Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-07
SKATING ON ARTIFICIAL ICE.
How Pleasure-Loving farisians Have Been
Enjoying Themselves All Winter.

How Pleasure-Loving farisians Have Been
Enjoying Themselves All Winter.
The French. though an industrious and
thrifty race, take their pleasure very earnestly,
and the Partisan is the RECONCILIATION Of gsyety.
Although he is the best in summer, when the sun
is always shining and he can pass his life in the
open air, he is keenly alive to the attractions
of winter recreations as his Canadian brethren,
and while people in other lands have been COM
planning of the intermittent nature Of this win
ter's frosts he has been skating on genuine ice
since October last A skating rink Of artificial
ice has been constructed in Paris forty meters
in length by eighteen In width. As described
by a correspondent Of the st. Louis Globe
Democrat il consists Of a cement and cork
floor resting upon a perfectly tight metallic
foundation upon which is arranged a series Of
connected iron pipes having q total length OF
5000 meters The building is supplied with
steam engines and the necessary machinery for
converting the ammoniacal gas into liquid anu
monia, which is led into large reservoirs or re-
frigerators. where il expands with the produc-
ton of cold. Having returned TO the gaseous
state IL Is taken up again by the machines,
which force it anew into the condensers, and so
on indefinitely. The same supply OF ammonia
serves over ard over again. The lowering OF
the temperature produced by the expansion is
(solution Of calcium chloride) which circulztes
in spirals in the center OF the refrgera-
tories This liquid, by means Of a pump.
is forced into the pipes in the moor
Of the rink. Each section derives its sup
ply from two principal conduits. into
which there is a constant flow Of the chloride
of calcium solution cooled TO q temperature
that varies according 10 the velocity of the cir
culation, which can be regulated at will When
the external temperature is not very high all
that has to be done is merely to keep the ice IN
condition, and a few degrees below zero viii
suffice, while, on the contrary. when the upper
stratum. or even the entire rink. has TO be re-
newed a temperature of Is to 20 degrees below
may be needed The surface IL renewed every
night First the snow produced by the blades
OF the skates is removed. and then a sheet Of
water is spread by means Of a pump over
the ice and kept in circulation during
the entire period of congelstion In or
der to give a perfectly even surface. In
order to prevent the spirals from producing
changes of level through the contraction due 10
the differences in temperature to which they
are subjected. they composed OF pipes that
enter each other with friction to q certain
length. They thus form slides that allow OF
certain play. Moreover, in order that their
temperature shall be ms Uniform AZ possible
care is taken TO frequently change the direction
temperature in the entire circulation Is secured
The hall is decorated with winter scenery ana
lit by electrics CHR and the temperature IL care
fully regulated and usually maintained - -
tween fifteen and eighteen degrees