Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-12-14
WINTER SPORTS.
The Popular Sport Of Tobogs aDinR De-
yeIoplng into Craze In Chicago
and the Northwest.
Auspicious Opening OF the Great slides nj
the Chicago Base. Bail PArk-An At
traotivo Scene.
Oone,pondenca Of Lho Gnretle.

morning, SAID tnht ne nhu never seen
city taken with quite so severe case as
that which has visited our own. "Not
even in Montreal" said be, "do remem-
Der having seen so much enthusiasm so
generally INDUCED In as one may see de-
monstrated here at present" Every shop
keeper who Wishes TO attract attention TO
his place Of business displays a gaily de-
cora ed tOboggan in his show window,
and II never falls TO draw attention as well
as enthusiastic exclamstions from hun
dreds 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 billiard halls, theaters, and all other
places Of amusement, for the eXhilarating
sport OF tobogganiDg. The formal open
ing OF the great slides at the Chicago Ball
park, which took place Tuesday evening,
resulted In scene the like OF which that
spacious Enclosure has never before
known. Over 5000 people in costume and
winter dress poured through the gates,
and the crash OF music, and the whirl Of
the steel shod toboggan the delighted
cries and merry laughter Of the tobog-
gahists, bright eyes and happy faces,
manly forms and brilliant costumes made
the scene, so wholly new and novel to
Chcagoans, one never to be forgotten by
those who witnessed 1t. Not only were
Chicagoans there, but parties from nearly
every suburb and from outlying towns,
who had been appraised of the opening,
came down to the city, full OF expectancy
and bright anticipation Of the fun ahead
OF them. Everything passed off In splendid
afyla IN -
the toboggans and the inexperIence OF the
riders, there were no accidents OF any
kind, and the success OF the big slide as
as well 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 II IL safe to say that within
the next thirty days score Of priva @ and
club slides will be erected Ia our suburbs
and on the line Of our broad boulevards
and driveways. The slide, however, was
not the only attraction OF the evening as
the hundreds who Clrcled about upon the
steel runners over the glistening surface
OF the ice skating surface can doubtless
testify.
At the east end OF the ball park, on the
ThrOop street side, commodious walt
lng-room had been built, and adjoining IL
refreshment room, ami efllces where
skates and toboegans could be obtained.
Immediately In front Of these WAS a plat
form, from which entrance was made on TO
a large sneet of ice. This during the
evening was crowded with skaters. The
ice was In splendid condition, and the
young men gllded over the surface hand
IN hand with their best girls In the most
approved style.
Tho toboggan slide has been built from
above the top OF the grand stand lat the cor |
ner OF LOOMS and Harrison streets, and
runs 10 the corner OF Throop and Congress
streets. Big Capt. Arson, arrayed In a
gorgeous scarlet tobogganing suit, was
in charge at the top OF the slide, and with
him was Elwood Buell. Of st. Paul, more
modestly attlred In white blanket suit,
with blue sash and tuque. The Oaken-
wald club Of Kenwood had accepted Pres |
ident Spalding's invitation to open the
slide, and It's members were met at the
van Buren, street station by an omnibus
and driven TO the grounds, where they
were received by the president and pre-
vided with toboggans.
The gentlemen were nearly ell In cos |
TUNES white blanket coats, oolored aashes
and tuqnes, knlckerboCRers and moccasins. |
The ladies' looked bewltching In their win
ter attire.
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 We're little timorous at starting, but
when one or two had plucklly made the
attempt, and announced to the others that
IL was elegant" there was no holding
them back, and the toboggans could not
DO dispatched fast enough The specta-
IoIs enjoyed the tun as much as the par
ucipantS, and the tlrst gentleman that
maze the descent with tall hat was UNI
merchulY guyed. President Spaldins
made the trip with another heavy weight.
ana the Impetus OF the party nearly car.
RED 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.
Inc electric lights threw brilliant Iuster
all around, and the sheet OF ice, with @ |
myriad OF igures gliding over It, sparkled
ana gllstencd like big diamond The
toooegans, with their ca ly dress cd loads. |
shot down che slide and along the smooth
surface below, while the frosty air re.
sounded with the shouts OF the toboypan. |
ers and the cheers OF the spectators The
band Of the First Cavalry played a good
selection o. music, and added not little
TO the gayety % the occasion,
me weather In Chicago up to the pres. |
eht time, with the exception OF A hricf !
eold snap last week, has been compare.
uvely mild, but that one snap was snol
Client to get the ice skating surf. $50 ~
puollc parks In splendid condition dill i tor
skating, and with an even open winter
ice skating and toboe gaming can be in, |
nulgeu IA for the next three months at
least. Msssrs. A. G. Spaldiug & Bros
are receiving .nnumberable Inquiries. the
majority OF them from Michigan, wiscon. !
sin, Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa.
though many have come from far away
Dakota for Information as to how to cor.
sLuct mopntatn--a slide. Throughout
these states clubs are forming and slides
being erected, and the demand Tor the Ia.
teresting little book Just issued by Spald-
Ing Bros, "The Toboggan," ia which
inll information concerning the sport Is
contained, Is such that the firm have gone
TO press for second addition ~ ENnn