The morning call., 1894-09-02
BY THE OBSERVER.

There is large building at the corner OF
Bush and Larkin streets which In many
respects is one of the attractions OF Sar
Francisco. When the plans were sub
mitted to the company which owns thi;
magnificent structure 1t was found tina
the question of lighting had to be care
fully considered. and after several meet
ings of the directors had been held, a
which the matter was warmly debated. II
was finally resolved to use electric lights.
Ii was argued that in order to illuminate
the great edifice satisfactorily it would re-
Quire several hundred ges-burners, which
would render 1t int0lerably hot, aside
from the dangers of confagratiOn, which
would be very great. In accordance with
the decision of the board OF directors to
use electricity, a dynamo was placed in
the basement of the building, but alter
the experiment was given q fair trial 1t
was found to be unsatisfactory,
conversation with William Greer Har-
rison last week l ascertaiDed that the Salt
Water Company had experimental as
above stated aud it found that IN order to
arrive at satisfactory results IL became
necessary to consult the Edison Light ard
Power Company. Mr.. Harrison. in speak
ing of the matter, said: I'VE started to
light the place ourselves, but it was not
long before we found it defective. There
was great glare under the roof, but below
was shadow, and then the light was flick
ering and it frequently went out We
could not afford to take the risk of dark
ness owing to the hundreds who are so
fond of diving in the water. Water. you
know, absorbs light. so we applied 10 the
| Edison company TO help US out.
1T, of course, is scientifically acquainted
with the subject and as the Salt Water
I hoa I'D
! light under tie most economical arrange
ment possible We made M our minds 10
| be right on a question wherein ourselves
| failed. After a few experiments by the
| Edison people they succeeded in turning
the vast space into perpetual day and the
management is entirely pleased with the
| light and the comparatively low price at
which it is provided"
l was permitted, through the courtesy
! of the management, 10 enter the build ing
yesterday evening and see the illum-
mating arrangements. They appear to be
| excellent. Six large arc burners OF 1000
candle power each now cast a strong light
on the waters OF the sank, as well as Illum-
| mate every foot of the alleres and build
lDg The bath dynamo is still in partial
use. but | was Informed thatit will shortly
be superseded by further supply of cleo
TRICKY from the Edison Company, and
when the change takes place, which Will
be some time this autumn, a series of cleo
trieal entertainments will be given.
Other arrangements at the baths are
now complete in every detail. In addi-
ton to the mammoth tank there are fiftv-
| six bathing-rooms, provided with not and
cold salt and fresh water and hot and cold
showers of either sea or Spring Valley
| COmpany's water. There are 800 dress
| ing-rooms, two large shO wer-roOms, rented
lockers and free lockers, ladies' and gen.
mi hor
! shop, a ladies' hairdresser, a chiropodist
| swimming teacher and the necessary at
| tendants. Two massage-ro0ms will shortly
| be provided and 200 more dressing-room
| are soon TO be built. While many of the
| patrons have their private bathing suits.
$500 are provided by the management free
| Of charge To cleanse and dry these and
to care for the towels the basement of the
| building is one great laundry, ligh ed as
! are the other departments in the building
with electricity.
Where there are so many bathers the
| question at once arises as to the eleanli-
ness of the water. This is satisfactorily
answered. Not only is the tank COM
pletely emptied and filled twice a week,
| but the inflow and outflow are so regulated
on the CAT acty of the tank that the sup
! ply is renewed entirely once a day. The
| tank holds 100000 gallons, and into il 40
600 are poured every twenty-four hours.
coming in from below and passing out and
| into the sewers by orifees near the level
of the water. 1t comes from the ocean
| about third of mile below the Cliff
| House, and is first conveyed to a reservoir
| at the corner of Point LoDos avenue and
! Geary street, where il is stored. But there
it is icy cold. and for the purposes of
healthful and pleasant bathing its temper
ature has to be raised. The manner in
| which this is accomplished is not gener-
| ally known. The condenser of the Suffer-
| street Railroad does the work. Through
1t runs pipe conducting the cold salt
water, which is heated to 104 degrees and
taken to the path. where a lesser stream OF
cold salt water reduces 1t TO the desired
temperature of 76 degrees.
A very pretty picture must be presented
there on any Tuesday or Friday from 10 80
| to 1880 o'clock. when the ladies take full
possession of the baths, but. uniortu-
| nately, all male observers are vigorously
excluded, and so the scene must be left to
the imagination uDdescribed. Less poeti-
cal, certainly, but interesting and anus
| ing, is the great tank on Saturday night.
| under the bright rays Of the electric lights,
| By tacit consent that evening has been
| surrendered to men and boys, and their
antics aud enjoyment are we'll worth wit
Messing. There they assemble 400 or SOC
strong at time, as much for fun il would
seem, as for their weekly bath. The
| greater number gather at the entrance
where the water is only 2 feet 9 inches al
the start, gradually shelving to deem
water mark. Their splashing. their
| drenchiDg Of each other and their first at
tempts at swimming are In :erspersed with
laughter and conversation, but the great
source of fun is the two large toboegans.
one of which, OF other occasions, is re-
served for the use OF ladies. Down these
inventions OF the snow land men and bows
slide, on stomach or back, into The water
with a relish that it does one good TO see.
| Further along the great expanse of water
$50 feet long by 40 feet wide, are diving
boards, trapeZes and diving-towers the
| upper platform OF which is thirty-fiye feet
high, and all are in constant use by the
swimmers, whose number Is steadily on
| the increase.
Salt water will in the near future be
conveyed to other points in the city, and
it is reported that among them are the
Olympic Club. Young Mems Christian
| Association, and TO point at the corner
of Third and Mission streets. 1t is pro-
posed to build immense receiving and set
Ting tanks in the vicinity of Bush and
| Larkin streets, and from there supply
| clean water TO the points named and other
| prospective localities, which are certain
| to demand supply some time in the fu-
| ture.
Part Twenty-seven OF "PIcturesque
California" will be ready for distrib u
ton to "CalI" subscribers tomorrow.
It is devoted TO The pine and red w O d
| rauiona of Ealifarnia and