Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-31
BATHING SEASON OVER
BEACH CLOSES AT 7 O'CLOCK THIS
EVENING.
Small Attendance and Cool Weather
the Cause - Typical Scenes
About the Basin.

The District bathing beach, with all It's
Juvenile joys will be officially closed for
the season of 1904 at o'clock this evening
The reasons given for the early closing
are several the principal ones being the
small number of bathers and the cooi
weather ,,
About twenty-five urchins of various
sizes and Colors were disportlng theH
selves in the waters of the basin inns az
ternoon when a Star reporter VISITED tne
beach Three demure- looking little girls.
attired in homemade bathing SUITS Oh
varied colors were wading in the water
ankle deep, in thorough enjoyment OF the
privilege
"GolIy. dis am de las day oh de beach,
shouted small negro boy, IAN Sc swihe
ter stay in till shutdown
The two lifeguards, one OF them sun
burned as brown as Malay, stood on the
beach watching the antics of the handful
of bathers, and no doubt contemplating
the early loss of their jobs. and venerable
white man was industriously scFubblng MS
anatomy near the shore
Assistant Superintendent Harry Collifow-
err was on hand to see that the official
closing of the beach was carried out &C
cOrding to the orders of Superintendent
Stevens. He stated that the attendance OF
bathers during the season just closing had
been the smallest since the bathing beach
was established.
He attributed this largely to the rank
growth of marine grass and plants in the
basin which causes green scum to cover
much of the surface of the water. He added
that DIR. Tindall proposes scheme for get
ting rid of this growth, by draining the
basin this fall and removing the grass and
other plants. roots and all.
Mr.. Collifower also stated that more
bathing suits and lockers are needed.
He said that on one Sunday in July there
We're by actual registration 1908 persons in
the water, the largest number recorded on
any day. Mr.. Collifower attributed
lack of interest of the patrons to the fall
ure to have this year a tournament OF
aquatic events at the beach.
When asked II the motto, Cleanliness is
next to Goodness" which Washington
women's organization proposed to present
to the beach to be posted on the main
building, had been received he said it had
not
Il don't know he said, laughingly,
whether it will refer to the necessity of
bathing to keep clean. or the condition OF
the water in the basin caused by the ma
rine growth and its bloom or scum
Total of 5000 Bathers.
DIR. William Tindall. chairman of the
bathing beach committee. stated today
that the attendance during the season
just closed Appropriated about 10000.
Considerable has been done this season
toward the Improvement of the resort.
During the past two weeks, it is stated,
very active efforts have been made to re-
move the sea grass. and with some sue
cess. The vegetation. however, grew quite
rapidly and the bloom on the top gave
the basin a displeasing appearance. The
grass also interfered with the bathers
and restricted the area in which they
could swim.
One of the results of this restriction as to
swimming area, it is stated, was to repress
somewhat the spirit of rivalry, and few at
tempts were made by the swimmers to ac
NAL Glyi IN thn
During most of the past season the float
Ing bath for white boys was open, but the
float for colored boys was not in condition
10 use until several weeks after the other
float was put in operation.
DR.. Tindall expressed his qualification, as
chairman of the bathing beach committee,
that no accidents of any consequence oc-
CURED at the resort this season, and that
only a very few occasions were the
bathers in any need of assistance from a
life guard