Smyrna times., 1892-01-27
The Sleigh,ng Carnival.


There is magic in the sport Of sleigh
ing; something that has been denied
our people for the past three years
until this winter. 1t is rarely the case
that so much enjoyment is afforded on
so small capital of snow as was the
case on Wednesday, Thursday and
Friday of last week. The day pre-
vious it rained hard nearly all day,
the wind hauling to the west in the
afternoon with the appearance of clear
ing every hour, but not so. 1t kept
on, the temperature getting lower,
turning to hail in the early evening,
and then to snow, freezing as it fell,
presenting from three to four inches
in the morning. The hail, though il
fell on mud, was a good foundation,
the snow smoothing and packing by
use, there being no banks withal
until it was as unObstructed as plank
road.
The lovers of the sport were itch.
ing for ride, and didn't they keep up
the carnival for three days? until lots
OF people not given to such pNstimef
were caught and carried along in the
whirl. Wm. NJ. Lewis was the first to
break the track and about the last tC
leave it at the end of the third day
Main street was the thOroughfare, and
by common consent all ordinances in
relation to fast driving were abrogated
while the snow lasted. More snow
seemed to fall in it than anywhere
else, and where it was deficient the
lovers of the sport had it supplied by
| shOVellers.
The Boulevard" at first extended
from the railroad crossing to the mill
pond and scores of spectators, especial
ly about the -four corners" watched
with eager eyes the racing.
Even the horses, it is claimed. en-.
jOyed it as much as the people. II
such was the fact, Mr.. Lewis must
have had full satisfaction, for the
distance 1t was driven to aud fro on
the first day, according to his own es-
timatiOn, was nearly 100 miles. The
chief object of the sleighers seemed "a
be to beat him, and though it was
done sometimes with horses that came
on fresh, his animal closed the third
day with a reputation untarnished
Frank GOotee's young horse seemed
to enjoy the fun of speeding hy the
most of them aud Harry Primrose's
horse slipped by and through the cut
ters like rat through a pack of young
hounds on their first hunt. John VIII.
son and Benz. Y. Collins had a habit
Of passing the most of them at pleasure
as did Samuel Armstrong, who was uu
from Rising Sun Among the other
racers were DR.. Walls, (Of Colorado
spending the winter at the Delaware
House, ). Z. Armstrong, DR.. TOmlin-
son (Of Philadelphia, spending the
winter near town Geo. Reed Lofland,
Jas. Robinson, Frank Boyer, John
Thompson, Harvey Stewart, E. H.
Beck, John F. Goldsborough. Presslv
marlborough, John p. Hudson. W.
ID. Hudson, Hervey Hall, j.. NJ. Price,
f. e. POstles, A. f. Jardine, and many
others who were out simply for ride
with family or friend, but with no idea
of trial Of speed.
How easy it is to be caught up in
the excitement of such a carnival. is
illustrated in the case of Jas. r pbinsOn.
tie has been seeing others engage in
such sport for fourteen years, living
| "''H'h tWO uAilNo VI llG Town, nut laQ
never thought of participating in the
whirl and jingle of the sleighers until
taking his daughter Ont Friday to give
her ride, and soon found himself
enjoying the sport of contest equal to
an old turfman.
Edward Farrell had the first sleigh
ride he had had in "a years. He had
lived the most of the time in San Fran.
cisco, where snow falls so seldom as to
be curiosity, and the winters since
his return until this, have been too
warm for sleighing SHOWS. Geo. II.
Thompson, who called with his sleigh
to take him riding, shortly after they
started drove 50 as to turn the sleigh
over and empty him out in the snow,
claiming be did it to introduce him
again to the habits of his earlier days
but Mr., Farrell suspected it was an ao
| Cident resulting from moor drivinO