The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-02-18

SOMETHING ABOUT THE ROLLER SKATING
CRAZE.

SOMETHING ABOUT THE ROLLER SKATING
CRAZE
About fifteen years age an odd ge-
Mus named Plympton, OF New York,
conceived the idea of putting little
wheels on skates for summer use.
He made the skates, got out SO many
patents on them that a man almost
laid himself liable to infringement
by looking at them. and then hired
a ball. Plympton thought he had
struck q bonanza, bat in hls anxiety
TO grow rich be overreached himself.
The novelty Of the thing attracted
crowds to his skating hall at first,
but the owner would only rent out
the fractious little rollers, and utter
ly refused to sell pair for love or
money, and the interest in the new
NOV. ment died out. Plympton
went 10 England, and nothing was
heard of roller skating or rinking-
as il is called in the East-for some
wears. In 1876 Samuel Winslow, a
man of considerable wealth, got up
a greatly improved roller skate, and
together with his son Frank and a
Young man named Aline, built the
first rink in this country in Woos.
ter, Mase. 1t proved successful. and
in 1878 Frank Winslow built the
celebrated Vineyard rink in Martha's
Vineyard, and gave his skates the
same name. n FE
Three years ago the fever struck
Boston, and baked beans became a
drug on the market. An elegant
brick rink was built at an expense
of $4,000. 1t was an instantaneous
success. The fascinating amusement
took everything by storm, and
knocked all other forms Of amuse-
ment into Rocked hat. Soon the
excitement took the form of a craze,
and began to spread TO other cities.
Kinks were built everywhere. Staid,
sober men of business bought rollers
on the quiet, locked themselves IN
their offices and fel. around upon
the furniture in iseir attempts to
master the things. Maids and ma
irons put them on and skated mer-i-
" around the kitchen for practice.
Everybody had it. 1t spread as far
west as Montana.
Boston has now the largest rink in
the world. The floor, or skating
surface, which is of asphalt, is 200
feet long and lS5 feet wide, around
which is a track of birch wood 30
feet wide. 1t cost $4,000 to lay the
floor, and an idea of the size can be
gained from the fact that there are
but a trife over six laps to the
mile.
Chicago has some of the finest
rinks. OF these the lie Grande is
probably the most notable, having
an extra floor or track for bicvclists.
The Palace is elegantly fitted up,
colossal mirror covering one entire
end of the building, and producing
a beautiful effect. The Casino is
also among the best. These rinks
cost from $4,000 to $4,000. What
is to-day the finest rink in the coun-
try, or in the world, for that matter,
was erected in Boston last season by
J. C. Mckay, a rich Scotchman. 1t
is called the Highland, and cost
$4,000. 1t is built entirely of
wood, and the interior decorations
alone, which are among the most
elegant imaginable, cost over $4,000.
The windows, of beautiful colored
glass, are set in huge arches, the
sills of each being filled with tropic-
al flowers in full bloom. The la
dies and gents dressing rooms are
provided with richly upholstered
furniture, and the floor covered with
velvet Brussels carpet. Everything
is gotten up with an eye to luxury
and comfort. The attendants and
instructors are all dressed in Scotch
Highland costumes.
The prices of admission are al
most uniformly 25 cents, and 15
cents for skate rent, with reduced
prices for afternoon sessions. In
rome of the larger Kinks so cents ad-
mission and 25 cents for skates, and
in some of tie small fry as low as
10 cents is charged. The running
expenses of a rink are from $500 to
81, 200 per week, according 20 the
scale upon which it is run, and the
attractions presented. The profits
in some cases are enormous, the In
stitute rink, of Boston, being credit
ed with having cleared $4,000 in
one season.
Five years ago there were but tive
or three roller skate manufactures
in the country I; now they are num-
bered by the dozen, and millions of
dollars are invested in the business.
The first roller skate had eight little
wheels in a row in the centre of the
skate. Then came the four-wheeled
skate, which was stationary. Now
club skates are made which are flex-
ible and comforting to every move
ment of the foot, models Of elegance
and comfort. A few years ago Hea-
ley, the inventor of the skate of that
name, was worth about $3.50. Now
he is the owner of a large rink in
Indianapolis, at which he allows his
skate alone to be used, pair OF
which he gives away each evening,
and is the proprietor of a 100000
bank account.
The rink season generally lasts
nine months-from September to
June. Many of the leading rinks,
however, are open the year around.