The evening times., 1899-05-30
|NEW BATHING BEACH
TO Open THURSDAY
improvements Made for the
Safety of Swimmers.
Old Float Replaced by a Better
Structure.
Change. In the Grade of the POtO-
mae NatatOrium-Facilit
Put in Repair.

All persons desiring to take plunge in
Bathing Beach after Thursday morning.
Superintendent Stevens has been hard at
work for some time past in getting the
beach in readiness for the summer season,
which will begin June l.
Many improvements have been made at
the beach during the past year. and it is
expected that the swimmers will enjoy
greater safety and comfort this season than
they ever had before. new float has been
placed near the old structure, and 1t is cx-
pected that. after the opening of the season,
the old float will be done away with en-
tirely. The new structure is what is known
as barrel float, and it rests more lightly
on the water than the old one. II is about
ten feet square and the platform is about
a foot and half above the water. The
plapks composing the floor rest on nine
barrels placed in rows of three running
the entire length Of the structure. There
is space OF about two feet between each
of the rows Of barrels, SO that " a person
dives under the float and comes up directly
beneath it, his head will be above water.
Iessening the danger Of his drown
ing.
The old floats are all constructed OF
plain pine boards which set squarely on
the water. Superintendent Stevens thinks
the new device rs a great Improvement
over the old style, and it is possible that
several others will be constructed before
the close OF the season.
One of the greatest improvements In
the beach, however, is on the bottom,
where the grade has been materially
changed, and it is expected that it will
entirely prevent the drowning accidents
that have occurred at the resort in days
gone by. Heretofore the grade allowed
the swimmers six feet OF water at high
water mark as q danger line. bather
could wade out past the danger line with
out having the water rise above his head
and at the end of the grading the bottom
took sudden drop.
The bather would step off OF this grade
into the hollow, often causing him TO lose
control of himself. and he would have TO
be taken out by the life guard. This year
this has been changed. The danger line
has been moved much further out and
the depth is now six feet at low water
mark The bottom has been sanded and
will be in firs;-class condition when the
season gets well under way.
For some time past gang Of men from
the workhouse has been employed in clear
ing away the debris left by the winter
storms and in leyeling the beach. The sand
was thrown up in mounds at various places
along the beach line and these have been
leveled off so that now the surface is al
most as smooth as a board floor. The
bath houses have been repaired and the
various walks and stands have been put in
first-class condition for the opening of the
season.
Sergeant Haley. of the police force. has
been detailed for duty at the beach dur
ing the summer, and it is probable that
there will be another officer on duty there
also. From present prospects it is ex-
pected that the coming season will be the
most successful in the history of the beach
and every precaution has been taken to
prevent accidents to the bathers and con-
tribute to their pleasurable and healthful
exercise.