The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1921-07-30
Elks Announce That They Will
Pledge Themselves to Raise
Balance of Money Needed to
Pay For Pool
MAYOR LENHART ACCEPTS
Completion of Pool Represents
Gift of Thousands of Citizens
to Youth of City
The job is finished.

to Youth OF City
The job is finished.
Hours before the pool was formally
opened there was long line of bath.
ers, all sizes, all ages and all sorts
and conditions. They splashed ant
then when thoroughly cooled by the
water and the sharp breeze that was
blowing they made for the warm sand
and covered themselves only to dupli.
cate the feat.
The boys were less timed They los:
no time in plungine in but the girls
timidly s"toed" in and then gaining
courage took their ducking, too.
A great community effort was fit
tingly dedicated and he was surely a
pessimist who after seeing the de-
lighted boys and girls as well as men
and women enjoying the sport who
had anything but praise for the men
who have labored day and night to
bring this first real center of reCre-
alton to the people of Bismarck.
The slides for the kiddies were
greatly enjoyed. Arrangements for
caring for the public are excellent
and for started the opening was
unmarried by any hitch.
When the municipal swimming pool
was formally turned over to the city
commission this afternoon by the Elks
lodge which led the public campaign
to raise funds and build the pool a
big proposition had been completed
and promise made TO the kiddies OF
the city few weeks ago redeemed.
1t was late in May when the Elks
decided to build the pool. In about
two months the campaigns were made,
plans drawn, the pool built And hum
dreds Of kiddies with wide and Joy.
ful eyes this afternoon stood by
while the formal exercises took place.
Then the grand splash took place.
Citizens who saw the crowds around
the pool could not but help feel a
tinge of pride in the structure, If they
had done the slightest thing toward
it-and nearly everyone in the city
did.
The Elks band led the. march from
the downtown section to- the swim-
ming pool. r. r. Fields, exaitedHu
er Of the Elks. on behalf OF the lodge,
formally presented the pool to the
city and A. P. Lenhart, president Of
the city commission. accepted 1t on
behalf Of the citizens and the city.
Pool Cost $11,O0d.
The pool cost abou. $4,000. 1t IS
100 feet wide and about 115 long and
holds 100000 gallons Of water. rang
ing in depth from 2 to 9, feet. 1t is
one of the largest municipal pools in
the Northwest and is built with all
modern ideas and devices. A bath
house, succeed, fronts on Broadway,
looking out into Custer park which.
through the efforts of ladies of the
city. is becoming o beauty spot. A
municipal park worth while is ex-
pected to result from the effort One
of the next steps on the swimming
pool will be to plant trees and shrub
berry around it, beautifying the
grounds.
Employ Life.Guard.
The pool is entirely free to chill
dren under. 16 years Of age and med
crate Charges, which may be changed.
have obeen made for persons over 16
by John A. Larson and Harry Thomp-
son, the city commission committee.
The first few days of operation Of the
pool will be in the nature OF an ex-
pertinent and many Of the present
plans may be altered. It is hoped
by the commissioners that enough
money may be realized from the rent
of suits. admission. ETC., to pay d
good part of the running expenses OF
the pool.
Two outside and one inside attend
ant will be kept on duty. The pool
will be open from 10 A. M. to 10 P. M.
Lefty Higgins, baseball pitcher. who
has had three years professional
swimming experience, will be life
guard.
The swimming pool was officially
rendered the city by P. r. Fields. ex-
alted ruler of B. P. O.. E. 1899. and
was officially accepted for the city by
President A. P. Lenhart, of the city
commission:
why Elks Started it
Mr.. Fields said:
About two years ago the popular
demand for q swimming pool became
SO insistent that the City Commission
included in their annual budget an ap-
propri.tion for building pool. How
ever. the action of the City Commits
sion was questioned and the courts
held that under existing circumstan-
ces a tax levy for swimming pool pur-
poses was illegal and the matter was
dropped.
"A few months ago at an informa
meeting of Bismarck Elks. when the
matter of supporting the Elks' Bant
was under discussion, someone ask
ed what has Bismarck done for the
Elks," when someone else counter
questioned "what have the Elks done
for Bismarck" What real reason Il
there for the existence OF our organ
ization aside from the personal pleas
ure we as Elks derive from our as
sociation with our fellow members.
From that discussion arose the pro
position to build a swimming pool TO
the boys and girls of Bismarck. Th'
motives that induced the Elks to &C
OH this proposition were that all goo
Elks pledge themselves to be 'Bi
Brothers" to boys and girls with Whon
they come in contact and as "Bi
Brothers" we could fully appreciat
that the boys and girls of Bismarc
could and would utilize and enjoy .
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