Originally Posted by odinthor
While looking for my notes on something, I found some interesting notes on something else:
Los Angeles Daily Times, May 22, 1885: "One of the roller-coasting inclined planes so popular in New Orleans, Kansas City, Cincinnati and other cities, is being built at the corner of Charity and Sixth streets. It is intended to be finished May 30th. J.W. Marder and J.D. Henry, of San Francisco, are the proprietors."
Weekly Los Angeles Mirror, June 27, 1885: "Short and sweet was the life of the Sixth street roller-coaster. It will be sold at Sheriff's sale, next Tuesday, to satisfy a claim of the Los Angeles Storage and Lumber Company."
Los Angeles Daily Times, July 1, 1885: "Will Beach has purchased the roller coaster, lately sold by the Sheriff, and will again open it to the public Thursday, July 2nd.
Los Angeles Daily Times, July 2, 1885: "Will Beach starts the Roller Coaster this afternoon at 1 o'clock. … Two scares for five cents at the Roller Coaster, Sixth and Flower. … Cleveland, Ohio, has thirteen Roller Coasters, mostly patronized by adults."
Los Angeles Times, July 3, 1885: "The roller coaster carried 2187 dead head passengers yesterday afternoon."
Los Angeles Daily Times, July 15, 1885: "Will Beach has sold the roller coaster to W.V. Johnson, late of Cincinnati."
Los Angeles Times, August 2, 1885: "The roller-coaster at the corner of Sixth and Pearl streets is a 'holy terror' to surrounding parents. The boys will steal off and get their two rides for a nickel. The savage rumble and roar of the cars as they flash around the circle puts every mother's heart to dread. […] About 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon, he [Tom Harrity] got on a car of the roller-coaster for a ride. He was on the front end of a car; and as it came to the last jump going down, he slipped off. The back of the car runs within about three inches of a plank guard, twelve inches high, intended to keep the centrifugal force from throwing the car off the track. His right leg was caught between this guard and the car, and he was dragged thus until the car stopped […]."
Los Angeles Daily Times, August 4, 1885: "Will Beach, formerly proprietor of the Sixth street roller coaster, explains the accident to Tom Harrity, Saturday, by stating that Tom was not sitting on the seat, but on the forward arm of the coaster, swinging his feet over the back of the car. When within about thirteen feet of the stopping place, his foot caught between the back of the car and the guard. Young Harrity is known throughout the neighborhood as a wild boy, and he was riding on the coaster without leave when his carelessness caused him to get hurt."
August 1, 1899, the Los Angeles Times reports that battery charges against Tom Harrity, etc., were dismissed. -odinthor
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