Evening journal., 1921-08-13
BIRTHDAY SUIT
GOES With KIDS
Abandoned Quarry Hole
Furnishes Sport For Hun
dreds of Youngsters
SIXTY FEET DEEP
IN SOME PLACES

cartoonists. artists. short and long
story writer's Of fiction. biographers
and others have played to the fancy
OF the public with heart interest de-
pictions OF "The Old Swimming
Hole" where their heroes spent the
happiest moments Of their lives The
enticing influence OF the picture Of
THE Old Swimming Hole" written
or drawn. has back OF II the memoir
les OF thousands OF Americans who
always put themselves in the place
OF the heroes" and recall the won
derful days OF their youth.
Yes. ''The Old Swimming Hole" is
a powerful attraction. 1t withstands
all ages. Warm summer days fash
back fond memories OF the happiest
moments Of boyhood 10 the hero"
or self picked hero" whether he
has arrived TO the topmost rung OF
the ladder Of his iifes work or not
Railroad magnates. bank presidents.
members Of the bar. those who
reached the pulpit and others at
some time or another cannot resist
the call OF their youth and once or
oftener revisit the haunts OF their
boyhood days with The old Swim
ming Hole" as the main objective.
Never was water clearer. deeper.
nor were there better places for div
ing and other water stunts than at
THE Old Swimming Hole"
Many are those who travel back
over the years and become boys
again with one bound. a journey. no
matter how great the distance. TO the
favorite vision of bygone days. which
icannot be erased But there are those
who do not h. e the am stage or
opportunity make the jaunt IL Is
this that brings the arrival TO the
point OF this story.
Over in the eastern section of the
Ninth Ward. those whose memories
of THE old Swimming Hole" haunt
them and other devOtees OF the great
water sports. have one that the art
lists and authors depict made 10 or
! der for them.
Are you going over to the quarry
+ for a swim 20 is the favorite ques-
ton that passes every day over IN
! that neiehborhOod bounded only by
! the distance from the old quarry
abandoned by the Delaware Granite
Company several years ago II is sit
b uated a few hundred feet from where
the northern end OF whore the Pine
b street bridge used TO stand and Is
! right back Of the ball field at Sew
enteenth and Spruce streets.
In the days when stone was still
being taken from the quarry there
was a sheer drop of 100 feet OF more
10 the bottom. Since operars~ns
, ceased springs have been allowed 20
now freely into the excavation and
1 [ Il has filled as far as possible 70 a
r depth said TO be in some places o.
A feet.
, The remaining distance 70 the toS
(. Of the quarry gives excellent oppor
tunities for driving. back nips ans
other fancy stunts. In addition
there are places where jutting ledge
= provide positions for those who wisl
TO leap into the clear waters and do
not possess the nerve 20 so TO the
top.
II is purely a boys playground
old boys as well No dressing accom-
modations are furnished. those wish
ing to enjoy a plunge, stripping n
the open at the side Of the pool Nc
time limit is observed, youngsterl
brown as berries from their exposure
to Old Soils rays. get TO the Olc
Quarry. as IL is known generally. a.
early as they can and stay as late
as they can. on warm nights It Il
said that swimmers have cavortec
in the cooling waters as late--oi
Z eariy-as o'clock in the morning
More than $50 swimmers have beer
counted in the pool at one time
b or course there are dangers at
tached to swimming and diving int
I. the Old Quarry, but the average
American youth lists them under tn
head Of fun. One frequenter Of thi
favorite haunt. a recently discharg
e ed rnemebr Of Uncle Sans Navy
has attracted the attention OF man,
frequenters Of the pool. He is sais
!, to be the only one TO risk jumpinl
. or diving from the topmost por
: ton.
Baseball teams that use th'
Seventeenth and Spruce street
grounds are not troubled by ball
l. which find their way into the waite
for there are half dozen or NOR
= urchins hanging around the diamond
at all times. ready TO dive in for IN
elusive horsehides at a moment
notice.
According to an old-timer, VIII
has found his boyhood pleasure Il
The Old Swimming Hole" tn
water in the quarry has been Off
y cially tested and found to be of tn
, o,-.t oualftv No inlets can be founl
but there are said TO be several out
= lets. which keeps the water fresh
= on the surface. where the sun get
! its play. the water is warm. but tn
depths bring chills 10 the divers.
: Residents OF the neighborhoo
point ont that real dangers are at