The people of Hopewell Borough must have been going stir crazy by the last weekend of 1894, slogging through the long, cold, dark, snowy winter. And then came another “combination snow, rain and hail storm” on Thursday morning. But the “storm-king spent his fury,” and the Hopewell Herald newspaper gleefully reported that by the afternoon it was “only a short time before the merry jingle [of bells] were heard in our principal streets and boulevards.” Downtown erupted with excitement as the number of sleigh riders “swiftly augmented,” hurriedly “dashing by with their fleet-footed steeds.”
Thus began four days of sleigh races along Broad Street, culminating on New Year’s Day with a judged race between the top four drivers, promising a “bottle of champagne to the winner of the best three in five heats.” The event was enjoyed by “fully 600 spectators many of which were ladies.”
C. E. Voorhees, the editor and proprietor of the Hopewell Herald, clearly had a wonderful time turning phrases to describe the weekend in the two-column front-page article published the following Thursday, January 3, 1895, including comments on the individual racers and on the spirit of the weekend – with “snowballs flying like chips on a poker table.”
The full article is transcribed below, after highlights of the weekend’s days, including explanations of the people and locations.
== Full Printable Broad Street Sleigh Races in Snowy Hopewell (1894) (PDF) ==
Thursday, 12/27/1894 – Sleigh Riders
On Thursday afternoon, the sun shone through after the latest storm and “the people were jubilant.” The excitement increased with some impromptu racing, “but was not intense until a brush between our popular barber, Mr. Paul Arnold, with his flying racer, and John Studdiford,” which grew into “a lively scrimmage.” However, Arnold’s horse was not ready for the challenge, and “Mrs. Studdiford, who occupied a seat beside her husband (as all loving wives should) bade Mr. Arnold a teasing adieu as they went gliding by and onward.”
- Paul Arnold, “Tonsorial Artist,” had a shop at 27 West Broad St., “nicely fitted up with two elegantly upholstered chairs.”
- John H. and Lucy Studdiford were long-term farmers on the family farm in Branchburg Township, Somerset County (north of Wertsville & Hopewell through Amwell to Neshanic). They were particularly jubilant that day because Lucy was pregnant, and only a month and a half later “presented him with a baby girl” on February 19.
Friday, 12/28/1894 – Crowd for Speed Trials
On Friday, “the sportsmen were fearful that the rays of Old Sol would melt the white robe that adorned Mother Earth, but their fears were groundless, for an arctic wave fed by a sun-hidden sky and unbounded icy air had swept over the country and the mercury was almost out of sight… The sleighing was never better and the people never in a better mood to enjoy it.”
Crowds of people stood at Broad and Greenwood in front of Cook’s Block to watch speed trials between Dr. Van Neste and Dr. Pierson, and acclaimed Dr. Pierson the winner.
- Dr. Theodore A. Pierson, M.D., physician and surgeon, was at 24 Blackwell Ave. and then 10 East Broad St. He was a major contributor to Hopewell after his arrival in 1894 after graduating from medical school. He also formed the Hoproco toy company with his son (see post).
- Dr. George V. Van Neste, M.D., physician and surgeon, came to Hopewell around 1893 after graduating from medical school.
- Cook’s Block was at 2 East Broad St., at the northeast corner of Broad St. and Greenwood Ave. The large two-story iron-clad frame building contained many businesses, including the post office. It was built in 1890, and then destroyed by fire in 1899. The current building was built in 1914 for the Hopewell National Bank, and is now known as the Dana building.
Saturday, 12/29/1894 – Large Crowd of Steppers
Saturday “brought out a large crowd of horses and a larger crowd of spectators, who lined the streets and complained of the falling mercury.”
Among the favorite “steppers” were those of Dr. Pierson and Dr. Van Neste, plus Dr. Miller and John Stryker. Dr. Pierson’s pacer was again considered the best of the group.
- Dr. John A. Miller, M.D., homoeopath, was at 14 West Broad St. He was a long-time Hopewell fixture, arriving in 1865 after graduating from medical school, and thus by this time was “taking life a little more leisurely than in former days.”
Sunday, 12/30/1894 – Sabbath Day
“A proper observance of the Sabbath day was accorded and no trotting took place.”
Monday, 12/31/1894 – Out in Force
The final two days into New Year’s Day saw even more activity and participants. Monday afternoon “they came out in force again.”
An interloper “by the name of Reed, from Weartsville owned the street for a while,” but soon Mr. Studdiford and Dr. Pierson were clearly the best, joined by Will Green, who now was driving for Dr. Miller. Other participants were A. G. Fetter, Dr. Ed. Hawk, I. H. Wright, and Ed. Graney.
- A. G. Fetter operated the Finney & Fetter Saw & Feed Mill at the triangular intersection of Louellen & Model, which was established in 1874 (see post).
Tuesday, 1/1/1895 – New Year’s Day – Judged Races
The final Tuesday, New Year’s Day, brought “the most excitement of all the previous ones.” Landlord Van Fleet of the Hopewell Hotel offered a bottle of champagne to the winner of the best three in five heats. A number of horses were on the street, but narrowed down to Paul Arnold from the first day, John Studdiford, Dr. Pierson, and Dr. Van Neste.
At 3 o’clock, 600 spectators lined Broad Street “between the postoffice and Van Fleet’s Hotel” (i.e., down West Broad Street, from Cook’s Block at Greenwood Avenue to the now Hopewell House at Mercer Street). There were seven judges assigned to the start and finish to rank the finishers.
After the race, the judges retired to a room at Van Fleet’s to finalize the results, with Mr. Studdiford declared the winner, and Dr. Pierson second. Mr. Arnold was expected to win, but his horse unfortunately was “in high spirits and almost unmanageable.”
The judges and owners were invited to the hotel’s dining hall, where “all sat down to a palatable repast most appetizingly prepared by the generous host.” Mr. Studdiford was presented the bottle of champagne, “the contents of which was greatly relished by the participants.”
The evening then saw a new round of competition, after the horses had been stabled: “the liveliest of the races took place in such localities as the postoffice, stores and hotels, where they drove them in single, double, and four in hand, the one that could talk the fastest and loudest, as usual, came out on top.”
- Van Fleet’s Hotel, also then known as the Hopewell Hotel, is now the Hopewell House at 48 West Broad St., next to the Old School Baptist Meetinghouse at Mercer St. Peter Van Fleet, who formerly operated a hotel in Woodsville, took over the business from Andrew Cray in 1893. (Cray then took over the Hopewell Inn.) Daily rates in 1900 were $1.50 and $2.00.
And More
This was not the end of the fun, as the article notes that “a number of brushes” had since occurred, but “fortunately no serious accidents have taken place and the enjoyment has been unsurpassed.”
After all, several of the town doctors took part in the races, so they were close at hand in case of problems – except if they themselves were the injured parties.
== Full Printable Broad Street Sleigh Races in Snowy Hopewell (1894) (PDF) ==
For further background on the town of Hopewell at this time, and the people and photos shown here, see:
- Two pairs of helpful references on the people of Hopewell and about this time:
– Two promotional booklets on the town and businesses: Healthful Historic Hopewell, 1897 and 1909 Hopewell New Jersey
– Two special editions of the Hopewell Herald with extensive biographies and photos, the 1900 Souvenir Edition and the 1914 Progress Edition
Thanks (again) especially to Bob Gantz, Roger Labaw, and the late Eleanora McAlinden Kolbert for preserving and sharing these fascinating photos of early 1900s Hopewell.
We welcome other similar information and materials to share stories of Hopewell’s past.
Scenes on Broad Street – Hopewell Herald, Jan. 3, 1895
Scenes on Broad Street.
Studdiford Wins a Bottle of Champagne.
Good Racing and Lots of It.
The combination snow, rain and hail storm that visited us last Thursday morning, abated soon after the hour of the midday meal, “the clouds rolled by” and the sun shone out once more on this “land of the free and home of the brave.” Those who had watched the tempest the night before in fond anticipation of a sleigh ride, only to have to have their pleasant dreams dispelled in the morning by the drenching the fleecy snow was receiving lest it should vanish, were jubilant when the storm-king spent his fury.
It was only a short time before the merry jingle of “the bells, bells, bells: the jingling and the clanging of the bells, bells, bells!” were heard in our principal streets and boulevards. On Broad street the drivers all seemed to be in a hurry as they went dashing by with their fleet-footed steeds. The excitement began to increase as the number of sleigh riders swiftly augmented, but was not intense until a brush between our popular barber, Mr. Paul Arnold, with his flying racer, and John Studdiford took place. The brush soon grew to a lively scrimmage, the snowballs flying like chips on a poker table, but alas! it was not Paul’s day; his horse was too smooth and had hadn’t had enough exercise. Mrs. Studdiford, who occupied a seat beside her husband (as all loving wives should) bade Mr. Arnold a teasing adieu as they went gliding by and onward, with pleasant remembrances of past scenes.
On Friday the sportsmen were fearful that the rays of Old Sol would melt the white robe that adorned Mother Earth, but their fears were groundless, for an arctic wave fed by a sun-hidden sky and unbounded icy air had swept over the country and the mercury was almost out of sight, while to many hot toddy was more acceptable than plain water. The sleighing was never better and the people never in a better mood to enjoy it and “all went merry as a marriage bell.” Crowds of people bore the piercing cold and stood in front of Cook’s block. The trials of speed were principally between Dr. Van Neste and Dr. Pierson, Mr. Arnold having business out of town and Mr. Studdiford’s horse having sustained an injury. The crowd on the corner awarded the honors to Mr. Pierson.
Saturday brought out a large crowd of horses and a larger crowd of spectators, who lined the streets and complained of the falling mercury. Among the favorite steppers were those of Dr. Pierson, Dr. Van Neste, Dr. Miller, and John Stryker. We also noticed among the crowd our popular and enterprising life insurance agent, James G. Waters, with his would-be trotter. Mr. Waters as an insurance agent is considered a “hustler,” but as a manager of a baseball team or as a horse racer, he is a colossal failure. Dr. Pierson’s pacer was again considered the best of the group. A proper observance of the Sabbath day was accorded and no trotting took place.
Monday afternoon they came out in force again, and a gentleman by the name of Reid, from Weartsville, owned the street for a while, but soon Mr. Studdiford, Dr. Pierson and Will Green, driving “Bessie” for Dr. Miller, made their appearance and Mr. Reid was not “in it.” Among the other favorites were the horses of A. G. Fetter, Dr. Ed. Hawke, I. H. Wright, Ed. Graney and others. The victory lay between Studdiford and Dr. Pierson, with “Bessie” Miller a close third. Everyone beat somebody else during the afternoon, but Waters, as usual, brought up the rear.
Tuesday, New Year’s day, brought the most excitement of all the previous ones. Landlord Van Fleet offered a bottle of champagne to the winner of the best three in five heats. The race took place at 3 o’clock. There were a number of horses on the street but when the race was called they narrowed down to Paul Arnold, Dr. Pierson, John Studdiford and Dr. Van Neste. The race took place on Broad street, between the postoffice and Van Fleet’s Hotel, and was witnessed by fully 600 spectators many of which were ladies. The starting judges were Edw. M. Phillips, J. H. Phillips, T. B. Jackson, Jr. and Jos. H. Moore. Those at the finish were Dr. J. A. Miller, Dr. A. F. Mount, V. S. and George Snowden. The following is the score by heats:
- Heats ………….. 1 2 3 4 5
- Studdiford …. 2 1 1 2 1
- Pierson …………1 0 3 1 0
- Arnold ………… 3 2 2 3 3
- Van Neste ….. 4 3 4 4 2
Studdiford winning; Pierson second.
After the races were over, the judges retired to a room by themselves at Van Fleet’s, and the above score agreed upon, when Edw. M. Phillips was chosen spokesman and the results announced, after which Landlord Van Fleet invited the judges and owners of horses into his spacious dining hall where all sat down to a palatable repast most appetizingly prepared by the generous host, and Mr. Studdiford presented the bottle of champagne, the contents of which was greatly relished by the participants, Dr. Miller, in the meantime keeping the company in good humor with his witticisms.
Mr. Arnold was expected to win, but his horse was in high spirits and almost unmanageable, requiring all the strength that could be brought to bear to keep him down and even then he dashed about furiously. Had he have been in proper shape no doubt the result would have been different.
Among other horses that we noticed that showed some good movements were those belonging to Mr. Waters, Jos. Hill, Wm. Van Buskirk and Mr. Graney. Mr. Waters was victorious in one or two brushes, and we were glad to hear it.
In the evening after the horses had been put in their respective stables, the liveliest of the races took place in such localities as the postoffice, stores and hotels, where they drove them in single, double, and four in hand, the one that could talk the fastest and loudest, as usual, came out on top.
There has been a number of brushes since and about the usual interest appeared to be manifested.
Fortunately no serious accidents have taken place and the enjoyment has been unsurpassed.
Quotes
“From the bells” – The Bells, Edgar Allan Poe
Hear the sledges with the bells – Silver bells!
What a world of merriment their melody foretells!
… From the bells, bells, bells, bells, Bells, bells, bells –
From the jingling and the tinkling of the bells.
… mellow wedding bells … loud alarum bells … tolling of the bells
“Merry as a marriage bell” – The Eve of Waterloo, Lord Byron
” And all went merry as a marriage bell”
More on Photos of Snowy Days in Hopewell
Posts
- Snowy Day in Hopewell in the Early 1900s – Broad & Greenwood
- Snowy Day in Hopewell in the 1910s at Blackwell & Railroad
- 1910s William Howe’s “Dixie Farm” in Pennington – Snowy views
- Dashing Through the Snow – Hopewell 1913 Photos – E. Broad & Louellen
- 1960s Hopewell Snowy Views – Downtown and around
- 1966 Snowy Aerials of Pennington and Hopewell
Images
- View all the snowy images in the Image Gallery
