The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-06-22
THINGS | NEVER KNEW TILL
 NOW ABOUT CONEY ISLAND "


 Coney Island isn't an island at all --the creek which once separated t from the mainland was filled in long ago The Ferris Wheel the ride that symbolizes amusement parks all over the world d-was first conceived as an instrument of war. The Idea was to place it behind trenches. load the cars with men and guns. and fire at the enemy in relays Many years ago, before Coney was safe for suckers, Bev- erly Smith (the ace scribe of his day) outfitted himself in a "hay- seedys Sears Roebuck suit, and, arrned with Michigan bankroll, sauntered through the Island look ing to be 'taken". The first game .orerator to whom he offered him. self took one squint at his get-up and asked: "Say, buddy, when's your story going to run7"
 The lowly hot dog, recently glori- fled by Their Majesties. was intro- ducted to America at Coney by Charles Feltman, a baker who opened a restaurant there in 1871. He wanted something to put inside his rolls, to help sell more of them NO one has ever equalled Babe Ruins hot dog-eating record at Coney-two dozen at one sitting. washed down with two gallons of Lemonade. (When man bites that many dogs that's newsD The largest number of weenies consumed at Coney in one day was 81,O00 |. The present chef at Feltmans Is from the Roney Plaza in Miami Beach. (From the toney Roney to Coney's BoloneyD
 Flo Ziegfeld used to toss his big cest New Years Eve revels at Coney --the climax of the parties being a plunge by the New Years Eyes into the ocean for g magnum of cham ipagne !. i. In 1924 Johnny Weiss- muller qualified for the Olympics by setting a record at the Washing ton Baths. He had to travel fast to keep from freezing-the pool was that icy The prize for busman holidaying goes to the Bingo game proprietors. After closing their con- sessions Sunday nights they gather at club in Coneyfor 8 game of Bingo! A municipal law stipu- lates thatt he guns in shooting gal- leries must be chained to the inner side of the counters so they can only be used for shooting at the targets. Gro prevent their use for murderers or suicides).
 The late George Tilyou was the .canniest of the Islands showmen. He created Steeplechase, the worlds greatest carnivalue |. |. When the first Steeplechase burned down, he charged a dime admission to witness the ruins His greatest pulp licaty feat was presenting a gold lifetime pass to General Pershing when the latter returned as hero after the World War. When Persh- ing let the token go by unnoticed, Tilyou retrieved 1t and placed it in the hands of a Western Union boy to deliver-impressing the lad with its importance. On the way to Pershing's home, dip, hired for the job lifted the pass from the messengers pocket. The loss was reported to the police, and a tre- mendous amount of publicity on 1t appeared in the papers for a week.
 when Mayor Hylan visited Coney, a D. a. called up all the Brooklyn leg men of the metropolitan papers to tell them the Mayor was there. The boys had 8 mad on with the Mayor and were indifferent toward covering the event. The p. a. there upon phoned all the city desks, spreading a rumor that the Mayor had been assassinated. The edi-