The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-07-19
REBUTLDTNG rTE FERRIS WHEEL.
The Monarch ofthe Midway Again to Ee
an Attraction in Chicago.

The big Ferris Wheel, which every body
VINO even so much as heard OF The chit
ca go World FAIR knows an about, ana
which everybody who visited the Fair
remembers With a. vast amount of ir-
teIfsi aftti being housed I'm small sfc-
lions for year or more Is again Co ue
set up ln the Windy CITY 10 afford chi
cag0ans a chance % get above their
at-ocious atmO sphere aud huve am occa-
siolai glimpse OF fne sun. There have
been am sOlis lt suggestions OF new
site for the wheel, and some negotiations
looking toward its purchase ass on at
traction tor various summer resors Al
one time it was almost settled that u
was 90 ht set UP az iuAHy island. 5ut
these various schemes fell through, ant
finally the company owning 10, ana Wiicl
operated DO during tlr ralr has decided
ID r--orect the wheel il tnl ago as Tine
leading feature a new eN,iralou re-
sort 0n the northern outskirts or TIE
Several notable copies OF the big wheel
have been built 3D. Europe. and one that
ecupscs the Midway giant go the mere
matter OF nti.ht is au attraction al the
Empire OF india Exhibition now rum
ming az taris Court, London But none
of the limitations mas eclpstd lf even
equalled. tne Ferris Wheel as triumph
OF clever designing ana engine ring. The
absolute perfection OF the gigantic struc-
ture i'm IDS every part and as "a whole is
being made more evident ln the rebuild
iug than seemed apparent ar It's first
SETTING ND The solid Steel axle, mel-
sur.ng thlrty-three inches IA diameter
and Weighing ifty-sN tons. retains It's
prc-cmineuCe as the largest steel cast
ms ever made.
fhe wheel is being set up on open
ground az WrightW0Od avenue and North
Clark street. az the opposite end Of Chi
cagO from where tae worlds Fair was
held Tho company owning the wheel
has leased a large area OF land and Will
spend $4,000 he making OF IL pleasure
resort with the wheel as one OF the at
fractions There VIII be- dancing payil-
ions. concerts. cafes. an electric fOun-
tliI and other features. Almi ssi IN 70
the grounds Will include the privilege Of
riding around 10 toe big wheei as often
as desired Already the Work Of setting
up the machinery has begun three
months having been occupied in finding
and making a firm foundation, and 10 Is
expected that tn whole OF tho work
will be completed 10y August BIN.
The work OF tran. TOrting and recon-
strUctiug the wheel is "a remarkable en-
giue,rirg undertaking. and IL has at
tractei much interest from ensin an
u rer the country. The machinery form
ing the wheel weighs four million pounds
and 10 is being transported q distance
OF IL miles through the city streets
on trucks hauled bv teams " horses
alone. The big axle and the engines
are the ouly exceptions. and these We're
transI Orted on armor-plate cars by rlil,
temporary tracks being lAld from the
railroad main line to the exhibition
grounds Thirty teams and trucks arc
engaged iu the work. and the cost OF
removing and rec0nstructing the wheel
will DE about $4,000. The wheel cost
$4,000 originally. but could now be bullt
for less than that sum.
What Is most interesting the engineers
is the fact that although the wheel las
designed within three months after tho
idea OF making IL first occurred to Mr.
Ferris the estimates were made win
such precision. and the parts fo-mof
ylth such nice accuracy. that In putting
together the mass OF machinery a SEQ
onl time lot a change OF any kind has
been found necessary. AS the superin-
tel lent IN charge OF the work puts IN
1--WE haven't had 10 white down SO
much as a single bolt. and there are
25coD o, them used In holding the wheel
together" The only difficulty IN regard
TO rebuilding the wheel has been IN nnd-
ing a sufficiently stable found Atom IL
was only after going down p feet through
sand. water. quirksaud and clay that a
sufficiently firm basis on which 20 begin
the concrete foundation was found.