Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-06-17
PAY FOR HEAOe LIFE GUARD
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES LETTER
TO THE COMMISSIONERS.
Thinks the Man Should Have 81 Per
Day-Other Bathing Beach
Suggestions.

W. x. Stevens, the superintendent of the
bathing beach, has written to the District
Commissioners callingI attention to the
work of the guards at the beach and sug-
costing that head aguardsman be appoint
ed, with increased compensation. In the
letter Superintendent Stevens says:
AT meeting of the committee on the
bathing meaeh held May IA they suggested
the need of head life guard and the mat
ter was fully discussed. On May 23 the
committee notified me to assemble at the
beach on the next day, to meet them, the
proposed employees for this season. All
Who could be ntified on such short notice
were present and were accepted. The COM
mittee requested me to nominate head
life guard and l stated my preference for
A. r. Waller. He was appointed on trial.
On making out the pay roll yesterday for
the first two weeks 1 asked DR.. Tindall
whether I should give Waller 81 a day,
that being the pay the committee named
for head life guard. or $780, which is the
pay of a private. He said the matter
would have to be decided by the Commits
sloners, and he requested me to make a
recommendation, in order that it might
come regularly before your board.
This letter is for that purpose: Pending
your decision l entered Walters pay at
$15o a day. There are five posts-the
wharf the boat, two floats and along
shcre Each guard Is to keep the post as
signed to him until relieved or called into
action Sometimes nearly all the bathers
gather around one post and sometimes
they are broadly scattered, and it is the
duty OF the head guard to manipulate his
force to meet the varying conditions. 1t is
also MS duty to give prompt orders in case
OF an alarm, search, rescue or of eff
forts to reSuscitate strangled bather
Ihere has been one alarm of colored boy
missed
walters work and orders were prompt
and to the point. The body was recovered
and turned over to the Emergency wagon
before spasms had ceased The book rec
ord shows nine rescueS so far-one by
Life Guard White, one by Life Guard VIII
lis aided by bather and by Salkeld in the
boat. Salkeld rescued one alone and has
aided In two other rescues He is a candi-
date for life guard. Key Boy Ross rescued
one, Colored Guard Taylor one and Waller
has rescued three alone and one with as
SiStance.
With many toughs, some sentimentalists
and many from the higher walks of life,
all reduced to water level in bathing suit,
1t is impossible to manage the bathing
beach either as superintendent life
guard without sometimes giving offense,
but think Mr.. Waller is doing well as
can be expected Of any one who is young
enough to be competent life guard.
Last year there was SO much contest
and general friction among the guards in
being ordered by head guard that
thought detrimental to good service; but
careful observation Of this first two weeks
management leads me to fully concur with
the committee, and 1 recommend that
head life guard be vested with full author
ity at the bathing beach under the super
intendent at such pay as you may decide
to give"