The San Francisco call., 1897-01-19
Skating, Coasting and Moonlight
Rides to Nearby Points
of Interest.
PILGRIM sHRINERS AT A COLD
OASIS.
Well Entertained by the People Who
Dwell at the Mountains
Summit.

TRUCKEE, CAL, Jan. 18-Truckee in
winter! What spot more attractive for
the denizen of the orange land? What
new pleasures are opened to those who
have spent their lives in the lowlands,
where Boreas never leaves the ermine i'm
print of his frigid fingers. The winter
carnival, now at its best, is revelation to
even native Californians who have never
tasted of the delights which this noun
tain town affords its guests. 1t surpasses
all of it's predecessors in every condition
which ministers to universal jollity.
Man and nature seem to understand
each other perfectly and cooperate
earnestly in an effort to make the fes-
tivities of 1897 memorable in the history
OF this locality. From this it may be in
ferred that the weather is ideal-cold GER
tainIy, but withal crisp and invigorating.
Snow fell a few days ago in sufficient
quantity to make the sleighing good, but
subsequently ceased in time for the in
auguration of the festival. The sky to-
day was without a cloud to threaten the
advent of unpleasant meteorological dis
turbances for some time to come.
The influx of excursionists began at an
early hour and continued with very little
lntermlssion throughout the day. The
favorite diversions we're sIeigning, skating
and tobogganing, though the piece de
resistance of the celeb bration was admit
tedly the ice palace, which has proved, as
it well deserved to do, the great center of
attraction. 1t is indeed thing of beauty,
but fortunately for those who are not well
i IL
Joy forever.
The first glimpse of daylight saw the
rink covered with skaters, many of whom
had not partici pated in this glorious exer-
else since the days of childhood, and
when the merrymakers "heard the chimes
at midnight" they were still reluctant to
discard their skates and take their ease at
their inns, or wherever else their lives had
fallen. The toboggan slide was even then
running and moonlight sleighing parties
were just returning from Prosser Greek.
1t was, in short a day of unparalleled
and unbounded revelry. Never was the
ice so smooth, the snow so well packed,
the toboggans so swift or the air so full of
sunshine, song and laughter. Every one
in "Uncle Ben's" party of Shriners, who
came up from the lowlands yesterday,
voted the excursion the grandest ever
planned. All the people in the surround
ing country turned out to share in the en-
ioyment.
The coasting was the feature of the
afternoon, and many tip-over occurred
to stimulate fresh outbursts of merriment
and friendly chaff.
One accident only of any consequence
temporarily interfered with the general
jollity. A long bob-sled containing large
party of lady Shriners overturned at the
foot of Tower Rill, and heavy sled
which followed closely in its wake dashed
right into crowd of excited people who
had gathered in the vicinity.
supervisor Daniel McPheters was struck
squarely and described an arc. A medical
examination afterward showed that one
of the small bones of the leg had been
broken by the impact. Mr.. McPheters is
one of the most popular and distinguished
residents of the Truckee Basin, and his
misfortune is deeply regretted by the en-
tire town.
But with this exception the sport of
tobogganing proved productive of none
other than the pleasanter emotions. All
sorts and conditions of men, women and
children INDUCED therein, and all occa-
sional spill was always provocative of
huge delight on the part of spec
tators, and accepted with resignation
by the unhappy victims. incidentally,
the coasters had to run the gauntlet of
perfect storm OF snowballs every time
the ascent was made, and this phase of
mimic warfare furnished an absorbing oc-
cupation for those who were not so fortu-
nate as to possess sleighs or skates 1t is,
perhaps, trife unpleasant to receive ali
unannounced SNOWFALL on the back of the
neck while engaged in ''maiden medita-
ton, fancy free" but it is de rigueur to
look pleasant and return the compliment.
Quite party arrived yesterday from
San Francisco, among the visitors being
forty-two Mystic ShriDers on one of their
pilgrimages. From Sacramento and other
way stations, similar bands of excursion
lists helped to swell the incoming tide,
until the town assumed the aspect of a
metropolis at holiday time.
The ice palace presented superb spec
tacle at night, when countless arc and in
candescent lights shed their rays upon
its interior which reflected them back
hundredfold and in fantastic variety. The
scene reminded one of a stage-setting of
Handicapped towers and gorgeous pal
aces" destined to vanish all too soon and
leave ''not rock behind"
Falling barometers and steady west
winds indicate that those who come this
week may enjoy the cherished novelty a
little longer.
1t seems too bad that shortsightedness
on the part of the company prevents the
attractions from being appreciated by
those who wish to come on other days
than Saturday and Sunday.
Yesterdays excursion, however, gave
new hope to the carnival company and it
is planning new attractions and prepar-
ing additional novelties and spectacular
effects for future visitors.
Now is the time to visit Truckee. If the
storm comes it will be very welcome, but
1t isn't needed for sleighing, coasting o.
anything else, except, perhaps, its own
intrinsic grandeur.