By Water to the Columbian Exposition by Johanna S. Wisthaler
page 82 of 125 (65%)
page 82 of 125 (65%)
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view of the Fair Grounds and the Midway Plaisance--a bird's eye-view of
the whole of Chicago--and also a good portion of Lake Michigan. Dear reader, you will certainly acknowledge the fact that such a ride surpassed any similar brief journey ever taken. For, what other device for transportation can maintain the claim of enabling its passengers to look upon the whole world during twenty-five minutes!-- "When you get used to the motion Only delight you will feel: Gone is each terrified notion Once in the circle of steel. And you enjoy the commotion Clap and applaud with much zeal: For it surpasses old ocean To ride in the great 'Ferris Wheel.'" The sun--being almost too liberal in the expenditure of heat--made us long for a refreshing breeze. Therefore we decided to ride in the _Ice-Railway._ Here we had opportunity to feel the excitement caused by velocity of motion. For a seventy mile-an-hour locomotive would have been monotonous and tiresome in comparison with a dash around the ice-railway track, containing 850 feet, and covering an elliptic space whose surface had a coat of ice nearly an inch thick. Over this smooth and glistening substance the bobsleigh was gliding with the speed of a toboggan and the ease of a coaster to the merry jingle of sleigh bells. This exhibit--whose cost amounted to $100,000--gave an example of inventive genius, and also of the successful application--in a novel manner--of the principles of refrigeration. |
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