Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-19
HIS ANNUAL SHOWING
Report Made by Snperinten-
dent of Bathing Beach.
NUMBER OF PATRONS
7tri
THE POOL POPULAR, NoTWITH-
STANDING OBSTACLES.
Suggestions Made for Betterment Of
Conditions-Estimate for I'M
provements Needed.

perintendent of the bathing beach, was sub
mitted to the Commissioners today. 1t is
stated that the total number of bathers
registered this year was 81, 1896 There were
seventeen rescues during the season and
not life lost by drowning. Mr.. Stevens
says:
For a number Of years past the rescues
have averaged very nearly one to the thou
sand bathers but this season the ratio has
been reduced to one-half of one to the
thousand, and when this inner basin is
perfected there will be little need of any
lifeguards. The amount Of receipts for the
use Of bathing suits and private dressing
rooms is $3S7.s5. and 500 has thus far
been received from Mr.. Hekimian for rent
of the refreshment stand, $50 yet remain
ing to be paid in January. Mr.. Hekimian
has also built a boat house and given it to
the bathing beach to pay for rent of the
So me and for the right to sell fishing bait
at the beach for term or years
Cause of Decline in Patronage.
1.-THE very low number Of patrons this
season is due to a number of obstacles. 1.
The disturbed condition of the approaches
due to building the new speedway which
runs from the foot of 18th street directly
beside the swimming lake. 2 The unusual
dered outdoor bathing uncomfortable 3.
Prejudice against the present inclosed lake
on the superstition that water which Is not
permitted to run freely is stagnant in an
unhealthy sense. This has been proved to
be untrue by tests made by the board Of
health. Every day this season the water
of the inner basin has been cleaner and
healthier for bathing than the open river
water outside. This is the verdict of thou
sands who had the opportunity to try
both.
''At first the floating baths in the open
water were favored by many because of
the statements against the inner basin
made by some of the papers, but the evil
dence of their own eyes and actual trial
proved the clear water. the sandy bottom
and the shady shores of the basin to be so
far preferable that near the end of the
season not one in a hundred went to the
floating baths at all. The grass and weeds
growing in the basin are seriously objec-
tionable, and we hope to be able to root
them out and by covering the whole bot
tom with sand to prevent their further
growth before another bathing season"
Accidental Death.
With regard to the death Of one Of the
beach patrons by lightning flash Mr..
Stevens says:
ION the boathouse there was flag pole
not connected with the ground. That pole
was struck by lightning which tore track
down the front of the house, and, passing
through the crowd to water pipe, 1t killed
one man. seriously injured three others and
knocked down a great many, but 1t did
no injury to the sixty or seventy bathers
who were in the water nor to any one on
the bathing premises. l think 1t worthy
of honorable mention that Henry Ransom,
one of the lifeguards at the beach, at his
own instance. ran through the pouring rain,
in his bathing suit, and conveyed the first
information of this catastrophe to the
Emergency Hospital. There was quick
response to his call. Mr.. Arba N. Tindall,
a former official of the beach, who had
been in bathing FASTENED to the boathouse
and rendered commendable service in
resuscitating those who had been rendered
unconscious. using the efficient methods
practiced at the beach in which he was
earnestly assisted by Mr.. Frank B. White,
life guard at the beach and others.
Now, in spite of all these obstacles the
beach Is so popular that on the very lew
hot days which there have been this sea-
son the dressing rooms were crowded and
wholly inadequate to the demand, and
about three weeks ago on Sunday was
made the highest record ever attained by
the beach, 1854.
Cause of Annoyance.
1.-THE greatest cause of annoyance at the
beach has always been the unsafe keeping
Of clothes and valuables in the dressing
rooms. This season expensive locks were
provided. of which no two keys In 1.5OO
would operate any one lock. Every day
some of these were broken by careless or
stupid persons. we had to return to the
old plan Of giving out no keys but sending
a key boy with each bather to unlock and
lock doors. This trusts everything to the
honesty Of the key boys and is very slow.
After years of study 1 suggested a simple
device whereby one man at a switchboard
can operate every lock in an aisle and
there will be no keys. The door cannot
be unlocked excepting by the switchboard,
and the switchman has no business any
where but in his seat, so shtvertng bathers
don't have to wait to hunt him up. The
device costs less installed than the present
locks, and would enable one operator to at
tend to ten times as many as he now can,
and no possibility of thieving without BURST
ing open the doors, which are all in sight
Of the switchman. This system was not
adopted, but still recommend it.
I'm crowded times every employe is push
ed to his full ability. and everything should
be designed for the greatest convenience.
If our patrons would arrange themselves to
fit our accommodations and come, so many
men, so many neatly dressed boys, so many
ragamuff1ns, so many women, SO many girls,
so many colored so many free, so many to
hire suits and 80 many very nice people
who want each private room, our present
facilities would accommodate 800, 600 In
season. But they come in crowds on hot
days and all want immediate attention.
ho iouiC.o iiou,c is very luCOHVeHl6nIly
located. 1t should be placed in harmony
with the rest of the system, directly beside
the clothes yard. where the laundry women
can attend 1T with less waste Of time and
labor. :,
Change Suggested.
"By moving that and the refreshment
stand to locations better for both. the view
of the water will be left open to spectators
on the boardwalk and in the grove. Right
where these two houses are would like to
erect gymnastic appliances suitable for
outdoor use, and provide seats in the grove
where parents and friends could sit in the
shade and watch the antics of the bathers
as well as the performances of the gym
aasts while enjoying the cool breezes and
the beautiful view across the water.
need not now repeat the description of the
wharf and fences which are to surround
the triangle of deep water separating 1t
from the great area of wading playground
SO that none ban get intoiIt accidentally.
and to insure complete circulation every
time the water is changed and I have
presented as a part of this report some
what detailed estimate showing that many
Of the improvements needed can be had
and the beach can be maintained during
the coming season by the expenditure of