Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1893-08-17

jackson Park, Special Correspond
ence-AIidway Plaisance is now partic-
ularly the center of attraction to Wis
itors to the worlds fair. Here the
crowds are always the largest and the
fun the most furious of any part of
the exposition grounds. Americans,
above all things like to be amused.
and this heterogeneous collection of
peoples from Ill over the world furnish
amusement rs well as instruction to
those who examine into their mode
of living. 1t is possible for visitor to
gain more information in the Midway
Plaisance about the human family than
he could acquire in months and even
years Of travel. An intelligent English
man, who might be classed with the
element known rs bog trottels, re-
marked to me the other day as we
We're gazing at a group of Egyptians
that any intelligent person could learn
more Of the ways Of foreign peoples
in Midway in week than he could in
two years of travel in the Orient, be-
cause their distinctive customs were
brought out strongly in their encamp-
ments here. The PlaiSancc is world
of peoples, gathered into small space
and preserving their native character
isticS with strict fidelity. The reader,
however, can only imagine the pctur-
esQueneSs of such scene and how IN
tenSely interesting it is to an Amerl-
can who SurpaSses all natiOnalities IN
the traits of curiosity and the desire to
learn. In my first visit to the PlalSance
looked to find something Which would
set forth to the public the idea OF the
greatness and other characteristics of
America. and l certainly found that it
was there in the shape of one of the
greatest triumphs of modern engineer
ing. One Of the South American COM
misSioncrs at the worlds fair lamentcd
in published interview that the United
States, unlike France, had not Il diStin-
gushing feature, similar to the Elfel
at Paris to set off the great triumphs
of the exposition. This was before the
Ferris wheel was completed, which, like
that great achievement of French en-
gincering, furnishes a destructive work
that grects the eye of the visitor for
many miles before the towers and
minarets of the great white city burst
upon his view like an enchanted vision.
This feat of American engineering skill
demonstrates the genius. courage and
enterprise of G. w. G. Ferris, who
undertook to show the world what
American skill could do without the
aid Of emoluments of the Columbian
exposition behind him.
| have but to mention the dimensions
OF that gigantic achievement Of mech;n-
ical engineering 10 clearly show what
q vast undertaking was the feat OF
constructing the great Ferris wheel.
1t stands 264 feet high. The diameter
of the wheel proper is $50 feet. The
main shaft, upon which it revolves as
smooth and frctionless as the piston
rod Of some massive engine, is 30 inches
in diameter and As ID feet in length
the largest steel shaft ever forged.
Upon the periphery of the outer circle
Of the wheel is suspended thirty-slx
cOmmOQiOuS passenger coaches, tnlr-
teen feet wide and twenty-siX feet long.
Each of these coaches has carrying
capacity for sixty passengers, With forty
chairs for those who may wish to sit
doWn-many prcfcrring to stand III Or
der to catch every aspect of the nllgnlh-
cent view afforded. These thirty.siX
cars can, therefore carry =, $50 persons
around each trip. The structure weighs
200 TONS aud requires the power of
two 1000 horsepower engines to rotate
it upon it's axis, while the whole mas
sive superstructure is raiscd'tifteen rect
above the earth upon pyrlmldal towers
of gigantic size, that the great wheel
may sweep gracefully on it's axis
through the air. The towers are each
$40 feet high, 40 by 80 feet at the base
and six feet square at the top, and each
rests upon four square concrete founda-
TONS
The wheel itself consists of a wheel
within Il wheel. The inner wheel is
bounded by a periphery. which has
diameter Of 40 feet less than the outer
wheel, or in other words the periphery
of the inner wheel is 20 feet within that
of the outer wheel. These wheels are
connected By heavy rods and struts.
The outer Wheel. which is over logo
feet in length, has a double parallel
periphery, and the passenger coaches
are hung to the outer periphery OF the
big wheel Ly steel bars 6 II inches in
diameter, extending across from one
parallel periphery to the other The
great hub is 16 feet in diameter, be-
tween which and the outer pccipheries
is arranged all the massive truss work
that holds the gigantic structure togeth-
er. Steel rods GIG inches in thickness
run out from the hub, connecting it
with the circumference at every thir-
teen feet of space, measured upon the
circumference. Every possible provls-
ion is made for safety, although the
giant wheel is moved so slowly that it
requires 20 minutes to make one revo-
luton.
The wheel is fitted with gigantic
air brake which will stop it in any po-
sition at moments notice. The outer
line Of the wheel contains immense
gear cogs, and these mesh with the
sprocket chain which revolves around
the immense cog wheels and thus the
easy, steady, graceful movement is at
tanned. The passenger coaches are adj
justed to always remain perfectly level,
no matter in what position the wheel
may be.
The sensation experienced in riding
around the Ferris wheel is very novel
and must be experienced to ever be