Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-03-05
TO DRop f.ooo FEET.
France to the Front with IL Worlds Fair
Attraction for Steel Nerves.

France to the Front with Worlds Fair
Attraction for Steel Nerves.
Graphic.
The French have taken more pro-
nounced interest in the Worlds Column
bian Exposition than has any other for
eign nation. Their interest has thus far
manifested itself principally in the form
of abundant suggestions. The fact that
theirown exposition was so marvelously
successful leads them, perhaps not UNI
naturally, to the conclusion that they
are especially well qualified to give wise
and timely counsel to those charged
with the management of the Chicago
enterprise. 1t is their firm belief APP
parently, that an international fair to be
successful must first of all possess some
uniqe feature sufficiently striking and
novel 10 attract attention throughout
the world; in other words they insist
that Chicago must have an attraction
to serve the purpose for which the Eiiiel
tower was constructed. To aid the
Worlds Fair authorities in determining
this all-important matter the Parisians
have set to work industriouslt, and the
number of their ideas is already legion.
The suggestion which is most striking,
as far as novelty is concerned, consists
simply in dropping projectile-shaped
car from tower 1000 feet in height
into basin Of water. The originator
of this plan says that certain emotions
are aroused by falling q considerable
distance. These sensations are excited
in minor degree by n rapid descent in
an elevator. II il be possible to make a
fall Of 1000 feet perfectly safe, the
human family will have an opportunity
to experience new set of emotions OF
the character Of which they have merely
IN inkling at present. This is given as
the philosophical reason for believing
that a project of the kind would excite
the liveliest kind Of interest
The inventor Of this project has
worked out many of the details. The
cigar-shaped car, according to his plan
| should be built of steel, with number
of interior cones 10 prevent compression
Of air in the passenger compartment
when the craft strikes the water. The
proper height Of the projectile is given
at about 40 feet and its weight is esti
mated at II tons.
If dropped from Il height Of 1000 fee
the car viii be travelling at a speed Of
$50 feet per second when ii strikes the
water. AS this is considered more thar
three times as fast as an express trair
the occupants would gain an idea o.
what rapid transit really means. The
trip Will not last over u very few sec
ends, so that the travellers will not have
much time TO enjoy the pleasurablc anc
4 thrilling sensations which the originator
asserts will be inspired by the fail.
tl'he basin is to be 200 feet deep. Be
fore reaching that depth the resistance
of the water will bring the projectile t
u gradual stop, when it will rise to Til,
surface ready TO be carried to the Gle
yator leading to the tower from which
the drop is made, The arrest Of motion
will be so gradual that the / passenger
seated on cushioned chairs on a foo
resting on springs will not be jarreC
when the craft strikes the water.
Unfortunately the suggestion will b
i considered preposterous. The scheme
however, is one which is being scriousl,
discussed by Aristide Berges Of the Pari
| Pyrotechnic School. Charles Carran
an engineer of Grenoblc, has made
careful study of all the conditions con
nected with the execution of projec
Of this kind. He has stated ii as hi
opinion that there are no reasons, praC
tical or theoretical, to prevent the actua
realization of this scheme. In spite o
this assurance it will doubtless be diff
cult to find volunteer anxious to max
the first trip in the falling car.