The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-06
SLEIGH 10 YEARS OLD.

out. aud its weight is something like zoe
pounds. There is not a sign of paint on body OF
runners.
BY comparison with the graceful lines, finished
workmanship, rich upholstery and brilliant
polish Of the modern sleigh. the old thing looks
severely plain, yet. according to tradition. the
"toiling masses" Of one hundred years ago &C
cused the ancestors of Judge Clown Of putting
on airs and indulging in Undue luxury when they
came out with the now famous sleigh in the
winter of 1888. 1t took the shine off anything
New Workers of that day had over seen. and Gre
atcd untold envy among tho neighbors. as the
story goes. But Judge McGown's great grand,
father was something Of a diplomat. To allay the
jcalousies of his neighbors he ripped tho box
loose from the runners and used tho bare sleigh
without the box to haul logs out of the timber
up about McGowan's Pass. Aftor having thus
served the woodchoppers throughout the week
the sleigh was rugged up for sleiRhriding on sun
on the runners. The stanchions and the staples
which were used for this purpose are stall to be
seen on the sleigh and near the points Of the
tree hooks which had to be put on for the heavy
logging work.
;ERopus, near he present town of Kingston, for
his great.grandfather. Samson. Benson, whose
! ai7ss." are .; carved nv; t on the back W' OF the ts soi nS This
whole Vehicle; benson's home was near the
south side of l06lh street. between Third and
w TSsr 4 Wilderness iES%"es; in nh! those a days p! t The RRifsS eose s'sg
from the Harlem River to the Hudson than the
one that crossed the Harlem Heights by way Of
MSGoTn1 Pa lass nN where oson Gaee T Gases n,t Tavern G;i in
Hall Park was pretty near the northern limit OF
the city ut that TING; and boys got lost in the
seventy years ago" said Judge McGown yester.
was born. sevcnty.four years ago. and I have
heard, my father tell how 1t came down to him
figured in many . days sport on the snow,
! was n young man Third avenue was the great
sleighing there on one of tho big days in mid.
winter yin Az the way from the Bowery ", to
eighth street and from there up to the old Red
House ut 1O6th street there was n throng Of
m rn5%0u say 'F from mo nishff unit until n morninr. m too. for 9a,
they kept it up, away past midnight. Nearly all
Of the old road drivers are gone nov: Frank
can recall who are still living"
fifteen years ago. he intrusted the family heir
oSpssIis the 1sh sas 9"in%; G cIRab in S SHtne's ,s stable aid
sleigh is kept when not In use. there are fifteen
wine bottles, all empty. that he has won in the
% aho s No 1shf opening SnGS e Of the s EsIas 1s sf fa%%sF' at
s%leigh.."' said Quinn !esterdsy wiz" hts S'i too efhs heavy "
for that kind OF a drive. but just right to come
home in after you've won tho bottle and drunk
1t. Tho biggest time we ever had with il here
was one day about twelve years ago. when l
hooked up, Johnny Murphy's sorrcl colt and
road to Fleetwood with Judge MARITIME, Judge
White, and Judge Weldc. We had the
box, filled with straw. and robes to burn.
never been driven together and they pulled so
hard that / had to stand up and brace myself to
hold them. Coming back we fell in with the
Sealskin Brigade up at Macomb's Dam and heat
the whole lot OF them down the avenue. You
see, ! had a string OF bells on each horse that
were as big rs cowbells and thy made a terrible
noise. Then, as fast as the Vanderbilts and the
Rockcfellers came up alongside with their 3d.
'Who.o-o-o-e-e-eb boy! And every one OF their
high-strung horses was scared of his feet"