The New York herald., 1873-11-16
THE GREAT CALIFORNIA RACE.
An Immense Assemblage Witness
the Exciting Event
FOUR FOUR-MME HEATS.
San Francisco and the Surrounding Country
Manifest Intense Interest-Thad Stevens the
Winner-True Blue Reported Broken Down.
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. Is, 1873.

thousands OF persons 20 the course who under
less favorable circumstances, would have studi-
ously avoided this mild form OF dissipation.
Before the light Of day had streaked the eastern
horizon the tide OF travel set toward the Park and
the roads centring at this point were lined with
Recommendations OF speculative turn OF mind,
including gamblers, venders OF various indlgesti-
BILE refreshments and variety of vagabonds-an
bent securing advanta ageOus locations about the
country outlying the track.
at ten O'Clock the roads presented cheering
scene, and there were wagons buggies. coupes,
drays. hacks, barouches, dump-carts, and in fact
every kind OF vehicle adapted TO the purpose or
the occasion. Occupied by people OF every class and
condition; pedestrians in groups and alone, as
merry crowd as ever passed out OF the city The
stylish equipages largely occupied by the fair. but
fast representatives of society, rolled along with
their customary regard for the rights of pedes-
trans and occasionally received salutations strik.
ingy impressive, but in the main the behavior OF
the crowd was confined to genteel hilarity.
The day was peculiarly Californian and type
the delightful autumn season. A mellow haze en-
veloped the surrounding hills while gentle breeze
coming in over the glittering surf line OF the sea-
which nearly touched the western extremity of
the track, toned the atmosphere to refreshing
temperature. To the Eastern visitor the scene
must have been happy and inspiring.
BY twelve O'Clock the grand rush had fully sat
in, and dense column Of horse, foot and carriages
streamed steadily over the hill and down the
nu 9 leading to the Park. Every available means
OF conveyance appeared to have been brought into
service, from 1our-horse drag to a rickety
cart OF the vegetable pedler. Thousands OF per-
sons came by the trains OF the San Jose Railroad
and walked the intervening distance OF O mile.
Within the Park the scene fairly suggestive OF
the day OH the Derby Downs. Hundreds OF aristo-
cratic establishments were crowded together. oc-
cupied by gay votaries Of fashion, who discussed
the probability of the approaching race
with animation and the contents Of their
bumpers with equal earnestness. The indis-
pensable card sharper and his confed-
crates were present in force. and had their tables
and apparatus for genteel swindling arranged on
every side where the crowd did most predominate,
both within ard without the PARK. Hun
dreds dispeled the tedium OF the hours
before the commencement OF the race
by tamperng with these fellows and got their
fingers burned, as usual. The hackmen are charg-
Ing $40 load from the city, customers finding
their own conveyance back. A great specuator
has offered the managers OF the race $4,000 Tor
the receipts OF the gate independent OF the receipts
of the stands and extras. The offer was refused
The horses are in good trim. True Blue, Thad
Stevens and the other horses named for the con-
test were aired and moderately exercised this
morning and appeared TO be III excellent condition
The friends and supporters OF True Blue remarked
from time to time. appropriately to circumstances,
lacked the desired amount or lustre in his eyes.
statement that was invariably received with sig
nihcant winks mods. %c., by the keen adopts in
The true state OF aflars shrouded with
suspicious mystery that the race alone could ex-
plain to the unlnitaed. The gossip of the stables
failed contain any point OF interest other than
the report that the owner OF True Blue depended
upon distancing Thad stevens in the first heat,
and, falling IN this, he had serious doubts OF
ming the contest. The old sorrel continued in high
favor
At one p. M. the grounds presented dazzling
scene of animation. The proportions OF the crowd
had swollen with nameless rapidity, and there
road leading to the track was hidden for mile by
o cloud OF dust, and continuous procession OF
buggles poured steadily down the hill to the East.
The pool selling commenced at noon, and
opened brisky at large figures in the two hours
that intervened before the horses were called.
heavy sum was deposited in the banks for cashng
pools, the amount Of which was between $40,OO
greatly increased odds report industriously
circulated, that True Blue had exhibited symptoms
OF stiffness this morning. may have had some fnfu-
ence; but the confidence in the California favorte
was still very strong The ratio In pools between
Thad stevens and True Blue at that hour lone
p. NJ was nearly three to one.
The following shows the average pools an hour
before calling the horses -Inad Stevens, 500;
:a5 true sae A l
neld 50; Thad stevens, $325; True Blue. Sl65; 10
Daniels, $50; field, IS; Thad Stevens, 5000; True
Blue, S165; 10 Daniels $50; field, SIS: Thad
stevens, 1926; True Blue, $ls5; 10 Daniels, $751;
field, SIS.
a
oil Captain Douglass, maintained order in the vast
assembage, a portion OF the men being mounted.
In addition TO the great crowd Ia the park hun
dreds Of gratuitous spectators took positions on
the neighboring hills, where view OF the course
could be obtained.
At five minutes OF two p. NJ. the alarm OF nre
was sounded by series OF yells proceeding from
the grand stand, adjoining the eastern end or the
refreshment saloon near the course and soon the
smoke rolled up in dense volumes. scene OF in
tense excitement cnsued the crowd shouted
Justify, the shrill whistles OF the police in
nznd h0 nf
sons and for few moments y terrible
catastrophe was imminent few cool
men, however, wrested the burning planks from
the building ana stamped out the fire. and the
event soon passed from mind as scarcely worthy
OF notice ON an occasion so prolific OF interest.
The fire originated In the cook house OF the saloon.
\ At hairpast one r H., at moderate estimate,
there were upwards OF H. 900 people in the Park and
immediate vicinity, and the enormous seating ac-
commodations were almost entirely occupied at
an extra charge. while thousands occupied the
vehicles in the central arena.
The entries were Thad stevens. Joe Daniels,
True Blue and Mamie Hall Hubbard was drawn.
THE RACE.
FIRST Hent.--Thad Stevens took the pole, True
Blue next, Mamie Hall third, Joe Daniels the out
Han first, Thad stevens second True Blue third
and Joe Daniels fourth; second mile True Blue
Thad stevens fourth; third mile, True Blue first,
Joe Daniels second, Thad stevens third, Mamie
Hall fourth; fourth mile, Joe Daniels first by two
lengths, True Blue second, Thad stevens third,
Mamie Hall fourth. Time of heat As.
Immediately after the result OF the heat pool
selling was resumed on enormous scale. The
hackers OF Thad stevens came forward with un-
abated confidence in their favorite. In one OF the
first pools Thad stevens taken at first choice
for 81 100; Joe Daniels. $1,000; True Blue, $500. A
series of heavy pools approaching the same mogni-
tude, nearly of the same ratio, taken in. The
pools were all selling Thad stevens the
favorite and True Blue the third choice. The
pools ran steadily from 81, 800 to $4,000.
The unexpected turn OF the first heat produced
an excitement that could only md vent al the
pools, and consequently the sales sprung to- q high
ngure. Pending the disposition oI the second heat
the friends 0l rhad stevens rallied promptly TO
his support ana freely backed their opinion OF his
speed and endurance with coin. The impression
prevailed that the rider OF Thad reined him IN
during the entire race and simply strove not 70 be
distanced The horse was in line condltion when
he left the track and was applaudcd as vigorously
was distanced
Second Heda--Tne horses were called for the
second heat at quarter TO four, ana the prelllnl-
nary rubbing down and saddng was accomplished
n for a snnd-Af AL five mluufCS 10 i0nr