Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-06-12

propel himself over the surface of floor
of which we have any authentic account
was invented by Pettibled, a Frenchman,
patented in France, and introduced there
in the year 1919. But q moro practical in-
yention was that of Robert John Eyer,
whose 'parlor skate" wasput upon The mar
ket in England in 1928, but had little sale
there, and it was not until it was brought
to this country and thA celebrated jackson
Haynes, a 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 great sale. With 1t he
went to Europe and skated into the affec-
lions of the car of Russia, who ennoblei
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
six hardened rubber rollers set in rigid
axles and arranged in a straight line I'M
der the foot. It was intended to act we'll
upon the skaters foot on the parlor carpet,
but proved q failure and was used only
upon hard floor or upon the sidewalk.
The wheels being rigidly set in the axles,
skating upon this skate, excepting in
straight line, was out of the question, and
its popularity waned because of its imprac
ticability and the difficult and laborious
efforts necessary to move it. "Grace was
in all her steps" when a lady skatey moved
over the floor with the parlor skates upon
her feet, but pain was in her face and q
tired feeling in her soul.
Many inventions followed the Tyer
skate. Mr.. Plimpton has more than 500
different skates upon wheels in his mu-
scum which tell the tale of an immense
amount of thought, labor and money be-
slowed upon the absorbing subject of sup
plying to the skating fraternity a suitable
rolling skate of scientific pretensions and
practical value. No doubt thousands of
strenuous efforts were made by great in
vcntors to produce what was required for
the skater, but after thousands of attempts
and the production of some of the most
ridiculous results the perfect Plimpton
roller skate entered the arena, and, to the
surprise of the skater, met his require
mcnts to the letter. 1t is patented as a
"guidable skate, - the principle patent hay
ing been procured upon the rocking foot
plate which guides the wheels by cramping
them by the motion of the foot which rests
upon the skate either to the right or tho
left, just as the forward wheels of wagon
arc cramped by moving the axle. This is
principle and a principle alone could not
be patented, but the application of that
principle to the roller skate was patented
in all parts of the world. This is a great
patent, for it is impossible to make skate
which will be 'guidable'' without the
rocking fcotplatc
The only difference of Importance be
tween roller and ice skating is in move,
ments in which the skater turns from for
ward to backward and in the performance
of the spins" These movements are done
generally upon the center of the skate OF
the ice, while in roller skating the turns
must be done upon heel or toe. Roller
skating is much easier to learn than ice
skating, but the ice skater must rcmem-
Der that the rollers are mechanical. The
best ice skaters have frequently fallen in
the very first steps upon the rollers when
refusing to heed the warning to walk first
in order to get the tfeel' of the skate and
learn that when n circle Is struck on the
roller skate there is no forcing the curve
and the skater will come around to where
he started the circle, just as certainly as il
that circle We're struck with pair of di
vidcrs. For this reason the movements
may be done with ma$o precision on roll
ers than on the ice skate. Another advan
tage of the roller over the ice skate is tina;
the skating surface is always ready and
does not depend either upon tho season or
the fic1leness of the weather.
The first steps upon the rollers should
be walking, with the toes well turned out,
which position will give support and re
sistancc. After thus walking carefully sew.
eral times around the room the beginner
may glide slowly and carefully to right |
and left and then part of n circle gradually |
increased until a graceful roll, while sup |
ported by companion, may be acquired |
in the first lesson. After this all the move |
ments known to ice skating may be done |
on the rollers with as much grace and less |
fear of falling than upon the ice.
MARVIN II. CLARK.