's report of The sad accident,
even, was grossly inaccurate and untruth-
! f'al. The statement that the baths were
closed and deserted yesterday was with
cut any foundation. There were open
and largely patronized during the day
| and evening.
! The RECORD UNION is the apologist for
! no management or concern, but it loves
! fair play, and will not remain silent in
| the face of unwarranted assault upon any
| benehcent enterprise. To the hundreds
| OF people who have enjoyed the healthful
exercise of swimming in the new baths
y
| hoods contained in these articles, but
/ there may be those who have not
| visited the baths who might be de-
tered from doing so after read
ing them. The objections raised to the
| baths may be set down as without
F! foundation from beginning to end. This
! journal has made diligent and thorough
| inquiry and ascertained all the facts con-
corning the baths, and is able to state
them with precision.
In the first place the baths are treated
as public property, whereas they are
owned by a private corporation, formed
| by publc-splrlted citizens who have paid
for them and who know how to conduct
there business.
1t was stated that when the ladies went
to the baths on Wednesday they were
given ''common-striped suits, almost
similar to mans; they had no skirts
and were given no stockings" The
ladies all know this to be untrue There
were no striped suits, but fine, expensive,
/ all-WoOl suits, with ample skirts. No
stockings were furnished, because most
ladies' prefer to wear their own stockings,
| and it is very rarely stockings are fur
nished at any baths, and then an extra
! charge is generally made.
The statement that the swimming
! teacher was dressed in a ''suit silk tights
| which fitted him like a glovev was
| equally untrue. Mr.. Binze wears an all
wool suit, consisting Of trunks and over
shirt Of the best pattern, and as modest
as any bathing suit could be made.
In answer to the assertion that many
of the ladies who attended Wednesday
| declare they will never go again until
| there is a change in things" it is only
necessary to state the fact that yesterday
was ladies day" again, and that the at
| tendance was about as large as on We'd
nesday, and was composed very largely
! of the same ladies.
The complaints about the suits fur
niShed men and the extra charge for
woolen suits simply expose the ignorance
/ OF the writer of the articles. The suits
are exactly of the same style and pattern
/ as those used in all of the baths in San
! Francisco, Alameda and Oakland. and
there is not bathing establishment on
| the coast that does not make an extra
charge of ten cents for mems wooden suits
Many OF the suits furnished without ex-
ira charge are two-piece suits, but many
prefer the single suits.
Probably the most ridiculous com
plant is that those who go to look on
are charged an admission fee. If no adj
mission fee were charged for spectators
the bath-house would not be large enough
| to accommodate the loafers and loungers
who would make it their headquarters,
and beside there is ample entertainment
for the small fee that is charged.
The water is kept at a temperature of
about 500, fully as high as is healthful.
1t has been found difficult to keep it up
to this point with the present arrange
ments, and an extra heater was ordered
| three days ago and is now being put in.
In this, as in all other matters, it is safe
TO say that the management is fully able
to look out for its own interest. It can
be trusted to make the baths attractive
| to the public, else itcannot expect patron
age. While it is impossible to please
| everybody, it is the purpose, say the di-
| rectors and stockholders, to so conduct
the institution as to accommodate and
| benefit the largest possible number and
conserve the greatest good of the COM
munity, and its revenue is adjusted con-
sistently with the very heavy expense of
maintenance.