Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-07-28
OUR NATATORIUMS.
HOW YOUNG AMERICA TAKES POSSESSION OF
TIE RIVER.
PerilOus Sport at deep Hole" on the lsland-Oth-
or HayOrite Localtiss-0ld-Tims Resorts
Along the Creek.

This is the season OF the year when the
river front along the whole extent OF the
city is turned into one vast natatoriu m,
where daily and nightly hundreds upon
hundreds Of men ADD boys. and occa-
sionally, under especially favorable cir
cumstances, an occasional member OF
the gentler sex, find reireshment and
recreation and a brief respite from the
intense heat There are dozen or ff-
teen localities along the river and creek
thus frequented by bathers, and at such
points as in the neighborhood of Bloch
Bros. fac tory, the mouth OF CaldWelPs
run, the La Belle landing, the bar at
the mouth of the creek, at the
east end OF Ohio street, on the
Island side, in Back" river, and up
above the water works pumping station
from twenty-five TO seventy-hve boys
and men can be seen In the water at
once any OF these pleasant evenings
The swimmers range In years all the
way from tads of nine or ten up, and
the smaller the boy the more reckless
he Is, the more noise he makes, and the
longer he remains In the water, during
the hours of daylight defyinR alike the
fierce rays Of the sun and the orders OF
the police that he must either wear a
"bathing suit or keep out OF the water
until dusk. On the South Side and In
the vest channel Of the river, along the
Island shore, the orders Of the police are
generally needed just as long as the
blue coat Is in sight, but north Of the
creek, along the main channel OF the
river, the officers have secured pretty
rigid compliance with orders. and scores
upon scores OF young men and boys have
provided themselves with "bathing
suits" which would spread consterna-
ton even at French watering place IL
there displayed with human form In
| side them.
One of the favorlte resorts for bathers,
both during daylight and dark, is the
deep hole on the Island. side Of the main
channel of the river, between the sus-
pension and steel bridges. At that point
|
angle OF nearly or quite forty-ive de-
grees, and one can OFTEN step into water
up to his waist at one stride from
the shore, while second step
will carry tall man up TO
his neck In the drink. Here the boys
swarm at ali hours, and generally there
are numbers Of spectators upon both
bridges, watching the antics OF the
swimmers, who display unusual reek-
lessness from the very fact that they
| are being watched. 1t has been IA
vorlte recreation for years to indulge In
diving from the steep bank into the deep
water at this point, spring
board" being often set up, but
lately this time.honored appi-
ance has proven too slow and anti
quated for the new generation OF bath
ing-suir' wearers, and few days ago
6hey set about rigging up an improve
ment. Crossing the deep water at an
angle and passing over portion OF the
steep bank are several OF the wire-rope
guys Of the suspension bridge, they be-
ing about twenty-five feet from the
surface OF the water at the pres
ent stage OF the river. An adven-
turous youth climbed along one OF these
wires distance Of one hundred feet, re-
Gently, until be reached point about
where the rope passed over the waters
edge, and there be tied half-inch rope,
which reached to point about i've feet
above the steep bank few feet from
the water, but which was ten feet from
the water q yard or two from the shore,
while fifteen or twenty feet back from
the waters edge it almost touched the
bank, by reason OF It's RAPID
rise. To the lower end OF the
rome a stout stick foot long was at
tached, and the new diving apparatus
was ready. A youth, naked except Tor
q very much abbreviated pair OF white
cotton drawers, took hold Of the stick,
assembled to the top Of the bank, and
then swung out over the water and
drooped from a height Of ten or twelve
feet. The Appliance al once sprang
into high favor with the boys. and was
seldom without . youth dangling from
its lower end.
Last night it was concluded the sp-
naratus did no: afford high enough
lean. and after some study an improve
ment was devised. A boy would take .
firm hold on the stick, and then another
bow would push bin as far up the bank
as he could. Near the top OF the bank
two more boys were stationed, and they
would grasp the swinging boy oy the
ankles. and locking arms would 20 back
ward up the bank, drawing the sus-
pended youth IS FAR IS their strength
would allow and shen let him 60. AS .
result, the boz on he rope would describe
q great arc swat out over the water,
and could dive frbm height OF twenty
or more feet. L&et evening this sort OF
thing was 10 full loperatIou. and some
Of the boys took SHINE periious tnmoles,
| notably lftsen-yk ar-old eclored youth,