Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-02-13
WINTER SPORTS.
preparing for the Burlington Carnival.
Inc Longest Tobossan Cour..,,

At burlington, VT
opens FEB. 10Th. The big Russian ,obo,oa,
siioe Is now rapidly approaching comnle,;on
a cossting course on Main street. with l.,
slgnal stations, its lines of gas let, an, =,
iahteln-strung arches is done: 80 are The ~, -.
aouoie-track toboegan slides in the civ ~" :.
wen as the frame work for the diamnn5' 90 =.
tower in City Hall square. o'o Ice
Inc Russian slide will be the longos. >.
ooseah course ever erected in America r.
lowers ABOUT 90 feet in height will be 40,
s'alung points. One will be made on ,hs
mari AZ burlington, near by where tho b;o
eanai ooats are DOING in winter Quarters ~
othei VIII be 1000 feet away on BurI;n1,o.
oieak"ater. near Juniper Island light TIL
U .' between the two towers will no ova.
the polished sarface Of Lake Chamnlain 49,
the towers will be built high enouph 70 .a ~nu
Tue loaded toboggans from one point of star,
ing TO the other, thus realizing the scboolbou,.
dream OF "sliding both ways" The Nal
VIII De coated with ice and"snowed - sp -
make all "slick and smooth" for the en-,
that Is coming. At the base of the tower ~,
the burlington shore are large rooms con,.;n.
ing blazing wood fires for those who canno,
Keep warm ey exercise. This course ba.
ample room for from 400 to 600 tobopoan. a,
one Tune, and as many more can be accom-.
modated on the two in the city, so evervbodv
VINO wishes to indulge IN this sport will have
an opportunity to do so
great deal of labor and time has ba.n
expended on the long "coast" that rms tho
"hoie iength OF Main street from the start in
'front.' OF the University of Vermont to the
nhlsh IN 'front.' OF the Van Ness House, three
quarters OF mile away. The street selected
ior inc purpose is perfect in every respect
AZ inc start Isl deep pitch that develops q
nish rate vi speed, after which comes a grad
uai descent that holds all the acquired head.
way: and yet not enough to make the passage
perlous. Here the cOastng club has made
elaborate preparations for a good time. Along
tue street on either side near the curling Of
the sidewalks, at the distance of about rod
apart, are gas jets that rise nearly five feet
above the road, making two glitterinp lines
of guide posts for evening coastng that are
as useful as they are beautiful. Main street
which is selected for the slide, is one of a
dozen or more parallel avenues that begin a,
Lake Champaign and run eastward I'D over
the NIL on which the city rests. The loads
are made up on Prospect street uuder the
shadow OF the big college building. They
leave here for their lakeward flight one at 3
time When the waving lantern tells tina,
the hrst load has gone past Church stree,
another sled is sent forth in its wake, and 90
they are kept going all the time. By this
each flying freight is kept about a quarter of
mile behind its predecessor, and not more
than four sleds are going down at once on all
the course. Such system of police control
renders accidents impossible. At the points
where the streets cross wooden archwavs are
erected, spanning Main street, under which
the joyous traverses glide. These arches will
be trimmed with evergreens and hung with
Chinese lanterns Carnival week"
The sleds which are used here are very
much like the "bobs" or double runners. .
They are from IA to IS feet long, and each
will hold from 10 to Is people. Instead OF
having wheel they are steered by ropes and
pulleys, like those used on a yacht. The
long, springv seats are upholstered in plush
At each eide of the seat is a groove in which
to place the feet and firm, hardwood rod to
grasp with the hands. On the inside of the
hind runners are two broad steel grabs, W hich
can be driven iuto the snow to check the
Roadway or stop the sid. They are under
the control of the man who sits hind, and
enable him to st p the sled whenever he
wishes. The steersman sits clear forward
and guides his hurrying steed with hempen
and have a wide ''tread," making it impossi-
Bile to tip them over In Maine such sleds
are called "bobs," in Boston "double-run-
ners," and here they are traverses''
The Burlington Coasting Club that is in
charge of this slide, has over 800 members,
all of whom will assist in entertaining visit
Ors. Two skilled pilots, helmsman and a
brakeman will accompany each traverse.
Under the present system the club will be
able to take 5000 people over the three-quar.
ter-mie course every hour, or 10 900 between
o'clock and midnight.
City Hall square, rectangular park in
front of the Van Ness house. will be decorat-
ed for the occasion. An Octagonal frame
work o. wood 20 feet on each side and about
80 feet high, is erected in the centre of the
park In the middle of this is a water main
that reaches so feet into the air. The water
was turned on last week and came out over
the woodwo York, coating it with ice and forming
a fantastic crystal obelisk so feet tall When
this is completed it will bs decked with col
ored bunting and streamers, and the inside of
the miniature palace will be hung with
Chinese lanterns. If the cold weather holds
the large elms in the park will be coated with
ice from q hydrant, and the whole will be
Illuminated Fireworks will be let Oft here
every night of the entertainment, as they Will
along the lines of the traverse and toboggan
slides. Though few cold days such as are
now prevailing would aid the work consider
ably, there is snow enough to ensure the suc-
cess of the undertaking. no matter what Old
Probabilities may see fit to do.
Besides the two sports already mentioned
there will be many others. The Burlington
Snow hoe club, forty members. has offered
prizes tor contests that will come of on the
lake in front of the city. The Montreal
Snow shoe club of 100 members will come
and participate. This is the most famous
club of the kind in the world and will give a
concert in the big Harvard opera house. Inc
members will appear in costume, and Will
render some of the strange and roaring Cana
dian suowshoeing songs, such as are sung
when on the march, making novel and IN
entertainment.
Several citizens of Burlington own ice
boats, and many more are owned at other
points along the lake. These will meet ana
hold spirited races on the wide expsnse OF
ice. Skating and hockey-plsying, when is
polo on large scale, will be in vogue during
the week.
City Personals.
Mr.. Samuel B. Clark of Boston, was in
the city, yesterday
Rev. Samuel Upjohn will arrive in the city
to-day and conduct services at st. Marx
church tomorrow.
Mr.. S. B. Glazier has been confined to his