Little Falls weekly transcript., 1895-07-05


art of skating within doors on the very
best laid floor, in an extensive hall, which
Is always kept at the proper temperature
and under the necessary and proper re-
strictions concerning the time of skating
and manner Of acquaintance with others.
1t will be noticed by those who live in the
larger cities that there arc moro girl and
boy skaters ON the rigid toy skates on tho
sidewalks than ever before, and this may
be taken as sure indication of the In
creased desire of the people in general for
the revival of roller skating rinks. Many
owners of Kinks in 1884 believe that the
roller skating craze rccurs every ten years,
and are contemplating opening for bust
ness again. The first great demand OF the
people for the skate was in 1874. The uni
versal popularity subsided, apparently for
good, after two years OF occupation OF the
peoples minds, but in 1884 some members
OF the most wealthy families OF the exclu-
sive circles, including the Havemeyers,
the Roosevelts, the Astors and Others with
the kindly assistance Of James L. Pnmp-
ton, the roller skate inventor, engaged
headquarters, originated club laid a per-
feet floor and indulged in the pleasant
sport for long time before the world in
general became aware of the fact that roll
er skating was again a possibility in New
York. In the same manner the new era OF
roller skating Is beginning.
In 1869 Mr.. Plimpton was i'll, and dur
ing his convalescence visited Central park,
Now York, and the sight Of the leo skaters
led him to consider the subject Of an ade'
uuate roller skate Within u year he had
invented and patented his skate, the sale
of which has made him multimillionaire,
This skate has wooden footplate, beneath
which are two rollers at the toe and two
ut the heel, made of lockwood, set on axles
and supported by hangers Of a composition
metal which seems almost indestructible,
for they seldom break and rarely bend.
The rollers are turned or guided SO rs to
make any desired curve, by the oscillation
of tho solo plato or tho proper inclination
of the foot of the skater as he moves his
body either left or right. The rollers sit
squarely upon the floor, whether tho foot
is inclined or upright, and thus sufficient
adhesion is obtained to prevent the skate
from slipping sideways. BY thus dispens-
ing with all rough, soft or elastic sub
stances, as formerly used upon the rollers,
q very easy rolling skate is obtained.
That skating is the very poetry Of mo-
ton is every way apparent to the observer.
1t imparts grace to the figure, pliability to
the limbs, strength to the muscles, vigor
to the sinews, activity to the blood, roses
to the checks and develops the human sys-
tenn most thoroughly and delightfully."-. 1t
has less Objectionable surroundings than
any other enjoyment and may be called
one of the polite arts. AS falls aro rare and
overindulgenco not permitted I cannot i'm
agine how roller skating can have an enc
my or in fact, any but enthusiastic adj
mirers. All authorities at home and abroad
advocate the art of skating. Perhaps the
best of these is Saltzman, tho great Ger
man author, who says of it: "It is an ex-
ercise superior to everything that can be
classed under the head of motion. Pure
air, promotion of the circulation of tho diff
ferent fluids, muscular exertion, the exer-
else Of such various skillful movements
and unalloyed mental satisfaction, must
have powerful influence, not only on the
corporal frame of man, but on his mind
likewise"
The first skate upon which one might
propel himself over the surface of a floor
of which we have any authentic account
was invented by Pettibled, a Frenchman,
patented in France, and introduced there
in the year 1910. But more practical in
vention was that of Robert John Tyer,
whose 'parlor skate wasput upon the mar
Net in England in 1898, but had little sale
there, and it was not until it was brought
to this country and the celebrated Jackson
Haynes, skater of note in his time, put
it to practical use in his exhibitions upon
the theatrical stage that it became popular
and met with a great sale. With it he
went to Europe and skated into the affec-
tions of the czar of Russia, who ennobled
him and enriched the skater to such an ex-
tent that he never returned to America.
This "parlor skate'' had a cast iron foot
plate Of light weight, beneath which were
si1 hardened rubber rollers set in rigid
axles and arranged In a straight line un-
der the foot. 1t was intended to act we'll
upon the skaters foot on the parlor carpet,
but proved failure and was used only
upon a hard floor or upon the sidewalk.
The wheels being rigidly set in the axles,
skating upon this skate, excepting in a
straight line, was out Of the question, and
its popularity waned because of its imprac-
ticability and the difficult and laborious
4 efforts necessary to move it. Grace was
In all her steps" when q lady skater moved
over tho IoUi with the par4or skates upon