The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-07-31
THE FERRIS WHEEL.
One of the Attractions of the Worlds
Fair.

Correspondence of the Belfast Journal)
To say that there are many wonderful
things to be seen at the Worlds Column
bian Exposition would be to repeat what
has been said great many times in all
thetnewspapers of the country. That all
the curious and wonderful things of all
countries are to be seen here everyone
knows who keeps posted on World Fair
events.
One of the most novel and interesting,
and certainly one of the greatest feats of
engineering that has ever been accom-
plished, is the Ferris wheel. 1t is the
wonder of the fair, as the Eiffel Tower
was at the Paris Exposition. While the
pride of the French was taller and
perhaps more imposing than our own
Ferris Wheel, yet the engineering prin-
ciples involved in it were simple COM
pared to those which have entered into
the construction of the big wheel on Mid
way Plaisance.
It is almost impossible to get good
idea of the wheel from newspaper ar
ticle, but perhaps a few of the important
points will be interesting. to those who
will not have an opportunity to see it.
The wheel itself is $50 feet in diameter
and at it's highest point is 1854 feet from
the ground. 1t is supported on steel
axle 80 inches in diameter and 454 feet
long This is the largestaxle ever forged
and weighs 704 tons. The towers which
support the axle are 40 feet high and are
built on solid foundation of concrete 30
| feet thick. In the circumference of the
wheel are SO cars, each of which carry 90
passengere, making the carrying capacity
2160, and as the trip around is made in
| 20 minutes, 64S0 people Jean make the
trip severy hour. sThe ktotal weight OF
the wheel, axle and towers is POO
| tons.
To an observer looking at the wheel
| from the ground, it seems as though it
would be hardly able to sustain tits own
weight, as the steel rods which run from
the outside of the wheel to the axle APP
pear very small to support such strain.
yet it is calculated by the builders that it
will hold five times ts.own weight be-
sides the wiud Spressure produced by a
cyclone blowing $50 miles an hour.
The motive power is produced by two
compound engines of 1000 horse power
| each. which impart motion to the wheel
by means of link belt which fits into
the enormous cogs on the circumference.
| There is powerful brake operated by
compressed air which lean be used fol
stopping in case of any emergency. The
cars are suspended from the top, and the
managers claim that it would be impos-
sible for them to fall, and equally
| impossible for them to fail to turn on
their axles, so as to preserve the center
of gravity. Each Icar has conductor
who locks the door when the car starts
and looks out for the comfort of the
passengers. The windows .are covered
with wide Stats SO no one can fall out
and every precaution is taken to insure
the safety of the passengers.
The sensation produced by a trip in the
wheel is novel, and for few minutes
you feel as though you were going TIC
take a drop like Cover 2or Altgeld's repu-
tation but this soon passes away, and you
can then admire the beautiful panorama
that stretches out before you.