New-York tribune., 1906-08-07
TWENTIETH CENTURY AnUSEnEyTs.

The tragic incident of Sunday at Fort George
is perhaps chiefly significant as a reminder of
one OF the characteristics of popular amuSe-
ments in our time We shall probably hear
some impetuous denuncations of the switch
back railroads. and all similar devices as an
intOlerable peril to life and limb which should
be prohibited by law, and doubtless this trag-
edy emphasizes the necessity of scrupuIous care
in the construction of such amusement devices
and Of vigilance in their management as also,
we may add, of prudence and discretion on the
part of those who make use of them But. on
the other hand, the fact that, though many mill
ions OF people patrOniZe them every season.
fatalities, or even accidents of any kind are
rare, is certainly striking testimonial to the
care with which they are built and operated
We are not sure but that disasters are prOpor
tiOnatey fewer on these amusement railways
than upon those which are used as highways of
public travel.
AS a type of what the twentieth century man
or woman considers amusement or sport, how
ever, the "scenic railway is of decided inter
est. Its elements of attractiyeness are varied
involving surprise, picturesqueness, the exhila-
ration of speed, and in hot weather the cooling
effect of rapid flight but there can be little
doubt think. that chief alurement is the
sense Of danger, or. perhaps. the exultatiOn
which there is in doing in safety that which
seems highly dangerous. There is to many per-
hapS to most. people a decided fascination in
peril, or in approach to the very brink Of peril
without actually tOpplng over That IT is
which gives much of the zest to these "scenic
railways" looping the loop devices and what
not, and it is probable that the same feeling
largely accounts for the running of motor ears
at excessive rates Of speed
Now, this passion, widely prevalent for
dangerous diversions presents, as we have said.
a marked contrast to the spirit of amusement
of other ageS-and perhaps of some other lands
/ in this age. Tie sports and diversions of Rome
were indescnbably cruel and bloody But 1t
was not the merrymakers themselves who suf-
fered the cruelty or whose blood was spilled 1t
was the poor barbarian who was "butchered 10
make Roman holiday" So it was with the
bull baitings. bear baitings and other "amuse-
ments' of the Middle Ages. So indeed il is with
the bull fights which,Our Spanish neighbors enjoy
to-day. Spanisht crowd will hang enraptured
upon the spectacle. of a bull being harried to
death, with the imminent peril and occasional Il
disaster to pcadOrs and matadOrs, though every
member of it would himself avoid with agility
any personal danger. An American crowd de-
crying as barbarOuS the peril of the half dozen
men in the arena fOcks to devices upon which
every individual neck in the whole multitude
of pleasure seekers is put in jeopardy The phi
lOsOphy OF it, though differently applied was
well set forth by the Oriental who expressed
vast surprise at seeing the best society" OF
the Western world dispOrting itself in a ball
room. Il should have supposed" he said. that
your aristOcracy could afford to hire people TO
dance for them, as we do, instead of dancing
themselves. We shall probably continue to
regard our way better than that of the
/ Orient or that of Spain. and certainly as i'm
meaSurably better than that of Rome But
while Americans like to take risks in their
sports. they ought to have sense enough 10 keep
! the peril reduced to n minimum, through the
/ exercise of vigilance and discretion.