The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-21
OHIO'S BIG SLEIGH RIDE.
IL Was on March Ia. 1850. and S00 -Four.
Horse sIeiEhs Were In Line.

WIZ "a III hsihc-
From the Cleveland Leader.
Forty-onc years ago. the 14th day OF March,
1856. being n Friday. 466 sleighs, drawn by four
horses each. assembled at Richfeld. Summit
county. The 1864 harnessed horses to these
sleighs drew about $500 merry men and women.
boys and girls. This was not all. Many rigs"
with two horses, or even only one apiece. came TO
the same town that day. They were like silver
in the times of solomon, esteemed Of no account,
and there is no record Of their number. Neither
Is II known how many persons rode in these
smaller vehicles.
Oftho four'horsc sleighs 144 came from Medina
county. Cuyahoga county was represented by
ISL. Summit furnished III and carried away a
cotton flag. 81 inches by s., which was the
trophy sought by the three competing counties.
1t was probably the biggest sleigh ride ever
known in America. and the days festivities were
commented upon as far away as London.
In Richicld and the ncighborhood there was n
Jam OF people. The roads were crowded with
horses and slcighs, and the whole country side
was present TO see the fun or take part in tho
demonstration II was all the climax of a long
series OF what might be called mass sleigh
rides which were tho outgrowth of the neighbor.
hood gatherings and festivities OF a winter tbar
furnished good sleighinG. with plenty of snow
ana pleasant. weather for outdoor sports, from
about the middle of December TIL late in Ma rTh,
Tho day OF the eliminating sleigh ride there
was bright sunshine. and glittering snow banks
were everywhere. The glare was very intense
In the middle OF the day, and IL is said that
many OF the women and girls in the immense
party were badly sunburncd-by n sleigh ride,
That WAS not the least curious feature OF n day
unique, we believe. In tho annals or northern
Ohio and hardly to be matched in any other part
of The country.
When 1t was discovered that o-day although
tho temperature is not high. there are many
song birds in Cleveland and ali the region about.
AMI mat crocuSos are blooming In the dooryards
and hyacinthS are showing their heads, without
making any one think OF the season as unusual.
ly carly, II is astonishing to consider what such
n sleigh ride as the famous competitive one be.
tween lhrce counties meant IN tho way of
weather conditions in March. 1855.
II must not he supposed that the great exhibi.
tion of that day was the end of the sleighinV.
Medina county Was not satisfied with SUBMITS
victory, and on March IL a procession OF is2
sleighs with four horses each and one drawn by
four mules appeared In Akron from Medina
county To claim the championship dag. There
were many bands, and banners and devices were
used in great nulnbcrS. The citizens OF Akron
FIRING OF cannon, and similar demonstrations.
An address presenting the flag was made by the
President OF Hudson College, and songs written
Tor the, occasion were sung. There was plenty
ot good tooi, hnt every one had "a great time, as
the chronic!c- OF the time record. so Il was al.
most the vornal equinox when winter sports
depending on. good snow roads were still at their
height In northern Ohio.
Clearly the people OF forty years ago were not
so stern and so completely absorbed In the work
OF their vigorous times as some younger Ameri-
cans often imagine. And evidently weather
records wero made In this part OF the country
that VIII DO hard 10 beat for q long time To come.