Arizona republican., 1914-05-31
In Spite of Threatening Weather Crowds Venture Out to See Opening of PhoeniX's Most Preten- tiOuS Amusement Place
MOTORCYCLE AND
 SWIMMING RACES
Prove Most Popular Fea- lures - Pool is Crowded and Bath House Has to Order Extra Suits-Root- CTS Crowd Banks

In spite of the fact that yester- day was the most unattractive, in the weather line. that Phoenix has known in a long time: thousands of people grasped the opportunity to visit and enjoy Phoenix newest and biggest playground. They went in autos. in wagons, on horseback, mo- torcycles and on foot. they got there early and they stayed late and they gave every indication of enjoying themselves hugely.
 The story of Riverside Park reads like modern miracle. Six weeks ago It was barren waste, drearv and unattractive. Yesterday it was a thing of beauty; if the desert had not blossomed like the rose. it had at least given forth an oasis ex- quisite in it's greenery and country like beauty The rolling nature of the ground was altogether new to Phoenicians, and the sound of splashing water made sweet music for their ears.
 As had been generally expected if was the water that was the chief attraction. From early morning un- til closing time the big swimming pool was thrOnged with bathers. of all sizes and ages, and along it's banks the crowd arrayed itself. They Were banked six and eight deep, they filled all the rustic benches. the chairs and the cement retaining wall and even fell back on the tables in the plaza for points of vantage. Dur ing the swimming races and diving exhibitions it is estimated that there were over eighteen hundred people watching the events.
 They were not slow to show their appreciation of the novelty either for they cheered on the contestants en- Enthusiastically and applauded the stunts of the divers at every oppor- tunity. Perhaps the tiny urchn who managed to win the tub race by na- vigating his way almost the full length of the pool in d galvanized ! iron wash tub, received the bulk of the Afternoons applause He soon ! had the race to himself as the others had all capsized; but the crowd kept
 urging him to paddle hard to keep ahead of an imaginary contestant
 and in his wild efforts to oblige i them he landed with the other at ] the bottom of the tank to the de ! light of the onIookers.
 | The day fireworks kept the young sters busy chasing paper animals and i some of them have enough stored up ! to give them the freedom of the park
 in the summer
 Another thing that amused the
 crowd greatly were the deep sand
 pulling stunts of the motorcycles If { busy breeze to another direction there
 would have been a real delight; but
 the wind persisted in aiding their ef- forts by removing most of the fresh . ly ploWed sand into the air instead of leaving it in front of the ma chimes No races like these have
 been seen here before and in d way
 they were as big a novelty as the swimming stunts.
 Redewill's band gave concerts in
 the afternoon and evening and made ] d big hit with the crowd
 The attendance in the evening was
 even larger than in the afternoon
 and something like four thousand people were admitted to the park
 between opening and closing.
 The lighting of the park made a tremendous impression on everybody Dncr