Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-01
THE BATHING BEACH
Superintendent StevenGBuhmits His Annual
Report.
Improy ements ands Reforms Under.
Recommendations no Follow.

District bathing beachp today submitted to
the District Commissioners a report Of the
transactions of his office during the fiscal
year ended June 3d. 1899, covering matters
of interest connected Herewith during the
said year. together with recommendations
for the improvement or betterment of the
service, with a statement of expected OPP
erations during the next fiscal year, and
statement of the number and compensation
of employees detailed to or from the Office
for the year.
1.-THE bathing season." says Mr.. Stevens,
averages 100 days between May Is and
September 10 of each year, so that such
report would cover the last half of the last
bathing season and the first half of this
bathing season. There is no difficulty in
making the financial report, because the
accounts of the District office are balanced
to that date, and the connecting statement
can be readily furnished; but a report of
the doings Of one-half of the bathing sea-
son of '9S, with one-half of the bathing
season of SO, connected together as one
year. would be almost impossible to make
made this financial report for the fiscal
year of '9S, and I ask permission to include
the other matters in the second report
which your letter calls for.
Financial Showing.
1.-The appropriation for 1898 was $1,000.
The sum of 81, s0519, left unexpended of the
$4,000 appropriated for the inner basin, was
again appropriated and was used on the
present beach. The receipts of the beach
for the year 1898 amounted to S74S.35, max
ing available total of So, 55354 for that
year. The sum expended in that fiscal year
was S2G4054, leaving 1913 unexpended. At
ter the committees report of last fall, the
first expenditure that came under my
knowledge was about $40 for RATS and two
men as guards to prevent loss of life at
near the bathing beach during a period of
unsafe condition of the ice. They warned
hundreds of persons against dangerous
places and took out one colored boy who
went through the Ice. To prepare for the
season of 1892 the floats were beached and
blocked up for calking. Instead of hiring
blocking timbers, as heretofore, the amount
of timber required was bought and sawed
into blocks at a little more than the usual
cost of rental.
'These blocks have been frequently used
since then and they belong to the beach
for future use. Your committee having de-
cfded to dispense with the floating pool
baskets, the baskets have been torn to
pieces and the lumber used for making and
repairing fences, sheds, walks, etc. The
destruction by winters ice and storms has
been about as usual. One of the baskets
was fmbedded in the bottom, in about
able hard labor and some risk of life
in the cold water for it's removal. The
wharf was broken In two, and the main
body was badly twisted. +
Thieves Were Frequent Visitors.
THE office houses were repeatedly broken
into by thieves, but there had been little
of commercial value left in them, and no
material loss was sustained A float sug-
gested by the committee has been made of
eighteen barrels which serves as a place
OF amusement to good swimmers and
divers. The board walks. being made of
old scrap lumber, are daily broken, and
require continual repairs. improvements
have been made which render the ladies'
dressing houses more convenient and en-
tirely exclusive. Racks have been made
for free keeping of about 900 bicycles, and
a shed for checking bicycles at cents
time has been made by the tenant, and he
pays 81 month for the use of 1t. The re-
freshment stand is rented at $50 month,
against SIT a month rent for last season.
The current daily expenses are: For clerk,
81: three life guards, 81. 80, and one at 81;
one ticket boy, 30 cents, and three key
boys. $50; a laundress, IS cents, making
80 % a day, to which must be added the
superintendent salary of 500 year. A
large percentage of the old room doors had
become so loose and dilapidated that the
houses could not be used, and during the
process of putting on new locks the doors
are being repaired much as is practi-
cable. The new system inaugurated with
the change of locks having been tried for
one busy Sunday, with three quarters of
the new locks on, promises great advan-
tages and general satisfaction.
System in Vogue.
THE system may be described in brief as
follows: Every house has a different lock
and there cannot be a master key made to
them. The key has brass tag with num-
Der on it. Keys are hung On boards in the
key room, one board to one row of rooms.
JIcc hof bor ar,tr ar5
heretofore. Key clerk hands out key, marks
number card Al d leaves card on that
key nail Bather unlocks his room, dresses
for the water, returns hey to clerk who
hangs 1t on it's nail over bather's card.
Bather returns from the water tells his
number and, If clerk has any doubt. his
name also. That being on the card bather
receives the key again and unlocks his
door. On his way out every one must pass
the key window and deliver his key. Then
1t returns to the rail and his card is filed
away The financial clerk does nothing but
receive money for suits, &c, and take care
big figures on applicants slip the amount of
money paid. That tells key clerk what to
ask the bather to return on his way out.
If bather stays in long time his card
becomes conspicuous on the board and the
police officer may call him out by name. 1t
is thought that this system will enable the
present force to render satisfactory service
to five times as many bathers as nave ever
will be no checks lost in the water, no
money stolen from single rooms and no
shiverers bowling for key boy.
Increase in Bathers.
THE number of actual bathers in '9S was
bS ISL, but in the fiscal year from July i,
'9S, to July 1, go the number was 1852.
This shows how misleading a general re-
port of the doings of any season would be
If made for the fiscal year rather than for
the bathing season Of each year, therefore,
unless differently requested by you, I will
make my general report and the recon-
mendations called for at the close of the
season, about September 1, go when all
the facts and experience of the seasoS. may
be turned to account"
Ex-COnvict's Plea Successful.
Robert Quiet and JohneParker, coiored, of
Fenton place were today charged before
Judge Taylor with dsordsrly conduct in
Goat alley at an early hour this morning.
Quiet begged the court to let him go, as he
had or,ix f,oaya IaoS sod