The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-07-06

The Sensation Produced bv Ride on
the Ferris Wheel.

the Ferris Wheel.
I'm trying 10 decide what my impress
ions are Of ride in the Ferris wheel
writes Theresa Dean in the Inter Ocean.
II IS a difficult thing 20 do. II is much
easier to tell what I expected than what
/ realized, ] expected TO have the Spnsa-
ton the man ia the circus must have
when he takes his daring leap out into
the air, and chances more 10 luck than
science TO get back TO q solid foundation
or the rope waiting for him on the other
side. l thought Mr.. Ferris would shut
me i'm a trap and swing me out into mid
air; that he would whiz me on and up and
over, whether l would on no after once
was started, then settle NE down 10 terra
hrma with sardouic grin on
his face, as he asked me how
l liked it, or that he would tell
the next VenJuresOme idiot to walk
right in over my dead body and take a
ride. For weeks I have watched the
monster wheel nearing completion, and
have lost my balance in just looking at it,
1t has seemed an unavoidable fate await
ing me-fOr ride in it would have to be
added to these chips. I had been jolted
and bumped and made seasick in the ele-
vators of the Eiffel tower a year or so
ago, and had been up in the captive bal
loon recently, but there was something
about that wheel that seemed a woefully
reckless arrangement, even if it was
miraculous piece Of mechanism
IN THE CAR.
Yesterday l braced up with my duty
to my column and walked into one of the
cars. 1t was spacious and comfortable,
with irOn-barred glass sides, and re
volving chairs The attendant, in white
duck trousers, blue coat, brass buttons.
and blue cap, said that I could sit where
l could see the wheel and the other cars,
or l could sit on the other side and watch
the view. sat down without choice of
view or wheel and found, that the
view from every direction from the start
ing point was only network of iron bars
and cars. While / was waiting for the
ride to commence, the scene changed and
found we had been moving
some time without my know
ing it. And all around that
mammoth wheel. if it had not been that
the view was constantly changing, we
would never have known that we were
moving. The cars are hung so perfectly
and the workings are so smooth that you
are not conscious of motion. The wheel
stops at every sixth car to allow people to
get on and of, but you are not aware of it
until YOU notice that the panorama out
side-La6e Michigan, the White City, the
Midway plaisance, and the forest off in
the west-has stopped in its slide. For
that is the sensation, that the car and
wheel is stationary, while the world out
side goes around.
THEY HAD BOTTLE.
It was a great lark for three men who
were evidently nerved up to take the trip
by something they carried in a fiat bot
tie They took a sip at every stop, and at
the highest and lowest and quarter
points. They were very particular to
wait for the stops and points. One of
them asked the attendant why there
were iron bars on the windows. He told
them it was to keep such people as they
were from falling out.
1T is a great pity it protects those
who are not worth saving, as well as our
kind" he replied.
And that Joke lasted them twice
around the wheel, which is the regular
trip. The attendant of that car, who is d
university student, said that man who
weighed about three hundred pounds,
came into the car the other day. He was
the only passenger. He sat down on one
Of the chairs, and appeared to be almost
holding his breath with nervousness.
He never moved or spoke. The student
became interested in watching the effect
the wheel would have on the solitary
| passenger, so he did not address him.
| When the wheel made its first stop he
! fell to the floor with:
My God! she's falling!"
He closed his eyes and waited for death.
! Death did not come, but he never changed
| his position. He still cIutched the chair
| with closed eyes. Finally the attendant
went to him and spoke. The man opened
his eyes slowly, looked around at his COM
panion and gasped out
Weren't you hurt any when it went
! down}'
And il was with difficulty that the at
! tendant made him understand that the
car had not fallen and that he was not
hurt. When his twice-around the
wheel trip was ended he was just begin
ming to awake to the fact that nothing
had happened and nothing would hap
| pen
The Ferris wheel is the one place where
people with kodaks do not get molested.
| The views from the slowly revolving
wheel are very fine, and visitors are get
| ting souvenirs that will of great value.