Historic Pelham: Ice Skating on Pelham Reservoir During the Winter Ice Carnival of 1925

The year was 1925. The golden age of radio had not begun. Television entertainment was still decades in the future. In some respects, life in Pelham was a little simpler then. Simple pleasures reigned. Entertainment was a social and community affair.

That year, the Westchester County Recreation Commission and the Westchester County Park Commission had very grand plans. They planned to hold the first ever "annual" ice carnival on the frozen Pelham Reservoir -- an ice carnival with a "fancy dress" competition to rival that held in those days at Lake Placid. Today's Historic Pelham Blog posting will detail how this event came to my attention and what I and others have learned about it in the last 48 hours.

I was intrigued over the weekend when the "Lords of Pelham" Facebook page posted an unidentified black and white image of what appeared to be some sort of ice skating celebration on Pelham Reservoir (today's Pelham Lake located adjacent to and partially within Willson's Woods Park). The Park is owned by Westchester County and operated by its Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation. Acquired in 1924, Willson's Woods is one of the oldest parks in the County's parks system. The Park was named for the former owner of the land, Charles Hill Willson of the Willson & Adams Lumber Company.

The wonderful image appears below. It was soon reposted to Joe Gallello's "Remembering North Pelham" Facebook page. There, the debate (and posted research) began in an effort to solve the mystery of the image and what it depicted. Robert Bischoff seems to have led the pack as the first to locate a Pelham Sun article (transcribed below) entitled "Pelham Skaters to Compete in Ice Carnival" published on January 23, 1925. Once others began comparing elements of the image with the contents of that story, the story that the image tells could be teased out.

Undated Photograph of Skaters and Crowd on Pelham Reservoir

with St. Catharine's In the Background. Note the Flags and Patriotic

Banners Throughout the Image (as Noted by Joe Gallello) as Well as the

Wooden Ramp that Extends Down to the Frozen Reservoir.

Advertisement by Ware's Department Store in New Rochelle

Offering to Equip Athletes with Ice Skates for the Upcoming

Ice Carnival on Pelham Reservoir.

(From the February 5, 1925 Issue of The Pelham Sun.)

As Pelham Reservoir froze in 1925, County officials sensed the time was near for the ice to be sufficiently thick -- well more than six inches thick -- to provide the support for a grand "Ice Carnival" to rival those of winter resorts well to the north.

In mid-January, a committee was hastily assembled to plan the carnival. The committee, consisting of parks and recreation officials from Yonkers, Mt. Vernon, and Bedford, announced that the "First Annual" winter "Ice Carnival" would be held two weeks later on Pelham Reservoir. See Ice Carnival Date Set for Jan. 31st Here, The Pelham Sun, Jan. 16, 1925, Vol. 15, No. 46, p. 1, col. 5. The plans seemed grand because the county park lands adjacent to the tiny reservoir had only been acquired by Westchester County the year before and turned into what is today one of the oldest parks in the County's parks system.

A flurry of planning activities followed, but Mother Nature simply would not cooperate. On the morning of the day before the scheduled event, it was announced that the Westchester County Ice Carnival was postponed for one week until the following Saturday, February 7. Rain overnight on Thursday evening (January 29) followed by cold very early on Friday morning (January 30) had left a thin film of ice with water beneath it over the original ice of the frozen reservoir. The conditions made skating impossible. See County Ice Carnival Is Postponed for One Week, The Yonkers Statesman, Jan. 30, 1925, p. 11, col. 1.

The event was scheduled as a day-long celebration. Most of the competitions were speed skating competitions sanctioned by the Middle Atlantic Skating Association of the International Skating Union of America and attracted serious speed skaters from around the region. Additionally, later in the day a festive Dress Carnival was scheduled with prizes for the best costumes and music provided by a 20-piece band led by Professor Hans Sonner. The schedule for the Ice Carnival was as follows:

SPEED SKATING EVENTS
Preliminary Heats
10:00 - 220-yards race for boys under 14 .
10:20 - 220-yards race for girls under 16.
10:40 - 440-yards race for men.
11:00 - 440-yards race for women.
11:20 - 1-mile relay for high school boys.
11:40 - 1-mile relay for high school girls.
12:00 Noon - Lunch.
SPEED SKATING EVENTS
Finale
12:30 - 220-yards race for boys under 14.
12:50 - 220-yards race for girls under 16.
1:10 - 440-yards race for men.
1:30 - 440-yards race for women.
1:50 - 1 mile County Championship race for men.
2:10 - 1-2 mile County Championship race for women.
2:30 - 1 mile relay for County Firemen.
2:50 - 1 mile relay for County Policemen.
FANCY DRESS CARNIVAL
3:10 - Grand entry march of skaters and judging of costumes.
3:30 - Unannounced "special event."
4:00 - "Special fancy skating contest for the Julius Prince Gold and Silver medals. Open to boys, girls, men and women amateur skaters who are bona fide residents of Westchester County.+
4:30 - Unannounced special event.
5:00 - Awarding of trophies.
5:30 - End of Ice Carnival.
5:30 to 11:00 - General skating.

When the big day arrived, Mother Nature was cruel yet again! Approximately 4,000 persons Thousands lined the banks of Pelham Reservoir. (Three different reports claimed the number was 2,000 or 3,000 or 4,000 persons.) Slush and Water Hamper Pelham Ice Carnival, The Daily Argus, Feb. 9, 1925, p. 1, col. 5 & p. 10. The temperature, however, was climbing fast, into the 40's, and the sun shone brightly. Id. Water and slush began forming over the ice. The banks of the Reservoir became "almost ankle deep in mud, snow and slush, according to one account. Id. With so much planning, however, organizers decided to proceed with the event.

Conditions were awful for speed skating, but the morning events were held (results appear in articles transcribed below). By the afternoon, however, it was becoming almost impossible to skate. According to one report "[b]y noon the pond was a veritable mass of slush. Water covered the course. Skaters, in an effort to establish records, took many risks as they sped over the fast softening ice." Those risks led to some exciting finishes. In one men's race and one woman's race, the favored skaters fell during the competition, only to return and nearly catch the leaders at the finish lines in the face of thunderous applause and cheers from the crowd.

As the afternoon wore on, organizers began to cancel events. The police speed skating relay was cancelled. The "fancy skating" exhibition that so many had anticipated was also cancelled. Thought was given to cancelling the long-anticipated "Dress Carnival" as well, but so many people "had appeared in costume it was decided . . . to put on the fancy dress carnival which proved quite an innovation." Id. Conditions on the ice were so wet and slushy, however, that many of the costumed "participants" remained in automobiles adjacent to the Reservoir peering out of their automobile windows at the festivities.

Interestingly, it is at least possible that a film of the event exists. According to one report, a "motion picture camera was in action, getting shots of the festive scene" with the resulting "movie" scheduled to be shown in Proctor's Theatre in Mount Vernon on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, February 10-12, 1925.

Source: The Daily Argus, Feb. 9, 1925, p. 1, col. 3.

Below are transcriptions of articles relating to these events.

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"Ice Carnival Date Set For Jan. 31st Here
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Leading Skaters of Metropolitan District Invited To Attend County Title Events
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Speed, Fancy Skating and Fancy Dress Events Listed In Tentative Program of Parks Commission
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Pelham will be the rendezvous for the title holders in many ice events on Saturday, January 31st, when the First Annual Westchester County Ice Carnival will be held on Pelham Reservoir of the Westchester County Parks System. The leading figures in ice skating events, both speed and fancy skaters, have been invited to attend what is planned to be the biggest and best of any of its kind to be staged in the Metropolitan district. The program will include races and fancy skating in the afternoon and in the evening a fancy dress carnival such as that at Lake Placid and other winter resorts.

The Recreation Commission of the Parks System met at the Court House, in White Plains Friday afternoon and appointed the following committee to plan the event: Thomas J. Wade, New Rochelle city parks superintendent; James McCruden, Yonkers city director of recreation; Julius Kuhnert, Mt. Vernon, city supervisor of physical education; Edith Lane, director of recreation of the Town of Bedford; and T. Shaw Hall, of Mt. Vernon. The committee will invite every city and village in the county to send contestant to participate in the many events.

The program of the carnival has not as yet been announced, but it is stated that it would include county championship speed events for all regular race distances, and fancy events of various natures.

Pelham Reservoir is ideally adapted for the carnival. The shore of the reservoir is banked so as to accommodate an enormous crowd. It will be possible to keep all but contestants off the ice, and every spectator will be afforded unimpeded vision of each event.

Turk Smith has offered to stage a hockey match on the specially prepared hockey rink of the filter beds. Smith himself a veteran of the St. Niicholas and Wanderer teams, now playing with Briarcliff Lodge, is in touch with the best puck artists of this section and an exciting match is assured."

Source: Ice Carnival Date Set for Jan. 31st Here, The Pelham Sun, Jan. 16, 1925, Vol. 15, No. 46, p. 1, col. 5.

"Pelham Skaters To Compete In Ice Carnival
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Fancy Dress Exhibit from 3 to 5:30 And Special Figure Skating Will Be Features At Reservoir
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Pelham will be the mecca for hundreds of skaters, some of them prominent in the ice skating world, on Saturday, January 31, when the Pelham Reservoir will be the scene of the largest ice carnival ever attempted in Westchester County. Entries are coming in rapidly to the County Recreation Commission and the County Park Commission who are working out the details of the various competitions to be staged. The program will open at 10 o'clock in the morning and close at 5:30 in the afternoon.

Pelham has many 'classy' ice skaters and a big outpouring of local talent is expected to participate in the events. Speed kings, speed queens and fancy skaters of every degree of proficiency have been gliding over the glazed surface of the reservoir for several weeks in anticipation of just such an event as will take place Saturday of next week. Entries are open to any one residing in Westchester County. Delegations are expected from White Plains, Yonkers, Mt. Vernon, New Rochelle and adjoining villages. Entry blanks may be obtained at the Pelham Sun office.

The events include a one mile senior county championship for men; one-half mile senior county championship for women; 440 yard dash for men; 440 yard dash for women; 220 yards, open to boys under 14 years; 220 yards, open to girls under 16 years; one mile relay, four boys to a team, open to high school boys; one mile relay, four girls to a team, open to high school girls; one mile relay, four men to a team, open to firemen from each village, city or town, and a one mile relay, four men to a team, open to policemen from each village, city or town.

A special feature will be a fancy dress carnival from 3 to 5:30 p.m. No one will be allowed on the ice during this event except those in costume. Boy and Girl Scouts in uniform will be admitted to this event. In addition several special figure skating exhibitions are planned.

Gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded to winners of races, silver cups to teams winning relay races and silver cups to the man and woman having the most grotesque costumes, also the most beautiful costumes.

The carnival is sanctioned by the Middle Atlantic Skating Association of International Skating Unions of America and is only open to amateurs of Westchester County.

The committee is composed of Frank S. Marsh, of the Park Commission, chairman, Thomas J. Wade, Supt. of Parks, New Rochelle, James McCrudden, director of recreation, Yonkers, Julius Kuhnert, supervisor of physical education, Mount Vernon, Edith Lane, director of recreation, town of Bedford and T. Shaw Hall, of Mount Vernon.

There is no entry fee. Entries will close Jan. 23, 1925. All entry blanks should be sent to Mrs. Chester G. Marsh, county director of recreation, 617 Court House, White Plains, N.Y. Blanks may also be obtained from Mrs. Marsh at the Court House in White Plains."

Source: Pelham Skaters To Compete In Ice Carnival, The Pelham Sun, Jan. 23, 1925, p. 6, col. 2.

"County Ice Carnival Is Postponed For One Week
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Rain Last Night and Cold Early Today Left Thin Film of Ice With Water Beneath Over the Original Ice and Made Skating Impossible
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The Westchester County Ice Carnival, scheduled for tomorrow at Pelham Lake, Hutchinson River Parkway of the Westchester County Park System, was postponed until the following Saturday, according to an announcement made this morning.

The rain last night and cold early this morning left a thin coating of ice with water beneth over the surface of the original ice and the authorities were forced to postpone the event. All arrangements will remain as previously announced.

Frank Bernard and Marty Sweeney are two Yonkers men who will compete. Bernard has been trying to collect a number of Yonkers skaters but few men have entered. Harold Garrity, South Yonkers speed skater, was expected to compete but he has given most of his time to swimming this year and has not been on the ice very often.

Miss Marie Soltis and Miss Olga Fischer are to represent the city in the senior women's events. Miss Soltis has competed in most of the important meets in this section this year and is in excellent condition for the meet.

Ruth and Lillian Corke, who finished first and ssecond respectively in the 100-yard Metropolitan Outdoor Junior Championship last week are to skate. Mary Paterson also will represent Yonkers in the races.

There has been a slight change in the order of events and the program as now arranged is as follows:

Morning:

SPEED EVENTS
Preliminary Heats

10:00, 220 yards, race for Boys under 14 years of age.

10:20, 220 yards, race for Girls under 16 years of age.

10:40, 440 yards, race for Men.

11:00, 440 yards race for Women.

11:20, 1 mile relay for High School Boys.

11:40, 1 mile relay for High School Girls.

12:00 Noon: Lunch.

Afternoon:

SPEED EVENTS
Finale

12:30, 220 yards, race for Boys under 14 years of age.

12:50, 220 yards race for Girls under 16 years of age.

1:10, 440 yards, race for Men.

1:30, 440 yards, race for Women.

1:50, 1 mile County Championship, race for for [sic] Men.

2:10, 1-2 mile County Championship, race for Women.

2:30, 1 mile relay for County Firemen.

2:50, 1 mile relay for County Policemen.

All championship races sanctioned by the Middle Atlantic Skating Association of the International Skating Union of America. Irving Reiner and Ray Becker, Representatives.

Awards: -- Gold, silver and bronze medals for all races. Silver cups for all relays.

FANCY DRESS CARNIVAL

3:10, Grand Entry march of skaters and judging of costumes.

3:30, special event.

4:00, special fancy skating contest for the Julius Prince Gold and Silver medals. Open to boys, girls, men and women amateur skaters who are bona fide residents of Westchester County.

4:30, special event.

5:00, awarding of trophies.

5:30, Home, Sweet Home.

5:30 to 11:00 o'clock, general skating.

No one allowed on the ice during the Dress Carnival except those in costume.

During the Speed Events no one will be allowed on the ice except contestants and officials.

Music during the Dress Carnival by Prof. Hans Sonner and his band.

Awards -- silver cups to the man and woman in the most beautiful and most grotesque costume.

OFFICIALS

Clerk of carnival -- Julius Kuhnert, supervisor of physical education, Mount Vernon.

Starters -- Gilmore D. Clarke, landscape architect, Westchester County Park Commission, and James McCrudden, director of recreation, Yonkers.

Timers -- Irving Reiner and Ray Becker, Middle Atlantic Skating Association.

Official scorer -- Mrs. R.C. Wasserscheid, Mount Kisco, Westchester County Recreation Commission.

Judges of finish -- James J. Lee, A.A.U. Commissioner for Westchester County; Ernest S. Wittnebel, chairman ice carnival, New Rochelle; Harry G. Gorman, Boys City Club, Mount Vernon; Le Roy Mills, Mount Vernon; John Cullen, Superintendent of Parks, Yonkers, and Edward Wilson, Director of Recreation, New Rochelle.

Judges of dress carnival -- Mrs. Thomas Blain, Port Chester, Westchester County Recreation Commission; Mrs. Roberts Walker, Westcheter County Recreation Commission, and Mrs. Leo Feist, president, Mount Vernon Recreation Commission.

Carnival committee -- Frank S. Marsh, chairman, Westchester County Park Commission, Thomas J. Wade, Superintendent of Parks, New Rochelle; James McCrudden, Director of Recreation, Yonkers; Julius Kuhnert, Supervisor of Physical Education, Mount Vernon; Edith Lane, Director of Recreation, Town of Bedford and Mount Kisco, and T. Shaw Hall, Mount Vernon."

Source: County Ice Carnival Is Postponed for One Week, The Yonkers Statesman, Jan. 30, 1925, p. 11, col. 1.

"Pelham Boys In One-Mile Relay At Ice Carnival
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William Atkinson And Ruby Chaloux Hope To Win Honors In 220-Yard Races On Pelham Lake Saturday
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Pelham Lake, in the Hutchinson River Parkway will be the Mecca for skaters and those who enjoy watching the skaters race over the ice tomorrow when the first annual ice carnival will be conducted by the Westchester County Recreation Commission and the Westchester County Park Commission.

In the one-mile relay events for high school boys, Pelham Memorial High School will be represented by a team composed of Jerome Evans, Gilbert Griffin, Louis Warshaw and Leonard Ebstein.

William Atkinson will represent Pelham in the 220 yard race for boys under 14 years and Ruby Chaloux in the 220 yard race for girls under 16 years. A girls' relay team will probably enter to represent Pelham Memorial high school in the one mile relay.

While the speed events hold sway in the morning and part of the afternoon, by far the most attractive feature of the day will be the Fancy Dress Carnival which will sart [sic] at 2 o'clock in the afternoon and continues until 5:30 o'clock.

A number of special exhibitions of fancy skating and novelty events will be staged by some of the most expert skaters available.

Another special feature of the carnival will be the fancy skating contest for the Julius Prince Gold and any skater man or woman, boy or girl who is a bona fide resident of Westchester County. This feature is to be one of the special events of every ice carnival conducted annually by the two Commissions. Entries will be taken up to 4:00 o'clock [sic] on the day of the carnival at which time the contest will take place.

The Dress Carnival will open with a Grand Entry March of all skaters in costume, led by Prof. Hans Sonner and his bank who will furnish the music for the rest of the afternoon."

Source: Pelham Boys In One-Mile Relay At Ice Carnival, The Pelham Sun, Feb. 5, 1925, p. 7, col. 5.

"THOUSANDS AT ICE CARNIVAL IN PELHAM -- EXCITING CONTESTS DURING MORNING DESPITE THE THAW -- Scrapers Used to Clear Away Slush -- Ideal Weather for Spectators -- Finals This Afternoon Arouse County Wide Interest -- Colorful Assemblage Around Edge of Reservoir -- Mount Vernon Well Represented
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Witht the ice fast becoming a mass of slush, Pelham reservoir, scene of the Westchest county's big ice carnival, was lined along its bansk with nearly 2,000 enthusiastic sports lovers, all watching eagerly the races which comprised the morning program of events.

The weather, ideal for spectators, made speed skating a hectic enterprise for those competing in the various events for the ice, becoming softer as the sun rose highter, slowed up the course somewhat.

Only the preliminary heats were conducted this morning, the principal events being scheduled for this afternoon, when it is anticipated more than 5,000 persons from various sections of the county will be in attendance.

Tarrytown School Wins

The feature event, the one mile relay race for Westchester county high schools, was won by Washington Irving High school of Tarrytown, in the excellent time of 4 minutes and 17 seconds. New Rochelle was second and Pelham high school third.

The members of the winning team are Herbert Manna, Carl Agar, Theodore Agar and Charles Della Bodia. The high school cheering squads lustily proclaimed the efforts of their alma mater's in what proved to be the most colorful event of the morning.

New Rochelleans Cross Line First

Five heats were runn off in the 220-yard dash for boys under 14 years of age. The results follow: First heat: Church of New Rochelle, first; Ackerson, Pelham, second; Dobe, Yonkers, third. Time, 30 and 6-10 seconds.

Second heat: Kobbe of New Rochelle; Hageson of Mount Vernon; Gessner, of Yonkers. Time, 28 seconds.

Third heat: Linton of Yonkers; Morton, of New Rochelle; Lowry, of Yonkers. Time, 30 and 2-10 seconds.

Fifth heat: Martin of New Rochelle, Scaff of New Rochelle, Loeser of Mount Vernon. Time, 31 seconds.

Second event, 220 yards, for girls under 16 years of age. One heat which was judged as the final, won by Adele Cork [sic] of Yonkers, in 32 and 8-10 seconds. Second, Ruth Cork [sic], third Lillian Cork [sic], also of Yonkers. The three girls are the daughters of Robert Cork [sic] who is a widely known skater.

Third event, 440 yard race for men. Five heats. First heat, Kobbe of New Rochelle, first; Landgesbo of New Rochelle, second; Epstein of Pelham, third. Time, 56 seconds.

Second heat: Cork [sic] of Yonkers, I. Church of New Rochelle, N. Church of New Rochelle. Time, 56 seconds.

Third heat: Fetchko of Yonkers; Huba of Yonkers, Engesser of Mount Vernon. Time, 59 and 4-10 seconds.

Fourth heat: Manna of Tarrytown, McKinley of Yonkers, Vondorak of Yonkers. Time, 53 and 2-10 seconds.

Bronxville People Compete.

Fifth heat: Schmidto [sic]of Bronxville, Valentine of New Rochelle, Warshaw of Pelham. Time, 51 and 8-10 seconds.

Fourth event: 440 yard race for women. First heat, Caroline Breiter of Tuckahoe, Ruth Frank of Mount Vernon, Adele Cork [sic] of Yonkers. Time, 59 seconds.

Second heat: Marie Solts [sic] of Yonkers. Time, 1 minute and 5 seconds.

In the semi-final of the men's 440 yard race, Cork [sic] of Yonkers and Kobbe of New Rochelle qualified for the finals. Time, 54 seconds.

Mile Relay Race.

Second heat: Huba of Yonkers, Fecthko [sic] of Yonkers. Time, 53 and 3-10 seconds.

Third heat: Schmidt of Bronxville, Warshaw of Pelham. Time, 53 and 3-10 seconds.

Mile relay for high schools. Washington Irving high school of Tarrytown, first; New Rochelle high school, second; Pelham high school, third. Time, 4 minutes, 17 seconds.

During the early afternoon hours

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Thousands at Ice Carnival in Pelham
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(Continue from Page One)
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a colorful crowd steadily gathered about the banks of the reservoir. A motion picture camera was in action, getting the 'shots' of the festive scene for display in Proctor's Theatre Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday next.

Officials faithfully performed their duties and kept the course clear. Ice scrapers cleared away the slush which slowely formed and, though the course was slow and a little dangerous because of deep ruts, nevertheless it was in much better shape than was anticipated considering the sudden rise in temperature.

Preliminaries This Morning.

Only preliminary events were held this morning with the exception of the one-mile relay and the race for girls under 16 years of age.

This afternoon the finals were held and excitement reigned as the skaters extended their efforts to gain for themselves winning positions in this county-wide event which has incited so much interest.

Benches were placed along the banks of the reservoir for the comfort and convenience of spectators. At noon hour there was a break in the program for lunch. In the meantime, the automatic ie shaving machine was put to work to smooth over the surface. Special attention is being paid to one section where the fancy skating events were put on this afternoon.

People in Costumes.

There were many persons in costumes about the reservoir during the early afternoon previous to the gala fancy costum parade which is a fitting climax for the carnival. A band under the direction of Hans Sonner furnished the music during the costume parade and also rendered several other selections during the matinee session.

The judges of the course are Captain Van Syckle of the Salvation Army, Mount Vernon; Harry S. Gorman, of the Boys' City club, Mount Vernon, and Eugene Smith of the Daily Argus. The timers are Irving Reiner and Ray Beckel and the starter Gilmore D. Clark."

Source: THOUSANDS AT ICE CARNIVAL IN PELHAM, The Daily Argus, Feb. 7, 1925, p. 1, col. 7 & p. 6, col. 2.

"SLUSH AND WATER HAMPER PELHAM ICE CARNIVAL
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Thousand Line Reservoir But Conditions Bother Participants
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With approximately 4,000 persons lining the banks of Pelham reservoir, almost ankle deep in mud, snow and slush, participants in the Westchester County Ice carnival tried to demonstrate ability in water that covered the entire surface of the ice and made skating practically impossible, Saturday afternoon.

For once the weather proved a disadvantage in spite of the fact that the sun shone in all its glory and the temperature was around the 40 mark. True, the day was ideal for those persons, their feet encased in rubber boots or goloshes [sic], but no so for the lightly shod.

The morning races were run off speedily and it seemed as though the ice might remain in fit condition to finish the program on schedule. Later in the day the temperature rose and the ice started to melt. By noon the pond was a veritable mass of slush. Water covered the course. Skaters, in an effort to establish records, took many risks as they sped over the fast softening ice.

Exhibition Called Off

By afternoon so soft was the ice that it was necessary to call off the fancy skating exhibition which had

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SLUSH AND WATER HAMPER PELHAM ICE CARNIVAL
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been scheduled. As many persons had appeared in costume it was decided, however to put on the fancy dress carnival which proved quite an innovation.

Miss Emma Soltis, who was 'Miss Yonkers' at the beauty contest in Atlantic City, some time ago, carried off the first prize, the loving cup for the best dressed woman. Miss Soltis was attired in a costume of the revue soubrette and created a pretty picture. George Getachko, of Yonkers, 'King of the Sprites,' won the first prize for the best man's costume.

Local Resident a Winner

Miss Violet Kiel, of 39 North street, Mount Vernon, and Albert Lyon, of North Pelham, won the prize for the most grotesque costumes. The former wore an old fashioned 'grandmother' costume and the latter was scantily clad as a South Sea Islander.

The 'Box Score'

Results of the contests. Preliminaries:

10 a.m. -- 220 yard race for boys under 14 years.

First heat -- Church, of New Rochelle, first; Ackerson, of Pelham, second; Dobe, of Yonkers, third. Time, 30 and 6-10 seconds.

Second heat -- Kobbe, of New Rochelle; Hager, of Mount Vernon; Gessener, of Yonkers. Time, 28 seconds.

Third heat -- Linton, of Yonkers; Morton, of New Rochelle; Lowry, of Yonkers. Time, 30 and 2-10 seconds.

Fourth heat -- Trans, of Mount Vernon; Vose, of New Rochelle; Linn, of New Rochelle. Time 30 seconds.

Fifth heat -- Martin, of New Rochelle; Schaff, of New Rochelle; Loesser, of Mount Vernon, Time, 31 seconds.

10:20 a.m. -- 440 yard race for girls under 16 years. All entrants were in one heat. Adele Corke, of Yonkers, in 32 and 8-10 seconds, first; Ruth Corke, second; Lillian Corke, third. All three winners are sisters, daughters of Robert Corke, who took second place in the men's quarter mile race.

440 yard race for men. Five trial heats.

First heat -- Kobbe, of New Rochelle, first; Landgesbo, of New Rochelle, second; Epstein, of Pelham, third. Time, 56 seconds.

Second heat -- Corke, of Yonkers; L. Church, of New Rochelle; N. Church, of New Rochelle. Time, 56 seconds.

Third heat -- Fetchko, of Yonkers; Hula, of Yonkers; Engesser, of Mount Vernon. Time, 53 and 2-10 seconds.

Fourth heat -- Manna, of Tarrytown; McKinley, of Yonkers; Zondorak, of Yonkers. Time, 59 and 4-10 seconds.

Fifth heat -- Schmidt, of Bronxville; Valentine, of New Rochelle; Warshaw, of Pelham. Time, 51 and 8-10 seconds.

440 yard race for women. Two heats.

First heat -- Caroline Brieter, of Tuckahoe, first; Miss Frank, of Mount Vernon, second; Adele Corke, of Yonkers, third. Time 59 seconds.

Second heat -- Marie Soltis, of Yonnkers; Dorothy Timm, of Mount Vernon; Alga Fischer, of Yonkers. Time 1 minute and 5 second [sic].

Semi-finals, mens' 440 yard race. Three heats.

First heat -- Robert Corke, of Yonkers, first; Kobbe, of New Rochelle, second. Time 54 seconds.

Second heat -- Hula, of Yonkers, Fetchko, of Yonkers. Time 53 3-10 seconds.

Third heat -- H. Schmidt, of Bronxville; Warsaw, of Pelham. Time 55 and 3-10 seconds.

One mile relay for high school boys.

Won by Washington Irving High, of Tarrytown; New Rochelle High, second; Pelham High, third. Time 4 minutes and 17 seconds. Members of winning team: Herbert Manna, Carl Agar, Theodore Agar, Charles Della Bodia.

One mile relay for high school girls.

Won by Mount Vernon High school; Pelham High, second. Time 5 minutes and 59 seconds. Members of the winning team: Viola Frank, Elizabeth Corrigan, Dorothy Timm, Catherine Henry.

220 yard finals for boys.

Won by Forrester Kobbe, of New Rochelle; Richard Vise, of New Rochelle, second; William Martin of New Rochelle, third. Time 33 and 2-10 seconds.

440 yard finals for men.

Won by H. Schmidt, Bronxville; Robert Corke, of Yonkers, second; Stephen Hula, of Yonkers, third. Time 57 and 4-10 seconds.

440 yard race for women -- finals.

Won by Caroline Breiter, Tuckahoe; Alga Fircher, of Yonkers, second; Marie Soltis, of Yonkers, third. Time 1 minute, 12 and 4-10 seconds.

One mile county championship for men.

Won by Stephen Hula, of Yonkers; Harold Schmidt, of Bronxville, second; Archie Fetchkow, of Yonkers, third. (This was one of the most exciting racces of the day. Robert Corkes [sic], after having fallen in the sixth lap, was passed by the entire field. In a remarkable and plucky spurt, Corke overtook all but the first three men and at the finish was pressing closely to Fetchkow, who won third place.) Time 5 minutes and 10 seconds.

Half-mile county championship for women.

Won by Ogla Ficher, of Yonkers; Caroline Breiter, of Tuckahoe, second; Marie Soltis, of Yonkers, third. Time 2 minutes and 56 seconds. (This was a fast race under the most adverse of skating conditions. The ice had become a mass of slush and water and all skaters had a hard time to keep on their feet. Miss Breiter was leading by a comfortable margin at the beginning of the last lap, when she lost footing and plunged into one of the marking stakes. Picking herself up from the slush and water, she made a brave struggle to overcome the lead of the two women who had passed her. She succeeded in overtaking Miss Soltis, but trailed Olga Fischer at the tape, falling in an exhausted condition in the arms of Schmidt, who was standing at the finishing line.

The one-mile delay [sic - relay] for county firemen was won by the two-man team from Ossining composed of C. Collier and John Donhue. New Rochelle firemen, second. Time six minutes and 43 seconds.

Relay Postponed.

The relay for county policemen and the fancy skating exhibitions were postponed until a later date because of the condition of the ice, it was announced.

The dress carnival at 3 o'clock was a veritable riot of color. Many participants representing clowns, wild men, gypsies, balloon girls, Indians and stage beauties paraded before the admiring eyes of thousands of spectators. Columbines were there with their Pierrots. Masked beauties displayed their wares. Youthful toe-dancers drew gasps of admiration and thunders of applause from the gathered assemblage. Four prizes were awarded in this event. Two loving cups were given to the man and woman with the most beautiful costume, and two were awarded for the man and woman who was the most grotesquely attired. The cup for the most attractively dressed woman was awarded to Miss Emma Soltis of Yonkers. Miss Soltis was dressed as a stage beauty, with white tights having red trimmings, and a bodice of red-and-white silk. She has the distinction of having represented her section of the county by having attended the Atlantic city beauty contest under the name of 'Miss Yonkers'. George Fetchko, of Yonkers, won the cup for the best-dressed man in the parade. Mr. Fetchko was garbed as king of the Sprites. Miss Violet Kiel, of 39 North street, Mount Vernon, and Albert Lyon, of North Pelham were winners of the loving cups given to the wearers of the most grotesque costumes. Miss Keil was dressed in a costume common in the days of our grandmothers. A skirt of abundant proportions flowed to the ankles. A small, old-fashioned hat, made fast with a black satin ribbon was poised jauntily above bounteous tresses. An irrelevant note, adding to the grotesque properties of the costume, was the abundance of powder and paint which was practically unknwon in some circles in grandmothers [sic] days. Little Albert Lyon was 'made up' as a native of the South Sea Islands who had come in contact with a bit of civilization. A burlap bag formed his chief article of apparel. A necklace of bones, from the skeleton of a pig, was one of the chief accoutrements. His face was tanned a cherry-brown, bringing to the contrast of a pair of deep-[illegible] eyes. Mr. Lyon wore a straw hat of uncertain antiquity, the crown of which had been prepared for the airing of a thick patch of coarse, black hair -- akin to a horse's mane. It was estimated that hundreds of people costumed in gaudy and bizarre clothing did not appear upon the rink because of the slush and water which had been accumulating during the day. Many a face peered from behind drawn automobile curains -- faces whose owners were garbed in costumes. But entrants furnished a variety of colors and styles which were appreciated by those who remained on the banks of the reservoir.

Officials of the carnival were: Clerk of the carnival, Julius Kuhnert; starters, Gilmore D. Clark, architect of the Westchester county park commission; and James McCrudden. Timers, Irving Reiner and Ray Becker; scorer, Mrs. R.C. Wasserscheid, of Mount Kisco, member of the Westchester county recreation committee; judges of the finish: James J. Lee, A.A.U. commissioner for Westchester county; Ernest S. Wittnebel, chairman of ice carnival, New Rochelle; Harry G. Gorman, of the Boys' City club, Mount Vernon; LeRoy Mills of Mount Vernon; John Cullen, superintendent of Parks, Yonkers; Edward Wilson, director of recreation, New Rochelle; Captain Van Sickle, Mount Vernon Salvation Army; R.C. Wasserscheid, president of the Village of Mount Kisco. Judges of the dress carnival: Mrs. Thomas Blain, of Port Chester, member of the Westchester county recreation committee; Mrs. Leo Feist, chairman, Mount Vernon recreation committee; Mrs. Chester G. Marsh, director, Westchester county recreation committee; carnival committee: Frank S. Marsh, chairman, Westchester county park commission; Thomas J. Wade, superintendent of parks, New Rochelle; James McCrudden, director of recreation, Yonkers; Julius Kuhnert, superintendent of physical education, Mount Vernon; Edith Lane, director of recreation, town of Bedford and Mount Kiscko; T. Shaw Hall, Mount Vernon.

Band Scores Hit

Music was furnished during the dress carnival and until 5:30 o'clock by Prof. Hans Sonner and his band of twenty pieces scored a hit.

All championship races were sanctioned by the Middle Atlantic Skating association of the International Skating Union of America. Irving Reiner and Ray Becker were the representatives.

Gold, silver and bronze medals were awarded for all races. Silver cups were given for all relays and as prizes for the dress carnival.

The first Westchester county carnival was conducted jointly by the Westchester county recreation commission and the Westchester county park commission."

Source: Slush and Water Hamper Pelham Ice Carnival, The Daily Argus, Feb. 9, 1925, p. 1, col. 5 & p. 10.

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Labels: 1925, Compeition, Entertainment, Ice Carnival, Ice Skating, Pelham Lake, Pelham Reservoir, Skating, Sports