The arcades under the elevated railroad which runs transversely
through Berlin are used as storehouses, stores, saloons, restaurants,
etc., and are a source of considerable income to the railway company.
The owner of one of the restaurants in the arcades decided to provide
his place with a bowling alley, but found that he could not command
the requisite length, 75 ft., and so he had to arrange it in some
other way. A civil engineer named Kiebitz constructed a circular
bowling alley for him, which is shown in the annexed cut taken from
the _Illustrirte Zeitung_. The alley is built in the shape of a
horse-shoe, and the bottom or bed on which the balls roll is hollowed
out on a curved line, the outer edge of the bed being raised to
prevent the balls from being thrown off the alley by centrifugal
force.
[Illustration: A CIRCULAR BOWLING ALLEY.]
The balls are rolled from one end of the alley, describe a curved
line, and then strike the pins placed at the opposite end of the
alley. No return track for the balls is required, and all that is
necessary is to roll the balls from one end of the alley to the other.
A recording slate, the tables for the guests, etc., are arranged
between the two shanks or legs of the alley.
It is evident that a person cannot play as accurately on an alley of
this kind as on a straight alley; but if a ball is thrown with more
or less force, it will roll along the inner or outer edge of the
alley and strike the group of pins a greater or less distance from the
middle. A room 36 ft. in length is of sufficient size for one of these
alleys.
* * * * *