Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-06
TOROGGANING IN CANADA
Something About the Sport and How the
"Runs' Are Made.
Seventy Miles nm Hour Sometimes At
tnined by Experts-In the
Swiss Alps.
From the windsor Magazine.

From the Windsor Magazine.
Tobogganing is one of the staple amuse-
ments in Canada Sportsmen are not con-
tent with the naturally formed "chutes
doWn .he side Of mill. but construct arti-
fetal slides. These are generally wooden
erections with the planes fixed at an angle
of ~ de res=s, and with a sheer drop Oh
about one hundred feet. Water is poured
over the wooden declivity, which. in the
frosty air, is soon transformed into ice,
with surface az slippery glass. When
the bottom of the chute Is reached the
track extends over fields. in as straight
direction as possible, though In some cases
not particularly level; but the momentum
gained by the tob0ggan in flying down the
chute il sufficient to carry 1t over any
slight upriSiugs of the ground.
The Canadian toboggan is light, strong
article, about five or six feet in length.
and about twenty inches in width. COM
posed Of a number of narrow wooden strips
secured longitudinaily together. curling up
ward at the front. A hand-rail some lines
extends along each side OF the toboggan.
enable the passengers to hold on, put the
general rule is for one passenger 10 clasp
the person seated next IN front. the whole
row of travellers being thus linked together
for their rapid flight. In some Cases there
are 1--WE or six occupants on one toboggan,
and with such combined weight the
siedge files down the chute as il impelled
from cannon. Both men and women
enter into the sport with great gusto, for
the fun is fast and furious When there is
only one Traveller to the tuboggan, he lies
prone UPON II, and in this manner on ac-
count Of the small amount Of resistance
that is offered by the atmosphere, the
maximum of speed is gained The chutes
are properly controlled, in order to avoid
accidents. one tobOggan is not permitted
10 leave the summit of the chute until the
preceding one has cleared the bottom of the
slide Occasionally, by some mischance in
CURED through faulty manipulation of the
tubpgSaE. spill occurs on the chute and
II following toboggan were to dash into
the overturned vessel. the result would he
relatively quite as disastrous and terrible
as collision between express trains.
me ht adquarterS OF European tObOggan-
ing are IN the Swiss Alps. and it is u moot
question If even the various tobogsaniag
chEtes IN Canada can claim q popularity
equal IN extent to tina. which clings to the
runs. as they are called. Of ST. Moritz
PIPER EnSadine. One of the most famous
is the CreSta run. just under one mile in
ltnSth h. As in the case of the Canadian
SIIdes. the runs at ST.. Moritz are spe-
cidAy prepared. The first heavy fail of
snow Is anNiously awaited by the commit
lee who control the runs Unless King
Winter is unusually capricious. this gem
orally takes place about November Work
men then sally forth, and operations on the
run are raTidly in progress The run IS
about five feet in width formed in the
shape of groove. and the removed snow
is banked up on each side sometimes MAX
ing SOLID white wall twenty feet In height
The run is then flooded with water, which,
Under the influence of a sharp frost, Is soon
transformed into smooth. slippery sur
face. As II is impossible to make the track
In one straight line from post to finish great
care has 10 be observed in the formation of
the banks where corners occur, otherwise
the tob"gganer Will meet with inevitable
disaster
Common on the Swiss runs are the tobog-
gars of the Canadian type, but the native
totoSgans are raised on runners shod with
rTrrI mr. 81 ,-3,a
upon the toboggan. head foremost, holding
on to the vehicle by the framework Of eac1
side The toboggan is steered to very
latEe extent by means of the feet Iron
spikes are firmly secured TO the toes of the
boots. and by trailing either the left or
righ' foot along the ground. as the occasion
demands. the toboggan can be guided in
any direction. But there is a disadvantage
attached to this method of steering with
the feet. as the speed of the toboggan is
somewhat diminished.
The most expert tobogganers guide the
machines by slightly transferring the posi-
ton Of the body from one side to another
When rounding a corner. for instance one
OF the precautions is to throw the weight
of the body as far as possible on to the
rear Of the toboggan.
Most elaborate arrangements are observed
t. insure correct timing. even to the tenth
of a second, IN connection with the chief
RAGS. Thin electric wires are stretched
across the course both at the starting ard
winning posts. These wires are 50 adjusted
that when the tObOgsan comes into contact
with the first of them the electric timing
clock is set in motion while the wire at
the winning post is broken directly the to-
began strikes it. the electric current sev-
cred and the clock stopped. Toboggan races
are frequently held. and the visitors from
the hotels assemble in large numbers To
witness the competitions The weather in
the Alps during the winter as a rule is
glorious. the sun shining brilliantly and
warmly. while the air is crisp and bracing
The speed attained by the toboggans in
the hands of experts is tremendous some
parts Of the course being traversed at the
tate nf seventy miles an hour. Attic Oh
the CreSta Run Is about a mile in LEI ,th
The whole distance = accomplished in sew
Cnty seconds. nOtwir hstanding the facts
that the run abpuHds with sharp curves
q tdcult TO negotiate. and that for a little
distance the course takes an upward grade
which naturally retards the speed of the
tObogEan.