The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-03-20
THE FERRIS WHEEL.
1t Is Now a Mass of Scrap Iron and
Steel i'm Chicago.

1t Is Now a Mass of Scrap Iron and
Steel i'm Chicago.
At Woodland avenue and Sixty-frst street
you will find lying alongside the railroad
tracks huge heap of iron and steel. At
first sight it looks like nothing in particular
but monstrous mass of scrap iron. There
are beams and stays, Orders and cross
pieces, cogged felloes and cogwheels, big
spokes, and a derrick sprawled out over all.
The pieces are all piled one upon another in
a confusing mass, but after all when looked
at closely, in sort of order. For each and
every bit has mystic number on it, done
In white paint. Climb around over the mass
and you will find somewhere else another
piece to correspond with the number you
first looked at, and these numbers were put
there before the big Ferris wheel was torn
down. Each side of every joint in the mas
sive machine was given a sign to guide the
makers when, some day, the Ferris wheel
is again put up and sent a-whrling.
Sprockets with funnyshaped cogs, gear
wheels of all shapes and sizes-but all big
are there. Across the street. lined up along
the same railroad tracks, are the big en-
gines which whirled the big wheel and its
cars Of human freight when the Midway
was-well, the Midway. These engines are
rusty now. So is the rest of the machine,
save for a few of the vital points, those
ing process Those big teeth-like cogs.
which everybody saw who rode in the
wheel, are coated with white lead, the bet
ter to Withstand the rains and the SHOWS of
the resting period and breathing spell of
the giant that gave the world a new sensa-
ton.
Then there are the cars-these immense
houses, swung and swinging-the capacity
of which was often tested, although when
one was in one thought there was always
room for just many more. These cars
are in pieces, just like the frame that held
them. These are also stored away. They
are in queer place, too Near the mass
of the framework there is an ice house. The
cars are there. Dusty and dirty, looking
like almost anything but what they are,
these erstwhile carriers Of delighted crowds
are forsaken and alone in the dull and un-
interesting interior of an unromantic ice
house. Perhaps they are like Kipling's ami
mals-can talk. If so, what a fund of rem-
niscences they have to while away the
chilly time they're having. How many
lovers they carried; how many scared per-
sons; how many blase souls, who took that
big wheel and the view from it, merely as
a matter Of course, and couldn't be cajoled
into a ord exclamation of delight or
WONDER how many camera fiends, whose
only wish when aloft was that the car
would only stop awhile at the top! If these
bits Of cars could only talk!
the masterpiece, the big shaft. 1t is lying
alongside the same railroad tracks, block
to the West-at Lexington avenue. And
this mass Of metal, this triumphant and sue
cessful experimenter-is now playing
place for the children who know it's there.
Most of them don't know what it is. Few
of them understand it is part of the Ferris
wheel, but not one Of them knows it is a
masterpiece of the machinists skill and
that it weighs no less than 70 TONS They
know one thing, however. 1t is hollow.
boy-and good big boy, at that-can crawl
through it and never be worried about being
Stuck"
big axle every day. They play hide and
seek in it, and they chase their dogs
through it. 1t is resting solidly on a plat
form made of blocks Of wood, and these
have sunk somewhat into the ground, but
they hold the 70 tons Of shaft and will hold
it until it is removed.
What is to be done with the wheel? Why,
it is to be taken to New York some day.
Next March is the nearest time that has
yet been announced for the fitting. Last
March it was said the wheel was to be
taken to Gotham. Then came the arduous
task of taking it down. All summer long
the men worked at it. and as it crumbled
piece by piece everybody saw it go and sup
posed it was hauled away to the Eastern
town. But Chicago has it yet. When it is
moved it will take 120 cars to carry it.
There are 2,40O tons to be lifted ON these
cars, lifted off again, and then once more
lifted into position before the wonder of the
Fair is ready once more to recall memories
Of the Midway. The wheel itself weighs no
less than 1900 tons, so the size of that pile
Of metal out in Sixty-frst street can in a
measure be ina gined. It looks now just as
if the wheel had collapsed and fallen into
heap.-Chicago Times.