The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-04-30
LETTER FROM A, B. GRIFFIN
PA1M BEAcB FLoR1DA March q. ,9o

PALM BEACH. FLORIDA, March '90
EDITOR PRESS II have just received letter
from Ravenna. bearing the date of III arch 14th,
Siding in your city i i learn % from mil that letter
that there has not been sufficient fall of snow
at any one time, in Ravenna, to enable the boys
TO have satisfactory ride on their bobs; no.
not even down the smooth track of the famous
- Doty hill Gan exception to all Winters during
the past 80 years.. 1t is said, lone extreme
follows another" If that is correct reckoning.
we may look 1or an abundance of snow next
Winter.
have thought it would please the yonng gen.
tlemen of Ravenna. if L should give them
bobs L saw in syracuse Y. Y. last Winter
Feeling sure 1 am right in this regard will
give it now, so they can have the entire Summer
to make, each, duplicate for themselves
There are large number of coasting hobs in
Syracuse, said to be 40 in number. They are
named Snow Cloud. Snow Flake. White Wing.
beaiu hoy cost from on S5G tWo to BGS SIX hSn
|! what their cost. or their beauty or speed each
and all of them must dof their hats to the one
| pair named The FRAZER These bobs "beat
| the world y / will try to describe them so the
| boys can get some idea of their construction
First will say they are constructed ntirely
| body is 20 feet long The width is IL inches in-
| Guiding the 4 steel rod which runs the length
of the body on each SIDE: A beautiful plush
cushion is placed within these rods and held in
place by them The body is supported bg a
strong arched bridge truss. This truss is made
| of bes5 Norway iron. 1t rests on universal
| rubber springs, which allow the body an easy
| motion lore and aft, as well as sidewise This
enables the body to accommodate itse f 10 any
| unevenness in the road bed. A rod one inch in
| diameter runs the length of the body on eat h
| side, and is located four inches from The body,
| and three inches below tRe q rod above men-
| toned. The hands firmly grasp this rod while
| coasting: the teet. meanwhile, rest firmly on
| or in. the vale. or lange This flange runs the
| length of the body each side. is about one
| foot wide and made of fiat. thin steel bars. The
front pair of runners are feet, IL inches long.
The rear pair are feet. 10 ineh,s long When
|
| from out to out; when on aslushmugging expe-
dition, they are much farther apart. 1he two
pairs of lenders 1lprerS, call them-are made
of heavy bar iron. The lower edge of these
tenders droop nearly to the surface of til e
ground; this prevents the liability of overturn-
| ing while in motion heavy chain with link S
| inches long, made of a iuch rod best Norway
| iron constitute the brakes These breaks are
| controlled by two break Wheels each IL inch
| diameter, with "a inch rim The chain is thrown
| under the runners. instantly at will The
steering wheel is 2 feet in diameter. with inch
| rim With the exception of the Tenders, the
entire plant. including. runners, is nickel pla-
| ted The Ia o: :namental star da os-each ia
high and u in. ameter-are plated with gold.
as are also the two spread eagles; also. the
| mounted, breech loading cannon. This cannon
is lsed in giving signals for starring. 1t is 9
inches long. 5s bore, The two bells-one I, the
other 16T incues diameter, at the mouth-are
| highly polished. as are also the two gongs.
Each OF these gongs are14 in. diameter and
There are also four beautiful lamps or lanterns.
decorated with fancy tassels Two of these
| lanterns give red, ana CWO white light These
| bobs are decidedly unique No wonder, that
while gliding through the streets of Montreal,
| two years ago this Winter, drawn by two span
| of Sprightly steeds, with gongs ringing. some
of the citizens, suppoSlng it to lie a new kind OF
| fire engine, innocently and eagerly INQUIRED,
Where is the tire?'' Fire engines are placed
| on runners in Winter, in Montreal These bobs
| are the pets of MI Frazer. They did not cost
him less than two thousand dollars probably
| much more than that amount. They ere the
pets, also. of the genial genius who constructed
them, and who always ACCOMPANIES them on
their carnival eXpeditions The capacity of
these bobs is twenty full grown persous when
on a s!ushmugging trip gliding through the
streets. drawn by horses-laGies are allowed TO
ride. They ride sidewise, of course. and the
| observed of all observers, at such times.
The following extract from the syracuse
| Standard of Feb %, 1889. will give some idea
| of the workings of these bobs:
1.-THE James street carnival became lost in
| the heavy snow fall which prevailed from 8: 30
| to O'Clock last night. The footing of horns
and the changing of bells sounded like an ocean
steamer in a fog. and when the storm raised at
9 O'Clock it was discovered that SCORE or more
| of pairs of bobs had, like the gallant six hum
| dred. rid len right through it all James street
| from the brow of the hili to Mcbride street
never before was filled with such gurgling glee.
Apple checked girls and boys looked like chro-
mos of the snow boy and the snow girl as they
moved about under their heavy coatingo of fluffy
crystals of flakes of snow. The four corners Of
Snowflake. the White Wings tbs White cap
the Renwick, the Snow Cloud. and the m my
other celebrated bobs familiar to coasters
and dear to the hearts of their owners.'
In the award of prizes, Capt. Frazer was the
winner of the frs an elegant Steinway piano.
This Capt Frazer is q relative of our esteem
A. B. GRIFFIN.