The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-20
ArrER Use FIRsT FULL DOSE OF APENTA, AXE
TOP SPINS NEARLY AN HOUR.
A Providence Man Thinks He Has
the Champion Spinner.
From the Providence Journal.

From the Providence Journal
The Journal last Sunday contained an
account of marvellous top made by Prof
Charles Jacobus, of Springfield. which has
a spinning record of 43la minutes. No
doubt the ingenious device is wonderful
piece. of mechanism, possessing a high
degree of balance power. but there is
reason to believe that right here in Prov
idence is a top that can beat the Spring
iicld professors all hollow
The local marvel is the handwork of
Mr.. James H. Anthony who resides on
Glenham street Mr.. Anthony was for %
years connected with tie Providence Tool
Company and until recently was super
intendent for the Household Sewing Ma
chine Company. He has been engaged
making tops that spin with the rapidly
and freedom from WEAKNESS Character
istic of the gossip's wagging tongue,
Altogether he~wade upward Of l00ltops
before turning out one which he consid-
cred perfect. The others would spin from
2 to So minutes, but the crackajack top,
the record breaker, the champion top, the
top that puts the Springfield professor 5
in the shade, keeps agoing, when prop
erly wound up, for 1872 minutes! This
goes Prof. Jacobus' marvel five minutes
better, After witnessing Mr.. Anthonys in
vention perform you become convinced
that perpetual motion may not be so very
far away after all.
The secret of the tops tireless action is
primarily its perfect balance. 1t is oval
in shape, with a fiat surface, which is lit
tie more than half an inch above the
point; made of the finest cast steel and is
S1-16 inches in diameter The spinning
point is, of course, in the exact center and
on either side of it the steel has been cut
~
inch In diameter. The base of the top is
on a perfect angle with the point titus
allowing the contrivance to courtesy at
will without touching. The point is of
hardened STEEL .tslS
An ordinary twirl with the fingers IS
sufficient to spin the top ten or fifteen
minutes. But it's best work is done when
the affair is wound with Irvine three feet
or so, and in order to make use of Irvine
conical shaped cavity, in which an iron
stick winder is inserted, is feature of
the center surface. This contriVance is
built on such an angle that the stick can
not slip Once the top is wound and has
started upon its three-quarter hour twirl,
the stick is speedily removed
Mr.. Anthony showed his wonderful top
to the Journal representative one evening
last week and demonstrated its peculiar
capabilities on a piece of thick window
glass placed upon a parlor table. He
spoke highly of the top made by Prof.
Jacobus, but suggested one or two means
by which it might possibly be improved.
The Providence man thinks steel prefera-
BILE to bronze and he believes that better
Il suits may be obtained by demonstrate
ing on heavy glass instead of a porcelain
plate
Although the champion spinning top is
a curious and wonderful thing, it would
not find ready sale if placed on the mar
ket 1t spins too silently to please Young
America and it is altogether too clam and
peaceful Besides, what boy would care to
watch a top twirl for nearly an hour?
1t is suggested that match might be
arranged between the Providence top
maker and the Springfield professor.