The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-09-27

CHICAGO, Sept. 2i- Correspondence
The greatest achievement in mechanical
engineering at this wonderful exposition
has thus fer received a very small share of
the favorable attention il so richly de-
serves. The Eifiei tower Of Paris was
heralded before the reading world with a
rapidity born Of surprised and cuickened
enthusiasm. But slowly the world Is
awakening 10 the fact that the great tower
has been more than surpassed by the won
derful Ferris wheel at the Columbian en-
position. When Andrew Carnegie, the
iron king Of America, visited Seattle had
the pleasure Of . visit with him, and he
said that he had offered to furnish steel
enough to construct tower at the Worlds
fair that would surpass the Eiffei tower,
but the idea was rejected, as 1t would
simply be an imitation of the great
Frenchman's triumph. SO time dragged
on until IL seemed thar the great EXPOSE
ton was 10 come and pass away without
any attempt at a triumph by the Amer
lean mechanical engineers. IL remained
for Western young man. born in Gales
burg, ILL.,. reared in California and grad
uated from the Rensselaer, Polytechnic In
stitute of Troy. n. Y. in the class of 1891
to conceive the triumph aud complete Ii
with credit and glory while still under IS
years Of age. The name of George WASH
fngton Gale Ferris will be known and re-
membered By Americans and the world at
large long after the names of others par
ticipafing In this exposition have been for
gotten. Just think of i'll In January of
1898 the steel in this monster was pig iron
untouched. On June 20 of the same year
the great work was completed and the
wheel has not since stopped an hour for
repairs. 1t required three years TO COM
plete the Eiffel tower. It took three years
TO construct the famous Niagara bridge,
which Is stationery. resting on two i'm
mense pillars. The Ferris wheel swings
on q huge axis. weighs three times as
much as the Niagara bridge and was built
IN six months.
Mr.. Ferris was recently asked how he
had planned the great wheel, and replied
that he had determined that the void of
some engineering triumph should be met.
lie planned many contrivances, but none
of them practical. until one day at lunch
in Chicago chop house the idea came to
him. He took out his pencil and drew plan
which was as complete in It's details as is the
wheel in the center of Midway Plaisance.
His plan met with opposition and obiec-
tons everywhere, and even after the con-
cesss0n was granted 10 was taken away
again, and 30 IL came that the beginning
OF the present year found the invention
with a bare beginning on the foundations.
The standing that Mr.. Ferris enjoys with
the factories of the country enabled him
TO convert pig iron into rods, beams and
cogs with lightning like rapldity. and 40
fall Ill
when the separate parts arrived they were
fitted into place without hiten or hind
rance of any kind
The first thought that strikes the timld
one who rides ON the wheel Is. "WiIl IL
keel over in wind?" Mr.. Carl Snyder,
IN an admirable article in the current
number OF the Reeiew ef Reriesrs. pro-
pounds this same question to the wheels
inventor. "of course, replied he, 'thers
Is only one thing which would ever affect
a wheel as large as that--thas is the wind.
Well, We have looked out for that. as for
ali the rest Chicago has some rather high
winds at times. We had one that blew 10
miles per hour One hundred and twenty
Is ahoat the speediest wind that hlowS
Five times that wouldn't bother the wheel
at all. IL is made 20 stand that and
fsteFS. ANtA AF. CNt1ef continues lha
test Mr.. Ferris spoke OF was the terrific
hurricane which swept Chicago in July.
IL was straight north and south gaze and
IL struck the wheel fairly across its face.
Mr. Ferris saw the storm coming and de.
seFmined 20 note its effect. Mrs Ferris
and = reporter accompanied HAM as ne
entered the cars. Slowly she great wheel
lifted them into the midst of the roaring.
howilng tempest Asthe mad storm swept
round the cars the blast was deafenins.
IL screamed through the thin, spider-like
glgdeFs and shook the windows with saw
sse fury. 1t VAS n place 10 try better
mems nerve. The inventor had faith in
bis wheel; Mrs. Ferris in her husband.
But the reporter At that moment believed
Ia neither God nor man. Bat the wheel
never shiverei. II turned as evenly and
rs smoothly IS IL famed by summer
Eephygss
II : said BOW that this monsteF, which
cost Nhea completed $Sre 600. will Re re-
moved 20 the Antwerp exposition next
year. At cost Of Selooa Ine great enter
prise unlike similar undertakings in the
past has proved a iinsneiai success.