The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1898-04-01
MIR. SUTRO'S ENTERPRISES

Adolph Sutro. ex-Mayor of San
Francisco, and builder of the famous
Sutro tunnel, who has been adjudged
mentally incompetent, has long been
one OF the most conspicuous figures on
the Pacific coast. He has been not on.
ly prominent, but picturesque. being
thus described by California CORES
pondcnt.
Fame and fortune came to Sutro
through the Comstock tunnel, which
bears his name, and enterprise which
he conceived and carried out in the face
OF opposition that would have discour-
aged and crushed another man. The
tunnel was begun in 1864 and completed
in 1878, and then Sutro was 4 million
aire. BY judici,us investments his
wealth steadily increased. He is of
luxurious tastes, and has gathered
about him treasures of art to enrich
his home, Sutro Heights, and make it
beautiful with rare vegetation. 1t is
his design to give it to the city some
day. He has 4 library of great value,
also to be given to the city. He dis
pissed capitalists who seemed to him to
combine against the people, and this
has been the keynote Of his great PC
palarity. The baths adjacent to Sutro
Heights are undoubtedly the finest
and most spacious in the modern world,
and 81 100000 hotel has been added
to the property. 1t is his lavish ex-
penditure on great enterprises and his
opposition to the Southern Pacific that
have made Sutro the object of the peo-
pies admiration. He is a widower
and has two children.
1t has been source of much de-
light to Mr.. Sutro to entertain strang-
ers in California. When large parties of
invited guests have driven out through
Golden Gate Park, they have seen him
as they have approached his house.
riding down on blootled horse, at
; tended 10y groom, to greet the visi-
tors; and when they have inspected
his grounds, the curiositics and works
Of art which he has collected, and par
ticularly the great baths, he has taken
keen pleasure in setting before them,
perhaps in tent on the lawn, feast
fit for king, with wines of the rarcst
vintage and every other luxury to
tempt even ail epicurc. And all done,
too, in modest manner. When one
is told that the blue Pacific dashes on
the cliffs just in the rear, and on the
rocks where the seal comes year after
year. and creeps up on a fine beach to
the south of the estate, while roses and
| other flowers are seen all ahout-when
one pictures an open-air luncheon in
mid-winter, with such delightful sur
roundings, he may imagine what
pleasant experience it is; and it is Just
snch an experience that Mr. Sutro
has been happy to offer soionrners
from the east, and one by which lie
will he kindly remembered by many.
Brief mention of the great baths has
been made. but they deserve fuller
description. They exceed the famous
Roman baths Of antiquity in size as
we'll as equipment. The largest of
the Roman baths had about 200 feet
of frontage, to use tho modern terms
of designation. Two of these great
bathing Places might be dropped with.
in the Sitro baths and still leave room
enough for men to walk about.
Sutro has been so skilful an engi-
neer that he has enjoyed solving prob
lens in construction or breaking
through difficulties in mechanics as he
has enjoyed invigorating exercise.
He designed the building over the
bath, devised the plan for water sup
ply, invented and patented the appara
t:is for heating the water. The Sutro
tunnels, second series. arc part of his
scheme Of construction.
With the ocean ut his feet, the break
ers dashing against the rocks, Mr..
Sutro deemed that nature had so well
provided power to send the water to
the hathing tanks that artificial means
would be unnecessary. Therefore 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 tie wave, Mr.. Sutro
traps the crest of the ware and uses it
for his own purpose. From the basin
the water flows through tunnels and
canals, passes gates until it reaches
the reservoir, where it is warmed bv
the Sutro patent 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 told of sand. OF course, it
would not do to have the waves carry
their load of sond into the baths, so a
settling place is provided. BY auto
matte arrangements, also the device of
Mr. Sutlo, 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 he times when
the water could not dash over the rock |
wall into the basin.
Artjticc is pmDlOypd to take the |