The Cincinnati Enquirer from Cincinnati, Ohio • Page 82

SUNDAY MAGAZINE. April 1, 1923. When Cincinnati Possessed an Indoor Skating Pond At one time the largest ice-skating rink in the world was located at Freeman avenue and Laurel street, and was operated by Hervey Johnson Recollections of a masquerade party of fifty years ago. Page C. iPtsSPIs "'ill This rink was tinder the management of the contracting firm, Hervey Johnson, later of' the well-known caterer Andrew J.

Gilllgan. There was much outdoor skating that January, following the second heavy freeze of that winter. One going directly from this Itlnk, through Lincoln Park of a night could not fall to be pleased with the sights and sounds of the outdoor merriment as on the Cnlon Skating Pond. Through the keen, crisp air of outdoors tho lungs had full chance for healthful respiration. The four acres of splendid "glare" ico was illuminated by reflecting lamps.

Those who observed the scene -from the clubhouse on the south side of the pond had a rnre treat In the comings and goings of the many women and men swiftly moving over the dark glacial field, breaking like phantoms through strips of brightness and then losing Identity In the alternating darkness far away on tl.e north side. And to the "ear, with the music of the band, came tho sharp metallic ring of many skates that kept time with silvery peals of laughter floating along the gelid atmosphere. Tho people worn of tho best classes; our little parks were safe those days for decent life. This Union Skating Tend and house were In charge of Mr. Harry Wright, who became famous In baseball.

The little lake In Lincoln Park, between the Kink and tho big Pond afforded skating room for hundreds, and so did tho Miami Canal both above and below the Plum street elbow. Th Ohio River at that time had no "Ice-chained waters slumbering on th shore," for it was rushing along In the pride of Its untamed grandeur forty-three feet In tho channel, tossing lec cakes for playthings. There are many of us who knew tho Cincinnati of tho 'sixties, and a considerable number who participated In tho gladness of those great carnivals on lee In January, 1SC8. Having then the largest and finest skating rink of all the world, and happening also a succession of every convenient freezing spells, there was every opportunity for those fine masquerades and other events. Really, that month could even now be celebrated as "a big thing on Ice." Repeatedly the skating surface at the rink was renewed after days of uso and planing of It, and each tlma it seemed even better than before.

With these conditions In view tho reader of this may readily understand something of the wonderful carnival spirit that pervaded the city for self- BY BY CONTEUR. INTER scones of sport have greatly changed slnco those of 5 years ago. Now we have production of Ice at our Zoological Garden In th highest temperature of midsummer. This for exhibition of skilled skating on steol runners. This recollection takes hark to the winter of 18C7-C8, to tho height of the most enjoyable season of the famous "Queen City Itlnk," when skaters had to depend on nature's production of lee; In those days artificial production was only In Its beginning In this country.

New Orleans was our only city having a "plant" where. Ice was made In small bricks for the cooling of drinking water. The thought of adapting Ico machinery for tho pur-pone of a thin sheet for Hkatlng was In a far-away future. Indeed Plim-ton's Invention of tho roller-skate (1806) had not reached our city to any considerable use. Cities of our country borrowed from Canada the Idea of an Inclosed, roofed and lighted skating, pond.

The Canadians, in the 'fifties, had Improved upon an idea developed on the Ico of the St. Lawrence, at Quebec, byTlie llrit-lsh Fusllecr Guards. They had cleared the snow from the lee forty yards In length by ten In width for their curling matches. Then enme to Canadian places the Idea of a roofed Inclosure for a skating place. Before any of those houses had been built In this country a dozen or more of them had been erected In Canada in Quebec, Montreal, Windsor, lirock-vllle, Ht.

Hyacinth and elsewhere. In our States, during the 'sixties, there nere six rlnkr in Cincinnati, Chicago, Cleveland, Pittsburg, St. Louis and Ietrolt. Cincinnati had the largest rink In the world. It stood on Freeman avenue, from Laurel to Hetts streets erected by a Joint stock company, under supervision of Hervey Johnson.

This firm was for several years engaged entirely In rink budding In various cities. The capital stock In this Cincinnati enterprise in Ico skating was 150,000, In shares of $100 each. Tho building wi 270 feet long by 120 feet wide; a huge, substantial frnme, well finished and inclosing square feet of lee surface. Within the front were dressing rooms for men, women and children. These roomi were prgvided with washstands, mirrors and other conveniences, nnd were well heated.

In front of the dressing rooms was a platform 10 feet wide on which visitors could promenade or sit and view the constantly animated scenes of skating. And platforms 17 feet wide flanked the Ice-on either side, from which stairways led to a gallery capable of seating 2.000 spectators at an ice carnival or some of the numerous festival occasions of seasons. On a raised gallery, at the north end of the interior, Mentor's famous band Jilayed afternoon and evening. On the east side were rooms well warmed and lighted and faced with glass, In which lady visitors who did not care to skale could sit and observe the skaters In perfect comfort. The big sheet of Ice, formed by boreal blasts from an alien polo or from our Northwest, rested on a bed of blue clay, upon which the water had been deposited to a depth of about three Inches.

Tho ventilating doors, the entire distance around the Ice space and on a level with It, would be opened for natural freezing when weather permitted. These currents of air wcro somewhat colder than outside. The inquirer thanks Husa Brothers, of Main street, for the opportunity to reproduce a poster cut of the Interior of that rink. In their youth they so much enjoyed those winter sports as to preserve this window-picture showing also tho exteror of the building. It has tho Imprints of R.

P. Studley as engravers, and C. A. Mallory, delineator, and the Cincinnati Commercial Job Print. Tho Huss Brothels were long known as producers of highly MISSION TICKETS.

$1.00 EAC jiojtaftftlfc CtVa, Om'feJIi Value's Skate Store, ornamented and carved saloon furniture and fixtures a line of goods for which Cincinnati was famous a long time before there was a thought of prohibition. Among the places where rink tickets were for sale were Wayne's skate store, tho music store of John Church, the book stores of It. W. Carroll nnd Itohert Clarke; also liarwlse Kings nnd the Opera House restaurant. Often scenes at tho rink were very attractive to observers as well as participants.

With tho band playing a waltz, with the bright flashes of many skate blades, tho merry twinkling of pretty ankles, there was much to linger over. There were graceful skaters and awkward skaters of both sexes, and somo of both classes had to endure falls In tho midst of tho crowds constantly on the ice. There was very little chance In the course of the evening for dls-p'oys of fancy-figure skating, as of names, figures, back -steps, sideling and so on. Hut for 20 minutes of eneh afternoon and evening the field would be cleared to give experts and hired professionals chance to do wonderful execution; such people as Louise Tobcy and her sister, and Mr. Fowler, and nn occasional champion from Canada, And Frank Swift appeared as Toodles, Dundreary and as the Iilaek Crook.

Other professional skaters engaged were Kugcne Pratt, Callie Curtis and James Powers; they would cut "Mercury," draw scissors and their names In full, waltz and pirouette; very much like those ad eral weeks; somewhat like our festivals of music, of oratorios and opera a few years later. Not only wcrethera masquerades nt the Queen City Rink, but also at the Union Skating Pond. They drew the people by the thousands, day and night There was great business then, with stores selling or renting costumes. Of the hundreds of the young people who appeared In costume then, some, no doubt, will recall their own Identity In some of the Initials as I set them down for printing, that winter. Looking over this partial list of those happy participants 1 am reminded of several friends and acquaintances of those times.

Quite recently we heard of the death of tha vetcrnn and distinguished architect, Mr. James W. Mcl-aughlln. He wa the Highlander of brilliant costume and fine hearing. The late Hal C.

Young was a perfect Dundreary. Handsome Matt Harbeson was great "Saratoga Swell." A very dashing Hussar was J. Clarke, ttst prominent haberdasher. A. M.

Grls-wold. thehumorist. was there, accompanied by his friend. I. D.

who made up to Orlswold's Idea of the lattef's "Hunkldorl." Miss Hattle who was known as the "muscular skater," was tha beauty with tho tambourine; Mlsa as Beautiful Snow; Mrs. a Spanish lady; Miss Alice s. Red Rldlnghood; Miss Lizzie a Gypsy Girl; Mrs. s. Miss Mlss as Italian girls; Miss TtlHe C.

as a Vlvandlere; Mlsa Llllle B. I as Goddess of Liberty! Miss Salllo B. as Fortuna Teller. The young men -were more easy Continued on Page 12, This Seclloa. strokes), although her weight wu a little above the average.

Her beauty of face attracted general attention. The young Misses who looked enough alike to be twins, were good easy skaters and were pictures of health and beauty. Miss garbed In black throughout, was very easy In backward work and In pirouettes. Mrs. G.

appeared In color then known as Bismarck: very graceful In short and easy skating. Another Mrs. In blue and white, was very ambitious In tho amusement; a frequent attendant. Miss a brunette with sparkling eyes was a first-class skater; she could cut many figures and do the us roll." Some of the yonng lady participants displayed luxuriance of flowing hair, which gave pleasant variety to this constantly shifting scene of graceful forms and fine costumes. One of thes'( was Miss from another city, who was making her first appearance there.

Cut from all that gay scene my memory singles out one particular lady Miss M. Sho was young and of splendid face and form. Sho was not an expert on tho steel runners merely a fair straight-ahead skater but she took more enjoyment there than any other person. During two weeks of that season of Ice she had never missed attendance there on any open afternoon or evening. Her Arm, long stroke and easy, wide swing of body denoted great muscular power of Immediate action nnd long endurance.

Her wholo existence for tho time seemed to bo wrapped within the sport; she never seemed to tire of the game, Somo 6f us would refer to her as the "muscular skater." mirable performances on artificial Ice we now see at our Zoo of a midsummer day. Admissions to the rink were at 25 cents by day nnd 60 cents by night, or by season tickets at $5 for men and 2.50 for women and children under II years. Among those prominent In tho company wore George B. Ellard, Iirausln Wulsln, William Rc-sor, H. F.

Wright, H. A. Glasford, A. T. Ooshorn and A.

IS. Champion. The slock paid large dividends. Altogether the sport at the Itlnk passed off very handsomely under Mr, Horvcy'a personal supervision. Ho did everything In his power to please the participants and the spectators.

The ladles he entertained were from tho best circles of Cincinnati society and elsewhere. The writer, who occasionally skated there, recalls one particular afternoon and night In January, 18(1S, when the scene was brilliant indeed. There were 3.10 skaters, about equally divided as to sexes, on the Ice at one time, with nearly 2.000 spectators present. To this day he occasionally meets some elderly lady or gentleman who skated there that night; some to be recalled now, but merely by their Initials: A perfectly graceful sylph on skates was that young Miss who attracted general attention and admiration. Her mother had learned the sport and participated In the fun In her company.

And there was Mrs. who commanded attention by her confidence In the sport She could cut "flub-dubs" very neatly, being powerful as well as graceful. Miss E. appeared in an elegant sirK of rich bluo plush, very light In her.