The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-09

1
the curiosities and works of art which he
mad collected, and particularly the great
| paths. he took keen pleasure in setting be-
dore them: perhaps in a tent On the lawn
a FEAST fit for a king with wines of the
rarest vintage and every other luxury to
tempt even an epicure And all done.A too,
that the blue Pacific dashes on the. cliffs
Just in the rear, and on the rocks where
Ine seal comes year after year. and creeps
| up on fine beach TO the south of the es-
tate. while roses and olher flowers are seen
an about-when one pictures an open-air
luncheon in midwinter with such delightful
surroundings, he may imagine what a pleas
ant experience it is; and Ii was such an
experience that Mr.. Sutro was happy, to
oHer soJournerS from the East. and one by
winch he will be kindly remembered by
been made, but they deserve a fuller de-
scription. They exceed the famous Roman
paths OF antiquity in size as well as equip
ment The largest of the Roman baths
had about two hundred feet of frontage. 10
use the modern commercial terms of desig-
nation. Two of these great bathing places
about 80
Sutro was so skillful an engineer that he
enjoyed solving problems in construction or
breaking through diffiGulties in mechanics
as ne enjoyed invigorating exercise. He de-
signed the building over the bath. devised
patented the apparatus for heating the
water. The Sutro tunnels. second series.
With the ocean at his feet, the breakers
dashing against the rocks Mr.. Sutro
deemed that nature had so well provided
power to send the water to the bathing
tanks that artificial means would be un-
necessary, 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 the wave,
Mr.; sutro trapped the, crest of the wave
ana used 1t 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 by the S1ltro
patent process, and then it flows into the
great tanks in the huge glass and steel
On the road to the tanks through the
canals and the tunnels the water has to
pay toll of sand OF coJrse it would not do
to have the waves carry their load of sand
yided By automatic arrangement also the
device. of Mr.. Sutro. the sand is washed
cleared, goes on its course through tunnels
and canals to the tanks.
Sometimes the tide is very low and some
Times 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.
Article is employed to take the place of ma
ture when nature is in a quiet mood An
emergency pipe pokes. its black proboscis
under the waves, and a pump can draw
through 1t 5000 gallons minute whenever
the 1000 gallons are wanted in a minute.
Having made enough tunnels to admit 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 1t was taken in would not be salts
factory. Mr.. Sutro did not want the baths
to be receiving the same water over and
over again That plan would be too easy.
In 1t there were no obstacles to be overcome.
He laid an outlet pipe through tunnels prob
ably several hundred feet long, and through
TINS the water flows from the tanks and re-
turns to the sea several hundred feet from
the place whence it was taken
The water that comes in through the tun-
nels must fill six tanks. The largest of
these, the main swimming tank is 275 feet
long. and at the place of greatest breadth
is 80 feet wide The other tanks are small
er. Some are used for women and children.
some for beginners-each one has its par
ticular use. One tank is filled with cold salt
Then there is a little tank filled with
fresh water supplied from the Sutro water
works on the bluff above. And the dress
ing-rooms, everyone provided with a fresh
water shower and an electric light, and
the clubroOms for the companies of batEers
they are counted by hundreds and are
amazed at their numbers much as he
wondered at the maze of tunnels.
prominent in the purpose of Mr.. sutro in,
planning them. The glazed roof, that
great span that is more than two acres in
area is so high above the tanks that look
ing up to the vault seems like peering to a
sixth story Elevators and grand staircases
g give communication from 90, one tier Of the
there are seats in tiers seats for $500 peo-
pie in a great amphitheater, and there is
room for 1900 more to stand and to prone
made. A place that can accommodate $1,000
people at time must be of some size. At
the ocean end of the tanks there is great
stage, fifty feet broad on which musicians
are seated. BY the sides of the staircases
there are planted wonderful tropical plants,
and in great boxes above, the promenades
are growing palms The baths full of
beauty and color. Through the glass side
walls is the ocean view. There are three
restaurants, each on different tier of the
building, an aquarium, carriage entrance
and a conservatory.