The Wyandotte herald. (Wyandotte, Mich.) 1879-1943, 1939-09-15

AL Coney Island is a muSeuIr, said
TO be the first of its kind in the
world, which brings the history of
outdoor amusement business right
before the eyes of visitors. Known
as the American Museum of Rec
reation, it was organized by William
r. MangelS, veteran Coney ride in
Ventor and manufacturer. Among
the many exhibits are models from
various parts Of the world showing
what lured nickels and dimes, and
even quarters, from the pockets of
the curious or thrill-seeking Of other
days as well as today. But what to
my mind at least makes the mu-
scum real fun is that the models
actually work. BY merely pushing
a button, the various rides can be
made to do their stuff. Button-push-
ing also starts elaborate orches-
trions to producing music some Of
which still packs a thrill for the
average listener.
In the ride department there is
the famous old ''criss-cross" where
cars cross over on a switch lust in
time to escape collision. There is
also a huge scale model of the ia
nous "lOop-the-loop" roller coaster
invented and built at Coney Island
In 1901. Press a button and the car
runs down a big drop and does a
complete loop. Maybe il. would
seem tame today but at the turn Of
the century, It was entirely zoo dar-
ing and so was a failure. A model
shows that the first merry-go-round
had stationary horses On a revolving
platform. Undoubtedly it pleased
youngsters who may now be gray
boards with great-grandcbildren.
But kids of today, accustomed to
galloping wooden horses, would
merely sheer and pass on to some
thing more exciting
One of the largest displays is BIZ
cycles. The oldest dates back to
1918, steel-tired contraption which
the rider operated by straddhng the
seat and running along the road
There are also the bicycles built
for two of the romantic nineties,
as well as the dangerous high wheel
ers of the eighties A steam bicycle
held my attention. Built in 1889,
it has a coal-burning boilers Never
theless, it established record of q
mile in minute and five seconds,
iO, 49, o1&
century ago. But think of the hot
cinders!
Musical devices include COM
plete exhibit of automatic: orches-
trions, which still respond to the
PUNK of a nickel in the SLOT They
are huge affairs with air pumps and
tubes that stir horns, cymb5ls, cas-
tanets and drums into heavy must
cal action. AS the roll turns and a
tune like Stars and Stripes For
ever" blares forth, the whole md
scum becomes alive and Garry Me
Back to Ole Virginny." played on a
Regina music box from steel plate
with many indentations is still beau
tiful though its date is l845. The
first Edison monograph, q stem
winder, is on exhibition, as well as
the first hand organ brought to this
country from Italy in the early l7OOs
Yellowed newspapers tell of
crowds that came to Coney in 1928
One headline proclaims that the is
land had its biggest day in its his
tory when more than 800 carriages
passed through the tollgate on Shell
road. When / read that l wondered
what the writer would think if he
could see Coney on hot, bright
Sunday these days as more than q
million New Workers 60 out there
for the sea breezes. The. old toll
gate has long since vanished But
the sign, showing the various rates
charged, is shown in the museum.
For many years, Coney Island had
a hotel shaped like a gigantic ele-
plant and known as the Elephant
hotel. 1t was quite a fashionable
dwelling place. 1t has vanished
along with the toll gate but there is
a complete architectural design in
the museum. And that's all about
Coney for today except that few visi.
tors neglect to pay New York
famous amusement spot a friendly
call and that millions of New York.
ers each year find it an escape from
the city at cost of only nickel
subway fare.
End Piece: A military officer
from a foreign country, here be-
cause of the Worlds fair, was intro
duced to an American colonel the
other afternoon. After the introduc-
ton the officer from abroad seemed
puzzled indeed. The American
colonel didn't look, act or carry him
self like a colonel. Investigation
disclosed the fact that The American
is a Kentucky colonel. =
Bell Syndicate-WNU ServiceD