Evening star., 1925-09-25
SHERR|LL GIVES UP
RIVER BEACH PLAN,
URGING CITY POOLS
Two Bathing Places, Accom-
modating 10000, Proposed
at S35O,OOO Cost.
SHEPPARD AND MADDEN
APPROVE NEW PROJECT
Natatoriums Would Be Designed to
Use Water Either From Potomac
or From Reservoirs.

Abandonment of his original plan to
construct bathing beaches in the Po-
tomac and Anacostia Rivers in favor
of the other proposal for artificial
! bathing beaches was announced TO-DAY
by Col. c. o. Sheriff.. director of the
| office of public buildings and public
! parks. At the same time Col Sher-
rill approved designs for the proposed
| artificial beaches which were prepared
in his office and declared that they
would be laid before Congress-
| The designs for the pools call for
beaches which will be eliptical in
shape, with concrete bottoms and sandy
! beaches. The beaches will slope
gradually toward the center, where
! floats will be placed for those who care
TO go into the deeper water. The cost
! of the two beaches would be $3.50 900,
including the necessary buildings. lock-
ers and other equipment, and they
will accommodate u, 900 bathers a
day when completed.
Accommodations Sufficient.
During the hottest weather when
the other beach at the Tidal Basin
was operating, the largest crowds ac-
commodated were around 5000. The
pools, the designs specify will have a
water surface of about $4,000 square
feet
They will he equipped so that they
may use either river or city water
( and adequate provision will be made
for purifying them with chlorine treat
, ment. Treatment of water, it was
pointed out, will be much cheaper and
I easier in an artificial pool than it
! would be in the river breakwater type
of aches, and it's publication will
be much more certain.
1t is the hope that Congress will
promptly make provision for them.
as it is the desire to have both for
service by Spring.
The condition of the river water in
and around Washington as shown by
the recent survey by health officials
| it was pointed out. makes it impera-
! tive that inland beaches be provided,
and IL is the belief that when Con-
| gress is apprised of the conditions it
will make provision for the inland
| type of beach, which can use either
| city or river water. With the sewage
systems of the city and what is to
become the metropolitan area behind
! the increase in population, there is
little hope that the polluted condition
of the streams will be checked for
some time.
TdtOTeu iii congress.
Establishment of pools in preference
to the plan for immediate utilization
of the river is favored by at least two
members of Congress who have re-
turned to Washington, and whose
views are considered important be-
cause of the positions they occupy.
Senator Morris Sheppard of Texas,
member of the Senate District COM
mittee, and Representative Martin B.
I Madden of Illinois, chairman of the
House appropriations committee, both
favored the eSta blishment of bathing
pools in different sections of Washing
ton in interviews today.
Despite an arduous Summer of
campaigning and / s trips to and from
Washington to his home in Texas,
Senator Sheppard has had time to fol-
low local affairs, and he expressed
particular interest today in the bath
ing beach situation. He deplored the
fact that the District this Summer
had been without adequate facilities.
and stated that he will vigorously
back any move to remedy the condi-
tion before next Summers heat de-
scends on the Capital.
For Cheaper Plan.
Il am heartily in favor of install
ing sectional bathing pools of large
capacity" he said today. The Public
Health report on the Potomac River
showed conclusively that there were
only two possible ways to make ii
fit for bathing-to divert sewage or
to build walls and heavily clorinate
the water. Both methods would in
volve a great deal of expense and at
the present time do not seem feasible.
In the meantime, pools could be
established to take care of the needs
of each neighborhood. Congress, l be-
lieve would look with favor on this
solution of the problem, but If it did
! not l am sure that the people them
selves would be glad to chip in to
provide Summer bathing.
Washington is too large a city to
be totally without bathing facilities
, Immediate steps should be taken when
Congress reconvenes. The Senate
District committee probably will take
up the matter at one of its first
meetings and go over the entire stu
alton"
Madden Behind Plan.
Senator Sheppard, who has had to
cancel vacation plans for the Sum
er, is planning boat trip where he
will be entirely out of communication
for a few days from all political
affairs. He then plans to return to
Texas where he will stay until shortly
before Congress opens.
The solution of the bathing problem
favored by Representative Madden,
who will have important part in
deciding what shall be done is COM
munity bath houses with pools and
showers in the more congested Sec
tions of the city. He thinks that
bathing facilities should be brought
home to the people who need them
most.
Just returned to the Capitol where
he is expediting preliminary COM
mittee work for the drafting of the
big annual supply bills of the Govern.
ment, Representative Madden today
explained his position in regard to
bathing beaches, bathing pools and
river bathing as follows:
Il was chairman of the finance
committee of Chicago from 1890 to
1897. In the course of my services
as chairman of that committee / con-
ceived the idea, which met with ap-
proval of the masses that public bath
houses, with swimming pools. and
attendants in charge should be located
in sections of the city where the
people are least able to supply them
selves with bathing facilities. That