Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-07-20
COUNCIL ADVANCES
BATHING BEACH|DEA
Acts on Mayors Suggestion to
Take Part OF Johnson Art
Museum Fund for Purpose
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE

The first step was taken this after
noon in City Council toward the estab-
lishment of public bathing beaches In
Fsirmount Park, when Council re.
ferred to the property committee res.
clution transferring the necessary funds
from an unused item.
Mayor Moore Is back of the project
TO give the public free bathing beaches
in the Park. and eventually at other
points on both the Schuylkill and Della i
ware rivers. He wrote letter TO Coun-
ell this afternoon recommending that
money be transferred from O sum ap
propriated to house the John G.. John.
son art collection.
The entire appropriation. amounting
TO 1924. Still. was made to the Park
Comission originally as nucleus for
the Johnson art collection museum. The
pictures will be housed in tho great
museum now started on the Parkway.
The Mayor proposes that SIR.SoI BE-
used to pay for restoration. storage and
insurance Of the pictures. the rest for
the Fairmount Park bathing beach.
Mayors Letter to Council
In his letter to Council the Mayor
says:
''I desire to draw attention 10 an
ordinance submitted this day to your
honorable body. proposing to dispose Of
an appropriation Of 1924 .S71 II. re-
served toward q preparation of a site
and the erection Of an art gallery to
hold the John q. johnson collection OF
art objects.
This appropriation was intended as
nucleus for a building to be erected
along the Parkway. IL a site could be
obtained. at cost of more than 81 900.
600, to house the art collection Of the
n n ~ a. INh ~ .~I l.,
part at Memorial Hall, or under the
process Of restoration, or in storage
elsewhere.
'It Is evident the city is not now
in position, since IL is erecting a great
art museum at cost of millions AT
the end of the Parkway. to build a
separate structure for this particular
collection Of paintings. As there will
be ample room in the art museum-the
one great center Of art in Philadelphia
when complication the display of the
johnson pictures, held together as he
provided they should be, and as the
trustees Of his estate have presented to
me a bill for $40 .s97.71, for maiute-
nance, restoration and insurance
charges, which bill apparently must
be paid under the agreement made by
the city upon the acceptance of the
terms of Mr.. .Johnson's will. and as
there Is no available money 10 meet this
bill at the present time. the ordinance
submitted by me proposes to transfer
1 the proposed separate Johnson art GAL
iery item, so that this bill of the trus-
tees may be paid. and the balance,
amounting to S47,9I3. 40. may be ap.
piled toward dredging the Schuylkill
river in front Of the new art museum,
and for the construction of a bathing
beach and other. river front improve :
ments nearby.
People Waiting Long Time
"The people have been waiting a long
time to see the johnson pictures. and
the art museum in which they may BE-
hung is being pushed forward, rapidly.
Meanwhile there is demand for bath :
ing beaches and other Park i'm
provements for the accommodation in
hot weather of the thousands of our
citizens who cannot go to the seashore
or other resorts amu who would be
greatly benefited In health and spirits by
an opportunity to bathe in the open air
II trust the ordinance may have your
prompt consideration