Swollen Neckar

In Alt Heidelberg, where flows the Neckar. the Neckar overflowed last week. While Heidelburghers in the lower part of the city sloshed through streets deep in yellow water, slash cheeked korpsstudenten rushed from beer garden to beer garden with the news that the enormous floating bathhouses that line the Heidelberg quaysides were doomed. Thousands went down to the docks to watch.

First to go was the new men's bath, a 600-ft. barge whose bottom is pierced with innumerable holes, where Heidelberg men perform their ablutions. With a loud rending of the steel bands that held it to the wharf it broke loose, swung out into the racing yellow Neckar, crashed down on the solid Friedrich Bridge, split into a thousand fragments.

A rowboat renting float went next, slipped under the bridge successfully, then swung inshore again, ripped loose two big bathing barges and another rowboat float. Out in midstream again went the floating mass of derelicts, slowly spinning round and round. With a crash it broke against the Ernest Walz Bridge, but the Ernest Walz stood firm. Spectators cheered hilariously as the bathhouses went down with towels flying.

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