Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-27
THE BAT HING BEAC n
Il Opened Up for the Season This Morn
ing.
The Boys Took Advantage of the Op-
portunity to Take
Good Swim.

The free bathing beach to the south Of the
monument was opened up for the season
this morning. To say that Joy pervaded the
hearts of the small boys Of Washington
would be to express 1t in the very mildest
terms. The news spread among them like
wildrre that they could have a swim under
the kindly eye of the authorities at the
beach. and long before noon there was a
crowd Of kids anxious to have a plunge in
the pearly torrent of the Potomac. They
dived and they swan. they fioated and they
lay out on the beach under the hot rays OF
the sun and they just had the ''bulliest good
kind OF a time" When they were told that
they had been in long enough they begged
earnestly to be allowed to stay just little
bit longer. BY o'clock 80 boys had taken
advantage Of the opportunity TO get wet all
over Not a single colored boy showed up,
and the rooms that are reserved Tor them al
one end Of the beach were utterly deserted
"Opens Later This Year Than Last.
The beach opens this year several weeks
later than 1t did last summer. The main
reason for this was that Superintendent
Stevens who takes such an active interest
in the beach. was unable to raise SUFFICIENT
funds to put the beach in anything like or
der until within the last few days. All
a little less than $50. but with this and the
assistance Of willing hands a surprising
amount has been accomplished. As In 9TH
er years. the beach Is under the actual con-
troll Of Officer Cotter OF the police force.
who 10 detailed for service here by the Com
missioners. He takes his blue coat on and
gets right down to work, and when a Star
reporter visited the beach this afternoon he
was busily occupied in constructing a
framework against which the boys can lean
their bicycles and fasten them when they
60 in for a swim.
Keeps Up Discipline.
Officer Cotter makes the boys stand
around and keeps up the discipline OF the
place In a way that shows he takes an &C.
tive interest in the institution. But every
boy there Is his friend, and his chief aim is
that they shall all have a good time with
out running any risk. He is a good-nat ur-
ed. big. buriy policeman. but in place Of his
locust stick he is armed with q stout shin
gle with few little holes in It, and this an
swers the purpose very well indeed. He
threatens to use II occasionally when the
boys stay In longer than he thinks their
parents would like, but his bark 10 lots
worse than his bite-a fact which the boys
have discovered long ago.
The rest OF the stan OF Superintendent
Stevens assistants Is just the same as 1t
was last year. with the exception that the
life boat 10 in charge Of Raymond Sslkeld, a
young swimmer OF courage and strength,
who Is also charged with the duty OF seem;
that the small boys do not get out beyond
their depth. Bert Stevens will be the assist
ant in charge Of the Office.
To Make 1t Self-SuppOPtfng.
This year the plan is to make the beach
seif-supporting. as II seems impossible to
have 1t maintained in any other way. super
intendent Stevens was compelled to advance
quite . considerable sum out OF his own
pocket to open the place at all. All DO, 9
over sixteen years Of age are to be charged
cents for q swim. and bathing suits will
be on hire for those who have not their
own. In this way It 10 hoped to support the
beach this summer and possibly &c have q
little surplus. with which necessary i'm
provements can be made ami the beach