The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-08-02
Pensacola AS a Bathing Resort
By Gi1fi1 an Scott.
By Gi1fi1Ian Scott.

on Pensacola's two chief bathing cen
ters-Santa Rosa island and Bay View
park; and. in view of Fridays sad case
Of drowning at the island. the present
is an opportune time for comment and
suggestion
Pensacola is fortunate in possessing
the most magnificent facilities for
bathing to be found anywhere in the
United States of America. There may
be as good but 1t is not possible to have
better.
Babes that can just toddle may battle
with perfect safety at Bay View park.
and the strongest swimmer can get all
the surf buffeting his heart may wish
for at Santa Rosa island.
In addition, thed whole Of the Bay
Shore, East and West. and Little and
Big Bayous afford absolutely safe
bathing for all.
And such bathing! Once the young
sters get in there's no getting them out.
I am reminded here of one of Punch 8
pictures: two girls in bathing costume
sitting on a rock: II could sit here
for ever" said one: $50 could until
lunch time" replied the other. And
that's about all the limit there is to
Pensacola'S bathing.
1t is evident, then, that so great and
fine an attraction Is bound to add to
the general prosperity of Pensa cola.
Directly that fact is recognized, organ
iZation is called for: organiza ton to the
highest point Of efficiency, for the ex-
press purpose Of boosting Pensacola.
Yes there has been some organiza-
ton, but not enough. The results Of
what has been done have been so ire
mendously satisfactory that every in
dication points in the direction Of more
organization, on a larger scale. cast
ing of bread on the waters which will
result in it's coming back buttered on
both sides.
Bay View park and Santa Rosa is
land each deserve tho utmost encour-
agement.
The Y. NJ. c.. A. is the backbone Of
Bay View park. Everything is conduct
ed in a thoroughly business-like man
ner. The dressing rooms are clean
and orderly. Sealed envelopes are pro-
vided for valuables which are taken
care of and returned with unfailing
safety and accuracy. Refreshments are
the same ideal cleanliness extends to
the treatment of bathing costumes,
which can be hired at a nominal price
The wharf accommodation for both
bathing and boating is good and suffi-
Gent and the tower for high diving
and chutes for fun and frolic are all
that could be desired.
In addition, there are always at
hand several expert swimmers; fine,
stalwart young men, examples of the
Y. NJ. G. A. gymnasium training, who
are ready at a moments notice to
plunge in to the rescue of a bather.
This is all as it should be, and so
far as the requirements for bathing
and protection are concerned, every
thing is o. K.
Of course there's a BUT. There
always is, isn't there? When you've
got every blessed thing just as you
want 1t a 'F5ut" butts in and spells 1t
all
There's only one drawback to Bay
View park. You can't get there! I'm
less you consider g. mile and a half in
an hour "travelling!" 1t reminds me Of
the mule that was warranted to go
ten hours a mile.
The street car takes you sixteen
blocks east, dumps you off under tree
where one little dinky seat sul1s all
alone in the corner, and there you wait
twenty minutes; twenty dull, dreary,
prOfane minutes; and, just as you've
to hyphenate the second round, a for
lorn looking car lurChes around an
other corner and crawlS up to you in an
apologetic manner as if it felt it's dis
grace and wanted to tell you SO.
Well, you pull yourself together and
get in with a sense of awe and I'M
certainty, as if you'd found yourself
at the wrong funeral and had taken
somebody else's place in the cab. After
a decent wait, which reminds you OF
getting the body into the hearse, the
conductor says 'gee-up," and away you
creep to the furthermost and most re-
motestest corner of the park. from
which extreme you traverse a long,
long plank walk to the bathing house.
1 want to see some public spirit put
into this car service. 1 find it much