The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-11-18
LARGEST BATHS IN THE WORLD.
Built in San Francisco by Sutro, the
Tunnel Millionaire.
From the san Francisco Examiner,

bulAC N san FRANCISCO BY Sutro, the
Tunnel millionaire.
From the San Francisco Examiner
The Sutro baths exceed the famous
Roman baths of antiquity in size as we'll
as equipment The largest of the Roman
baths had about 200 feet of frontage
to use the modern commercial term of
designation. Two Of these great bathing
places might be dropped within the Sutro
baths and still leave room enough for
men to work and women to 1rt
Adolph Sutro is a skilful engineer. and
he enjoys solving problems in construc-
ton or breaking through the difficulties
in mechanics as he enjoys invigorating eX-
ercise. 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 break
ers dashing against the rocks, Mr.. Sutro
deemed that nature had so well provided
power TO send the water TO the bathing
tanks that artificial means would be I'M
necessary. Over the edge of this basin
comes the water of the huge rollers. In
stead of riding the crest of the wave. Mr..
Sutro traps the crest of the wave and
uses II for his own purpose. From the
basin the water flows through tunnels
and canals, passes gates until It reaches
the reservoir, where it is warmed by the
Sutro patent process, and then il flows
into the great tanks in the huge glass
and Steel building.
On the road to the tanks through the
canals ana the tunnels the water has to
pay toll of sand. OF course, # would
not do to have the waves carry their
/ load of sand into the baths, so a settling
! place Is provided BY automatic arrange
ment, also the device of Mr. Sutro. the
sand Is washed back into the ocean, while
| the water, cleared goes on us course
through tunnels and canals TO the tanks.
sometimes the tide is very low and some
times the ocean, even at the cliff Is quiet.
There might be times when the water
could not dash over the rock wall into the
basin. Article 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 # 5000 gallons
"A minute whenever the 5000 gallons are
wanted in q minute
Having made enough tunnels to admit
the water, sandless and tepid, to the tanks.
MIR Sutro had TO provide for sending the
water to sea again, that the ocean might
no be drained. Dropping out the water
at the place at which it was taken in
would not be satisfactory. Mr. Sutro did
not want the baths to be receiving the
same water over and over again. The
plan would be too easy In it We're no
obstacles to overcome. He laid an out
let pipe through tunnels probably several
hundred feet long and through this the
water will flow from the tanks and re-
turn to the sea several hundred feet trom
the place whence IT was taken
The water that comes in through the
pr,a1g .s{u a. ~ Fut.
of these, the main swimming tank. is 275
feet long, and al the place of greatest
breadth is $50 feet wide. The other tanks
are smaller. Some will be used for ladies;
and children, some for beEinners-each one
as its particular use. One tank VIII be
filled with cold salt water for swimmers
who want shock. Then there Is a little
tank flied with fresh water supplied
from the Sutro water works on the blur
above. And the dressing rooms every one
provided with fresh-water shower and
an electric light and the club rooms for
the companies Of batheFs-they are count
ed by hundreds, and are built tier upon
tier. until the visitor is amazed AZ their
number IS much as he wondered at the
maze of tunnels.
The spectacular effect Of the baths wa
prominent in the purpose Of NJ 5utro
in planning these baths. The glazed roof
that great span that is more than two
acres I'm area, is so high above the tanks
that looking up to the vault seems like
peering from the court Of the Palace hotel
TO the sixth story. Elevators and grand
staircases give communication from ono
tier of the building to another About the
bathing tanks are seats in tiers seats
for $500 people in a great ampitheater
and there is room for 5000 more 70 stand
and TO promenade. A place that can ac-
comodate 10000 people at one time must
be Of some size AT the ocean end Of the
tanks is great stage, nifty feet broad, on
which musicians win be seated ny the
sides Of the staircases are planted wonder
full tropical plants. and in great boxes
above the promenades are growing palms.
The baths are fun of beauty and color.
Through the glass side wallis is the ocean
View. Provision is made for three restau-
rants, and different tier Of The build
ing. an aquarium, d carriage entrance.
a conservatory and possibly more tun,
nels