Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-19
SWIMMING POOLS
Now Common in the Large Country
Places.
SWIMMING IN A CONSERVATORY
Some of Them n Part of the Houss
Itself, other ituated I'm the
Grounds-AdvantaEes OF
the Indoor Pool.

The swimming pool has come TO be an
adjunct Of the country house so usual as
to attract more attention by its absence
in large estates than by It's presence.
Sometimes the pool is I'm the casino, as az
the residences OF George Gould at Lake
wood and ]. J. Astor at Rhinobeck. Ernest
Flags has a swimming pool as an integral
part OF his house on Staten island and II Is
not far from the drawing room. In these
cases the pool is used as much In winter
as in summer. At both Ferncliffe, Mr..
Astor's place, and Georgian Court, MI,
Gould's the tennis, squash and other exor-
cising rooms are in the pavilion. so the
swimming pool has its uses as well as its
pleasures.
1t is only at Lakewood Of the places
mentioned that the artificial pool is really
necessary. At Ferncliffe there is the Hud-
son to swim in, while the water OF the bay
stretch In front Of Mr.. Flagg's house.
There is, - course, the lake at Lakewood
and IL adjolns Mr.. Gould's grounds: but
one scarcely associates the waters OF the
lake with the Idea Of swimming, probably
because all the swimming at Lakewood is
done under cover In the winter. There
are swimming pools along the sound. how
ever, which show how little connection
there is necessarily between the presence
of water and the pleasure Of a swimming
pool.
The pool in it's simplest form is made
by widening a brook until there is a
oreadth and depth enough for bathing.
Then the same pool will serve for an ice
pond in winter. The next step in expense
is to concrete the pool until It has the
more agreeable character that is impaired
by the smooth walls. This degree OF
elaborateness does not diminish the utuffA
of the pond as a means of acquiring ice In
WINTER.
Other details may be added to taste.
Trees grown about the pond, a lattice COW
cred with vines or even ~hollyhocks in suf-
ficient height and number VIII provide
shelter for dressing. Or there may be the
bungalow and dressing room combined,
with a small piazza for tea or refresh
ments.
Such a development of the dressing room
usually accompanies the carefully built
concrete pool, with its broad edges level
with the well-kept sward and the unfail-
ing supply Of water Independent Of the
casual stream on the grounds. The large
pool with the high wall about It, shown
In the picture, lies at the foot or a Massa-
chusetts estate. The pool runs from three
to eighteen feet in depth to give ample
opportunity for diving. There are SIX
rooms for dressing in the brick bathing
house. This pool is fed from a river near
the estate and is never lacking In sufficient
water supply.
Thu indoor pool combined with a cons
servatory is not far from White Plains
and makes the owner Of the house indie
pendent Of the drive to the shore of the
sound or of the state Of the tide when he
gets there. Swimming in the privacy of
this house is most appreciated when water
and temperature are mild without being
enervating and the winter SHOWS lie on
the glass roof and the green palms and
ferns flourish inside. This is the highest
pleasure Of a swimming tank under cover,
for 1t makes possible a union Of the de-
lights of various seasons.
But few pools, comparatively speaking,
are under cover. That requires at once
an outlay Of money consistent only with
the maintenance of the great estate. And
the swimming pool is no longer the posi-
session Of only the owner Of the great es-
tate.-New York Sun.