The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-03-30
SAFETY Of LIFE ON
THE BATHING BEACH
improvements Agreed Upon
by the Commission.
TreacherOus Rats Are to Be Re-
placed by Modern Catamarans.
Precautions on Behalf of the Small
Boy-GettinS Ready to Open
the Season.

Dr. William Tindall, Secretary to the
Board of District Commissioners, and
Snowden Ashford, Assistant Inspector of
Buildings, both members of the Free Bath
ing Commission, met W. Y. Stevens, Su-
perintendent of the Beach, at the District
Building yesterday and discussed matters
pertaining to the policy to be pursued this
coming summer. The conference lasted au
hour and resulted in an agreement that the
bed of the beach should be graded and
covered with sand SO as to have uniform
slope TO depth of eight feet below high
tide. In the past many drowning acct
dents have resulted from the uneven bot
tom OF the beach, which has large holes
in many places. a
In order to reduce the danger to life to
the lowest possible minimum the Commits
sion determined TO remedy at least this de-
feet before the coming season opens, about
June l next. With an evenly sanded
bottom about six feet below low tide and
several feet lower at the flood tide. it would
be almost impossible for careful non
swimmer TO get suddenly into deep water
and rescue would be more easy.
Another radical change that will be made
before the opening of the approaching
season will be the substitution OF cata-
marans for the old basket-hoats which
have always been one of the greatest
sources of danger at the beach. There
are two floats, one equipped with trapeze,
horizontal bars, and springboards and
surrounded by deep water, for the enjoy
ment OF experienced swimmers and divers,
and another float moored over more shall
low water for the use Of those who have
not learned to swim. The former float is
fiat surfaced and rectangular in shape 1t
Will not be changed. The latter is. in
reality, three smaller floats fastened to-
gether with side rails and provided with
bottoms, SO as to enclose two crib-like
ponds for the use of small boys. While
the water in the floating enclosures is not
over two and half feet deep the depth
along the sides of the entire arrangement is
much greater, and in places rises over the
heads of boys who cannot swim. The
chief danger has been that boys unaware
OF the depth of the water alongside the
basket-fioat and unable to take care of
themselves in the water have jumped in,
and being unable to swim have sunk
under the float. In such instances
narrow escapes from drowning have not
been infrequent.
When the tide is low these basket floats
may be reached by inexperienced swimmers
who wade from the shore. Many beginners
who have waded out TO the baskets at
low tide, or at times when only few
strokes of swimming were required, have
attempted the same feat when the tide
is high and the swimming distance great
err They have then been unable to COM
plete their undertaking. Fortunately the
life guards were prompt to rescue all
such persons last summer.
The Bathing Beach Commission has con-
demned the old basket float as unsafe for
the smaller boys, and will provide cata-
maran for the coming season. This float
ing raft will consist of boards fastened to
three parallel cylinders. each cylinder be-
ing composed of about four air-tight bar
rels, placed end to end. The displacement
will be such that there will be accommodate,
tions for twenty swimmers on the catama-
ran at time. and as long as no greater
number of persons is permitted on the af-
fair there will always be an open space of
about IL inches between the bottom of the
catamaran and the surface OF the water.
In this way any person sinking under the
catamaran will be able 10 ascertain his
bearings when he rises to the surface of
the water. even If he does rise under the
raft On the under side of the catamaran
ropes Will be stretched which may be
grasped by boys who happen to sink under
1t when they reach the surface
With these improvements 1t Is believed
by the Commission that the coming season
viii be marred by few, il any. accidents
and that the patronage of the beach will
exceed that OF any previous season.