The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1901-07-24
BOUT BOWLING ALLEYS
AANY ARE NOW ieUILT ON THE
UPPER FLOORS.

1t uOeS seem Qua, certainly, salu
n builder of bowling alleys, "to think
of bowling alleys ON upper floors, but
we are putting them there, nowadays.
Until within very recent years the
bowling alley, In cities ut least, was
always to be found In basement.
Now nobody about TO build new alleys
would think of installing them there.
"This liberal elevation of the alley
has been brought about by the eleva-
ton of the game and by great i'm
provements In the construction of the
alleys themselves. The first of these
new conditions brought in many new
players who demanded more agree
able surroundings, the second has
made II possible TO put bowling alleys
anywhere.
1.-The elevation of the game Is due
TO the players themselves, acting
through the American Bowling Con-
gress. composed of bowling clubs and
leagues, and now including the great
majority of the bowling organizations
east of the Rocky Mountains. II not in
the whole United States. There has
been adopted standard bowling al
ley; and alleys made to conform to
American Bowling Congress require
ments are the same as to measure
ments everywhere. They may. of
course, be poorer or better, compara-
lively, as TO the materials used and
MS TO their construction.
anaxx.lt,a, oil t,, T.
been greatly improved in construction
and finish; In fact, in every way. In
old times I'm the construction they
would lay levellng strips along on
the floor where they were to build the
alley, and then put down the alley bed
of yellow pine or of maple, 3x1 inch
stuff set on edge and blind nailed. as
you nail down n fine floor. The very
finest of the present-day bowling al
ieys are made with the ends-the end
upon which the pins are set and the
end near the foul line which receives
the impact of the ball when first set
rolling-of maple; the long lnterven-
ing space being Of Norway pine, this
stuff of the usual dimensions, 3x1
Inches, and made, of course, to lie on
on edge in the alley bed, being all
tongued and grooved on the deep sides
'1n building the finest and costliest
alleys of such materials, the stun Is
not laid down on the levelling pieces
and nailed there, but the bed Is built
standing up on its edge beside the
place it is to occupy. Strip after
strip is laid up until the entire alley
bed, seventy-five feet or more in
length, including the runway, has been
built up into one continuous structure,
strip secured to strip, and the whole
held togethed by steel clamps. The
bed thus built is then tipped down into
its proper horizontal position on the
levelling pieces and made fast there.
the top being then levelled and finished
and polished.
IAN alley bed OF that character
would be likely to be a revelation to n
man not accustomed to bowling alleys.
1t seems almost white in color, or like
a pale yellow translucent glass, and II
looks as though it were as smooth as
glass, or as the top of piano or any
other piece of polished cabinet work.
1t Is some sort of fun to roll ten pins
on an alley like that. to say nothing
of the aid to good rolling afforded by
its accuracy and smoothness of sur.
face.
"And then, ir you hadn't been around
in bowling alleys much in late years
you would see other things that would
surprise you, say, the return chute.
patented, of course, that carries a ball
returned from the pit back to the
player along the level OF the alley. bed,
and lands it finally up in the trough
besides the runway at the old convent
ent level. This Is surprisingly sim
pie thing. Instead Of being support
ed on standards placed along the side
of the alley at a sufficient height above
the floor to give the slope required
to carry the ball back to the players
end of the alley, the chute drops
abruptly, close to the pin end. This
sudden drop gives the ball an impetus
that carries it rapidly along the chute
at the level of the alley bed to the
players end, where there is an abrupt
rise In the chute corresponding to the
abrupt drop at the pin end. This rise
at the players end is so constructed
as to permit the ball just to surmount
1t, and then to roll on back to its
place in the trough very gently. In a
room filled with bowling alleys that
were equipped with return chutes Of
this kind, you get quite unobstruct.
ed view of the whole room clear from
side to side.
mot everybody goes in for that sort
OF outfit, however. Less costly alleys
are built of maple throughout, for in
stance, and the return chute carried
on standards in the usual way are
still used.
"A modern bowling alley of perfect
construction does not give you half
the thunder in rolling balls ON 1t that
you get of necessity from the old tim
ers. With the alleys laid on a suita-
BILE subfoundation the sound is further
reduced fifty per cent at least; and
d.. IA.