New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-28
GOOD SKATING PROMISED.
A FAVORABLE SEASON THUS FAR.
SOMETHING ABOUT SKATES AND WHAT ONE

The Young hoy and also the old boy who has love
for skating have been in an especial happy mood
Of late. The prospects OF the skating season APP
pear good and the cold weather OF last week
has been moro acceptable Offering to the small boy
than pound Of candy and all the gifts OF santa Claus
There was not very much skating two years ago
there was good deal last year, and the prospects
that there will be better skating this year than there
was I'm TIE winter OF 90 and 81. At Central and
Prospect Parks arrangements have already been
made for skating and all thai now remains Is Tor
cold - stick 10 Manhattan district Tor the present
week and those WHO love to glide over the frozen sur
face will have all the enjoyment they desire y 9hed
at the lake at Seventysxth-s has been erected ana
the skating house at Prospect Park has been put
in good condition for the merry Thousands. There
good skating on shallow ponds In suburban
BROOKLYN and on staten Island recently. blt
then there Is grea, deal more skating In the
suburbs OF New York than in New York or BROOKLYN
proper. one reason for this Is that the officials al
Central and Prospect Parks will not allow skating
until the ice l. several inches thick. In reality SIX
inches OF good clear ice is strong enough TO bear al
army and skaters are unanimous In their opinion that
the Park Commissioners are htte 100 sohci'"n' I'll
their welfare. some Of the skaters are even more
uniand and say that the officials at the great parks
are not particularly anxious TO have skating anyway
a. IL Increases the expense in their departments
There never has been great calamity on the lakes
and as long as the Park Commissioners insist upon the
great thickness Of Ice before skating there Is NOT
much danger Of one. As an old time skater sau
yesterday. the present regulation allows skating bnY
after ice IS frozen to certain thickness III 'hS
uncertain climate around NcwYork thawS occur at
such regular intervals that 1t Is almost impossible to
have continuous skating for more than few days
A. the season + upon us. Ii will not be out
OF place 10 Say few words about the kind Of skates
which will be used this year. II may not be gehetaIy
known. but it Is fact that the patents on all 'he
fathers and older brothers are all on
A few years ago when the first adjustment movements
came out II almost impossible to get good pnr
| 81 skates for less than S6. and those who hheu
"A high polished steel aud the best OF runners paid as
high as 80. s12 Sl4 pair. Now the same
skates can be bought for - - In fact. the very
best skates in the market to-day, nickel plated made
OF the very best steel. retail FOR only - II pair
Those who have made study OF the slIt" say
| that the little steel runner has kept up With the
times This IS especially true Of the slSates used by
athletes FOR speed In most lOngdisance rnccs now
contested I'm this country the old fashioned long reach
wood top is used. This Is the skate Of our fathers
simply heightened and has the same old rusty sore"
10 be put the heel and the same OLD cumbersome
straps 70 wrap around the foot aud partly cause The
stoppage OF the circulation OF blood leaving the same od
looseness between certain parts Of the strap where
Young cord " wood be stuck in 81 keep the SKATE
firmly on the foot. These skates arc 10 Il ana 10
inches In length. and generally used by Pausen'
the foreign skating wonder. and Joseph F. Donoehne
The Young Newburg wonder and present champion OF
the world Lees pretenouS skaters who go IN TOT
spced do not like the cumbersome wooden Skate ana
strop adjustments but prefer tile all adjustmnt.
len gthened skate like the illustrated In ths
article This skate it, purpose probably Just
q. well as q more cumbersome wooden one
The Donoehue brothers, simpson, George d. PM
nps Mccormick, Whepley and Rubenstein are prop
ably the finest skaters In this country today George
D phillips 81 The NewYork Athletic Club makes
speciaty ~ fancy or figure skating. a. does Ruben
stein the Canadian champion. The contest between
these two men at Montreal last year was one OF the
finest skating treats which lovers OF the sport hhv"
witnessed. The contest close and uncertain
that II was not decided until the last minute when
Ruhenstcn beat out the American champion by one
point only. It IS doubtful. however II our Amerl
ran c,,,mplon at fancy skating would be success
iIl in the old country rs young Donogme was "heh
he made his tour. DOnoghuc easily defeated all the
distance skaters u the other side.
ia sweden Denmark and HOLLAND the rules for
fancy skating are decidedly different from what they
are IN this part Of the country Here the merits OF
fancy skater are generally decided peculiar foot
movements such rs grapevine "ngire g. initials
and other fancy steps; on the other side fancy
skating Is more acrobatic. and a man who can Jump
hurdles. turn handsprings and perform contortloh
movements Is looked upon rs the pest shhHr anu
generally gets the prizes
The evolution % the skate j. really remarkable
I, literature 1. an authority II l. said that TWO
centuries ago. the people OF the old country managed
10 travel over the smooth Ice on pieces OF
bone which they strapped TO their feet with cord
Sul II Is doubtful II man today, With the present
skates, could learn tho use a. well rs he could say
Gfto.n OF twenty years ago. With tho skics t'"n D.
vogue. Lightness Is the chief point required OF tile
skates made today when the famous old sherley
skate first came ont about twenty or twenty five
wears ago It then considered the finest article
OF It's kind in the world The steel runners were
broad at the bottom. and novice when he put them
on had something % stand upon. NV the runners
are more supple and slender. ana 1t requires '"h'id
cradle practice - become proficient
Buck9 Bccannon. the skating authority al spald
lng's says there has been greater demand Tor
skates this year than for tib last Ten seasons IL l.
glorious sport says he, ana as hcaIthy exercise
IL has no superior. Exercise to tic human body Is
what fire. Is to the boiler Inactlons deadcns the
senses stills the circulation Of the fluids OF the body
produces iassitdc and eventually brings disease and
death Remove to ire from the boiler and II VIII cease
10 generate steam and the engine VIII cease IFS njo!on
The same thing applies TO the human system DO
prive the body Of muscles and lis functions cease
TO operate. | believe that thorough sportS ana
"A man who takes plenty OF outdoor exercise such MS
sensible athletics and skating, ought never TO DO
troubled with our modern Ills. such as rheumatisI
dyspepsia nervous irrtabllv govt consumption
and "a troop OF similar diseases attendant npoh uhac-
ton and Il neglect Of exercise There Is no other
exercise in the world which Will so increase tho Aze
and strengthen the bones skating. The muscles are
developed and strengthened and when the muscles are
called into action the flow Of blood IN the veins ana
,rtories T.. increased The pesslmst, OF course
will be up TO this and say that skating only develops
tho muscular force in the lower limbs. This Is not
So as any falrmInd-d critic will testify after witness
Ing "A crowd Of merry skaters Oh lake. That SWING
ing motion Of the nrm, the graceful poise and general
motion VI tho whole body dispute TINS assertion
at Is almost impossible to be rapid and graceful
skater AT the same time. 1t is notable fact that most
artistic and graceful skaters especially light In their
movements without rapidly in fact old time anthor
ties agree that grace positively antasonIstic to rapid
IT, There ought 10 be a certain abandon IN the skater