The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-10-18


ladies had the best OF 1t in point of
finance. They were only required to
pay 81 dues while the unmarried lady
had to offer SIS. The contract did not
stipulate either gold or silver The
men paid $25 down and their regular
dues There was never O. scarcity of
funds. The club was never in debt In
it's history and always had plenty Of
the coin of the. realm on hand to pay
for some of the sWellest functions
which ever took place in the city.
The uniform of the club was one Of
the prettiest ever seen In the country.
Many of the members had formerly be-
longed to the local branch Of the st.
George Toboggan Club ofsMontreal and
suit with purple, red and green borders.
But the Nushkas wanted something
original. They also wanted a color
which would not easily soil, and
pretty red was selected. The garments
and the hood were of red. trimmed with
a zig-zag Grecian border, with black
edgings, black lining, red toque with
black band and tassel, black stockings
and black sash without fringe.
The Nushkas also had a coat of arms
which was exceedingly pretty and
original. It consisted of a black shield
upon which was worked white polar
bear and a red initial IN" The effect
of the uniform was striking. Upon
DAYS when fifty gentlemen with their
ladies romped across the country on
snow shoes, or risked their lives upon
the toboggan slide, there was always
plenty of excitement. The bright red
suits against a background Of pure
white snow formed a singularly fetch
ing picture.
SOME NUsHKA HISTORY.
The annual winter carnival idea took
firm root in the favors of the people,
and the young folks determined to
make out-of-door amusements popular.
The day when pale and languid women
and male stoics We're popular had al
ready gone past, and in the place of
those society freaks had risen gen
Grafton of robust young men and
women. They clamored for outdoor
excitement and the secured it in whole
sale quantities.
Ten of the young men of the city
conceived the Nushka club. They
worked hard upon its outlines, and
when they submitted it to their friends,
the scheme Immediately took. The
birth of the Nushka really occurred in
the old monastery on Wabasha street
across from the state capitol, which
was popular bachelors paradise. 1t
was decided to Immediately proceed
with the organization in order that
the winter carnival of that year. The
organizers looked around for a name.
Everyone wanted something very much
Indian. In view of the fact that the
members were to risk their necks upon
tobogganS, the club decided to chose
the name "Nushka," which being inter
preted is ''Lool<-look.' There was also
a certain amount of romance connected
with the name, and it became popular.
The charter members Of the club
were Messrs. M J. Boyle, F. E. Han
son, j. S. How, w. H. Hyndman, A.
f. Jacassy, J. N. Jackson, L. p. New
port, w. F. Peet. 2 skipwith and
elected president, w Fl Peet, secre-
tary and treasurer, M. .. Boyle. captain.
L. E. Newport, lieutenant, all to hold
Office for the season of 1856.
Among the first members to be adj
mitted were Mrs F. Brisc0ll Jr., Misses
Hammond, Auerbach, Draper, Finch,
McLaren, Williams, Babcock, Bend,
Misses Dean. This formed the nucleus
for the larger club WHICH had mem
bership of over so before xthe first sea-
son was over.
One of the first thifgs done was the
erection of a huge toboggan slide from
the top of Crocus hill, down to the flats.
1t was one of the biggest things of it's
=
great attention all over the North. The
plan of the slide was actually auda-
ciouS 1t was one of these straight up
and down affairs, which Head the China
man to say. "Whist-walkee, miiee.
Montreal toboggan experts who were
used to almost anything from a grave
yard to church spire, said the Crocus
hill slide was almost too steep for even
them. The slide held sits popularity
for two years, and then an era of snow
shoeing, skating and other anlusements
held sway for several years longer. The
Nushka took part in many parades, the
annual carnivals, the stormfng of the
great ice palaces and won a national
reputation. The rendezvous for cross
country tramps was at Merriam Park,
where suppers were served and dances
INDUCED in Soon the club instituted
regular informal Saturday Nights. !"
Later the Nushkas adopted Washing
tons birthday as the time for merry
making and fancy and masque balls,
and ali sorts of odd things came off on
that day. The date for their grand hops
was New Years Day. In 1889 the skat
ing rink at Western and Summit ave-
nues took up considerable attention.
The club had it's first home at Car
penter's Lookout on Summit avenue.
1t was cosy but unpfetentious place,
but it was none the less enjoyed. The
members Of the club would always
meet here before starting on their runs
through the brush. 81
A few years later and the Nushkas
outgrew their Lockout home and
moved into elegant quarters, now the
Upham mansion. They occupied this
stately pile for five years.
The passing of the Nushkas is looked
upon with the keenest regret by all
it's members There is believed to be
a great need of organizations Of its
kind. After the club disbands, there
will be no clubhouse open to members
on long winter nights, and the lack of
| this boon will very likely have the
| effect of starting anothenr organization
along the same lines. The Nushkas
success was the result Of a. dozen mems
| perseverance, but the name of Capt
Jim Wall is always associated closely
with it's history. ID
A partial list Of the members is as
follows. compiled from the rolls of 1890.
Many Of the ladies and gentlemen have
since married, few have died, and
others have moved away
HONORARY MEM-I j. E. stryker,
BERS- J.-K. Taylor
Mr.. and Mrs. L. Ii W. H. sThurston,
c. Brooks, John Townsend,
Mr.. and Mrs. Chas. j. c. Wall.
F. B. Clarke, Mesdames-
Nc croa aaa Mrs + p II Il. F F. Brake eulpy'
Mr.. and Mrs. G. r. A. B.f4DriscoIl
Finch, F. Driscoll Jr.
Mr.. and Mrs. c. E.. H. N.6Elmer.
Flandrau, j. P. Elmer,
Mr.. and Mrs. ]. Ii Sherman Finch,
Forepaugh, H. G. Foster,
Mr.. and Mrs. E. F. ]. F. Fulton.
Glenn, Cass Gilbert
Mr.. and Mrs. Edmund P. H. Gotham,
Rice Jr., G.. M. Griggs,
Mr.. and Mrs. T. La E. F. Hamilton
Schurmeier, l.. G. Hay
Mr.. and Mrs. L. K H. P. Heath,
Stone, F. G. IngersoIl,
Mr. and Mrs i b. i. N Jackson