Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-09
SNOW AND SLEIGHS.
The First Fall of the Former Recalls
Thoughts Of the Latter.
REAL BLOOD-TINGLING WEATHER.
Only Ten Days Seighing HereabOutS in
Almost Ten Years.
SOME OF 1T PREDICTED VERY SOON

anticipation of the pleasures OF coasting
among the girls in short dresses and the boys
in knee pants, and those OF more advanced
years of visions of ride out the Perrysville
road or some other popular thoroughfare, q
dance and supper.at some roadhouse.
The sensations of the old were mixture
Of reminiscence of the days when Western
PENNSYLVANIA farmers sowed oats in March
instead of Nav, and when there were four
seasons, spring, summer, autumn and winter,
and they became young again in living over
their youth and telling thereof
An impression prevails that the cutter, OF
sleigh, has gone to join the dodo, and one
man was heard to say there weren't 5C
sleighs in Pittsburg and Allegheny city,
but he was badly of, for although there are
not nearly so many as there were 40 years
ago, before tramways destroyed sleighing on
the city streets, there are still many times 81
in Pittsburg alone, and there are few we'll
to-do farmers who have not a cutter slowed
away in their barns and in good state o.
preservation, though like the ''old family
Bible, the dear blessed Bible that lay on the
stand" they are generally covered with
dust, as there hasn't been much more thar
ten DAYS sleighlng in the last ten years, and
last winter none at all.
FIRST SNOW OF THE SEASON
''The snow, the snow, the feecY snow, u
began to fall before o'clock yesterday
morning, but "the bells so full OF glee''
were not heard to any great extent. 1t was
good going on the vulcanite, but scarce
enough to cover stone pavements. Nearly
two inches tell altogether, but some OF il
melted. 1t came too late for the pot hunters
to follow rabbits, as they seek their couches
about the time the fall began, and conse-
quentlv no tracks were visible.
We only got the skirt OF the storm here.
No matter how the just and the unjust were
distributed, the Signal Service reported rain
on the Atlantic coast, while snow fell in the
central region, from Dakota to Texas, in
New England, in the Allegheny Mountains
aud along the line OF the Ft. Wayne Rail-
way. Eastern trains were all half an hour
late, and the limited Cd the Ft Wayne was
two hours late
Jack Frost squatted around the country
in a vague way. At Huron, S. OAK, the
eImometer went 80 below zero, while at
81. Vincent, Mimi, where one would look
for GOODNESS, the mercury stood 42O above
the mark at the first named place. The
temperature was generally considerably
above zero wherever the snow fell. AT
Springfield, No., there was good sleighing,
the fall being nearly foot.
THE SLOW ONES WERE NOT IN IT.
Though light snow was still predicted
last evening for this locality, to the predic-
ton was added: "SoutherlJ winds and
warmer temperature, so that those who did
not get on runners last night NAV not be
sin it" at all.
The trade in sleighs and sleds here is not
SO Insignificant as some suppose but the
business is mainly confined to seed and agri-
cultural implement stores, the carriage
makers only turning out high-priced
double sleighs, at S125 to $50, whereas the
average man wants cutter that he can buv
for SD to $50. A good many bobsleds are
sold from S22 to $50. "A sweIl-bodied velvet
or plush lined cutter can be had for S23.
Years ago, during initiation times, such cost
500 to SIS.
A gentleman at c. West & Co.'S works
said this wasn't sleighing town, there be-
ing too many traction lines and no streets
left fit for the sport, some that might be
good being nearly always cut uu
SO as to make riding on them
dangerous. He said that when the
new park was finished the sport
would be required and some fine equipages
might be expected 10 be seen in it. In New
York, where there is more winter than here
wealth and beauty display in the parks, anc
q sleigh costing $1,000 is not uncommon Ibut
here opportunities for a display are SO few
that the wealthy are not tempted. A Port
land or square box sleigh costs no more thar
any other put in the same finish. OF cours
the plush or velvet and stufing in the up
holstering of SO sligh is OF the cheapes
description, but it looks quite swell to unin
itated eyes, all the same.
NO PROFIT IN SLEIGH MAKING.
Carriage manufacturers say there is n,
money in the making of cheap sleighs here
They are turned out by the 10000 in New
England and in New York, in the summe
time. Lumber is cheap there, and they ar
made in the dull season, in order t
hold the hands, and sold at
very narrow margin. Some carriage maker
say they have carried a cheap lot of sleigh
in stock until the interest not only devouret
profit, but a considerable part of the prin
cipal as well. They must keep a few o.
hand, however, as occasionally they have
call for one.
AT the agricultural implement stores tn
report is very different At Henkie's the,
said they didn't do much in this line, bu
while talking two men came in and mad
inquiry as TO the cost of bob-sleds. Thes
sell from S22 to SIS pair.
John Hall, Jr., & Co. stated that the
sold q considerable number of sleighs afte
each snowfall, but generally to countr
people.
J. w. Scott & Co. said they sold sleig
yesterday morning to clergyman, but tn
rush hadn't set in.
Scobie & Parker stated that the trade ha
been Light for three years past, but the las
winter OF big snow they sold So and Bill
Brinker, who made it a speciality, sold owe
300 the same winter.
All the liverymen visited except tw
stated that they kept sleighs on hand fo
emergencies. Burns has between 80 and a
some of which were left by patrons an
were eaten up by stable rent.
J. ]. Flannery doesn't keep sleighs, as h
says when people go sleigh-riding they lik
TO hear the bells jingle and make them ru
the horses off their feet, and cost overrur
the profit.
P. Foley, of Foley & Son, said he wouldn'
have a sleigh in his stable.
Archibalds keep half a dozen or so fc
emergencies, not needing more, as they ca
get them on few minutes notice
wanted.
John O'Riley & Son have stock of ne
ones, bought year ago, but so far have NJ
had enough use for them to wear the rul
of the runners.
sLEIGHING IN FORMER YEARS.
But there is a species of sleigh, now e,
finct, save in the most primitive districts
among the mountains OF Pennsylvania an
West Virginia. 1t is called the 'Yankt
jumper" and has yielded more solid con