The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1886-12-17
WINTER SPORTS.
CHICAGO. Dec 3

chicago has gone tobOggan crazy, and
a young Montrealese, with whom was
talking this morning, SAID ne had never
seen city taken with quite so severe a
case as that which has visited our own.
|" Not even in Montreal" said he, "do l
remember having seen so much enthusi-
asm so generally INDUCED in as one
may see demonstrated here at present"
Every store-keeper who wishes to attract
attention to his place of business displays
a gaily decorated toboggan in his show
window, and it never fails to draw atten-
ton, as well as enthusiastic exclama-
tons from hundreds of fair red lips.
Young women are purchasing them and
having them made into book cases,
writing tables, cushioned lounges, and
every other article which the feminine
mind can suggest, while within the past
two days people have forsaken the bill
hard halls, theaters, and all other places
ofamusements, for the exhilarating sport
of tobogganing. The formal opening
OF the great slides at the Chicago Ball
Park, which took place Tuesday evening,
resulted in scene the like of which
that spacious inclosure has never before
known. Over 5000 people in costume
and winter dress poured through the
gates, the crash of music, the whirl of
the steel-shod toboggan, the delightful
cries and merry laughter of the tobog-
ganists' bright eyes and happy faces,
manly forms and brilliant costumes
made the scene, so wholly new and novel
to Chlcagoans, one never to be forgotten
by those who witnessed it. Not only
were Chicagoans there, but parties from
nearly every suburb and from outlying
towns, who had been apprised of the
opening, came down to the city, full of
expectancy and bright anticipation of
the fun ahead Of them. Every thing
passed off in splendid style, and despite
the marvellous speed of the toboggans
and the inexperience of the riders,
there were no accidents of any kind,
and the success Of the big slide as we'll
/ as of the sport itself is assured in this
city. Toboggan clubs have formed, and
continue to form in each section of the
city, and it is safe to say that within the
next thirty days score of private and
club slides will be erected in our sub.
urbs and on the line of our broad boule-
wards and driveways. The slide, how
ever, was not the only attraction of the
evening, as the hundreds who circled
about upon the steel runners over the
glistening surface of the ice skating sur
face can doubtless testify.
At the east end of the ball park, on the
Throop street side, commodious wait
ing-room had been built, and adjoining
it refreshment room, and offices where
skates and toboggans could be obtained. |
Immediately in front of these was plat
form, from which entrance was made
on to large sheet of ice. This during
the evening was crowded with skaters.
The ice was in splendid condition, and
the young men glided over the surface
hand in hand with their best girls in the |
most approved style.
The toboggan slide has been built |
from above the top of the grand stand,
at the corner of Loomis and Harrison |
streets, and runs to the corner of Throop
and Congress streets. Big Capt. Arson,
arrayed in gorgeous scarlet toboggan-
ming suit, was in charge at the top of the
slide, and with him was Elwood Buell., |
of st. Paul, more modestly attired in q
white blanket suit, with blue sash and
tuque. The Oakenwald Club, of Ken
wood, had accepted President Spalding's
invitation to open the slide, and its
members were met a. the Van Buren,
street station by an omnibus and driven
to the grounds, where they were received
by the president and provided with to-
boggans.
The club mounted to the top of the
slide, and the fun began, Mr.. and Mrs.
Paddon, the president of the Oakenwald
Club and his wife, being the first pair to
make the descent. At first the Chicago
girls were little timorous at starting,
but when one or two had pluckily made
the attempt, and announced to the
tothers that it was elegant" there was
no holding them back, and the tobog-
gans could not be dispatched fast enough.
The spectators enjoyed the fun as much
as the participants, and the first gentle
man that made the descent with tall
hat was numerically guyed. President
Spalding made the trip with another
heavy weight, and the impetus OF the
party nearly carried away the barrier at
the end of the slide, Notwithstanding the
little hill at the end, which had been
built to stop the speed. The view of the
park from the top of the slide was very
picturesque. The electric lights threw
a brilliant luster all around, and the
sheet of ice, with the myriad of figures
gliding over it, sparkled and glistened
like large diamond. The toboggans,
with their gaily dressed loads, shot down
the slide and along the smooth surface
below, while the frosty air resounded
with the shouts of the tobogganers and
the cheers of the spectators. The band
of the First Cavalry played good selec-
ton Of music, and added not little to
the gayety of the occasion.
The weather in Chicago up to the
present time, with the exception of a
brief cold snap last week, has been COM
paratively mild, but that one snap was
sufficient to get the ice skating surfaces
in our public parks in splendid condition
for skating, and with an even open win
ter, ice skating and tobogganning can be
INDUCED in for the next three months at
least. Messrs. G. A. Spalding & Bros.
are receiving innumerable inquiries, the
majority of them from Michigan, Wis
consin, Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa,
though many have come from far away
Dakota, for information as to how to
construct mountain--a slide. Through
out these States clubs are forming and
slides being erected, and the demand for
the interesting little book just issued by
lSpalding & Bros, 1.-THE Toboggan," in
which full information concerning the
sport is contained, is such that the firm
have gone to press for second edition
of 5000 copies. When American PEG
pie become inoculated with q craze Of
Iany kind, they, as rule, are pretty Sc
fverely attacked, and that the Canadian
, lsport of tobogganning will this winter
! become more of national winter sport
, A = ~. T..