The sun., 1919-03-09
l. x. THOMPSON OF
/ COMFY FAME DIES
Inventor Of Scenic Railway al
Resort Succumbs to Acute
Indigestion.

LaMarcus Adna Thompson. whose in
vention of the scenic railway has made
Coney Island famous since 1884, iuven-
tor also of the canvas and burlap
camoufiags OF that resort and builder
extraordinary of amusement parks in
this country and England, died last
evening at O'Clock at his home near
Glen Cove, l.. I. He was II years old.
Death was due to acute Indigestion.
| from which he had been sufferer for
| months.
The story Of Mr.. Thonrpson's entrance
into the amusement fold 10 no less un-
usual than the inventive bent that
| carried him from grocery clerk In
Elkhart, Ind. to the presidency OF a
knitting company doing business OF
S250. 900 a year. The inventor OF a
knitting machine, which would turn out
a pair of socks in an hour, built up a
business that started In rented wagon
shop and ended in large plant employ
Ing several hundred persons. He later
invented an automatic car coupler. a
heating apparatus system and q number
of safety appliances.
Illness caused by overwork In building
up the Eagle Knitting Company at Elk-
hart caused an enforced period OF rest
in Arizona, and IL was there that he con-
| ceived q plan TO introduce the outdoors
| to the American people. He suffered then
from Insomnia, and was compelled by
his medical adviser to walk until he
dropped from exhaustion. He ovcrcame
the illness and on his way north stopped
at New Orleans. There In 1883 he built
his first "switchback." the precursor OF
the scenic railway. The gravity theory
which he evolved IN this invention was
the subject OF considerable scientific dis
cussion at that time.
He came to Coney Isiand in 1884. OBJ
tanned concession and built his
"switchback." 1t proved a sensation
and the following year he developed the
scenic railway. 1t was tho signal for
the roller coaster craze to sweep the
country and orders came in 10 rapidly
from amusement park managers that
ne formed a construction company, re-
tanning practically ali OF the stock. for
handling tho business on a large scale.
His first thrillers vera put up at Cor
onado Beach. Cal. and Atlantic City.
In 1897 he introduced the roller coaster
to England at Earls Court and in six
weeks took In $4,000. IN 1904 he sold
part OF his interest there for $4,000.
Mr.. Thompson was born March 9,
is+S. in Franklin county, Ohio. and re-
| eeived elementary school education in
Oberln and in a backwoods school In
Hillsdale county His drst invention as
a boy was achieved at the age OF nine,
a rotary churn which was the drst
seen in that part of the country. At
10 he went TO Elkhait and became from
grocery clerk a partner in a butter and
eggs Arm. He was 81 when he devised
the knitting machine, and before he was
50 he had acquired a fortune.
His success in the amusement busi-
ness gained national scope at the
Worlds Fair of 1898 and at every sue
ceeding fair he was one of the chief
| entertainers. He announced that more
| than 2,s00,0 600 men. women and chill
II travelled on his scenic railway al
tho Franco-British Exposition in Lon
don in 1905, and in 1909 he reported
5000, 900 peroons had taken at least
one ride on the coasters In the United
Stat -.., -r
His friends credited him with ire
mendous amount OF physical energy and
a mind that was always looking for
something new His avocation was
astronomy. His estate at Glen Cove Ia
equipped with an observatory. lie was
member OF the Automobile Associa-
ton of America and the Merchants As
ISOLATION of New York. die is survived
by his wife. Ada Nixon Thompson.