Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1897-07-15
FIRST FERRIS WHEEL
Was Invented by Hancock County
Man.

at Northeast Harbor, was formerly resi-
dent of Amherst. The fact that he is an
inn keeper, blacksmith and singer of
many old-fashioned lum berman's songs is
almost enough to make fame for an Or
binary man in small Maine village. But
William had other accomplishments. He
IS one OF the best story tellers on the
whole coast, and il his own stories be
true, the subject and principle of the
great Ferris wheel used at the Worlds
fair to make all nations stare in awe,
were thought of and set in motion and
making money years before the Worlds
fair was thought of. 1t was drafted and
planned in his own shop, and built and
erected at Amherst, more than sixteen
years ago, and when it made its first run
in the world, many of the old residents
can remember that it broke up The camp
meeting.
Herrlck after getting his wheel per
fected went to the camp-meeting and Gel
| ebration, and requested the privilege of
placing it on the picnic grounds. He
offered to do all the turning himself, Gt
was turned by hand) and give half the
was not granted for The reason that many
of the committee after careful thought
decided that it was just little mite not
the proper thing to have as a means to
extort money out Of the good people for
charitable purposes. So Herrick's offer
was declined.
He received this information on July 3,
and the great celebration was to be on he
Fourth. When the news reached his ears
the inventor was thrown into a state of
indignation and determination. With
solemn vow to break the solemnity of the
Fourth of July celebration or bust his
wheel, he set to work with pick, shovel
and ak, nearly half mile from the scene
of the public gathering. He worked all
night, and when the sun had peaked its
forehead over Bull Hill, Herrick's wheel
was all up and decorated with magnti-
cent display of natural flowers, ever
greens and bunting. 1t was beautiful
sig ht, and the first one of its kind in the
whole world
81 tell YOU" said Herrick, as he related
the story of the eyentful occasion, you
oughter been in Amherst that Fourth of
July morning. The first crowd COM
ing from Clifton way got to that
machine, and just stuck fast and
stayed there. The crowd groWed.
Bymbye get some of the young kids and
gave them a swing round the circle.
They were delighted. Then some older
folks got in, and then the rush WAS on.
The crowd that came from Clifton way
was missed st he celebratien, and some
how the news got up to the eamp-ground,
and drove OF young and old came down
to see " hat sort Of machine was causing
the delay. Pretty soon we had tie whole
celebration, and the dinner and the: fire
crackers and the Fourth Of July celebra-
lion address and the prayer was all for
gotten.
"Ihen the committee came down and
Sam Deheck puts il this way The Re
siden Elder he Waz er man of bdnctious-
ness and riou- sass, and he Was mort flied
at the conhabberation of the magnaner-
nous Fourth or July program, and he got
red in the face and spoke TO Herrick and
he seq; Mr.. Hcrrick Sc the way you have
ruined this community with that savilion
is miraculous to Il community. Then he
ordered the vast resemblance about the
savilon to accumerlate. But did they
accumerlate? Not much. They just
Rugged cIos;er to that;.savilion of Her
ricks aud went teeterin' and toterin
round N round tast's Herrck d let EN-.
Aud the Residen Elder got mad, and he
accumulated himself inter the dim and
! m list distarrp and he ya.t reseO hlancp