Evening star., 1902-01-15
adequate police surveillance there be pro-


vided
One Of the principal arguments used by
it's projectors was that as life-saving
proposition it would more than requite the
efforts made for it's establishment. as IT
would furnish place where the youth OF
the District could resort for aquatic diver
sion under supervision that would reduce
to a minimum the hazard from accident
incident to river bathing, and at the same
time eliminate the rudeness which boys
will exhibit toward each other when as
sembled at such places without authorita-
tive surveillance and restraint.
The municipal authorities had no power
to grant the use of any portion of the tidal
reservoir as requested, nor were any of the
executive officers Of the general govern
ment vested with such authority. There
upon the Bathing Beach Association resort
ed to Congress-, and secured the introduc-
ton in the House of Representatives on
February II, 1890, Of H. r. 1856, establish
ing "a free bathing beach on the Potomac
river near the Washington monument
This bill was referred by the House COM
mittee on the District of Columbia to the
Commissioners, who recommended its en-
actment. It became a law on September
26, 1890, as follows:
The Creating Law.
Be It enacted by the Senate and House OF
Representatives Of the United States OF
America in Congress assembled, That the
Commissioners of the District of Columbia
are hereby authorized and permitted tu
construct a beach and dressing houses upon
the east shore of the tidal reservoir against
the Washington monument grounds. and
to maintain the same for the purpose OF
free public bathing, under such regulations
as they shall deem to be for the public
welfare; and the Secretary Of War Is re-
quested to permit such use OF the punllc
domain as may be required 10 accomplish
the objects above set forth.
Section q That the sum of $1,000 Is here
by appropriated from the revenues of the
District Of Columbia, to be Immediately
available, for the purposes of this act.
An attempt was made in 1896 to adapt
the "inner basin" for bathing beach pur-
poses and an appropriation OF $4,000 was
secured After considerable progress had
been made with this work, at an expendi-
ture of 81, ,194S1, it was discovered that 1t
was not practicable to throw the sand upon
the bottom from the scows IN which 1t was
delivered so as to make surface approx
surface after 1t had been deposited. In con-
sequence of this embarrassment, the Conn
missioners decided that 1t was not advisable
to proceed withnthe work without more
| thorough study ef the plan and details OF
execution. The work was thereupon sus-
! pended and has not been resumed. In the
District appropriation law OF June 81, 1888
| the unexpended balance of that appropria-
ment and repair of the old beach. and nc
| further appropriations have been made fol
work in the inner basin.
Aside from the opfnion Of the Commits
| sioners that the further progress Of the
work should be deferred until an expert in.
| vestigation and report upon its feasibility
| and cost should be made, the necessity fol-
| ali the available revenue Of the District ir
other directions has constrained the Com.
missioners to withhold any estimates foI
this purpose. although the project to con.
vert the inner basin Into q bathing plant
| has also been made-elle subject Of an elabo-
rate study and report by Assistant Engi.
| neer w. j. Douglass Of the District engi
neer department, whose plan Is low ready
for adoption.