Coasting on West Hill

Feb. 23, 1883

Friday evening, Feb. 23, the attendance at class meeting was small, on account of the attraction on Second street, which was so great the young people could not deprive themselves of the gratification to witness the scene there; consequently neglected their meeting. The young men of this place held a carnival. We had visitors from Utica, Syracuse, Frankfort, Mohawk, Herkimer, and Unadilla Forks, to grace our streets by their presence. We have had a remarkable winter thus far; plenty of snow and good sleighing since November, which is unusual for the Mohawk valley.

The trustees of our village allow the boys two nights each week for coasting on Second street. They have gone into the business quite extensively and at considerable expense. They have organized a club, known as "The Ilion Coasting Club," and appointed their officers: S.E. Irlam, President; Seward Hakes, Vice President; G.A. Trowbridge, Secretary and Treasurer. The citizens of the town are much pleased, and encourage the young people in the enjoyment, by giving of their money to aid in the expenses, and their presence to witness them ride down the hill at a fast rate of speed, and are often seen riding with them

They connect two sleds together with a plank two inches thick, twelve inches wide, and fourteen feet in length, which will seat and carry sixteen persons. The forward sled is managed by the use of a rope fastened to the end of the runner by a steersman, to keep in the track and turn the corner of the street at the Baptist church, by means of a rope nailed to the side of the plank to hold on by, with a narrow piece of board attached to rest their feet upon, they feel safe, unless through the mismanagement of the one who is steering they may capsize before they reach the foot of the hill.

There is quite a strife among the boys to excel each, other in speed, and get up the best turn-out. One of the sleds called "Red Cloud" they have fitted up elegantly, and painted it a bright red; the iron seat for the steersman, the heads of all the bolts, also the handles to steer by, and all the iron-work, are nickel-plated. They have a flag-staff in the front to carry a banner, the young ladies have made and presented to the Club, with the name of the sled (or double rippers, as the boys call them), in large letters. They are nicely upholstered for the accommodation of the fair sex who have the courage to ride on such a vehicle at railroad speed. I suppose the boys feel as though they have received the worth of their money in the enjoyment they have had, and are satisfied.

They have four men on duty during the evening, each one carries a lantern. Number 1 is stationed on West Hill, to give the boys their turn to start when he receives a signal from number 2, on West street, that the way is clear. Number 3 is placed on Morgan street; number 4, on Otsego, to keep the way open where they turn the corner. Thirty-eight sleds have been seen waiting on the hill to get orders to go. "Red Cloud" has made the time from the residence of H. P. Whitney, on West Hill, to the Osgood House, on Main street, in fifty seconds.

It is amusing to stand on the street and see them pass you, while some are bare-headed; the momentum is so great at a certain place on the hill that they are quite often relieved of their hats. They are not out of humor about it, but are thankful they have escaped an accident. Sometimes their sleds will fail to keep in the track, and will turn towards, and run into the crowd of spectators without ceremony or even notifying them of that kind of a salutation.

I need not tell about the bruised limbs or sprained ancles; I will leave that part of it to your own imagination. One lady, an invalid, who has not been down street all winter, was drawn on a hand sled by her companions last evening to witness the coasting. I am told three hundred people were present on West Hill to look at them; the view, from there is splendid. They put torches on the street, and Chinese lanterns were lighted. Three electric lights were placed on Second street, in charge and under the management of Charles E. Pettee, foreman in the machine shop (E. Remington & Sons). The illumination from those lights will be a good and effectual advertisement in this vicinity in favor of the Electric Light Company.

The brass band from Frankfort were here, and discoursed music to the people, while the wives of the musicians were riding down the hill. The young men of Ilion are ambitious, and spare no expense nor pains to succeed in what they undertake. They excelled any former occasion; it is safe to say they outdone themselves on Friday evening.

It is exciting to stand on the sidewalk in the crowd and witness the sleds pass; you will hear a noise, and as you turn around and look in that direction, they are out of sight; then another is heard coming, and gone. A large portion of our citizens were on the street to witness the sport and satisfy their curiosity, although they were obliged to keep on moving on account of the cold, while the mercury in the glass stood at zero.

After I closed my meeting and opened the door of the lecture room, to my surprise I found the sexton of our church had the largest audience. As I looked at them, and then at him, he was aware by the anxious look on my face. What does this mean? are you keeping open house to-night, or is this an opposition meeting? He remarked to me he could not tell where to draw the line, and stop them coming as he supposed to the class-meeting; they had possession of the house, and enjoyed warming themselves by the furnace. No accident happened (during the evening except the killing of a cat that undertook to cross the street in front of one of the sleds, and was cut in two. Wm. Cristman, Jr., kindly sent a horse from his livery stable to draw the sleds up the hill. In the course of the evening, the boys were all treated to a free lunch at Coppernall's restaurant, on Union street. The passersby on that occasion would not only be impressed that Ilion was the head-quarters for the manufacture of Remington fire-arms, but at first sight would be led to think it was the centre for sporting-men, or fancy in their own imagination they were at Saratoga among the pleasure-seekers, judging from the way Second street was illuminated, and the crowd that congregated there of ladies and gentlemen, to witness that beautiful sight.

I have endeavored to interest the reader for a few minutes by drawing a pen-picture of the coasting and sights in our village for one night, and describe to you the pleasure and satisfaction of those that participated in the enjoyment of the evening, if I may be allowed to judge from the happy expression I saw on the face of those present. I am unable to give the names of all the sleds. "Comet" has made good time, and is the topic of conversation among the boys; "Nightmare" and "Jumbo" are among the list. One of our skillful and leading physicians (Dr. Beach), made the remark that if the boys kept on coasting much longer they would ruin the business in this town for the doctors. I suppose he meant by that, the exercise in the open air was healthful to each, one that has taken part in it. The officers of the Club have taken great care, and used every precaution to prevent any one being injured through carelessness. As I was walking along the street, I heard my name called; a Miss of twelve summers asked me if I had rode down the hill yet? I kindly answered her I had not. She then said to me, "I have just rode down for the first time." She was delighted; her pleasant face was, beaming with gladness.

As they slide, I will pray to the dear Lord, for his Son's sake, that no accident may befall them while coasting. At eleven and a half o'clock p. m. the lights were turned down, the young people were wending their way homeward with wearied limbs and pleasant memories of the evening. I will venture to say and make the assertion, without fear of contradiction, that they went to sleep that night without rocking; while the citizens and visitors will remember with much pleasure the enjoyment of that evening's entertainment.

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