The Lamar register., 1892-05-21
BETTER THAN SKATING.
A Glide Down a Deep HnI or, Norwecinr
Skis.

Skis.
The new Northwest is a land of
long winters and intense cold. Fortu-
nately for its people. however. the air
is still and dry and a temperature Of
70 degrees below zero not prohib.tfye
OF outdoor labor and sports as 1t GER
tainly would be in moro humid eli
mates
Tho long winter. which in some sec.
tions OF the Union would be regarded
as great calamity. is justly held by
the residents OF the new Northwest to
be ths best season OF the year.
Tho numbering industry a very ex-
tensive and profitable one is carried
on principally in winter and the list
of winter sports Is e long one. In ad-
dltion to the coastng and skating
that are Indigenous 10 all Northern
climates the snowshoe OF the Indian
the toboggan of the Canadian. tho
curling OF the Scot and the skis OF the
Norwegian have been pressed into
service to afford recreation in the long
interval between November and May
The toboggan snowshoe and the curl
ing rink are not unknown in the East
but the ski pronounced ske) is seen
only In the North west aud among the
mounta rs in Norway. The suowshoe.
Norwegian so called. used in the
Rocky mountain districts / very SINH
lar 70 the ska little longer and half
an inch wider.
The SKI Is n stick OF wcll-seas oned
hardwood, explains Harper's Weekly.
preferably ash, aigh; and a half feet
Ia length. three aud half inches
wide with tho forward end curved
upward 4 strap ma led on tho sides
OF the center allows the toes 10 pass
under FOR q foothold. Under the foot
Il Is an iIch and quarter thick but
the thickness decreases to half an
inch at either end.
Armed with an eight-foot stan. one
cud shud with an iron spike. the ski
runner performs marves in the way
Of shooting down hills that from the
tops appear almost perpendicular and
skins along the surface with u pecu
liar gliding thrust totally unlike the
motion OF skating. yet at rate that
would puEzio IN ordinary trotting
horse 20 keep up with. The more eS-
pert users OF the skis dispense with
the stat even in sliding down the
sharpest hills nnd taking tho longest
leaps
In every Norwegian settlement in
the Northwest one or more pairs of
skis Will be iouni. Large clubs have
been formed at Red Wing Saltwater
and Minneapolis, MINI Eau Claire
and Lacrosse. Wis. and at Ishpemiug.
in tho upper peninsula OF Michigan.
For several winters past ski tourna-
menis have been held in some of the
towHs
Ia a ski contest n steep hill Is se-
loctHd. and not closer than 800 feet
from ths top Of the slide Jump" Is
built which consists OF logs and
branches piled up and covered with
solid layer Of snow.
The aspirnnt for fame comos down
the slide body bent forward feet
parallel. eyery muscle rigid and every
sense nleri. The Jump Is reached
aud from "a downward career he sud
denly strikes a short level ending in
slight upward angle He leaves the
jump and shoots into space Mix
keI Hemmostoedt champion OF Nor
way by the kings decision. and Of
America by ths unanimous votes OF
the Judges at all contests in which he
has taken part has tue distinction OF
having cleared lO2 feet the longest
jump on record Had hs fallen on
striking the slide again the leap would
not have counted The contestant
must finish the course.