St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-04-28
GREAT SLEIGH RIDES.
Contests in which whole Towns
Took Part in Ohio Nearly Fifty
Years Ago.

A sielghlng party in the Western
Reserve that took on the nature of O
contest betWeeIA several counties took
place in the winter of 1866. The rec
ord OF the long Ririves and the endless
professions of foNr-horse teams is d tale
still told to the children of the older
inhabitants of the reserve. The winter
of 1866 was just the kind for making
9 record on runners, says the Chicago
Record. The snow was abundant.
while alternate freezing and thawing
kept the roads Id firm condition. There
Were almost daily lie ghtsnoWs to grease
up the sleighing and invite the sport
loving population to enjoy their priyi-
leges, and this weather lasted for three
months.
/ In February the people of solon made
up neighborhood party of seven four
horse loads and started off for d Jolly
| good time. Among their hasty decora-
tions they carried a muslin streamer,
| i've or six feet long, with rudely paint
ed negro face on it and the inscription:
You can't come it." Such decora-
ton was appropriate in those days Of
the underground railroad, for the run
away who reached the Western Reserve
was pretty sure to be well cared for.
As the s1eighing party rode across
from Cuyahoga county into Summit
county, the people of Twinsburg were
pleased to look upon the invasion as a
challenge and determined to take the
banner away from SoIon. They col
leeted 16 teams and returned with ii q
few days later. The people of Bedford
Cuyahoga county, then organized and
Won back the banner across the county
line again.
For weeks otherwise sane people
would drop verything to join the sport,
until news of the mammot th sleigh rides
spread over the whole country and ac-
counts of them were published even in
the London dailies. Finally the crowds
outgreW the townships and grand
roundup of all the bob sleds of three
counties was proposed, Medina being
invited to join, and the banner was to
go to the one furnishing the most four
horse and six-horse teams. The great
meeting was to take place at Riehfield.
IN the northwest cerner sof Summit
county, where the three counties ioined.
and Saturday, March is. was appointed
as the date for tbs three-cornered bat
Tie OF sleighbelIs and buffalo robes.
The Oldest inhabitants will never for
get the stirring scenes of that great
day Over the hills the great loads
poured from all directions. Now their
way was overarched with great oaks
and Wainuts; now they clambered up a
rising vista that ended abruptly in the
winter sky above; now the summit re-
vealed a beautiful view of the valleys
below and bells jingled furiously down
me steep slope. They came ID troops,
Ike the rats at the Pied piper's notes
-blg, four-horse loads, in lunches and
companies. And such collection of
lorsehesh! Big, wei kept fellows. in
teams; scrawny, sorry
bugs broken down by the winters
ampaign; teams all alike and we'll
mated; teams picked up from all round
ne ne1ghborhood, no two alike IN size
color, and innocent of currycombs.
md as for people-some towns were
ompletely depopuIated that day. for
hese 462 loads were attended by MANY
ne-horse and tWo-horse loads that did
OF count at all, and It was estimated
nal. between 10000 and Il, 200 people
ame out on that great ride. II issaid
nat all this frolic took place withouta a
ase OF drunkenness, although it lis adj
ntted that big sled boxes and album
ant buffalo robes really make statis-
cs on this point uncertain.
Summit had the largest representa-
on-171 four-horse teamg-and re-
lived the prize with the Injunction
preserve it among the treasured
'eh1yes at Akron, t4eir county seat.
ut It did not molder ON their hands to
~ appreeiable extent, for they had
more than put it IN cold storage for
tnre generations to gaze on when
edna flung out defiance to the VIC
RS.
Memories of the great pioneer bunt-
g parties came to mind, for had not
elrcounty been the scene of the great
Inekley hunt, the wonder of its dayp
1elr horses were not iaded, since tl1ey
q Just entered the contest. More than
at, Summit had raised but 81 teams
IRE on It's own territory So they
ose the following Tuesday and turned
eyes toward the hilltop city Of
ron.
see, this winter caravan is now gain
the heights, Now the smoking
Hmneys OF the busy little city are IN
III sight. III the city eannons bepir,
boom, whistles shrek, bells ring
royal welcome from d besieged ci1v
an invading army.
The judges count horses. There il
puted point mules had never an
red at previous meets. Shall bunch
these long cared, ugly beasts win the
against them and allow rival to
e away the banner? But Medina
is that they can afford to Be gen
us. for their four-horse teams nI,rn-
is2, good margin of II over Sum
= record of Saturday, SO they throw
the mules for good measure. TINS
lning the prize without any cloud
their title
ne famous banner will be cheerfulIy
rendered to any delegation that will
FOR It at the county seat, Medina.
18s teams. You see, they never
lly yielded that point about fbe
es at all. Such delegation win
q most cordial greeting MT fb;s
a H. 49,. - =sSa