The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-07-29
Beach Director Urges Rea-
sons for His Improved
Basin Plan.
DON'T LIKE THE FLOATS
Ones at the Beach Are Water
logged and Can't Be
Moved.

he heSlJdteS 10 recommend bringing
INTO use The two floating bath houses
which, after only two seasons use
now lie abandoned AT the bathing
beach. The two floating bath houses
at the bathing beach which District
COMMISSIONS West suggested could
be towed. one 10 a point at George
town and the other in the Southwest
section. for the use Of nude bathers
In those localities. superintendent
Stevens states are water-lOgged and
unsafe. and would sink il burdened
with excess weight.
Taking Toe Many Chances.
In discussing the good purposes Of
the bathing beach in general, with
passing reference 10 the two abandoned
bath houses. he says.
my object has always been 10 provide
a bathing place where all classes Of
men. women. and children may play 10
he water and learn 10 swim in safety.
The tide here averages four feet. II
rises and falls twice a day and about
three-quarters Of an hour later each
day. This irregularity Of depth has
caused many who could not swim 10
jump into water far over their heads
where they had waded in safety a few
hours earlier. That required many res
cues by the lifeguards. ! think a his
tory OF the beach would show 500 lives
impsriled and saved by such means.
There was one instance Of a boy break
ing his neck by diving into shallow
water where earlier IL was deep. This
uncertainty of depth I'm open water
caused great timidity in beginners and
hindered efforts TO learn swimming.
Z al
ways advocated land-Iocked waters for
bathing; waters that may be changed
al viii, but always at one depth in
bathing hours. As that could not be
had Immediately. / built two floating
baths at the old beach They were
called baskets and were highly appre-
ciated BY beginners. They were I'm use
TWO years. then the bathing beach com
mittea had them removed against my
advice. ] am, and always have been, an
advocate Of floating baths where tides
render depths uncertain or currents are
strong. Around New York and directly
in the city Of Boston floating baths are
the only open water baths that can be
made safe. but i'm the suburbs of Bos-
ton wherever "a pond may be bought or
made they have open reaches at great
expense, and ] am sure that a very large
majority Of bathers whether swimmers
or not. prefer sandy beach 10 boxed
IN float If the beach is made equally
reliable and safe
The Present Floating Baths.
Concerning the floating baths now at
the beach Each one comprises two
pools surrounded by floor which Is
normally one foot above water. and ar
round the whole are open lattice work
sides which do not conceal the bathers.
These baths were expected by the COM
mittee 10 be preferred 10 the open sand
beach and they were patroulzed by
bathers with suits on, until bather5
proved by their own knowledge that the
present beach was not stagnant or un-
healthy water as IL had been represent
ed. then they were almost entirely
abandoned in favor of the beach. Be
fore the new driveway and other inn
prOvements rendered the river front
public resort in hot weather nude bath
ing was permitted in the night But the
reasons why / have permitted these So
called floating baths 10 fall into disuse
are twofold. First, because they do not
float and are unsafe They are designed
10 be supported on barrels which are
completely immersed, each barrel being
provided with an iron pipe two feet
long extending up to the open air. SO
that 10 may be pumped out in case or
leakage. A barre will support a given
weight, but one pound more than that
weight Will sink IL 20 the bottom OF
The river. Barrels enough were put IN
10 support the heavy structure with
pools at the right depth, but the sunken
barrels have no margin OF floating ca
pacity TO carry the patrons, so when
loaded fun on a hot night they went
down and men Waded ashore with shoes
and stockings in hand. and boys who
could not swim must climb out or
drown. l think the former bathing
beach committee Is too modest when
II says these baths were built after
the style of some in New York. I think
The committee should have the full
credit Of having designed something
unique in engineering. To wit, barrels
sunken under water 10 support a large
margin OF weight above the weight that
holds them down
Secondly, because theyare w8terl0ppad
so that the floors are sunken. and they
are so badly decayed along the water
line that many of the barrels have
broken their timber rests and have float
ed out OF place. These structures are
made Of Virginia pine. which DECAYS I'm
very few years-usually not more than
four or five-when exposed TO the eIe-
ments. l don't think that this lumber
Tor this purpose is g'orth remodeling or
repairing.
Make Themselves Euisances.
The nude bathing complained Of is
not done from necessity. 1t is done bv
that class Of 'smarteys' who want 10
have something 10 brag about They
hire boats and do their undressing right
out on the open water of the basin in
plain sight from the driveway as well
as of the occupants OF pleasure launches
and other boats They further make
then, selves "a r,,bf4- r,tFe.ra. h. -1f,,,T,