Morning journal and courier., 1886-12-31
READY TO.moRRow.
The TOboggan Club to open Their Slide
 T0snav.

The TOboggan Club to open Their Slide
 To-Day.
 The managers of the Toboggan club took advantage of yesterdays cold snap to get the slide in condition for use tomorrow, New Years day. The large carts of the New Ha- ven Ice company were busy all day carting big blocks seven inches thick to line the chutes and cover the runway. The snowfall was not heavy enough to do much good, but it was enough to spoil the skating at Lake Whitney to the disappointment of many skaters. The water pipe which is to be used for spraying the slide may have been frozen up solid yesterday, but will be all right when it is wanted. The young people of the city are all interested in the success of the club and many have enough enthusiasm to lay out twenty-f five dollars for a regular toboggan outfit, which includes blanket suit, Indian moccasins and Canadian toque, which re- sembles big stocking with tassel on the toe. It makes picturesque costume and adds to the beauty of the girls, especially when the exercise amid the icy breezes has brought 8 healthy glow to their cheeks. Every precaution to make the spot sate and pleasant has been taken and nothing but un- propitious weather can make it unsuccessful
 The system of lighting to be used at the slide has not yet been decided upon, but the plan of having it illuminated by electric lights has been abandoned, owing to the fact that special line of wire would have to be run long distance. Naptha torches or large lanterns with refectors, such as are used ip Canada, will probably be used.
 An improved device for starting the tobog- gan on it's journey will be used so as to pre- vent premature starts, which are apt to send the tobogganer down the slide with nothing between him and the ice but his clothes. It is here that the advantages of the thick blanket suit are apparent.
 prominent gentleman said last evening: tfEvery precaution will be taken to have no accident Houses are to be erected for stor- ing toboggans and for waiting and refresh ments. The slide has been erected from plans by A. G. Spalding 6 Co.,, who could not afford te have any but safe structures erected. They have put great many thou sand dollars into toboggan supplies and the one thing which would hurt their business would be an accident from unsafe construc- tion of slide. There is one thing in which New Haven differs from many other places, which was illustrated in yesterdays Register where reporter is allowed to throw discred- it on an enterprise gotten up to afford lit- tie amusement to our citizens"
 HALL READY! LET HER col"
 The most popular New Years call this year will be, 'fAn readyi Let her gol" and it will be heard from the top of the toboggan shute up on Whitney avenue.
 There will be no champagne, nor colored walters, but plenty of bon ton and queerly costumed young ladies.
 Old boreas will preside with his usual dig nified coolness, but with manners quite in formal. He is hearty old host, especially when master of ceremonies at the toboggan slide.
 By the way, somebody says that the frosty old chap has been sitting on the water pipe with which it was intended to sprinkle the runway.
 The New Haven slide is not so long as those at Montreal, neither so high nor steep, therefore there is less danger attached to en- joyment of sport here than there is at the former place. One of the dangers to be avoided in tobogganing is the liability of ladies' clothing getting under one side of the flying toboggan, and when this happens the result is disastrous, as the cloth acts as drag or brake upon that side and whirls the toboggan around at right festive tobogganers into the partition which divides the run-ways. This generally ends the sport for those most interested. Howev- CT, there is little danger if the clothes are carefully tucked in before start ing on the downward plunge, and with the new improved toDoggan there is no danger at all as they are provided with 6 bent wood guard, which keeps the clothing in place. This is called the Shepard" tobog- gan, and is the safest of any in use. It is a new patent toboggan and is made in this city at 80 Water street. It is specially adapted to ladies' use because of the clothes guard and bent wood hand rail, which is much better to hold on to than the old kind, which are straight and low down.
 The slide will be privately tested: to-day by members of the club and publicly opened Saturday The little snow which has fallen will aid materially in putting the slide in condition.