The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1908-08-14

after made its burden. On the curves
of riding thrillers there is the usual
horizontal track above the wheels OF
the vehicle to prevent it from leaving
the scheduled pathway. Persons pos
sessing weak hearts are forbidden the
thrills and few accept the chance to
test that organ when in bad condition.
There are also straps, chains, guards,
ETC., to hold the patron in the car ana
If he or she falls out 1t is little short
or a miracle and only once or twice
season are accidents reported, so
carefully do the amusement managers
guard the lives of those who provide a
method of bread-winning.
Perhaps the scenic railway Is known
more generally to those who would
line their interiors with momentary
thrills. This ride consists of series
of cars strung together. There are
brakes between each car and the
| levers are manned by strong
boys from the railway yards. To them
there are no thrills. It's monotonous
as driving the COWS home from pasture
for them. Even catching pair spoon
ing while the train is running through
the blackness of mimic Canadian
forest, can't make them feel weary. 1t
happens on every trip.
The average scenic railway runs up
a 45-degree incline or rather is hauled
up by a chain and you are ready for
the first dip. The brakemen release
their levers and down the cars go
faster than the New York-Chicago IS.
hour limited. If the uninitiated puts
his head between his knees he is apt
to kick himself in the face on the
journey up the hill which follows
every dip. Therefore If you haven't
yet been bounced around in this man.
ner hang to the iron guard, stick your
hat under your arm, grit your teeth
and make up your mind not to care II
your hair does get mussed.
After the train has completed the
first series of dips there is usually a
journey through a dark recess, tragi
cally known as the cavern" this
being installed to give the spooners a
chance to gloat over their nerve. Tue
rest in a repetition, generally.
Next in line as a death defying cou
trivance is the coaster. There are
fewer cars and not so many seats in
each vehicle. Then, too, the coaster
needs no hauling up second incline
for there is only one, the difference be
ing noticeable In the length of the de
scents. In some parks in both east
| hoo 81
late to turn the coaster into a semi
loop-the-loop, that is to say, the cars
drop of the top of the runway onto de
scent at an angle of about 20 degrees
dropping about 80 feet, and then start
up the ascent at an angle which is not
quite so abrupt. Some coasters have
only one of these terrifying dips, while
others have about 20-it seems to the
first-nighter. Well, one isn't so bad
but about the third jump you begin to
calculate that the seat must have
slipped out the bottom of the car
you're so high in the air most of the
time.
Passing on to another part of the
resort you strike the figure-eight
Every hamlet has its figure-eights
these days. That contrivance is fash
toned like an IS" and much resembles
the coaster, except that the cars follow
the lines of the figure, the dips are
smaller and you naturally don't ge
so fused up. It's tanner in fact. anC
for that reason graduation from tn,
flgure-eight entities you to prestige
which should carry you fearlessly ovel
the jumps which the coaster takes anC
allow you to blandly hand the second