Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-07-27
Viking UPSIDE DOWN.,
Not So Hard to Walk o., the Getting Ehci.
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Cincinnati Enquirerl
There are to-day at least fifteen per-
sons who perform the novel feat of walk
ing head down along the full length of
great board, and who are known as
ceiling walkers. There are lady and
gentlemen performers, their perform
ances being confined almost entirely to
the variety stage. The effect is start
ling as one of them moves underneath
the board, far above the floor Of the
stage, their full form extending down.
ward. Until recently the manner Of per-
forming the feat was guarded secret.
While there is general difference as to
details, the principle involved in keep,
ing the walker suspended is practically
the same. It is the secret of the ability
of the fly to walk over the ceiling. /.
The board usedis heavy plank about
fifteen feet long and three feet wide.
This is rendered almost perfectly smooth
by being rubbed with pumice stone.
Near each end Of the board is suspended
a trapeze, to which the performer hangs,i
head down, as he presses his feet to
the board above him when starting upon
his walk. Underneath is stretched al
large net. An ordinary pair of stage
shoes will answer the purpose. To the
bottom of these are fastened circular,
concave arrangements Of gum, a sort of
bowl-shaped shoes, about six and o half
inches in diameter, and it is these,
pressed against the board above, that
hold the walker suspended.
The material of which these bowl
shaped shoes are made is of the same
thickness and appearance as that used
in heavy fremen's hose. In the center,
on the concave side of these shoes is
a thick piece Of steel, circular in form.
To this plate is rivited on the convex
side Of the shoes a small iron Frame
work. From this framework extends
two iron rods, shaped like the handles
Of the instruments used in toasting Or
broiling. By the framework the bowl
shaped shoes are fastened to the regu-
lar walking shoes. The rods referred
to extend toward the toe, resting under
meath the ball Of the foot. A pressure
exerted upon that portion Of the foot
will press out the rods and permit the
air to rush into the concave gum shoes
just at their center.
Everything in readiness, the per-
former sits upon the trapeze and adj
justs the concave arrangements to his
shoes. Then he swings around, head
down, holding on to the trapeze, and
presses the bowl-shaped arrangements
on his shoes against the board above.
AS he presses the air is driven out Of the
bowl. A vacuum is created as the gum
is pressed all the tighter against the
board, becoming fiattened out. The at
mospheric pressure on each one Of the
shoes used will exert power Or carry
weight of about fifteen pounds to the
square inch. Then the trapeze is let go
of. The performer hangs suspended.
A pressure upon the ball Of the foot OPP
crates the iron rod which opens small
arrangement at the convex center Of
the concave shoes. Air rushes in and
the shoe becomes loosened. Hanging;
by the right foot, the one loosened is.
thrown further along on the board.
Tightly it is pressed against the board,
until it fastens. Then the left is oper-
ated in the same manner, and SO on I'M.
til the stage is crossed.
dLTITUDE AND CHEST CAPac-TY,
At an elevation of 5000 feet the SUI.
face of the body is relieved Of nearly
1000 pounds weight as compared with
the pressure at sea level. When such
an enormous weight is lifted from the
body it's interior is also decidedly af-
fected-the pulse is accelerated from
fifteen to twenty beats and the respira-
ton quickened from ten to fifteen
breaths minute; and evaporation from
the skin and lungs increases. These
are some Of the immediate effects: Pro-
tracted residence in such a high region
enlarges the chest capacity. The
Quichua Indians. on the elevated table
lands of Peru, have enormous chests,
containing capacious lungs with large
air cells. The Mexican Indians possess
| sed chests which We're out Of proportion
to the size of the individual Children
born in the Rocky mountains have
chests OF unusually large capacity. The
reason why the number Of respirations
increases while person ascends a great
elevation is that at the sea level cubic
feet of dry air contains about 100 grains
of oxygen, while at an elevation of6,OO
feet it contains only about 100 grains
nearly 25 per cent. less than person is
accustomed to breathe at or near the
seaboard; therefore, in order to supply
the wanted amount of oxygen to the
body, the respirations must increase
either in number or in extent.
IN OUNCE OF PRETEN1ION.
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