The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-11-11
LARGEST BATHS IN THE WORLD.
Those Built I'm San Francisco by
A. SutrO, the Tunnel Millionaire.

$1,000
The Sutro baths exceed the famous Ro-
man baths of antiquity in size as well as
equipment. The largest of the Roman
baths had about two hundred feet of 'front.'
age. to use the modern commercial terms
of designation. Two Of these great bath
ing places might be dropped within the
Sutro baths and still leave room enough for
men to walk and women to firt. Adolph
Sutro is a skillful engineer, and he enjoys
solving problems in construction or break
ing through difficulties in mechanics as he
enjoys invigoratirg exercise. He designed
the building over the BATH devised the plan
for water supply, invented and patented
the apparatus for heating the water. The
Sutro tunnels, second series, are part of his
scheme Of construction. With the ocean at
his feet, the breakers dashing against the
SO well provided pow er to send the water To
the bathing tanks that artificial means
much noise and enthusiasm, he blasted out
a basin in the solid rock. Over the edge Of
this basin comes the water of the huge
wave, Mr.. Sutro traps the crest Of the wave
and uses it for his own purpose; From the
basin the water flows through tunnels and
canals, passes gate: until 1t reaches the
reservoir, where 1t armed by the Sutro
patent process, and then it flows into the
great tanks in the huge glass and steel
building.
On the road to the tanks through the Ca
nails and the tunnels the water has to pay
toll of sand. OF course 1t would not do to
the baths, so a settling place Is provided.
By arrangement, also the device
of Mr.. Sutro. the sand is washed back into
the ocean, while the water, cleared, goes
on it's course through tunnels and canals to
the tanks. Sometimes the tide is very low,
and sometimes the ocean, even at the cliff,
Is quiet. There might be times when the
water could not dash over the rocky wall
into the basin. Artifice Is employed to take
the place of nature when nature Is In a
quiet mood. An emergency pipe pokes its
black proboscis under the waves, and a
pump can draw through 1t five thousand
gallons a minute whenever the FIVE thou
sand gallons are wanted in a minute.
Having made enough tunnels to admit the
water, sandless and tepid, to the tanks, Mr..
Sutro had to provide for sending the water
to sea again, that the ocean might not be
drained Dropping out the water at the
place at which IL was taken in would not
be satisfactory. Mr.. Sutro did not want
the baths to be receiving the same water
over and over again. That plan would be
too easy. In 1t were no obstacles to over
come. He laid an outlet pipe through tun-
nels probably several hundred feet long,
and through this the water will flow from
the tanks and return to the sea several hum
taken. The water that comes in through
the tunnels must I'LL six tanks. The larg-
est OF these, the main swimming tank, Is
275 feet long. and at the place OF greatest
breadth is $50 feet wide. The other tanks
are smaller. Some will be used for ladies
and children, some for beginners; each one
has its particular use. One tank will be
filled with cold salt water for swimmers
who want a shock. Then there is a little
tank filled with fresh water. supplied from
the Sutro water works on the bluff above.