While on the subject of sky wheels...
Has anyone ever noticed the picture on the wall at the IISF carnival museum of the early sky wheel. It looks very similar to the early skywheel, with a whole bunch of bracing and outriggers on the towers and the main towers are box-beam lattice-type masts (or what ever the terminology is for that type of construction).
The really interesting thing about that sky wheel is that the wheels look to be almost full-size Eli-type wheels (complete with 5-point star in the center of the spokes).
Anybody know who built this wheel ?. Courtney ?, Was this wheel the prototype for the sky wheel?
"Don't forget to be half fair and give a little credit to the small concessionaire"