Evening star., 1925-06-07

w aSnlnStOn To-Day laSS Iar OenlnO
other American cities in providing
bathing and swimming facilities for
it's citizens. The survey of the
Potomac River by the Public Health
Service this Summer to determine
whether bathing beaches can be safely
provided along it's shores for the
people of the Capital City will make
il possible for the city to compare
favorably with other American cities
in the matter of municipal bathing
and swimming, it is hoped.
The Tidal Basin bathing beach, es-
tablished about a decade ago, with it's
accommodations for large numbers of
bathers, went far TO meet the need
for safe public bathing here. But
the elimination of this beach by the
last Congress has left the city without
any large public bathing beach. For
many years public spirited citizens of
Washington struggled to bring about
adequate bathing facilities for the
people. About 18 years ago an effort
was made TO use the old ponds in the
Monument grounds for municipal
bathing pools. but they did not prove
satisfactory and were finally aban-
doned. The provision made by Con
gress for the Tidal Basin beach seemed
to have solved the problem. But to-
day the city is back where ii was
years ago. so far as public bathing
facilities are concerned.
Will Throng to River.
AS a matter of fact, the river has
been used for swimming and bathing
during the entire life of the city. 1t
will be used this Summer probably
to a greater extent than before, ow-
ing TO the loss of the Tidal Basin,
notwithstanding warnings against
it's use on account of pollution and
Notwithstanding the fact that no
safeguards for bathers against drown
ing are provided. The survey to de-
termine what steps, If any, can be
taken to make river bathing safe,
both from drowning and from infec-
ton due to pollution of the waters,
becomes of especial interest.
Bathing for health. cleanliness and
pleasure has been practiSed by nearly
every people from the earliest days.
The Jews, Greeks. Persians. the
Egyptians and especially the Romans
public and private. In Rome the
public baths. hot cold and vapor,
We're on a huge scale.
In the eighteenth century sea bath
ing was popularized in England. and
in 1912 the first public swimming
baths were established there, and the
floating bath. very common in Ger
many, was adopted by some of the
English cities.
American Cities Jagged.
American cities did not supply free
public baths until the early nineties,
with New York, Chicago, Yonkers
Brookline, Boston and Buffalo among
a fr-St Sir,nn hn
great strides have been made in the
improvement of public bathing ia
cilities in many American cities, and
municipal bathing beaches and pools
are on a large scale and numerous.
Yet Washington is approaching the
heated months of the Summer practi-
callv without free public bathing
facilities for its population of nearly
half a million.
In other American cities the great
est possible use of natural bodies of
water in their vicinity has been made
Tor bathers and swimmers. Boston,
Tor example, offers widespread oppor-
tunity for bathing, wading and
swimming. 1t had. 10 years ago.
eight beaches and nine open-air pools
or floating baths conducted by the
municipality, and the attendance at
these bathing places was very great
IheSe facilities have been still further
increased. The largest of these nu-
niclpal beaches in Boston is the l,
street beach, on the Charles River
by the way. At this beach separate
rooms for men and women. some l 300
In all, We're provided. besides 700
lockers for boys, and other means for
caring for the clothes of the smaller
boys. No charge is made for the
use of the rooms or lockers, bur a
charge is made for the use of bath
ing suits and towels
Detroit Has Fine Beach.
Belle Isle Beach, situated on the
shores of Belle Isle Park, an island
in the st. Clair River, owned bv the
City of Detroit, has been another
popular municipal bathing beach.
The entire investment a decade ago
in the Belle Island bathhouse was
building was used as a free bath
mented since. 1t became self-sus-
tanning, charge of and 10 cents
being made for bathers, and in fact
journey to Annapolis, Md, last
Wednesday where he nado on ad