The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-01-20
THE FASCINATION OF FAST HORSES.
Largest Crowd of the Week on the Back
Bay Ice Track-The Idea of Grand
sleighing Carnival Agitated.

The slightly moderated weather
brought to the Back Bay ice racing
track yesterday afternoon the largest
crowd since the course was cleared for
driving. The scene was one of great
animation, and many expressed the wish
that it might be photographed. Not only
were the parallel tracks crowded with
all sorts of sleighs, but pedestrians had
made their way thither to the number OF
at least thousand, and ranged them
selves along the sides of the speeding
track for distance of about half mile.
The foot visitors have made short track
to the ice and made we'll trodden path
from Deering Point, just beyond the res
licences on the easterly S de, to the south
erly termination of the track.
The principal trouble with such jam
of teams was want of room, and it would
be good plan to widen the speeding
track with another furrow of the street
clearing machine. The crowded condi
ton led to many of the horses being
driven back on the speeding course,
which involves the hazard of collision
and perhaps fatal results to valuable
horse.
A noticeable feature of the equine dis
play of yesterday, and quite pretty and
suggestive one, was the large number of
handsome colts taking some Of their
first lessons in the art of speed. There
were two or three scores of these prom
Using youngsters, representing the best
equine blood of the country, and they
are an honor to the progressive horse
breeders of this vicinity.
Probably the fastest horse on the ice
and her first appearance-was Mr.. L. L.
Hawkins black mare Dinah Of Deering,
with racing record last fall, both at
Gorham and Rochester, N. H., of 2.264.
Mr.. Ansel G. Sawyer was driving his
speedy trotter Saltpetre, and let him out
cor the first time. Irving Rowe had
new one in hand, his fast little trotting
mare Kate Sheridan. George M. STAN
wood had a fresh one from his flock, his
pretty and speedy mare Nina. Mr..
Doughty of Falmouth had a green one
that stepped very fast Ira Woodbury.
was moving the black stallion Norway
Knox in splendid style. Eugene Shaw
was speeding his trotter Tom Shaw at a
rapid gate, his first appearance. Ernest
Cross had Goldleaf out, as he was giving
Mary Ann rest for Saturdays fun.
Henry Taylor made his first appearance
with one of the Conant pair, splendid
going mare that showed quite close to a
80 clip.
The usual fast ones to the number of
half hundred at least, were all there
and afforded some exciting races. The
ice, under so much wear, is consider
ably cut up and it is hoped to have it
scraped into good condition for todays
recreation.
The subject of a grand sleighing car
nival, similar to that SO successfully held
on the Back Bay some half dozen years
ago is being talked up among the horse
men. The idea is to have four grand di-
visions, one for single sleighs, another
for double turn outs, third for the
truck and express teams and fourth for
the most grotesque get up or original
conception in the comic line. It is pro-
posed to have band of music, and the
city government as guests to witness the
pageant. With good weather and proper
executive effort such carnival would
probably attracta larger crowd to the city
as it did before The time at present
named is week from next Saturday.