St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-01-17
unpretentious, is nevertheless found most
enjoyable and inspiring. as

nnpretentious, is nevertheless found most
enjoyable and inspiring, as
TIE MOST ORTHODOX
church member considers from the pervad-
ing moral tone that he can consistently wit
ness and thoroughly enjoy without the
least compunctiOn the speed skating match
Arriving at the course i'm some large
meadow specially flooded. and occasionally
on the river. you will lind some s. 600 or
10000 people OF both sexes the greater
number skating on what is called an up or
down course to prevent coll sion. Gener-
ally about l:20 a. IN. you may notice several
who. with hats OInamented with numer-
GUS and variegated colors. such as one
would imagine PetticOat Lane, Dickens
Old Curiosity Shop and Seventh
street had all been selected from.
with faces beamng with radiance.
coupled with the air of an Eastern autocrat.
vociferously yet half-apologetcally com
mand the skating crowd to clear the
course" This interesting and eagerly
looked-for announcement is at once cheer
fully complied with and most of the mascu-
line gender rush for the starting post
There, grouped around an individual whose
general countenance and attentive and gen
temanly department at once commands es-
teen. you will perceive that by his various
kindly inquiries about the intending COM
petitors you were right in suppOsng his
official capacity to be that of the starter.
Competitors names having been sent in up
TO the previous night the several towns
having already selected their representative
by preliminary races. the competitors al
ways being limited to sixteen. After
the contestants answering to their names
plug hat with their names cut on separ-
ate slips of paper is then held up. and. after
shaking it to mix them up. another gentle
man then parts them of. as it is called
drawing each slip separately, making eight
pairs. This completed a man, usually the
town crier" in official toys, rings his bell
and announces the first pair of racers. This
gentlemans information is then further
shouted along the course by the before
mentioned self-cOnstituted worthless, who.
with ropes the width of the course. skate
the whole length, and in three minutes all
is ready. The first pair then usually make
preliminary run to warm up. leisurely
skating back to the starting post. The
courses usually are straight ones. extending
to an average of one half mile long. some
times mile, eight feet wide; each man
taking a course to himself; racing side by
side, with barrels placed
AT UNIFORM DISTANCES
keeping on either side. The two men face
the starter. 1Off off all superluous clothes.
and. with pants turned up to their knees
await the word to get ready; when, having
answered in the affirmative, the crowd, in
anxious suspense, listens attentively to the
l, 2, 3. go, each man previously stamping
his right heel in the ice to obtain
good purchase, hurried glance at each
other, and both instantly rush off
at full speed, racing as if for dear life each
endeavoring to secure the inside turn. as
the man nearest the far end being awarded
the inside turn. When the men are evenly
matched this is considered a moral for VIC
tory. In two-mile race ten yards is a
good beating five yards good race. two
yards splendid run, and so well are these
men OFTEN matched that have seen many
uead heat. Occasionally serious conse-
quehces enSue when indiscretiOn or ambi-
tloh makes competitor struggle more than
MS constitution will stand, but happily they
are very rare. From the sixreen men eight
are winners, then four, then two. and
hnauy the champion, who wins the gold
mccall half the purse and $50 year from
the association if he defeats all challengers
within the year, the balance of the nurse
being divided among the other competitors.
The crowd then indulge in a little more
shaking to warm up before going. and after
three cheers for the champion most an
joyable days fun terminates.
Now, Mr.. Editor. see no reason why
st. Paul should not follow the New YORK.
ers' example by inaugurating speed-skating
matches. which from its novelty would add
an additional attraction to our city during
the winter. 1 know several good speed