Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1904-10-07
LOOPING THE LOOP.
Fierce Upward Rush of Air, Wild Grip
atOne's Hat, and Then the Shock.

flcrCc upward hubh OF Air, WIG tr1n
atone's Hat, and Then tho Shock.
The Loop the Loop" was just across
the way, and the artist reminded me
that 1t was worth seeing.
"Of course we won't ride" he said,
but it Is worth while to Zee the 9TH
ers."
We entered the inolosure and gazed
up at the pair Of great steel loops
around which cars are carried by the
force Of their own momentum. A
loaded car was at the brink Of q long
incline. Suddenly 1t shot down; then
for an instant 1t was in the circle
ascending, hanging. descending-and
straight away up another incline, pas
ing beyond our view. We declared
strenuously against this appalling
amusement Another car went around,
and another, and another. We became
silent in the sort Of fascinat ton that
awaits impending disaster.
Finally felt the thing fermenting
In my blood. Nobody seemed to DO
getting hurt, and should like to have
the record Of that trip. l expected
the artist to demur when l announced
my intention, but he did not Perhaps
he was hypnotized. We buttoned our
coats, as if starting on q cold voy-
age. l had an impulse to leave some
word for the folks at home. Then
presently we were seated In a car,
slowly ascending the preparatory in
cline.
During this gradual ascent we had
plenty of time to think. found my
self wondering If people ever tainted
in making that swift revolution; also,
If l had heart disease and what
would be the consequences to one af
fected in that way. Suddenly I re-
membered that the princess Of the Nile
had warned me against any unneces-
sary risk Of life. 1t seemed trivial
thing at the moment, but l realized
now that her words might have been
traught with a special meaning. l
stole look at the artist. He seemed
pale and d1stait, perhaps remember
ing similar warning. These contriv-
ances always ended in some frightful
disaster, and doubtless this was the
trip for 1t to occur. The next day
our names would be In the head lines.
l reflected that we were probably as
great a pair Of fools as walked the
earth.
Inc car had reached tho level
stretch at the top now, and the brink
was near. recalled the starters in
functions to keep my head up-prob-
ably to avoid losing It, as the result
of sudden jerk. Lifting our eyes, we
discovered that we were on the verge.
Heavens! l had realized that the in
cline was steep, but that-why, that
was q drop! We were In a wheeled
car, perched at the brow Of a preci-
pice, with a corkscrew revolution at
the end Oh, to be for single instant
on solid ground! To be-
A fierce upward rush Of air, 4 wild
grip at 4 loosening hat, and an in
slant later the shock! We were on
the hoop. We were shooting upward
as a billow that breaks against the
cliff; we were curling over as tho
wave curls backward; we were darting
down to inevitable annihilation!
confess that my mind was con-
fused. 1 knew only that for what
seemed an eternal instant we were
hanging in midair, that my head was
far from being UP. that my body was
swaying in a well-dehned centrifugal
impulse to close up like an accordion.
Then all at once we had dropped, and
were shooting outward, dazed, weak
and wondering at our safety. As for
our heads, they were still on, but al
most in our laps. An unknown man
In the back seat announced that he
would not do It again for thousand
dollars. The figures did not seem ex.
travagant.-Century.