The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-06-15

hHC rum uNNDnED ON isOILEt SKATES.
art of skating within doors on tho very
best laid floor, in an extensive hall, which
Is always kept at the proper temperature
and under tho 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 Oh the rigid toy skates on the
sidewalks than ever before and this may
DO taken as sure indication of the in
creased desire of the people in general for
the revival of roller skating Kinks Many
owners Of Kinks i'll 1884 believe that the
roller skating craze rccurs every ten wears
ana are contemplating opening for bust
ness again. The first great demand of the
people for the skate was in 1874. The uni
vcrsal popularity subsidized, apparently for
good, after two years of occupation of tho
peoples minds, but in 1884 some members
OF the most wealthy families of the cxclu-
sivc circles, including the Havcmcycrs,
tho Rooscvclts, the Asttrs and others, with
the kindly assistance of james L. Plimp-
ton, the roller skate inventor, engaged
headquarters. originated club, laid per-
feet floor and INDUCED in the pleasant
sport for long time before the world in
general became aware of the fact that roll
or skating was again possibility in Now
York. In the same manner tho new era of
roller skating is beginning
In 1869 Mr.. Plimpton was i'll, and dur
ing his convalcsccndt visited Central park.
New York, and the sight of the ice skaters
led him to consider the subject of an ndc-
quatc roller skate. Within year he had
invented and patented his skate, the sale
OF which has made him multimilionairc
This skate has wooden footplatc, beneath
which are two rollers mt the toe and two
at the heel, made of lockwood set on axlcs
and supported by hangers of u composition
metal which seems almost indcstructiblc.
Tor they seldom break and rarely bend.
The rollers are turned or guided so as to
make any desired curve, by the oscillation
OF the sole plate or the proper inclination
of the foot of the skater us he moves his
body either left or right. The rollers sit
squarely upon the floor, whether the foot
is inclined or upright, and thus sufficient
adhesion is obtained to prevent the skate
from slipping sideways. BY thus dispcns-
ing with oil 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 tho observer
1t imparts grace to the figure, pliability to
the limbs, strength to the muscles, yigor
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
ono of the polite arts. AS falls arc rare and
overindulgence not permitted cannot i'm
agine how roller skating can have an enc
my or, in fact, any but enthusiastic ad-
mirers. Alluuthorities at home and abroad
advocate the art of skating. Perhaps the
best of these is Saltzman, the great Ger
man author, who says of it.: 1t is an ex-
erclse superior to everything that can DO
classed under the head of motion. Pure
air, promotion of the circulation of the diff
fercnt fluids, muscular excrtion, the cxcr-
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
propcl himself over the surface of a floor
or which we have any authentic account
was invented by Pcttiblcd, u Frcnchman.
patented in France, and introduced there
in the year 1917. But n more practical in
vcntion was that of Robert John Tyer
whose "parlor skate" wasput upon the mar
kct in England i'll 1923, but had little sale
there. and II was not until it was brought
to this country and the celebrated jackson
Haynes. a skater of note in his time. put
1t to practical use in his exhibitions upon
the theatrical stage that il became popular
and met with ii great sale With il he
went TO Europe and skatcd into the affec-
tions of the ear Of Russia. who cnnoblcd
him and enriched the skater 10 such an cx-
tent that he never returned to America.
This 'parlcr skate had cast iron foot
plate of light weight, beneath which were |
six hardened rubber rollers set in rigid
axlcs and "rcangcd III straight line un-
der the foot. 1t was intended to act we'll
upon the skater foot on the pnrlor CARPET,
but proved n failure and was used only
upon IA hard floor or upon the sidewalk.
The wheels being rigidly set in the axlcs,
skating u!on this skate, excepting in n
straight line, was out Of the question, ard
its popularity wancd because OF its imprac-
ticability and the difficult and laborious
efforts necessary to move it. Grace was
IN all her steps when a lady skater moved
over he floor With the par!or skates upon