El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-10-07

~ ROBABLY no other sport in eX-
- lstence has endured quite so long
period has interested so many
classes of people ana has become
every season of the year as skating.
Young people and old, rich and poor,
throughout the civilized country, all
may skate if they so desire Millions
OF people each year find in their skates
q source OF pleasure and Of beneficial
exercise. During this past summer
roller skating has been in especial
favor and has been favOrite amuse-
menr at almost every summer resort.
Ice Skating An Old sport.
Skating on ice has been favorite
sport in northern Europe so many cen
tj1ries that its origin Is lost in the
oblivion Of antiquity. 1t IS mentioned
in the EdGa. the oldest historical rec
ord Of the Norsemen. torlneI4y, she-Sss
were used extensively IN northern Eu-
roDe as means Of travelling, and even
now the skate or ski is used by many
Norwegian peasants as means OF
transit during the winter season me
NOrWegians skis are strips OF thin
wood from six to 10 feet long and
two to three inches wide, curved at the
toes and also at the heel Experts on
skis travel at astOnishingly rapid
rates Of speed
Roller skating is comparatively
modern development OF the sAaJlnB
snort The first roller skate was IN
vented by Joseph Merlin In the town
of Hay. Belgium. in 1855 In 1919, q
patent for roller skates was gLaIlt ca
In France TO a man named PeJltoled-
These skates were straight runners
and there was no provision mace Tor
q change of direction without raising
the foot from the ground Later an
Engllshman named Iyers patented a
skate with five single WneelS u Z
row, 50 arranged that only two nad
e bearing upon the floor at one IlLlle.
fHHn If or
making turns and curves Whlch was
not possible on the former skate, Dut
the skater was very easily upset ana
comparative few persons ever attained
any skill on this form OF roller skate
Yankee Ingenuity
1t took Yankee ingenuity to make
the roller skate a practical success
James /. PlimptOn. an American, Dy
the device of a vertical axis with an
Oscilating movement, produced a
skate which enabled the Wearer to
guide himself at viii in turns and Ilg-
ures similar to those performed upon
the ice The PlimDtOn skate was pat
enfed in the United States in 1858 and
In England in 1865 Partially, no
doubt because OF the disturbed cOndi-
lions of America during the civil war,
roller skating did not become gener-
ally popular in America until several
years later than in England.
Although ice skating in Europe and
England had been popular even before
the existance OF the American nation,
the present form Of continental figure
skating on ice. as it is praticed in the
great International contests, was orr
ginared by an American named Jack
son Haines- He visited Europe and
England in 1853 and won great re-
noTn by his marvellous skill i'm fig
ure skating. The Europeans take
great interest in skating on ice, and
International tournaments and contests
are held each winter For several
years. the most important of these
contests have been held at DavOs,
Switzerland and they are attended by
thousands Of skaters from all parts
of Europe. England. also sends many
skaters to this contest although the
English system Of skating differs con
siderably from the continental Of
late years a number Of Americans have