Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-05
THE PUBLIC BATHING BEACH.
Its Prospect Discussed by Superintendent
Stevens-The Color Question.

Its Prospect Discussed by Superintendent
stevens-The Color Question.
Superintendent Stevens in an interview witt
STAR reporter yesterday said: 1 am gettins
nervous over the delay Of Congress and the
Commissioners in acting on the beach bill
A trial OF the beach for ten days at the end oI
last summer season proved to all who took suf
ficient interest to visit the place and see 70,
themselves that with proper facilities to guard
against accidents from recklessnesss it would
be one of WashIngton's greatest sources of en-
joyment and health for half the year.
The drowning of young man at the beach
caused it to be closed by order OF the Commits
sioners for an investigation. The decision a,
the coroner's inquest and a careful examina.
ton showed that neither the condition OF the
beach nor any net or neglect of the keepers was
in any way blamable for that accident.
But the investigation broug ht out some point
of information showing that Washington had
to contend With different conditions than those
prevalent at public watering places on the
ocean coast
First. There are thousands of boys in Wash.
ington who had no experience in the water, and
when they suddenly come into il,
with the excitement of compsnionship with
playmates, the daring and bravado Of boy
hood leads them into many unknown dangers.
This is more particularly true of boys Of tho
better class, because they have been taught to
respect the law, which forbids bathing in any
waters around Washington, but the boys who
give the policemen trouble in all corners OF the
city are almost invariably good swimmers.
That OF itself is a sufficient argument 10 war
rant the necessary expense 70 make q good safe
bathing place, and make it legal to battle there
and nowhere else.
Second. The bathing beaches along the ocean
shore have been selected where nature has
formed a sandy bottom Of very gradual slope,
but If Washington would have such a beach
it must be made by man. The tidal reser-
voir is the only location around the
city where the water is uncontaminated NV
sewage. and here the tide rises and fall fo NJ
feet, so that to have sufficient bathing room at
all tides would require SO much filing as to
materially damage the tidal reservoir for its
legitimate service.
Third The fashionable watering places are
too expensive for children and cou,paratiyeiv
few persons battle there under the age Of
sixteen years, while here bathers under
that age are In the majority. These
facts taken into consideration with a dis
position on the part of those opposed to any
public bathing place to blame the Commission
ers for accidents, led the Commissioners 10
hold the beach closed until . plan promising
more security could be devised The
pool plan proposed gives more available
bottom than can be had for the same money by
an open beach, and il secures Q fxed, safe
depth OF water at all tides. The idea that il n
nothing more than big bath tub
is purely imaginary. because the pool viii
furnish two cubic yards OF water for every
one Of 1000 bathers, and Il can be drawn
of and replaced With fresh water every
night II may be necessary 10 change the
plan from two small pools and one large
one. as formerly proposed, to two large poois,
in all respects alike, to avoid any Question
Of equal rights on the color line The design
WI not be 20 symmetrical and pleasing 70 the
eye, and 1t win give to the colored
people four times ~ much bathing
space per capita a. TO the whites NoS
that the color lipe 10 again mentioned let me
cay that have received great many Letters
pro and con, bat the bsthers Of both colors an
unanimously Ia favor Of separate housss
and . separate pool for each. Nearly
~ the lette5 ere from celorsd psop1S