Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-08-23
10000 MAKE TRIP
TO NEW CITY BEACH
Police Estimate $500 Autos
Visited Pleasant Hill. Dur
... ing the Day
TENTS JAMMED TO CAPACITY

rloow-room was at premium yes
tcrday along the Delaware at Pleasant
iiill Park near Torrcsdalc. The warm
weather drove n crowd estimated in
.hc heighborhood of 10000 to seek re-
'iet at the municipal beach, which was
oncned Saturday. Lifcguards said that
between 1000 and - 600 bathers took
| din in the course Of tho day.
street cars running to tho ncighbor-
hood OF the park were jnmmcd. IL WAS
not unusual to sec men and bows cling.
ing outside of the cars. .iitnry busses
n,,u j trucks reaped harvest conveying
the lines to the mark, VI
Many automobiles were cxpectcd and
sswelve traffic policemen. under Acting
sergeant George Link. were detailed TO
hhhule them. AS early as s o'clock in
,n' morning the motors began to arrive
In u short time the detail was swomned
ana great difficulty was cncounternd In
PARKING cars. At 3 o'clock in the
q "tternoon cars were parked nj lcost bnlf
mllr IRON tho beach. some of them
long the state road. Policemen placed
1 me number of automobiles around $500
Ihey said that in the future Il would
teHulre at least twenty five traffic men
Like a Refugee Flight
AS many persons trudged from the
street railway terminals the effect was
tnas OF refugees fleeing before an in
vading enemy. Every one carried n
bundle containing a bathing sniff and
perhaps luncheon. and the small marcel
furnished the necessary note of realism
Ihe walkers huggcd the sides of tbc
roads In Difference to the steady line of
pleasure cars and motortrucks.
Many persons were in swimming bv q
"a. IN. lt was shortly after noon that
the crowd was densest. At that time
inc roads were jammcd with machines.
ana at some points the traffic DELAYS
were considerable.
a police patrolboat, carrying a de-
tail OF men and a pulmotor. and three
lifeguards. under Beach Censor and
Lifeguard Boyd. looked after the safety
OF the bathcrs. All were unanimous in
saying that the crowd was so much in
excess of what was expected that their
Job gave them no pleasure. They said
that at least twice the number Of life
guards would be necessary on future
Sundays.
Only one accident tended to mar the
day. Miss Elizabeth Mariner. of 2l21
Adams street. Kensington. became ter.
ritied when she found herself out too
far. She screamed for help, disap-
peared and then came to the surface of
the water. Thousands looked on as
John V: Smith, a life guard detailed
by the Bureau of Recreation, went to
her rescue. He threw a life preserver
which Miss Mariner, in her fright:
faiied to notice: Then he dived for her
ana got her ashore where he gave first
| aid so effectively that it was not neces-
sary for the girl to go to a hospital,
Smith is principal and swimming in
structor at the Ware and Smith Minici-
pal Fairgrounds.
Many Canoes and Metorboats
Hundreds of canoes and motor boats
were in evidence. Experienced swim
mers dove from the decks of the cabin
cruisers. Some Of the craft came from
towns and resorts on the Jersey shore.
Picnickers had their innings. Most of
the parties that went by automobile took
iuncheon baskets. The green lawns of
the park looked like one big nj fresco
table. The children and babies were
there. and in many cases the pet dogs
Rolled down stockings could almost
be said to have been the order of the
day and many bare legs paraded on the
1000 foot frontage of beach. But all
OF the costumes stayed on the safe side
OF the proprietes outlined by Mr.. Boyd.
the beach censor. who said he had not
had to admonish any one. The police
men in the park complained that they
had nothing to do. that never had they
seen such large crowds so we'll behaved
Until the city builds dressing rooms,
six hospital tents obtained from the
quartermaster's department are used.
The number proved entirely inadequate.
Many of the visitors who had machines
forcseeing the difficulty attendant upon
putting on their bathing suits went
dressed for swimming. Others put IN
the side curtains of their cars and
converted them into temporary dressing
rooms. But the great majority of the
bathcrs had to use the tents. So many
persons were in the tents that the walls
bulged.
Storing clothes also was a problem.
So disconsolate looking small boys were
dotted over the park guarding the cloth
ing of their families who were splashing
| in the water. They were not all
patient in awaiting the return of the
relatives. Many deserted their posts
and that explains why the limbs OF
trees displayed everything in the
clothing line from dads trousers to
sister Sues lingerie.