Evening star., 1925-06-09
CITY HEADS WANT
TIDAL BASIN BEACH
REOPENEDAT ONCE
See Need for Action if LeqaI-
ity of Move viii Be Un-
questioned.
SHERRILL OFFERS PLAN
TO PROVIDE FACILITIES
Could Open Old Site for White Per-
sons and Establish Place
for Colored.

The District Commissioners, at a.
board session today, went on record
as being in favor of the immediate
opening of the Tidal Basin Bathing
Beach, provided Lieut.. Col. c. o. Sher-
r1ll in charge of public buildings and
grounds, finds it can be done legally.
Since the recent heat wave the
city heads have been keenly interested
IN the possibility of providing super
Vlsed bathing for the people of the
District in order to avoid the danger
OF drowning while swimming in out
of-the-way places.
The solution for the bathing beach
problem was offered the Citizens Ad-
Vlsory Council today by Col. Sheriff..
VINO, in letter to Jesse c. Suter,
the chairman, suggested that the old
Dathlng beach site on the Tidal Basin
could be opened for white people and
that adequate and satisfactory bath
ing facilities could be provided for
colored people at Jones Point, on the
Anacostia River east of the Army
War College. Col. Sheriff. said these
TWO beaches could be equipped and
operated without chlorination of the
water by using funds from the Joint
Welfare Service
The opinion was given following an
inspection of prospective bathing sites
Yesterday by Col. Sheriff. and medical
officers from his office.
Argue Against Reopening.
He said, however, that it would take
S25,0OO for the season to operate these
beaches with proper chlorination. He
recommended that in view of the con-
gresslonal action in requiring the clos
ing or the bathing beach on the Tidal
BASIN that no effort be made to open
either white or colored beaches, but
that the matter be presented fully to
Congress when it convenes
AT the same time, he said, if the
counclls after considering all the facts
deems it advisable to open these two
peacheS, that 1t communicate directly
with the chairman of the House and
Senate District and appropriation
committees and get their views
Demolition Is Deferred.
Col. Sheriff. said that the work of
abolishing the bath houses at the
former white bathing beach at tho
Tidal Basin would not be carried on
as planned
Representative Blanton of Texas
has been in conference with Col
Sheriff. and asked him not to take
this step until Congress convened
and again had an opportunity to go
over the whole matter. As the law
permits this demolition TO be de-
tered for couple of years, Col
Sheriff. consented to withdraw tha
order to await further action on the
part of Congress.
In accordance with your informal
request yesterday" said Col Sheriff.
in his letter to the advisory council.
the following information is furnish
ed, In reference 10 the bathing beaches.
Status Is Outlined.
Congress at its last session after
very heated discussion, withdrew the
fund previously appropriated for the
bathing beach for white people on the
east side of the Tidal Basin. 1t also
withdrew the fund previously appro-
prlated for the construction and main
tenance of bathing establishment
for the colored people on the west
side of the Tidal Basin. There was
also included in the second deficiency
bill, approved March 4, 1925, an ap-
preparation of $4,000 for the removal
of the bath house and bathing beach
on the east side of the basin and the
work that had been done on the west
side of the basin.
These acts of Congress indicate to
me their desire that no bathing es-
tablishment should be maintained on
the Tidal Basin at all this year but, in
view of the recommendation made by
Representative Blanton and concurred
in by Mr.. Zihlman. l am contemplat-
ing suspending all work looking
toward the demolition of the bath
house on the east side of the Tidal
Basin until after Congress shall have
had an opportunity to express itself
by legislative action on this matter
this Winter.
Operation Is Possible.
"In reference to the proposal made
by Mr.. Blanton that the Tidal Basin
bathing beach be opened at once and
that considerable improvised bathing
facilities be provided for the colored
people at Jones Point or some other
location, I beg to advise that to equip
and operate these two beaches with
out chlorination of the water and
without essential changes in the two
beaches could be accomplished by this
office using welfare funds and making
the two beaches selfsupporting. To
construct the necessary temporary ac-
commodations for the colored people
and to put the white bathhouse in
order and to operate the two with
proper chlorination would cost in the
neighborhood of S25 900 for the season.
IN view of the action of Congress
and the expense involved in operating
these beaches satisfactorily, my sug-
gestion is that no effort be made to
open either one of these beaches this
Summer, but rather that the matter
be fully presented to Congress next
Winter with the view to once and
for all settle this question of bathing
beaches.
-. Ask for Views.
"As an aid to this Office in carrying
out instructions of the Senate appro-
priation committee to prepare estf-
mates for bathing establishments, 1
would be glad if your council would
canvass the public sentiment as to
the proper location for at least two
large permanent beaches, one for the
white and one for the colored, and
advise me of your conclusions. My
thought is that the best place for the
white beach is either where it is, or at
the Virginia end of the Georgetown
Bridge, and the best place for the
colored beach is undoubtedly at Jones
Point, where a considerable tract of
land could be acquired at low figures
and an ideal park could be created
not only for bathing, but for various
other recreational activities for the
colored people"
"Tn addition TO the two main beaches,