The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-05-10

"After enjoying good skating until
it becomes tritle monotonous to them,
party of youths on q large pond at
Clifton, Staten Island, introduced a
novelty with which to make the pastime
more exciting. The innovation con-
sisted of what they called 'whizzer.'
| The 'whizzer' was made by cutting q
hole in the ice, placing an upright pole
| through the hole, and attaching two
horizontal bars to the pole. The bars
were about fifteen feet long, and on OPP
| pOsite sides of the upright pole. A
dozen boys would catch hold of the
bars and begin to skate around, after
the manner of sailors winding a capstan.
| The result would be that the boy near
the pole would be moving in circle at
q very moderate pace, while those on
i the outer edges were whirling around
at terrific speed, and if they CHANGED
to let 90 of the 'whizzer' they would
| be hurled forward as if shot from cat
apult.
The excitement of the sport con-
sisted in watching the gyrations of those
who let 90. One lad loosened his grip
on the bar, was hurled forward about
fifty feet, and after sliding most of the
distance on the ice went home with the
entire left side of his face almost de-
void of skin and bleeding profusely.
Another boy tripped, and vas carried
off with a sprained wrist and broken
knee-pan. Still another tripped and
fell, and before he could get out of the
way the other bar came around and he
was struck on the head with skate.
IL fnl-
cussion of the brain and with large
gap in his scalp. The whizzer' was
then stopped for the afternoon"
This circumstance has brought to-
mind another kind of "whizzer,' ~
which is in active operation both sum-
mer and winter, and which consists Of
several long bars" which revolve
around the rum-bottle. Persons take
hold near the center, where they find u
glass of beer, or wine or cider ready
for them. 1t is not hard to get hold of.
the ''whizzer," and as long as you keep
near the center it is very popular
amusement. But when persons get
l crowded out from the center the speed
increases, and they 60 faster and farther
than they ever intended.
1t is easy getting hold of the "whiz-
zer;" the difficulty is in letting 60.
Swifter, and swifter, and swifter, it re-
wolves. The walk becomes trot, and
the trot a run, and there is no stopping.
The "whizzer," never slows up; and
there is no chance to let 90. You must.
run or be run over; you must hang on
or be knocked down, trampled under
foot, OF flung off headlong on tangent.
hox ,.f, Il
caused by the "whizzer. Men with
red noses, bloated faces, bleared eyes,
ragged coats, bad hats and general
wretchedness are still keeping close to-
the "bars," and holding on to the
''whizzer," which is continually increas-
ing its speed. There is a set of gay
young chaps near the centre. They,
are good-looking and well dressed, and
they take things easy, and move with
great moderation, but by and by others
press in and they get crowded out
| along tho ~ ars,'' and the farther uneyl
90 the worse they fare; and the longer
they hold on to the "whizzer, the more
they wish they could let 90 of it. Finally
they reach the end, and loose their grip
and fly off, and 90 manned, and
bruised, and bleeding, to destruction.
You would never recognize in the
bruised, bloated, mangled mass that is.
flung from the end of the ''whzzer' the
gay and sprightly young man who
took hold of the wine-cup at the cen
ter. But it is the same, and any one
who would like to see the working of
the ''whizzer" can see people taking
hold at the bar of almost any first-class
hotel Or heightened saloon, and see
them flung off, mangled and crushed,
when the last penny is spent, and they
are kicked out to die in the gutter, or
dragged away, shivering and dement,
ed, to the mad-house, the prison or the
gallows.
!. My friend, do not take hold of the
DEVILS ''whizzer." He has them set
up at almost every corner, and he is
working them with all his might.
Stand Off There is danger there! Keep
clear of the bottle and the ''bars."
"Look not on the wine when it is red "
The Safeguard.