Evening star., 1886-08-14
COASTING IN AUGUST.
How People Slide Down Hill in Wash.
fngtOn.


OF RIDING-How ONE FEELS ON TAKING HIS
FIRST sLTDE-rHE YOUNG NAN AND THE
YOUNG WOMAN.
| Sliding down hill doesn't approach it! Riding
| on the back OF q western cyclone might give
| something of the sensation, only the roller
coaster doesn't hurt. The roller coaster
| is a new institution here. THE STAR man.
who Is always interested In novelties went
out to try it the other day. He walked I'D
| long incline to a platform, where band of
music was playing He stood at the mouth of
trough which woundits erratic course up and
down hill, around q circle, coming back upon
| the platform where 1t started FROM At the
mouth of the trough were three or four hand
some benches, with high brass railings. Two or
three men were holding them as If they feared
they might run away, and lots of people were
| rushing to get seats. THE STAR man took one
There was a slow movement ofthe benches then
In an instant there was q rush, and the whole
world seem to be running out from under him.
In about five seconds it was all gone and the
seats were sailing down through space. Then
they caught on and began to climb up the other
side OF the world again, and in just fourteen
seconds the scribe was standing just where he
started from. His hair was blown behind his
ears, his eyes were wide open, and he felt as if
some som n one ne. had just got through tickling him,
gone SIX hundred feet on "roller coaster"
THE FIRST SLIDE.
The first time you ride on q "roller coaster"
you wonder how 1t happened. When you are
dropping down hill SO fast that you can't see
anything and it takes your breath away you
can understand how 1t all is and you expect to
strike bottom somewhere. But when the car
begins to climb up again just as fast as it went
went around with the scribe was standing on
the platform all excitement, his cheeks red
and his eyes bright. Some one asked him how
he liked it.
"Its nicer he said. "But when + got way
down there thought the bottom had dropped
out"
1t is like tobogganing or any other coasting,
only IT appears to be much faster, and not only
lakes you down, but takes you up and down
potn several times, like the waves of the
hill.
THE START.
There Is big platform, like pavilion, high
up, covered with a gay colored awning. To
reach this is an easy incline, with seats either
side. On one side there is Il little tower, prob
ably fifteen feet above the pavilion. That's
where the start is made. There is track laid In
a big trough, with high sides to it, which runs
right down hill on a curve. About half way
down ii begins TO rise again, then IL makes a
deep lunge, and then goes right back up 10 the
platform, making II complete circuit. the mid
die of The hoop down on the ground aud the two
ends, one slightly above the other, high up in
the air. There are four cars this track
They have hard wood settees, with boxed foot
rests and brass rails to hold to- They are placed
on deeply grooved iron wheels that hit the track.
Twenty people can go at q trip. The only thing
IL Is necessary TO hold OH TO is your hat.
1t Is merry sight to see the coasters. There
are crowds at it both in the day and ill the even
Ing. They are mostly children in the day. In
the evening there are crowds of ladies and gen.
tlemen, o.d and young.
THE YOUNG MAN AND THE YOUNG WOMAN
The first ride is the amusing one to watch
Everybody who hasn't tried it before is more
or less INDEPENDENTLY the ladies. They
get on the car very cautiously "to see how it
ieels." Before they know it they are launched
oil on journey. The young man loses his hat,
the young lady throws her arms about him
and holds tight. He has fourteen seconds OF
perfect bliss. Then they both want to try it
over again. The man learns how to take care
OF his hat, but the young lady never thor
oughiy regains her composure as not to tAro W
her arms about him. It's lots OF fun The
ladies In particular seem to like it-both
married ladies and young girls. One old lady
eighty-twO years old tried it. When she got
back she said it made her feel young; She
guessed she would go 1t again. In the evenings
track, the pavilion is brightly lighted and
large crowds OF ladies and gentlemen are pres
enl. 1t is quite the thing to get up coasting
parties of SIX or eight couples.
FIVE THOUSAND A NIGHT.
MIR. Moxley told THE STAR man that some
evenings five thousand people rode over the
track in two hours. One old lady with her son
took a seat on the car. She had her lips tightly
set, and weighed full two hundred 1t was
her first trip. She did not scream, but when
the rush came she made luEge, caught the
young man around the neck, with her arm
close up under his chin, and crushed his hat
over his eyes. When he got to the other end he
stood still for minute and gasped out: at
took my breath aWayv