The New York herald., 1874-08-21
POLITICIANS CROWDING THE HOTELS
Two Wonderful Races and a
SteepIechase.
THE FASTEST FOUR MILES ON RECORD.
Reform Wins the Mile and Three-Quarters, Fell
lowcraft the Four Mile Dash and
Bullet the Steeplechase.


ing would have taken an even bet that 1t would
rain before the time for the beginning OF the races
so lead-colOred was the threatening sky and 30
faint was the light. You could get bet at odds
that the races would be postponed; but after ten
O'Clock, about which time it sprinkiea for a few
moments, the indications OF fair weather were
more favorable and the usual crowd began setting
out for the course. had intended to get up very
early and visit the stables this morning, but when
looked out at the sky without a promise of sun.
light decided to take forty w,nks (which in most
cases, IN mine run far into the hundreds) and
let the stables alone.
Saratoga has been filing up within the past few
days from all sides. Yesterday and to-days trains
brought carloads OF visitors who could principally
be divided into two classes-the boatmen who
come to train for the approaching regatta and the
politicians who are interested in the meeting OF
the Democratic State Committee, which is held
here tomorrow. Every few hours we see long
affair covered by a canvas sheet on truck frame
drawn along Broadway and out toward the beauti-
full lake on which the sports are soon to come Of
Yesterday | no less than three Of these
shells bound for the lake, and to-day quite
as many will be stored there. Just now
however. greater interest is manifested here in
political matters, and this interest is the more
increased because Of the hourly arrival OF protes-
sional politicians. To be sure the meeting of the
State Committee is or very little importance, be-
cause 1t is held simply to fix the time for the Con-
ventlOn and to arrange such general matters as
pertain to that assembling OF the great unwasheds
representatives was in party OF four last
evening, and not less than an hour was spent in
the discussion of political matters. Two OF the party
were lights in the democratic party, avOwed
friends and one OF the two is as prominent as any
one In Tammany Hall. The other was a wealthy
merchant OF New York city, who, for some reason
bothers with politics only to lose a few thousand
annually by his dabbling He is a jolly fellow, fond
OF chatlng his political friends and inclined to
plume himself on the fact that he loses by his as
sociatiOns. He was talking Of the charatanism
OF som. New York professionals, when the name of
the genial and witty Sunset Cox was sprung. 'Now
there's in point" said my mercantile friend
'.Sammy's not bad sort OF fellow. It's the correct
thing to call him genial believe and he is.
don't believe there's a man in the State has put
his arm around the necks OF more strangers than
Sam Cox and If didn't know he and his lady are
worth half million should think he wanted to
borrow a hundred every time he approached me-"
'Sam viii go back TO Congress- guess, said my
big Tammanyite, in his husky voice. .He'Il prob
ably in that district in the city to the Navy
Yard because he's got no less than forty appoint
ments for his strikers there. Don't 1t puzzle you
like the devil how one OF our fellows can get ap-
pOintments from the other sde-and so many of
them, tOOY'
.Not much" SAID the other politician. "You
see, sam and Blaine are very thick. He gave
Curtin and Blaine dinner last week out at Mo0n's
and Blaine's his friend
SANS SMART"
'Why, yes" said l. 'You know, Blaine gave
Cox the chair, and sam appointed the Credit Mo.
bilier Committee, which really killed poor Brooks.
dead mans shoes, gentlemen, especially under
such queer circumstances"
"Tnere's wnere these smart Alecks trip themselves
up. few evenings aRo-Monday i, thIDk-One oil
those rayens ;,op haedncaea g
examining neads. The phrenoogist was a
quick wltted Irtshman, full of Latin COM
monplace quotations, wnicn he shot Off every
few moments. He was iull OF wit ana Kept the
crOwd-and three-quarters OF 1t we're Irish-roaring
and Laughing; He knew as Wa mIen Of phrenoogy as
GINNING with him but sam Cox-ioAing, ana
laughing and nattering the fellow. Finally
and he had nis head examined, all the while swap
ping jokes with the crowd 1t was very 1unny.
estly don't you think II was piece OF dirty dema-
goglsmf' o, , ,.,
tatingly, mot in Sammys case. You see he wrote
a book, A Buckeye Abroad in whcn he was ass
enough to abuse the Irish ana their Cnurch aw-
1uly. He didn't mean anything he said, perhaps,
but 1t suited the Quo people, you see. Talking Of
OHIO people, met one the other night and he told
me sam was out there three weeks ago telling
them that the New Workers wanted him to run Tor
Governor"
.sOh! that's very attenuated. You must be MIS-
taken,r SAID my merchant
..NOt bit OF it, returned the big politician. "I
told him II a man in the State had thought OF Sam
for Governor knew the man and could give his
name. He asked me who he was-to name
him.
s.And who did you saw"
'Why sam CoX-who else?r shuckled the politi
clan. Notwithstanding all this our party broke
up, thinking sam pretty good fellow, but little
I inclined to be fft and the least bit giddy
As came out to the race course to-day | saw a
cavalcade Of horses each one stradded by little
darkey, aud the gang led by brave but crippled
Tom Bowling and followed respectively by Aaron
Pennington, Chesapeake. CALVIN, Arstides ana
wagon filled with clothes and goods. saddles and
brides, Whips and spurs, blankets and darkcys
Old Anson, the personifcation OF an old time dar-
KEY, hobbed along at the mead OF his pet, Tom,
looking the least bit proud Of his company. A
gentleman shouted out, where are you bound
..wese gwine to de Branch to clean things out
shouted back little African. Oats our fun,
sah."
Wnen | got to the course I was not surprised at
the smallness OF the numbers present, for the day
opened inauspiciousiy as regards the weather, but
the lowering clouds which threatened heavy rain
distributed themselves into misty haze which
was powefless to resolve itself even into an occa-
sonal drlzZe. The very slight rain when el IN the
early part OF the morning had The effect OF laying
the dust and the track was accordingly in excel
lent condition. The greensward made greener by
the hquid draugnts given 1t IN moderate doses
the wmte fences looked winter, and the little
scarlet haQs winch mark the routes or the stecpe-
chasers, the color Of which could not be bright
ened by the ram, looked, nevertheless, more gar
, ngly bright, their local color, 10 speak
artistically, being heightened by contrast with
the deepened green and tue rain re touched white
( The atmosphere was COOL baimy and hazy, and
the whole scene presented a picture softly pleas
ing and suDdued, For the toilets of the ladies
we're IN Keeping with the tone OF the atmosphere
The lair ones OF saratoga had turned out Ia fe wei
numbers than usual Tor gay plumage Is
characteristic Of theirs, especially at this theil
favorite summer resort, and as the clouds por
tended danger TO the brightness OF rich anC
variegated feathers, many lovely birds contentet
themselves with chrping along the corridors 0
the hotels, where they could be seen 10 more ad
vantage crticse each others toilets and stud,
the art OF beautiiying themselves to more ad
vantage.
1t IA well known, however. that steeplechas'
day has a strange fascination for lovely woman
and, though only two horses were entered 10
to-day's contest, that was attraction enough u
cause larger attendance OF the gentter sex thai
should otherwise have Deen expected.