The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-02-08
A DOME OF ICE AND FIRE.
The Montreal Ice Palace Blazing with
Electric Light.

second and most interesting day Of the
Winter Carnival has proved all that
Canadians could wish, or their visitors
from abroad could anticipate in showing
to advantage the healthful and exciting
winter sports which are characteristic Of
the Dominion. The biting cold of yes
terday, which made it uncomfortable to
witness the outdoor sports, was succeed
cd during the night by more moderate
temperature, and throughout the day the
weather has been such rs TO make the
streets Of Montreal comfortable to natives
and strangers alike. The city is literally
packed with visitors from all parts Of
Canada and the United States, some Of
them coming from far in the Sunny
South 10 witness the games and partici-
pate in the grand carnival on the snow
and ice The trains entering Montreal
from all directions this morning were
even more crowded than they were yes
terday, and it is now impossible TO secure
accommodations in the hotels, while the
few ROOMS in private houses which have
not already been appropriated are held
at cxorbitant prices. The main attrac-
ton which drew this vast concourse Of
people to the city WAS the announcement
that the great ice palace would be for
mally thrown open tonight and made
Respondent BY all illumination with ccc-
trio lights, and thousands will probably
leave Tomorrow content with having
witnessed this crowning event Of the car.
uiyal. The streets, which have been un-
comfortably crowded to-day, will then
become .alcrable for pedestrians, but the
Indications arc that thousands of visitors
will remain throughout the carnival, and
that tho city will reap a rich financial
harvest at the expense Of the strangers
within her gates. The success of the
carnival, from every point Of view, is
thoroughly assured. In honor Of the
formal
OPENING OF TIE CARNIVAL
Montreal to-day was decked in festive
colors, and in all the principal streets
flags were waving and streauiers flying
in the Gir. 1t has been Il gala day for
the city. Every house Of any preteu.
sions is adorned with the National col
ors, and during the day small flags ap-
reared in the hands Of the children and
waved from the heads Of horses. Scarcely
vehicle appeared in the streets which
WAS not decorated in some way In honor
Of tho day. From early in the morning
the citizens began to swarm the main
thoroughfarcs and minglc with those who
had come from niar off to witness
Canadns national sports The sun
poured down upon the scene in all its
splcndor during the day, and the only
thing 10 mar the festivities was the fear
that the weather might moderate too
much and injure the ice, upon which the
success Of tho games depends 80 largely.
The Mayor had proclaimed II half holiday,
and ~ n result the business houses Of the
city were closed in the afternoon, and
their thousands of occupants poured into
the streets to add to the vast thr0ng
which filled them in the morning, and
the Leading thoroughfures assumed y
cheerful and animated appearance, such
H they have never WORD before in tho
memory Of the traditional "oldest inhabi.
tant.' That tho great throngs wero am
ply satisfied with the execution Of the pro.
granme prepared by the committee was
fully established by the expressions Of
wonder and admiration which arose from
tho multitudes on MI sides rs they wit
messed the sports. Il was day long to
he remembered in Montreal.
THE TOBOGGANING HILLS
were opened yesterday. The tobpygan,
Or lndinn sleigh, is the simplest of all
vehicles, being in its radical form Il
smooth, thin board of tough, elastic
wood, one end Of which has been bent up
in curve and fastened in that shape
permanently by cord or wire. II your
readers will imagine capital J on its
aide with the curve upward they will
have good idea of the tobogsan. Tho
Indians employed it to convey stores,
game, &c, over the tracklcas snow drifts
impossible for runnered vehicles. It's
weight is only Il few ounces, 1t soon be-
comes rs slippery as glass, and very
slight expenditure Of force is needed to
draw it over the crust or through the
drifts. AS adopted by the Canadians for
pleasure purposes it becomes heavier and
Atonter, and from! being three Or four
or ten, with cushions, bells, q lamp,
robes, or any luxury that individual taste
may dictate. A tobogganing hill should
be as nearly perpendicular rs possible,
with at the bottom q long, level stretch
over which the sled can fly with the i'm
petus derived from its descent. Two or
three passengers make load, the lady or
ladies being placed in front, and tho
steersman sitting behind. The tobogpan
having been placed on tho edge of tho
precipice, the lady steps in and sits down
with her feet against the stretcher or dis.
posed in the curve and her skirts tucked
around her, and her escort sits down
behind, having short stick in each
hand with which to steer. The steers.
man lets his hands trail on either side
and digs one stick or the other into the
snow, according to the direction in which
he wishes to turn the accursed craft. It
ia the correct thing to turn out in
blanket coat aud leggings, with mo :ct {.
sins, and upon your head a red or blue
lugue-a Phrygian cap Of worsted. Hav-
ing bidden adieu TO your friends, you
gently push your frail sled over the brow
Of the hill and
LAUNCH YOURSELF INTO ETERNITY.
Such of your readers rs have ever fal-
len out of balloon will have good
idea of the sensation of the amateur
tobogganist during his frat slide. There
Is sense Of goneness in the head and
the pit of the stomach, and the neither
world rises up and hits you all over very
hard. A slippery and elastic board with
three hundred pounds weight upon it,
launched adown hill of ice or snow q
quarter of q mile long or thereabouts.
with an inclination of say 70 degrees.
gathers tremendous Roadway in the
course of few seconds the crisp, dia.
mond d.dusty articles fly at your eyes like
spin.drift at sea before hurricane. and
spray of shrieking silver ia ground up
by either steering stick. In a few Sec
onds you reach the glasis and change the
plane In which you move, the sled giving
bound that makes you think of riding q
friaky dolphin then away IL careers for