Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1908-08-13

Perhaps the scenic railway is known
more generally to those who would
line their interiors with momentary
thrills. This ride consists Of a series
of cars strung together. There are
brakes between each car and the
levers are manned by strong-armed
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 a pair spoon
ing while the train is running through
the blackness of a 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 r1ady for
the first dip. The brakemen release
their levers and down the cars go
faster than the New York-Chicago 49,
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 if
your hair does get mussed.
After the train has completed the
first series of dips there is usually a
| iourpnv through q dark rooave tro oi-
cally known as the cavern" this
being installed to give the spooners a
chance to gloat over their nerve. The
rest in a repetition, generally.
Next in line as a death defying con-
trivance is the coaster. There are
fewer cars and not so many seats in
each vehicle. Then, too, the coaster
needs no hauling up a 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
and west there has been a tendency of
late to turn the coaster into a semi
drop off the top of the runway onto a de-
scent at an angle of about 70 degrees,
dropping about so 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
| i%rst-nighter. Well, Il 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 continuance 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 get
so fused up. It's tanner in fact, and
for that reason graduation from the
fgure.eight entities you to prestige,
which should carry you fearlessly over
the jumps which the coaster takes and
allow you to blandly hand the second
ride-lady" 20 cents for another trip for
yourself and friend.
Then there's the ticker. That's a
new ride just put on in the west this
season. You get into a round car and
the device is dragged up an incline for
the downward thrill. Starting down it
enters a labyrinth of rails, the car re-
volving in one direction and the de-
scent carrying it in another. This
gives a remarkable opportunity to
learn how 1t feels to be jerked in two
directions at the same time.
The Potsdam railway is a practical
device, made in Germany" which
runs on an overhanging rail and which
magnates among the Teutons threaten
to make a conventional mode of travel
there within a few years. The thrill in
this consists of hoping 1t won't fall
off this trip.
Amusement-loving Americans also
have the aerostat. Cars are suspended
at the ends of long cables, you are
locked in and the device Is started. 1t
iG like a Maypole, except that the
cables don't become interwined around
the pole. As the speed increases the
cars rise higher at the ends Of the
cables and, inclined, speed through
ether far out over the heads of the
multitude. Anyone who is susceptible