Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1895-04-29
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THE LARGEST BATHS IN THE WORLD.
Built In San Francisco by sutro, the Tun.
mel Millionaire.

The Sutro baths cvcocd the famous
Roman baths Of antiquity in size as
we'll as equipment The largest of the
Homan baths had about 200 feet Of
frontage, to use the modern CONNER
cial terms of designation. Two of these
great bathing places might be dropped
within the Sutro baths and still leave
room enough for men to walk and wom-
ell TO flirt.
Adolph Sutro is skillful engineer,
and he enjoys solving problems in con-
struotion or breaking through Difficult
ties in mechanics as he enjoys invigor.
ating exercise. He designed the build
ing over the bath, devised the plan foi
water supply, invented and patented
the apparatus for heating the water.
The Sultro 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 provid.
ed power to send the water to the bath.
ing tanks that artificial means would
be unnecessary. Therefore with much
noise and enthusiasm he blasted out
basin in the solid rock Over the edge
Of this basin comes the water of the
huge rollers. Instead of riding the
crest of the wave, Mr.. Sutro traps the
crest Of the wave and uses it for his
own purpose. From the basin the water
flows through tunnels and canals, pass
es gates until it reaches the reservoir,
where it is warmed by the Sutro process,
and then it flows into the great tanks
in the huge glass and steel building.
On the road to the tanks through the
canals and the tunnels the water has to
pay toll of sand. Of course it would not
do to have the waves carry their load
Of sand into the baths, SO a settling
place is provided. By automatic ar
rangement, also the device Of Mr.. Su-
tro, the sand is washed back into the
ocean, while the water, cleared, goes
on its course through tunnels and canals
to the tanks.
Sometimes the tide is very low, and
sometimes 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. Artifice is employ
ed to take the place of nature when ma
ture is i'll q quiet mood An emergency
pipe pokes its black proboscis under the
waves, and a pump can draw through
it 5, 900 gallons a minute whenever the
3, 900 gallons are wanted in a minute
Having made enough tunnels to ad-
NIT the water, sandless and tepid, to
the tanks, Mr. Sutro had to provide for
sending the water to sea again, that the
ocean might not 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. That plan would be too easy. In
il were no obstacles to overcome. He
laid an outlet pipe through tunnels
probably several hundred feet long, and
through this the water will flow from
the tanks and return to the sea several
hundred feet from the place whence II
was taken.
The water that comes in through the
tunnels must fill six tanks. The largest
of these, the main swimming tank, is
275 feet long, and at the place of great
est breadth is 100 feet wide. The other
tanks are smaller. Some will be used
for ladies and children, some for begin
ners, each one having its particular use.
One tank will be filled with cold salt
water for swimmers who want shock.
Then there is little tank filled with
fresh water, supplied from the Sutro
waterworks on the bluff above. And the
dressing rooms, every one provided with
a fresh water shower and an electric
light, aud the olubrooms for the com
panies Of bathers. They are counted by
hundreds and are built tier upon tier
until the visitor is amazed at their
number rs much as he wondered at the
maze Of tunnels.
The spectacular effect Of the baths
was prominent in the purpose Of MT
sutro in planning these baths, Ihs
glazed root, that great span that ~ more
than two acres In area, IL 80 high above
tho tanks that looking up 20 the vault
seems llhe prbfliAE rum NlN LUZ ~ Wv
Palace hotel 10 the sixth story, EleYat
ors and grand staiTnases give oommupl
cation from one tier u tho building "
another About the bathing tanks are
seats IN tiers, seats for b, 800 people ~
great ampbitheater, and there - room
for 10, 900 more 20 stand end 70 prom
enade, a place that osn accommodate
20, 600 people 10 time must he of some
size AZ tho ocean end " tho tanks u
. great stage 90 feet broad, on which
musicians viii DO seated ~ the sides
0f tho siairoasoa aFe planted wonderful
tropical plants, aud ip great holes above
the promenades sgo growing palms 40
baths are foil u heagty spa color
Through ths glass side walls u ihs
ocean gieW Provision Il made foT lbIes
TerisuganiH, each on different Nsg "
lhe bulldog, an aquarium, = ealiiasf
entrance, conservatory Ana possibly
moge tunnels San fIsnelsoo ttaiainel
gols saa lhs Dsibsliss
Ths Regno Hebd0madails, which
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