http://www.bdweb7057k.bluedomino.com/QSL-ACNJ/ACclub1915/Capt-Young.pdf
By the age of 30, Young was working as a carpenter, performing patch and repair work for the Atlantic City boardwalk and its pavilions. One day while working, Young came upon meeting Steward McShea, a successful baker from Philadelphia.
With Young’s entrepreneurial ideas and McShea’s capital to invest, the two hatched a plan to launch a money-making venture. Leveraging the popularity of roller-skating at the time, as partners the two built a rink, and opened it for business.
Immediately the rink was a popular hit, and partners quickly earned a lot of money. Around the same time in 1884, Applegate’s Pier was constructed at the foot of Tennessee Avenue. Standing at 625 feet long, and built with multiple decks, it featured an ice water fountain as one of its main attractions.
Though not the actual first pier built, Applegate’s Pier was the first successful amusement pier built in Atlantic City. When the popularity of skating waned, Young and McShea decided to refocus their business strategy. Choosing a location opposite Applegate’s Pier, the partners erected a carousel.
Built by renowned merry-go-round designer Gustav Dentzel, the new ride attracted legions of children and adults alike. With this new venture, the partners made even more money than they had with their rollerskating rink.
The carousel operated every day of the week. On Sundays, hymns were played on the carousels organs, hymnals were provided to riders, and riders would sing along to the organ music. Sundays proved to be one of the most popular days for ridership on Young and McShea’s carousel.
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