Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-07-19

Interesting Facts About an Amusement
that is More than 500 Years Old.

Interesting Facts About an Amusement
that is More than 500 Years Old.
Among the many mechanical appliances
for outdoor amusement, says the New
York Sun. there is one that affords never
ending delight to young and old. 1t is
sometimes called the 'smerry-go-round,' .
Int the manufacturers call il the scar
rousel.v 1t consists Of various kinds OF
seats revolving around common center
at more or less speed. Sometimes the seats
are common chairs. Sometimes they are
in the shape of chariOts OF slelghs or
boats. Again, they are made to initiate all
sorts OF animals-elephants, lions, camels,
goats and horses. The horse is by all
odds the fayorite. The business OF man.
ufacturing carrousels has mainly drlfted
into the hands Of one manufacturer, who
has not only made them for all parts OF
the United States, but has exported them
to all quarters OF the world. Indeed, there
are more of them made for export than
for home consumption. Within the past
wear he has exported earrousels to Mex
leo. BOgota, st. Thomas, Caracas, Am
sterdam, Martinique, Paris, and Austria
liza. Mr.. Dare, in a book describing
outdoor amusements, says the car
rousel originated in the tenth Gen.
turv. and was first known in Italy in
the fifteenth or sixteenth century. 1t is
supposed to have been devised in imita-
ton of the old tournaments, when plumed
knights with poised lances bore down
upon one another in mortal combat, OF
carried off rings at their lance heads. In
place of a lance, in the modern carr0usel
a small sword or dagger is substituted.
In place of spearing an opponent, the
rider catches a ring on the point Of his
sword as he whirls by the ring receptacle,
aud in place of praise from some fair lady
the rider who gets the most rings is re-
warded with a free ride. King Henry ~.
of France was very fond of the carrOusel.
The first one erected in Central Park
was put up by stephen William Smith,
and initiated the motion OF the cantering
horse. The Central Park carrousel has
undergone many changes, ana is now OF
composite origin.
The largest and probably the most
profitable carrousel ever put up is the
Culver carrousel. near the observatory al
West Brighton, Coney Island. 1t is fitted
up with a variety of seats. run by steam
mower. and cost about $4,000. 1t is said
to have paid for itself the first season, and
frequently takes in $500 to $500 day.
Sometime ago DIR. Franklin, physician IN
charge of the Lunatic Asylum on Black
Wells island, and Matron Goodwin be-
came enthusiastic dUOu6 supply ms
carrOusel as a means Of entertaining the
patients in the asylum. The money was
collected by private subscription, by the
sale of trinkets in the asylum, etc, and
last May the machine was put up. IL mas
| proved a complete success, and the luna-
tics enjoy riding on it quite as much as
sane people do.
who has not stood and watched the
laughing crowds in the parks and at the
seaside resorts as they whirl about the
merry circle? How they whOop and yell'
and scream and shout, and gibe. Young
| and old alike enter into the sport, and
sedate adults may be seen In the same
round with laughing youngsters, yaoOlng
at the rings, waving flags, gasplng iOT
breath, and paying five or ten cents a
ride.
Small carrousels are readily turned by
one man. Sometimes they are rugged Wltn
gearing and turned by two men. Some
times they are moved by horses, like an
| old-fashiOned mill. The latest improve
ment of working them by steam meets
with much favor. In one of stephen w
Smiths old advertisements of the canter-
ing horse. which was first the chief seal
in the Central Park carrousel, there Oc'
| CURED the following carrousel poetry:
Along the road you cantering go,
Five or six miles an hour or SO;
You have only to rise and sit as you rae,
The horse by the bride you easily gulde'
Mr.. Smith died long ago after pro
tracted litigation to sustain the patents
under which he was working.
The boat sailing carrousel at Wesl
Brighton was first put up last season
| The apparatus came from Brighton, Eng
land, and was put up at Coney Island
precisely as it was used at the famous
British watering place. The apparatus
proved too heavy and has been somewhat
modified by Yankee ingenuity. The pc
| culiar motion of the boats, twisting
plunge, makes lots of fun for the lockers
| on.
There was an attempt last summer tC
operate a carrousel with boats in rea
water, but it did not succeed very well
and the proprietor was dispOssessed fol
non-payment of rent. One OF the features
| this summer at COney Island is two
story carrousel, but the attempt to double
the fun by adding another layer of 1t has
a drawback in the delay of getting seated