The morning times., 1895-09-18
BEAcHERs' BATH HOUSE
Supt. Stevens Suggestions Re-
specting Its Future.
NEW SITE RECOMMENDED
More Than Twenty-nine Thousand
Bafhers Reg list stered-Increase In
Number of Lady Patrons uis-
ances Pointed Out-Policemen
Needed All the Year.

Superintendent Stevens, of the bathing
beach, has submitted his annual report to
the Commissioners, in which, among other
things, he says:
"The beach was opened to the public
June 8, and will close September %. In
the three months already past, 20, 100 bath
ers haveregistered on the beach books.
lone death hasoccurred at the beach this
| year, that of Carlton Smell, who died of
heart disease while swimming. So far in
the history of the bathing beach there has
never been but one drowning ora registered
bathcr, that of young Keith, three years
ago."
After a reference to the tournament of
August 81, and the award of medals, the
| superintendent says:
LADY BATHERs PLEASED.
"a gratifying fact to state is that the
number of lady bathers is continually in
creasing All who come once come again
and often.
.It becomes my painful duty TO rsport
source of annoyance to ladies. George
Tasker asked my permission to rent boats
near the beach. Knowing that, If properly
conducted, this would accommodate a por-
ton of the public, / consented for him to
make trial, but IL soon proved to be very
Objectionable.
He rented boats at a very low price,
and boys would hire them and go into the
water naked within sight but beyond
Jurisdiction of the beach. His wharf float
is directly beside the ladies' premises, and
crowds of low characters often gather there
and make Objectionable remarks.
IMPUDENT AS A sQUATTER.
II have repeatedly notified Tasker to
move away, and such notice has been served
on him by government officials, but, with
the impudence characteristic of squatters,
he defies all authority"
The superintendent is of the opinion that
the three policemen granted for the beach by
Congress nearly three years ago, at Major
Moore's solicitation, should be kept in
charge of the beach and its neighborhood
all the year.
The superintendent renews his recon-
mendation of a pool system, as the only
means of securing reasonable sarety-a
broad bathing area and water always at
one depth-and although all things are
not yet ready for occupancy of the inner
basin, certain plans are maturing which
render immediate action necessary, If the
ideal spot is TO be secured.
sUPERINTENDENT'ss SUGGESTIONS.
The superintendent makes the following
recommendations: That rules be made 10
preserve order, not only at the beach but in
the surrounding neighborhood;t that n police
boat be located on the line of Seventeenth
street and the shore fronting on the Poto-
mac and extending from street north TO d
street south; that no person shall be per
mitted to rent boats or other water ap-
pliances within one hundred yards OF the
bathing beach without the written consent
of the superintendent; that telephone,
connecting with the city system, be located
at the beach; that whatever shah be deemed
indecent exposure in daytime shall be
adjudged as such if committed at any time
upon the bathing beach or within fifty feet
OF any public highway OF resort.
Also that TIE Commissioners shall strong
ly recommend to the proper authorities
the immediate burial of the Seventeenth
street sewer; that the little BASIN re-
ferred to In his report be preserved, that
Congress be asked to exchange the grant OF
the present bathing beach for grant of the
little basin and sufficient grounds around
it for driveways, and that an appropriation
OF SO 900 be asked for the expense OF re-
moyal to the new premises and to fit up the
latter In permanent shape