"I never got more for 50 cents in my life."

The story of the first Ferris Wheel as summarized from an article by Diane Shore that appeared in the June 2002 issue of Highlights For Children.
Early in the year 1892, 33 year-old Pittsburgh engineer George Washington Gale Ferris travelled to Chicago to propose an idea to the officials that for planning the 1893 Chicago World's Fair.
Just imagine: a 1000 horsepower steam engine would gracefully turn an observation wheel, lifting people 26 stories above ground level (four stories taller than Chicago's current “sky-scraping" capitol building, which was the world's tallest building at that time). It would be America's rival to the Eiffel Tower, the still controversial observation tower built for the Paris Exposition three years earlier.
But the fair officials were not enthusiastic. Would people be afraid to ride it? Would be safe? Ferris was an experienced a bridge builder and he assured them of its strength and safety. On the other hand, officials worried, what if Ferris was wrong and the entire structure collapsed?
Their initial decision was "no thanks". A few weeks later they changed their minds, only to rescind their approval the very next day. But George Ferris remained optimistic. He had already formed the Ferris Wheel Company in Pittsburgh. From spring to autumn Ferris continued to urge the officials to approve the construction of his Ferris Wheel. Finally, in mid-December the officials gave him in their final definite approval.
But now there wasn't enough time to complete the project for the opening of the fair on May 1st, 1893. Nevertheless, George Ferris set to work in earnest. Once the major foundation was poured, crews worked around the clock to construct what must have looked like the largest bicycle wheel of all time - actually two wheels joined together by the freely rotating passenger compartments. Each compartment was built to hold 40 revolving chairs with standing room for 20 additional passengers. And there were 36 compartments, so over 2000 people would be riding the wheel at the same time.
Seven weeks after the opening of the Chicago World's Fair, Mr. and Mrs. George Ferris and their invited guests took the very first 26-story vertical circle ride in history. And many fair-goers followed them. Almost 1.5 million people paid 50 cents each ($9.25 today) for their 20 minute ride. Thanks to Mr. Ferris' Wheel, the World's Fair in Chicago actually showed an overall profit.
And what a thrill for those who took the ride! As one California gentleman remarked, “I never got more for 50 cents in my life."

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