Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 February 1885 — The Evolution of the Skate. [ARTICLE]

The Evolution of the Skate.

Many a young man of to-day can remember the long curled too, steel runner imbedded in a solid piece of wood that formed the skate of his boyhood days. To the wood were attached the long straps and screw in the heel that fastened the skate to the foot. This skate, too, was guttered, and the fellow that had a pair of “smooth bottoms” was the envy and wonder of all the other boys. The curly-toe gradually disappeared, the long straps gave place to the double toe-strap, and the heel-strap that with its harness rings always reminded one of a halter, took flight with the old wood-screw that used to be bored into the boot-heel. Other changes followed rapidly. Some bright skater concluded that better speed conld be attained if less rff the steel touched the ice, and. the “rocker” skate made its appearance. Another happy thought knocked the toe-strap out in one round, and gave the steel clamps, tightened by means of a doable screw and wrench, in place of them. A plate in the lioot-heel, and a knob on the skate, said “good-by” to the heel-strap, and very shortly afterward clamps similar to those on the toe made the heel of the skate nearly perfect. A simple turn of the wrist connected the two sets of clamps with a lever, and the skate was made.— Milwaukee Globe.