Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-07
SWEDEE'S WINTER CARNIVAL
Days Of Jollihcation and Games Of
All Kinds.
HORSE RACING OVER THE ICE
Ski Jumping the sport that Most At
tracts the Forcieners-MilitRry
IN pment TO Add Color
Opera and Concerts.

Encam pment to Add COIOr-
Opera and Concerts.
ST JCKHoLM. Feb. 16.-stockholm has
devoted itself during the past week to
the celebration Of an international sporting
event OF considerable interest, the North
ern Games This quadrennial winter meet
hardly attracts the attention 1t deserves,
for the location is out of the way and at
this time Of the year the Americans. who
are the chief foreign supporters OF sffairs
OF this sort. are not to be found in Europe
In great numbers.
While the Northern games are styled as
international, IT is as a great winter car
nival thai they will interest and present
themselves to the visitor. The more visi-
tors and competitors from foreign parts
the merrier, Of course, but It is the resi-
dents themselves who are out to enjoy
themselves. The whole week has been
given up to athletic and sporting compe-
titions. a number of different events each
day, and to jollification for everybody
who had the money. and same others be-
sides. There were more thai 2,OCO entries
from Sweden alone and from abroad came
some fifty, chiefly from Norway, Denmark
eNA Il AAhA OdN FdAi tNtlN NOuAllEN
sent some. even far off Australia. And to
be sure there was plenty of choice in the
matter OF features. No need of being used
to ice and snow. Automobiiing, swimming.
fencing. shooting, trotting and stepple-
chasing, almost anything one could fancy.
still, after all. the snow sport was the
real thing.
Too Much to See.
The chfaf 6ffffoulty about orr,not,c -,
ter games is the weather. But the Stock
holm promoters are game. If Stockholm
won't do they will transfer you two, three.
four or 700 miles north and see 1t through.
Stockholm, however. proved first rate on
this occasion and the program was carried
out without a hitch. The great rub was the
difficIlty to see all that was going on and
1t beloved one to single out the most
Interesting events and let others go by the
board. The start and coming in OF endur~
ance RACERS, whether on horseback or skis,
for instance, would clearly have to stand
back for ski jumping, skate racing, etc.
that one could watch in their entirely and
which possessed more exiting qualities.
Saturday. the 9Th, the opening day, was
clear and frosty. and held out the highest
hopes for a really bihlliant week. Snow
had fallen in just the proper quantity and
thousands of visitors saw a beautiful PIANO.
rama from their hotel windows. Most Of
the prominent hotels ale located along the
wide. usually turbulant stream across
which. on a commanding eminence. stands
the vast and massive royal palace. The
water was now frozen over except for a
marrow channel kept open by the ice break
ing steamers.
On both sides Of the open channel a vast
concourse of people was making its wav
over the ice from the city to the great park
DJurg3rden, in and around which the va
ddous competitions were to take place
They came afoot, on skis or skates in
sleighs after horses or on bob sleighs. talk
Ing turns, at pulling. Children were in the
majority and there seemed TO be almost
more young girls and women than men.
The girls. too, in their white sweaters and
red caps and red mittens up to their elbows
furnished a welcome bit OF color contrast.
Many Thousands Turn Out.
Othen routes leading to the same goal
were equally well frequented, and the total
attendance on the first day was about
1900, running up to $1,000 on Sunday. The
native royalties. swelled out by a number
OF visiting relatives and friends among
Enslishmen and Americans prominent at
european sporting meets, We're everywhere
10 De seen. Pair and four in hand sleIghs,
whose horses we've covered with jingling
oels ana large beautiful lace nets, were
driven TO and fro, hundreds OF officers and
civilians on horseback and some $50 racing
slelgh OUTFITS which were to take part in
the trotting competitions gave color and
movement to the scenes.
Ski jumping led the sports in excitemar,
| and in nonuIar 3,.o...
sons were gathered at the foot of the hin
TO watch the jumpers come singly and in
psirs and close upon one another. first a
tremendous burst OF speed on top and
then sailing over the p~recipice like a bird
some fifty feet above the heads Of the
spectators The length of the jump and
tue manner In which they land count.
There were some tremendous spills, with
the snow wh'rling up, and suggestions of
broken necks, but no accidents occurred
except, Of course. broken skis, twisted an
kles and the Ike. OLSON and Won der
Burg both swedes. we're first. with 2sh
and 26h meters, respectively.
some Long Distance Concerts.
In the more conventional competitions
two Norwegians, the brothers MathieSen
were, as expected, first IN racing on skates,
Sa!chow, as usual, first in figure skating
Tv enty. odd contests ON skates were
brought off. but were OF less interest. The
automobiles did the ECO miles between Goth.
nburg and Stockholm In rs hours. which Is
awey below record. but not bad CONSIDERING
the roads. The trotting was plcturesou.
enough, the majority of the races. how.
ever, being between native breed horse.
with more energy and strength than speed
/. There are plenty of American trctter,
here, but they are reserved for less roug
and tumble fields.
D or the other events one may note tn.
forty-nine-mile distance race on horseback
which was won by Lieutenant Bergengrel
in the good time Of 3 hours Is minutes
q A hundred-mile military race or skis wa.
won by Corporal Anderson in 16H hours.
very fair result. considering that the road
e were shy OF snow in several places, whicl
= made necessary a lengthening OF the rout
q by some twenty miles.
$ OF even greater enjoyment were the sid,
shows. Tuesday was the military day
4 / One then had the Measure Of soafou -