Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-01-29
SPORT ON RUNNERS.
COASTlNG ON MAIN STREET ON SAT
URDAY EVENING.
A Great Many Coasters and Crowds of
Spectators-rhe street Lighted by
Torches - speed of Hundred
Miles an Hour.

The climax of coastng in Burlington
thus far this season reached on saturday
evening, and there was rare sport indeed.
Main street hill was splendidly illumina-
ted on both sides by arrow of torches, max
ing line of fire half mile long on each
side of the street, and the sight was "a
grand one. The hill was thoroughly iced
for the occasion and the extreme cold
made it glare" ice the entire length.
Never before was the hill in such good
condition, and never before was such speed
attained There was great enthusiasm
and many spectators.
Coasting in Burlington has been re-
duced to science, and short account of
the way in which we DO it will show
strangers who expect to visit us during
the carnival week what is in store for
them in the way of sport. To
begin with, our coasting sleds are
magnificent specimens of such machines.
They are made from the hest of hardwood
and are of remarkable strength They are
from fourteen to twenty feet long and
will comfortably seat ten to fifteen per
sons \ pair of runners at each end thlr-
ty-iive inches between tracks materially
reduces the liability to tip over The front
runners turn on pivot and are attached
to quick acting steering gear, and there
is powerful brake behind. The body of
the sled stands about two feet high and
is about a foot wide. 1t Is finely uphol-
stored in material to please the taste OF
the owner, some using brussels carpeting,
some leather, others raw silk, and others
elegant embossed plush. Suspended from
the body on each side of the traverse are
strong foot rails running the entire length
of the sled while a rail is provided on each
side for the hands to grasp The coast
Lit y nt a
on cit her siderail. The pilot sits in front
and the others, sitting close together,
grasp each other or the rail as preferred,
the majority preierrng the former
method. The brakeman sits i'll the rear.
The pioneer in these traverSeS was the
sled of Drs. Linsley and Tinkham and AN
account of an evenings sport on it will
answer for the whole.
\ large sleigh with two horses, plenty
of robes and pleasant company of ladies
and gentlemen are first secured - the
sleigh going to the residences of each one
and thus getting the party together. The
traverse is fastened behind and the com
pany with much laughter and gaiety pro
ceeds to the top of the coasting hill at
Prospect street for the start. y police
man is stationed there to preserve order
and maintain Il proper distance between
the coasting traverses; and all along the
line at the junction of streets, officers are
stationed to guard the crossings and pre-
vent accidents. After waiting for all that
were in advance to start the pioneer is
placed in position with DR.. Linsley at the
helm and DR.. Tinkham at the brake, with
the balance of the party closely packed
between. At shrill blast from DR.. link
hams whistle the sled is given boost
and moves slowly of with its ton of hui
man freight. The speed is So gradual that !
excitement. But it is only for few sec
onds. Pretty soon the great vehicle be-
gins to get Roadway, and the party with
one accord stop talking and begin
gins. Thoughts of falling through
space and catching up with chain
lightning fill the mind Then you wonder
what the consequences would be should
the monster jump the track. But the
steersnan has steady hand The wind
almost takes your breath away. The
torches on either hand look like long
streaks of fire. Before an object can be
seen the sled has shot by. Now you feel
as though the traverse had left the earth
and was flying through space. You wish
you were on terra TRINA again, but you
don't try to get off, you only hold on
tighter. The traverse was only leaping
over il crossing. Presently it touches the
ground again and the only noise you hear
is the dull thump of the runners striking
the cold hard ice-all other sounds are
shut out. Now you are at the half
greatest speed, and shoot by at the rate of
eighty miles an hour. Pretty soon your
breath comes more freely ana as you
near the end the whole party eXclalms in
unison, splendid, I'll 90 again." while
but Il moment before all the inexperienced
ones said mentally, you'll never catch
me here again" The distance you have
travelled Is three-fitthS of a mile and the
stop watch indicates "A seconds, at the
rate of 30 miles an hour for the whole dis
81, .l...l,
the top and the slowing up at the
bottom it is not eXtravagant to AS
sumo that the terrific speed of consider
ably more than II hundred miles an hour
was attained on the steepest part OF the
hill.
Pretty soon the sleigh returns, the party
gets under the robes, the traverse is fas-
tened behind, and you are of FOR the hill
to repeat your experience, and yOn keep
repeating 1t till the close of the sport
The enjoyment is almost as great in
watching the sport as III coastlng. stand
at South Union street and look up the hill
between the long lines of light. Presently
black speck appears on the top and you
hear the whistle. In a moment more the
speck begins to assume form and life As
ii comes leaplng along you hear the thud
of the runners ON the ice, and before you
can tell whether it is Il sled or huge mon
ster tearing and leaping down the hill it
has passed you, appearing only llkea black
streak, and with Il leap over the crossing,
it has reached the foot of the hill before
you have had time to fairly turn around
and look at it. Coasting is rare sport in
deed. 1t possesses II fascination which
few can resist after fair trial
With such eXhiarating, health giving
sport right at our doors we feel like say
ing with Emerson to the stay-at home
go out of doors and get the air All il
you knew what was in the air. See what
your robust neighbor who never feared tc
live in it has got from it-strength, cheer
fulness, power to convince, heartlness and
equality to each event. The cold
VIII brace your limbs and brains to genius
and make you foremost men of time
What IA Neighbor Thinks of Our sports.
From the Rutland Herald
If Burlington We're to now adopt GOA
of arms the device would be II hand-sled
rampant. All the town is on runners
with a snoy-ShOp CONTINGENT There is