Evening journal., 1894-07-11
THE FREE BATH HOUSE.
Nine Hundred People Enjoy 1t
Every Day.
TOMORROW THE FAIR SEX SWIM

superintendent jackson Has Started
Little scheme to BeautIfy the Popular
Resort Along the Christiana aud tx
perienoed Painters Have Donated Their
Services
There is steady stream Of big boys
and little boys-and frequently men-on
Third street bridge now, hurry ing TO and
from the Raymond bath house, the only
property Of the Wilmington Free BAH
Association. That Institution has been
open for business for more than week,
aud there Is not minute In the day
that the plank walks running out TO the
bath house from the side OF the. bridge Is
not creaking from the pressure Of human
footst ps
Yesterday $40 men and boys sauntered
down to this East Side summer resort.
and, piling sll their clothes upon the
benches. Jumped overheard for splash
and swim
One section Of the house is for the
very email boys, another for the timid
adults who do not know how to swim,
and which Is much deeper, and the third
for good swimmers, and which is marked
by danger signal inscribed Deep
wAtsrl'
The average number Of daily bethers
is $50. which includes, of.couIse, Thurs
day, which is ladies' day, when not so
many people drop into. the stream from
the smooth platform. Monday is the
busiest day, probably because all factory
men who work at night usually have
Monday TO Loaf" and improve their
time by taking an invigorating dip In
this swimming school
Tomorrow Is Ladies' Day.
Every Thursday is given up entirely TO
women and girls and any interloper in
the form of man would be promptly
dubbed away or arrested Miss Patton,
an expert swimmer and nstatorium
teacher is Ia charge and It is Snperiu-
tendent Jackson's day of
The ironclsd rule Of conventionalitg
may force the adoption of the universal
black or navy blue bathing suits at fash
ionable resorts, but in the freedom Of
the public bath conventionality beats a
confused and blushing retreat at the
unique, original, abbreviated, bizarre
and nondescript costumes whose oblivi
GUS wearsrs float, plunge and revel in the
water.
Every conceivable material from thin
gauzs TO heavy blanket flannel is p essed
into service, no matter so long as the
women can swim or dive
Saint Some OF the swimming last
Thursday at the different baths would
have warmed the hearts of mermaid
The more daring spirits would watch
their opportunity and dive from the
railing surrounding the pool, then dart
like fishes TO the other side IL takes 3
warm Thursday to make things lively.
The lumber Of big giris and little
girls, large women and small women, VIII c
saunter do w to the Third street bridge
resort, on Thursdays, is surprising
The girls who go down for dip in In,
Raymond bath have a new rhyme which
has been twisted and turned to suit the
emergency. It is:
Miss Patton may go in 10 swimYn
YES my darling daughter.
hang your clothes on yonder limb,
And tumble In the ater."
The Bath House Needs Paint.
But the Raymond bath house has
dilapidsted and rusty exterior appear
snce. Two or three coats Of paint. aftei
an experienced carpenter has complete,
a whole batch Of necessary repairs, wou
beautify the building and make IL looH
lie new. The weather boarding, es
ptcially, has forlorn look ard need
immediate attention.
Superintendent Jackson has q grea
scheme for painting her up" hal
dozen painters have visited him and
( offered their services to oeautify TIM
building if be would only furnish thl
paint. AS the paint, according to hi
estimate, would cost at least IS, and Al
IS would make hole in a days salary
the work cannot go on
Certainly these eight almighty dollar.
could not be placed In any more de.
sirable a place just now by somt
charitsbly disposed citizsn than in tbr
hands of Superintendent Jackson io
this purpose. II such a contribution
could be made, the Raymond bath hous,
would be one Of the prettiest objects
along the Christina, within o fortnight
All Improvement TO that part Of the citl
! and credit TO the great fsg floating
above it.
Dub1fa Gola 81 uoveou