New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-24
COASTING Al NEWBURG.


THE CITY'S CHARACTERISTIC SPORT.
WHOLE STREETS GIVEN Up TO THE sLEps-ALL
CLASSES OF THE POPULATION on RUNNERS.
rrpou AN occ AsIoNAL CoRREsPON OF THE TRIBUNE
NrwRURG. Y. Y, Dec 23.-lf there is one
winter sport INDUCED 10 more than another In TINS city
peculiarly well adapted for II, IL Is coasting Inc hly
streets run east and west and there several Of them
In oden times the streets leading from the brow OF the
hill to the Hudson used the coastng courses
In those DAYS the Jumper the fayOrite sled
This was generally OF the homemade pattern and 1t con
sisted Of curved hickory sapngs with three or
perhaps four crude knees either side supporting the
top board. These jumpers very strong, and al
though the jos would send them with their LOADS oil
three pr four persons several feet in the air 1t was
scarcely ever that accident occurred by reason
of their giving way in any particular. The streets then
mostly used for coasng of the steepes ana when
II is stated that their grades are at an angle OF Do
tween thiry-ve and fortyye degrees the velocity Ol
one OF those old-time jumpers scuddlng over Smooth
CLASSY surface with full load aboard to help II along ca
better be imagined than desubed. When once uloer
Roadway the course was expected to be clear but II
tbs was not so the obstruction, whether brick house
or stone wall team OF horses hydrani, would he
struck with tremendous force and often serious acci
dents would result The old uhabitant" OFTEN relates
how this mans and that mans team OF horses were car
red off their feet how hydrant Wa' snapped OH
like n pl,estem; and how the end Of brick building
also tell of the coasters frequently shot under the pei
lies OF passing horses and sped down the hill Without
HARM and AZ the streets above named run to tue nFer
how the coasters wOud bounce over the strhg-peceS
M te docks and out on the ice and before the momentum
would cease find themselves far beyond the middle OF INC
stream andapproaching the Fshkill side which Is e
away Projecting stoops OF the main obstacles
to free course for the coasters and several were car
riod a,voy Women and men alike turned out to enjoy
the sport Among other vehicles used were carmen
scighs These filed with straw add DulaIo roo'S
were brought 90 cover the occupants these
boweyerwcrc unmanagcahe the seepcst grades ana
resort was had others where the decliyy WIS not
so great and the danger much less The leading men OF
the place were foremost in the sport, and the strife
among them to who had the neetcsi jumper Was
frequently the cause of a match.
Rut rs Ncwburg has become city and the streets
pon which the Old residents OF the place once coaseu
are used daily by business men, the authorities nave sent
the coaster- further west Ann First and Harrington
SIS and Gcdncy-avc. now the principal thorough
fares whore the sport Is enjoyed During the past rev
days the sport has at its height and men, women
and children have Hooked thher by the thousand The
elements have Pat the hills ia better condition than ever
before for speed I'm fact the speed made upon them Is
sch that parents have for the first time been frightened
at the danger and put their cdrens scd7 under ioc"
and key The each one OF these his Is per
feet glacial surface smooth and shining. The interest
1
crop Of accidents is being harvested.
Altbough few other streets or less used for
coasng tho four mentioned are the principal ones on
which the city authorities permit it, Efforts nave been
made 10 deprive the people 81 These l"t streets iol l,
,,irI,... m the din and ciauOr ui the hp"hnE mat
Vas constantly poured into the ears of the Aldermen
coon buried Tho promoters OF the movement too deep
to ever again be cXhumcd III ese streets almost wholly
given up coasng, are apparently to be hed sacred Tor
that purpose. They are nightly black with people.
many whom would not trust their limbs upon scigl
TO idc down them but WHO Hook thore 10 "iiheS' the
raining and "a zero
NV IoT ~ tbc average Ncwburgcr's desire 70 slide
down hin There they were IN all corrs sexes and
upc- andyhcu, the continuous urocc.sons OF co7'eis
Led by il was no wonder why they were there.
Standing ~ the of the hill the scds appeared ana
shot by like "a continual stream OI swallows Shifg the
ground Just before rain storm Nothing WlII, Iihhh
"a well dc.crc the speed coa,ter, reached rs they
flew over the glib Ice rs an ice boat Wch uaNcs over
the ndsons icy surface IN the winter tune AT suc Won
Jcrful speed as take away the breath Hats That were
moi lied fast 20 the head flew IN oil directions. and oeca
s,oualv crowded sleigh would lose. passenger VINO
before ne rgbtcd up would turn several successive
somcrsaults through tho air The most dlict tnhS 10
do Was to keep in the track. The seighs ana bobs
oui .yervc and slide about in every conceivable way,
int onIy where the secIsman did not understand his
business would accident occur. me DANGER was ap
parental first view. but 80 skiui has the NeWourEHr
become that.not many accidents 'Ppen WIFE ,io NJ
version T., compared with the great danger an aGR9N
cdc IT carries with il. especially where the DoOS are
used Bobs " are a 60 triynlcc made oil Two s ma,i
handseds on the top OF Whlc j. IHu Toub nct'g plA
with steering apparatus in front They carry accord
ing to'sze from six to eighteen persons ana are "aEer
Ously nwicdy on icy nlllS, neli i, no n,.',.., a.
tachment for bEiug when under full headway and The
lives al on board are IN the hands OF tne srer'l
who Is nOvcreSs II the steering gear gives way. Be
tween the owners OF the hobs there Ia strong compe
tfton and amor Z these the fire companies of the
civ who have them built with all the improved attach
nruts " hen they are coming down the hills the
rourse IL cleared Tor them and nothing dare remain in
their way They make rumblng noise similar To that
of train going through tunnel and hey reach speed
NOT eguallrd 10y anything else tine hill. All are given
names the small slcds as well as the boos' Public
men receive the honors 10 great extent In this respect
Garfield Arthur, Hancock. Iilden and Others being
among them The atcst addition to this class Is sled
unted I'm gay coors with gold stripes and named Coy
cnOr cleveland II appears TO be fnYorte among the
coasters As in odcn times there Is occasionally bet
and match ana when il takes place excitement runs
bgh The lneejumpcr Of days agOne does not appear,
nor does 10 be desire for the Old-iash
toned Jolt t sport the less attractive and
g eliminating Whole ucighbOrhOOds turn ont to do 1t
reverence and il there Is good cOating only end
of the city al time hundreds will visit IL from the
other extreme end to take part Staid and dgniied PEG