The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-06-16
Winding Up of the Spring
Meeting.
JEROME PARKS GREATEST DAY.
Magnificent Attendance and Capt.
tai Racing.
Midday the Winner of the One Mile and Five
Furlongs, Lochiel the One Mile and an
Eighth, Alroy the Two Miles and
an Eighth and Lobelia the
Steeple-Chase.

Jockey Club, ana the opening OF the season at the
North dissolved last evening In gusto OF glory
AS everything that is bright and otherwise must
fade, there Is sound philosophy in enjoying the
former to the end, and no doubt this thought was
uppermost in the minds of the Overwhelming
crowd that left the city yesterday to be present at
this dissolution beautiful day. with Just suni-
cient of light neecy clouds to obscure the sun,
spread its gentle wings over New York, and the
drives hence to Jerome Park were IN the most
superb condition. Central Park looked its pref
test as If conscious OF being placed on special in
spectOn and resolved to do its best. The trees
In their wealth of foliage seemed to nod a welcome
as the handsome equipages, with their CHEEKY oc-
cupants, passed along; and the sweet lowers
looked fairer than ever. The lake sparkled In the
sunlight, and hundreds OF charming children
sported on the velvety lawns Not only through
these superb drives, but across Macombs Dam and
along Central avenue the line of vehicles stretched
out almost to never-ending LENGTH and when the
first arrived ut the Club House. and the ladies'
trpped to the piazza, it was two hours before the
races commenced. Then they came in twos, threes
and by scores, and such the crush on the
graveled causeway leading to the Esplanade that
1t took several minutes for of the occupants to
obtain chance to alight.
The excursion trains brought immense loads and
long files of gentlemen and ladies streamed up the
shady hill and leafy lane to the course. Green trees
and wild lowers by the wayside made the walk
very enjoyable and the little children were greatly
pleased when the sweet voice OF singing bird
broke upon their ears Wave after wave or these
emigrants dashed like foam on the rocks against
the ticket sellers and gatekeepers, until the latter
almost lost their good humor. All around on the
bluff outside the track, in the lane where the black
berry bushes are in blossom, and under the oak
trees, groups Of itinerant pedlers were SEEM They
were in close and compact retnue, like swarm Of
locusts. The lemonade man, the eloquent lager
beer vender, the cheeky, uncouth, dirty banana
man, the chowder maker and his sable assistants
were on hand as the sands on the seashore.
At two O'Clock the teams and turnouts crowded
fast upon each other at the public entrance. They
came in greater numbers than ever before, until
every eligible position was selected The Grand
Stand was huge bouquet before the bell rang the
horses to mount Seats not occupied before during
the meeting were early filed and long before the
time observable upon previous occasions ribbon
of silk and velvet and tissue, with here and there
q white hat and black coat, wound around the hill
from the Club House, their owners bending their
steps to the stand, and the stream gained in
numbers and continued with little variation all the
afternoons but with this exception-the balco-
MES Of the Club House were still jammed.
No other word would describe the crush
the veranda would have made Dame Fashion her.
self envious and cause Cythera to abdicate her
throne. There sat the bellies OF Manhattan Island
and of the suburbs for miles around; and, as they
chatted and talked, their enthusiasm found q mo-
mentary diversion in bettng-yes, betting-gloves,
necktics, perfumery ana even hats on the coming
result. Thus they whiled away the time, listening
attentively now and then to the cheerful music Of
the artillery band at the side OF the structure
which has been present during the meeting: Then
the more welcome music OF the bell calling the
Jockeys to mount again turned the direction OF their
thoughts, and thus they looked and smiled on each
other and on their cavaliers and on the
bright coors OF the riders. The dresses OF the
ladies unusually splendid and varied, and both
the Grand Stand and the Club House were
parterre Of beauty in this respect Seated In hooks
and corners, and under the trees on the winding
path below, were graceful bellies OF every style and
in every character OF rich costumes. Nowhere in
America on such an occasion has either been sur
passed The clouded sky, tempering the heat so ex-
quisitey, wooed the fair ones in greater numbers
than ever before along the rustic fences and more
than one table was spread with shining cloth, upon
which rested yiands of the most paatable nature,
Of the vineS Pieasure beanied from A every face,
and satisfaction at the thought Of being present
everybody who amounted to anything had made up
their minds that not to be at the last day Of the
Jerome races would be guilty OF an objectionable
sin. Eminent fnanciers and merchants whose
credit is without limit, and known from the Atlantic
to the Pacific, were on hand. So, too, were the
politicians OF less note and even Houston street
had its denzens there. In word, Jerome PARK
never looked more beautiful than yesterday, and
never before has its immense space been SO
thronged-not even when the great Kentucky was
matched against Time, and the old man won the
victory.
The condition OF the track furnished fund OF
conversation "Ohl my amt 1t too bad it's
muddyW "What shame IL rained yesterday
and hundred other eacuatons OF like character
came from pretty lips, while the dscontentment of
the betters and pool-buyers on the same subject
was demonstrated in language more vigorous. The
track was bad: even worse than that; it was very
muddy, and wound up with the steeple chase in
compound of the most disagreeabe nature, resenl-
bling tan slightly mixed with oil. The horses were
TO be pitied in their efforts to extricate their feet
pools of water could be counted by
the hundreds. The old boys lamented
TO be run on such a course and the Jockeys in
their orange and blue and purple and magenta,
grieved in anticipation of the doses of mud that
they would be compelled to swallow. "Oh, sa-a-y,
We know" said an exquisite with slender walking
stick and the ends of blue scarf futtering in the
good course for regatta; don't you think the New
port Yacht Clubs race would be better than horse
vehemently with his slender walking stick. and
smiled at his own remarks The jockeys, white and
black, when the bell called them TO mount were
radiant in all the colors. OF the rainbow,
and looking, as one graceful fairy exclaimed,
'amost pretty enough to hug; = but these lads were
quickly metamorphosed and looked after the con-
test as II they had but Just recovered from severe
attack OF smallpox. Crimson jackets looked black,
and blue dirt color while the riders consumed
Not one escaped. White boys were brown and
Heckled, and black boys white and yellow. Their
comrades gave them laugh" and many pretty
ahe retiring girl joined in the bubbling chorus, to
their great annoyance
INC pool sellers were 'hurried,r Underwood
having al that he could do in attending to the
myriad OF bids that he received and MCGOWAN was
little perpeXed at times in receiving the big piles
OF money offered. Well, 1t was counterpart of
many such other days in their expert
IN hard luck during the meeting wanted to get
square" on the last day, and those who had been
fortunate In hundreds and thousands Of dollars
desired to augment their winnings, and 40 there
was excitement all around the circle. The writer
has seen large fortune in the pool box OF these
gentlemen on q single race, and though there was
not that amount yesterday in their care there was
rs much evident interest among the buyers az on
the occasion referred to- "Docsr lungs are in
capital order and McGowans brain In the best OF
fhape for the work before them. This Is the sta
OF the racing year in the North, and from Jcrome's
pleasant fields and shady hooks they go to Long
Branch where under the hie.glyng electricity or
iho breeZes from the ocean, they will be
prepared for that to.he eYeutfnl racing cafnnairn