Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-01-20

But no doubt they often regretted,
as they grew older, the hasty out
burst of temper that was now to do
so much mischief.
For the wheel, with Mr.. Douqlass
an unwilling passenger, dropped to
the ground and rolled slowly up the
plaisance.
Its first victim was the Turkish vii.
lage, and when the wheel had passed
the village looked like a fat, hand
colored map
MIR. Douglass, as soon as he saw
what the Arabs were at, had climbed
out of the car, and more like a spider
than a tutor made his way up to the
axle, where he stood upright, walk
ing backward upon the axle as the
wheel ran forward. From this well
chosen perch he could and did wit
ness the ensuing scene, which was de-
scribed by the Chicago reporters as
Unusual"
The Turkish village, being a trifle
lumpy, diverted the wheel but little,
and the next assault was upon the cor
ner of the Panorama of the Alps. The
end of the canvas became entangled
in the wheel and was stretched from
one side to the other, SO that subse
quently many thought that there
had been a landslide when they saw
the wheel pass.
Mr.. Hagenbeck's far famed animal
show also came in for a share of dam
age, the wheel crushing one corner
of the menagerie and picking up the
small performing bear in such way
that he was compelled to leap from
car to car as each came upright and
walk the wheel as if it were a circus
ball. He was rescued unhurt, but
considerably fatigued when the wheel
finally-but it was not yet through.
Glancing to the other side of the
plaisance, the Libbey Glass company's
building was splintered into what one
Of the Irish dairymaids declared to
be smithereens, and the monster
rolled onward to where the Interna-
tional Dress and Costume exhibit
was situated Here it broke in one
side of the building, and then catch
ing sight of the contents, with a
shrek from every cog fled into the.
fair grounds, cutting its way through
the Illinois Central and Intramural
bridges with no more than slight
crunches. The bear and Mr. Doug
lass were still walking their tread
mills, and the Panorama of the Alps
still decorated a whole side of the
wheel.
But the great wheel, though out of
temper, was not yet without feeling.
1t swerved aside upon reaching the
Woman's building, plunged into the
lagoon, where, frightened by the
of the swans, it shot mad
ly toward the Government building
Probably it would have gone entire
ly through except for the fact that
the department of justice lay direct
ly in it's course. 1t could not face
the stern portraits of judges upon
its walls, and destroying only the
big tree and few other antiquities
of slight Importance it encountered
the Liberal Arts building but slight
ly checked in speed.
Mr.. Douglass was tired of his ride,
and from the bears growing con,
cluded that his fellow passenger was
also ready to stop.
II wish, said Mr.. Douglass, never
relaxing his backward walk, "that l
had omitted this last visit to the fair.
1t is rather exciting, but too weari-
some after my long weeks of tramp
ing. / am glad to see the Building of
Manufactures ahead. The wheel may
get through it. though couldn't.
But it won't go much farther"
But he was wrong. The lath and
plaster offered little resistance to the
iron wheel, and the little elevator
boy in the center of the building
opened all the throttles, shot bodily
out through the roof, elevator and
all, and landed in the Viking ship,
much put out, but little hurt.
On its way down the center aisle
the wheel picked up the big tele-
scope, and ON it's next revolution
flung that marvellous instrument
high in the air. But Ben Franklin.
was waiting for just such chance,
and he promptly accepted it. Chuck
ing aside his key and kiteline, he
stepped lightly out from the portico
Of the Electricity building and
caught the telescope on the fly (fOr
which feat he afterward received a
vote of thanks from the University
Of Chicago), placed it carefully on
the wooded island and modestly re-
5umed his place on the pedestal, say
ng simply, "A penny saved is two
pence clear.
Cutting a clear channel through
the biggest building, the wheel
eaped the basln-a sight that SO as
.onished Miss Progress that she
ol1o1 20 fI,a GciaaoaS an1 f,fQ to