The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-24
NOTWITHSTANDING.
The Money in It-Improvements in Skates,
and the Antics of the Skaters.


The Money in It-Improvements in Skates,
and the Antics of the Skaters.
Philadelphia Times.
The mooted question whether the rink and
roller skating is more conducive to immortality
than health is still undecided. Laws have been
passed in some States forbidding the Kinks, and
in this State at last session of Legislature bill
was introduced to prohibit the amusement,
except under very strict guarantees. but it
not reached until late in the session and fell
from want of time to consider it. From the
temper of the public mind, which is about evenly
divided on the proprietv of this kind of popular
amusement, if it had been reached there is no
doubt the bill would have received many votes.
AS it is now save the license and necessary in
vestment to erect suitable rink this amuse
ment is free to all of both sexes and if anything
the popularity of roller skating promises to be
greater this season even than last 1t is not
known fully why the young people are so fond
of this method of exercise, but that they are is
evident in the increased demand in the city for
rink space. Each little suburban town has its
rink, and Are you going to the rink tonight"
seems to be the popular query among the adde's
cent young men and girls.
AS an investment, like good base ball nine
a popular rink pays. Speaking to George Rush
jr, of Concordville, Delaware county, the pat
entee of number of improvements in roller
skates and who perhaps from his relation to the
business is the best posted man on the amuse-
ment in the country. he says: 1.-THE indications
are that the amusement will be more of a popu-
Lar rage this winter than ever. l am in constant
receipt of letters from all parts of the world
whether think it would pay them to open a
ro1er-skating rink. L generally, indeed nearly
always say yes, if the conditions any way
favorable at ALL Very few Kinks in this country
but what have paid handsome profit. One TO
my knowledge last season on an investment of
$40 900 cleared $50, 900.
Mr. Rush has invented quite number of val
liable improvements to the common roller-skate,
the most Important in the whole field of this
constantly improving mechanism being his in
vention-the rubber attachment inside the box
wood wheels or rollers, which allows a curri-
linear motion. In the early days of the roller
skate the wheels were rigid, which did rot permit
any circular motion. By the Rush adaptation
which is now used on all skates, no matter whose
make, many movements are now permissible
with the rollers than with the ice SKATE on a
geld surface. Among the various snowy exer-
cises ordinarily in the list OF even amateur
performance in the Kinks are those known as out
side edge ROLL lap-foot or circle step, ledge
roll, figure 8, one-foot roll. long
and short On to Richmond front and back
stroke: single and double locomotive stroke
waltz and grand promenade steps, spread eagles,
inside and outside figure and flying threes SER
pentines right and left grapevines and Phila-
delphia twist-vine, special toe and heel move
Inents such as circling and toe spins and special
com bination loops
The mugwump twirl is a late but not alto
gether popular skate exercise, and has had its
origin in the New York Kinks. 1t is generally
performed by non-professionas best and con-
sists in attempting in large and crowded rink,
before two opposing parties almost equally
matched, III trying to execute grand and lofty
coup de grace, but which ends "a throwing the
feet and body as high possible affair, and per-
uniting the cement floor to rise and meet them
with gradually accelerated velocity.
Roller skates now ali made as to be de-
tachabie and form ice skates. There are any
number of specialtes and Devices including
patents which vary but slightly from each other.
A good pair of handsome nickel plated rollers
cost nearly $40 American made skate, like
the velocipede, beats the world, and has taken
premiums for excellence at all exhibitions here
and on the Continent The ladies' skate differs
slightly from those used by the men, in that it
has supporter heelstrap and broader buckle,
the first to give strength and rightly to the
ankle, and the latter to prevent damage or mark
to the shoe, the American girl as is we'll known,
finding herself everywhere on dainty neatness of
her pedal covering There are many Kinks in the
fascinating by dropping in on one during the
evening Here are hundreds of young people
circling round in kind Of may dance on roll
ers, the delicate and graceful motions, engaging
music apparent gentility and health giving as
pect Of the exercise being the insidious glamour
that surrounds it. The attendance being pro-
miecuous, and the ease with which helpful skat-
then to intimacy with the girls who are per-
mitted to frequent these places alone. renders
the atmosphere of the Kinks anything but safe
place for susceptible and romantic femininahood.
The cost OF first-class rink, cement floor of
best quality and all the necessary fitments,
ering about 2, 600 square feet OF ground, would
be about 81, 00O