The times., 1898-08-17

tfsSts
The annual report Of w Y. Stevens the
superintendent OF the free bathing beach
was submitted 10 the District Commits
sioners yesterday. IL says In part;
LAS the bathing season OF each year
extends from the middle of May to the
of last Fail for details of last bathing
season. and add this statement of details
for the balance of the fiscal year
1.-The police officer was withdrawn from
the beach in the Fall. The houses were
repeatedly broken into during the Winter
and some tools were stolen, but nothing
of great value was within reach and the
whole loss would not sum up to S25.
THE winds, ice and tides did some dam
age to the floats and baskets. AS these
floats have to be separated from the bask-
cts and blocked up on shore for recaulk-
ing every year, they are comparatively
expensive, but they offer the best means
for safety outside of the basin, and should
be well kept until that becomes available.
by your letter of April IS, 1898, l was
notified that you had appointed Assistant
Inspector of Buildings Ashford, Assis-
tant Engineer Charles A McKenney, and
DR.. w. Tindall, a committee to confer
with me- and recommend 10 the board
such improvements and repairs 10 the
beach, and its appurtenances and methods
of conducting the same, as they might
deem advisable in order to obtain the
best practicable results from the appro-
priation for that purpose.
The first meeting of the committee was
at the beach April 10, to look the prem
ises over. The second meeting was at
the Commissioner office May 26. at
which DR.. Tindal. as chairman. presented
a list Of officers and employees and the
salaries proposed, watch, i have been told.
| was approved by the Commissioners, as
| follows
The superintendent 10 receive a salary
OF $3.50 in lieu of the income of the beach !;
t.le new office of assistant superintendent
al $3.50 day; the new office of second
assistant superintendent who shall be
the policeman under police department
pay. clerk at Sl.25 a day. one life guard
at & a day, one at 81 an afternoon and
one at the colored beach, who is also
/ bNAstl di sdlAtAiNet4aA lilEIG, at u Il u1N, the
new office of ticke. taker, at 75c a day;
two key boys at 75c a day, and the ladies'
maid al her old pay of 60c a day The
clerk and key boys have been raised each
25c day above last years pay. That
gives daily payroll of $3.50 which mul-
tiplied by the season of 100 days, makes
the item of salaries alone sum up to S. .S72
The appropriation is 81 600 for care and re.
pairs. The uneXpended amount of the
1 s. yKhf fnh yrrq- ,-fs.
provemeTsc Of the inner basin. is 81, sos Is
and that is reappropriated this year.
There have been a great many DAYS
OF carpenter work done in repairing the
old houses and walks in building a new
suit room, and in changing the entrance
to the yard There has also been built
block of twenty-four houses, a grand
stand and fence along the brow OF the
hill, parallel with the water. A p;nf
has been connected with the Fish Com.
missions supply pipe, but 1t is not in use
as that supply is inadequate for the Fist
Commission, so drinking water has II
be brought by hand from a pump in tn,
city, seven squares away.
great many days labor have beer
obtained free, from the chain gang. il
grading sand. bringing 1t from the fnne,
pasln, cutting weeds and in cleaning II,
generally. II
Inc whole number of bathers befor.
July !, OF this season, was q. .7le. which
lar exceeds the number of the like perto,
or any previous year. The average al
tendance of ladies is over fifty for eact
ladies' day
THE condition of the water has offer
been very. unsatisfactory to bathers
Every time there is a south wind AT hipl
tide the water is covered with hoatin,
matter, and after heavy rains the waite
, is yellow with mud.
Il think we could complete the inne
basin, in accordance with the plans an
. proved by the Secretary of War witt
the details now proposed, for the sum o
4 SlV,oVo, and ask you to recommend TO tn
next Congress the early approximation o
that amount, to be made immediatel,
available for the Improvement of the in
l ner basin for a bathing beach
1T was the understanding at the Wa
Department, when the inner basin wa
7 granted for a bathing beach, that tn
= present premises would be vacated at a
early a date as possible, and money ha
been reserved 10 complete the wall acros
the gap formed by the present beach.
when that is done the whole waite
front from the foot of Seventeenth Stree
may be bordered by a driveway and seat
scattered along the terrace, from whic
a view of the beautiful scenery may b
had, unobstructed by the unsightly appur
tenanceS OF this experimental beach. Her
promenaders and riders may resort o
sultry evenings to enjoy the south
west breeze directly from the Potoma
without being driven away by make
bathers, as they now are every nigh
after the beach closes.
4 "Tyros are always ready TO CRITICS
and direct, and if there were no kicker
;, the undersigned has certainly not don
:, his duty. He therefore respectfully re
q quests you 30 hear the result of his ex
: perience on any plan or step proposed t
o you concerning the bathing beach, and t
, permit him to face any complaint agains
= his management before you take decisiv
Il action"
4 The Commissioners are apparently i
favor of the new bathing beach projec
4 as exclusively outlined in The Mornin
Times of August last. and have write
TO Superintendent Stevens, asking for az
e ditional Information on the subject, pre-
l. paratory to asking Congress for an al
r | preparation.
The letter of the Commissioners to 81
% | perintendent Stevens is as follows:
- 1.-The Commissioners request that yo
will submit without delay any plans
studies you may have TO present for tt
= | betterment of the municipal bathing f;
| cilities at the inner basin on the Potoms
e flats, in order that they may have an il
- yestigation made as to the feasibility ar
cost OF such plan. and the advisability
submitting a recommendation for an al
preparation therefor in their next annu
ar estimates