The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-08-10

U 4EN|
81 Amt BEEN IN THE WATER THIS YEAR"
have salt water baths. This bathing
beach has been open to the public
for several years, but it would seem
that the youths and men and even ladies
of Washington have just this season
begun to learn that there is an excel
lent opportunity offered to everyone on
these warm summer evenings to take a
fine plunge in the Potomac on beach
that is now as safe as it can be made,
with lifeboat and guard continually on
hand, free bathing houses that are well
taken care of, and, in fact, everything
that one could find at seaside resort.
The beach is fast becoming a popular
resort, and it is patronized each day by
about two hundred of the young and
old of the city. Since last season a
number of repairs have been made, and
with the increasing patronage the ac-
commodations are fast becoming too
small.
There is no muddy bottom at this
point in the river. 1t is as smooth and
fine sandy bed as nature ever graded
and rolled. Cape May has loamy
strata just beneath the sand. Atlantic
City has a dirty sand. Chesapeake beach
and Bay Ridge become mud puddles
within half an hour after crowd en-
tiers the water. The Potomac beach Is
as solid and clean floor as nature ever
gave TO any river.
The bath houses are more commodi-
Gus and comfortab BILE than the coops and
cubby holes at seaside resorts, where
man has no room, even for a idea, but
must do all of his thinking before get
ting inside On the Potomac beach
each boat house will hold four persons
without the necessity of any Of them
going outside when they wish to put
on their hats; but should the width OF
the brim of the straw hats this summer
increase, it may be necessary to allow
but one person at time to occupy
bath house. Of these there are fifty
for white men; and on the opposite
side of the beach, about seventy-fve
yards away, are the houses of the col
ored. Separated from the houses for
the white men are half dozen nicely
furnished houses for ladies, and each
day they are occupied. Most of the
ladies who have bathed at the beach
thus far have been married ladies; but
few little girls, accompanied by their
parents, have been in this season.
They are just learning OF the
existence of a pleasure resort near
ha4h ,ale ,inh
people would travel many miles to en-
JOY. The rules of the beach regarding
decorous action and care that trifiing
should not be INDUCED in to endanger
anyone's life are very stringent, and
the wisdom of this is proved by the
fact that there have been no accidents
thus far during the season. The beach
is free to every one who complies with
the rules, except on Thursday, when a
fee of twenty-five cents is charged.
This day has become the most popular
one of the week for the ladies, as the
class of swimmers is of the very incest.
Those who bring their own bathing
suits can use them if they are proper
ones; but If one has not suit it can
be had at the beach for fifteen cents
Between the hours of five and seven
each evening the beach presents as an
mated picture as any seashore resort.
AT that time there are generally about
one hundred swimmers in the water all
the time, and the capers and fun that
they create attract a large crowd OF
spectators every night
If the Washington monument should
ever topple and fall towards the river,
it might hurt some OF our bathers; for
it stands very near the beach, where
the shore is lined with number Of
benches for the spectators, besides a
space allotted to carriages, Of which
there are always a number. Hardly q
person drives through the White lot or
monument grounds that does not stop |
for a half hour or SO TO watch the an
tics of the bathers- The boys are as
pranky and as cranky here as they are |
anywhere else. The officer in charge |
is an Irishman and his wits are kept |,
busy by the boys. They must all reg
lister their Names and satisfy the officer |
of their age, before they can go in
swimming. Some of the little boys |
boldly lie about their ages. some of !
them claiming TO be seventeen or eight |
cen years old, when they are but ten or |
twelve. The officer manages them /
and they all like him
He says: II wo;;ld rather support and |
raise family of seventy than to look
after those boys; but I'm detailed for
his work and must do H. The hoys
ire regular water rats and it is only By |
he greatest diligence that l am able
o keep them from being in the water
III the TINA They viii stay in until
hey are blue in the face. hurriedly
'ark on their clothes while they are
vet and run over to the monument,
where some one is always playing base
'3n. They will perhaps be gone about
ldlf an hour or just long enough to get
Ea~m and then come suealiuc hack. IL