The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-11
WHEEL THAT BEATS THE FERRIS.
The Queer Idea of An American In
vcntOr.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.


From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Phlladephia.-The projectors of the COM
ing Paris exposition of 1900 are searching
everywhere. and even Offering a premium,
for pleasure device and mechanical won
der. That there is stll something new
under the sun seems TO have been proved
by wonderful invention made by young
Washngtonian, now residing IN this city,
who intends to start In a few weeks for
Paris to lay his plans before the officials
Of the coming worlds fair. The inven-
ton is a combination of the Ferris wheel,
"shoot the chutes," atoboggan slide and
Scenic railway" all rolled into one. The
sensations experienced by a doubly con-
centrated essence of these novel devices
can be imagined, but hardly described.
The device consists Of a gigantic wheel
200 feet in hight, and with a steel frame
composed OF a networks of braces. It's
structural detail and the towers which
support II look not unlike the Ferris
wheel. The great difference Is that. in
stead OF having cars suspended between
the two outer rims. or the periphery OF the
wheel, this space Is inclosed and laid with
stout flooring, giving the whole the APP
pearance of n gigantic bicycle with a
broad, fiat tire. Upon this floor and In the
inside OF the wheel Is "a great trough with
sides rising three feet above the bottom,
and IN this trough are laid stout steel
tracks. Cars rest upon these tracks. and
the object of the Invention Is to cause
these vehicles, filed with people, 20 be car
ried up a certain distance into the air by
the wheel. then shot down the incline with
a speed OF the wind and up the other side
by the force OF the momentum.
The wheel Mr.. Pattee has designed has
two tracks around the inside OF its rim,
each fitting into separate trough OF Cts
own. The cars are about six feet wide,
fifteen feet long and eigsst feet high. The
seats which run from side 20 side, are
surrounded by a barrier reaching up to
the passengers shoulders when seated.
Above this extends a canopicd roof with
the sides fitted with wire screens. so that
the whole forms an inclosed pavilion.
Imagine the sensations Of the people en-
tering the cars upon such a pleasure trip.
The wheel begins 10 revolve from left 10
right and the car ~ carried up about SOW
enty feet 10 a point one-third the distance
from the bottom 10 the top OF the wheel.
The car II gripped TO tho tracks with Iat.
eral arms, spreading out on either side,
and clamping themselves tightly 10 the
tracks and trough by the turning OF
lever Ia the hands OF motorman. When
the cars have reached the hiThl Of seventy
feet the motOrman releases the lateral
arm and the vehicle shoots down the IN.
cline az terrific rate OF speed ana 10
the other side, the wheel stopping during
the descent There b. a pond OF water
In the inside troughs, which flows around
at the lowest level it can ind and IL con-
sequently always at the bottom or the
wheel A. the boat-llke vehicle descends
u dashes through this water reproducing
the sensation experienced IN shooting
the chutes' and surrounding the people
with q shower OF spray. which does not
wet them, because u b. hurled away from
the car AZ night, when the wheel a
surrounded by thousands OF colored cleo