St. Paul daily globe., 1892-06-15
The Annual Drowning Cas-
ualties Are Again
Upon Us.
Great Need for a Public
Swimming Bath in This
,o.f.a City.
Reasons Why No Bath House
Has Been Erected These
Many Years.
A Public Movement Started
to Secure a Floating
Bath.

A man and two BOYS were drowned in
the Mississippi Saturday and Sunday.
They we're bathing and had either got
out of their depth and could not swim
or were seized with cramp. Saturday
and Sunday were the first exceptionally
warm days experienced this season;
they were the first accidental drowning
victims for this year. Will they be the
last? t.ts. s.e
The answer to this inquiry entirely
depends upon the philanthropic citizens
of the city.
Tho population of St. Paul today is
estimated at 100000, and yet the city
cannot boast of a public bath or swim
ming house. 1t is this want that leads
the boys and the young men to frequent
the river, and at the end of each year
piles up the drowning list to alarming
proportions. g.
The necessity for public bath and
swimming establishment is generally
admitted. There are no opponents to
the scheme. The only thing that
blocks the way is question of finance.
1t is the same in regard to the city
ambulance. Everybody admits its ne
cessity. but the question of expense
bars the way.
This question of expense isa terrible
bug-a-boo, but the liberal givers of st.
Paul. the authorities of the city, are
Hardly Consistent.
The city sent donation of several
thousand dollars to the Johnstown suf-
ferers in fact, the subscription from
this city equalled that of the most Opu-
lent cities of the East. When the Da-
kota farmers cried for suStenance to
keep the life within them during the
winter of 1690-9l, the purse strings OF
the people of st. Paul were readily
TO SC, 900 over the illumination of the
street for the state fair, and business
men will guarantee hundred thousand
dollars, as if it were mere song, for
the worlds fair fund. The ladies of
the city will go to endless trouble to
raise money for missions, and the build
ing OF children's buildings at the worlds
fair grounds. There was no lack of
money in the attempt to get the Demo
cratic convention to St. Paul, and there
never is for anything that is going to
benefit somebody outside the city, or is
going to advertise it i'll some mythical
way or other.
When a few hundred dollars are
wanted for public swimming bath the
reply comes: 'lt is good thing; just
the thing we want; but-well, I'VE haven't
got the money. See?" And it is the
Same old cry, year in and year out. The
result is that anything for the material
benefit of the people of st. Paul, and to
alarge extent the working people, is
always deferred to the dim and distant
future-that future when the city is
going to have a surplus III its treasury
and when the calls for outside aid shall
have ceased-otherWiSe known as the
millennium. ~--...
1t is sincerely, however, to be wished
that the present condition of things, in
the matter public swimming baths will
be no longer tolerated. Senator Lienau,
at the last session of the legislature, Sc
cured the passage of bill authorizing
the city to issue bonds to the extent of
$1,000 for the erection of public baths.
Nothing has been done in regard to this
authorized issuance of bonds. The city
authorities seem to have been so much
under the thralldOm of the chamber OF
commerce that they never even thought
Of issuing bonds for this purpose. The
chamber investigated the cOudiIlOn of
the city finances and said no more bonds
must be issued. The council bowed
Its Acquiescence.
Meanwhile, for want of proper pro-
vision, scores of youths are annually
finding watery graves. But this is not
the only way to look at this question.
If, as the ancient writ hath it, cleanli-
ness is next to godliness, church mem
bers should institute an agitation for
these baths.
! 1t is imperative that something be
done, and that, too, right away. Ii 1t is
too much Of strain to secure a proper
structure in the city, an effort might be
made to provide floating swimming
bath. Such bath could be located OIL
the river. say near the proposed Broad
way bridge A firSt-claSs floating bath
house could be secured for less than a
thousand dollars, and the main after eX-
pense is in having an attendent on the
boat, who must be all expert swimmer.
and who. in case of any swimmer get
ting out of his depth or being seized
with the cramp, could be OH hand to et-
feet a rescue.
Rev. John Conway, the distinguished
editor of the Northwestern Chronicle,
is an earnest advocate of public swim
ming baths, and will probably place
himself at the head of public move
ment for the purpose of getting the au-
thorftles to act thereon. with the least
possible delay. Supt. Morgan, OF the
floating Bethel, is also interesting him
self in the movement, and has scheme
fol connecting the excellent work done
by the mission boat with that of pub
L. 4,