New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-07-04

Tho Louisiana Jockey Club and lou,
Young Friend, +. U. Minor.''
New ORLEANS, June l6, 1875.
Editor Turf, Field and Farm:
The astOnishment of the New Orleans
public at the wantOn and unfOundeG asher
siOns cast upon the management OF the
Louisiana Jockey Club in FOrdham's com.
munication in your issue of May %, seem
ingly Endorsed by You, was only exceeded
by learning authoritatively that the author
was none other than ''Our young friend, F..
o. Minor" as he cOmplacently styles him
self.
Of the good taste displayed in wsitin O
about ones self, as he does, even over n
nom dc plane, we have nothing. to saw.
Our purpose is to protect the management
from vindictive and unfounded aspersions
which, else, might receive some attention
abroad, our local press having already, for
the sake of right, done full justice TO the
complaints, which, as well as We gather
them from the not oyel-clear theme. ara
these:
]. That the race meeting, which should
have commenced April 3, was postponed to
favor Mr.. Towards horses.
:. That the club did not wish Cott.iil's
string, the only one prepared !og business.
" CdiI,N oil bEC AIoAcy oAs
The simple truth is, that the postpone.
ment Of the meeting from April 3 vas an
admitted necessity, Of which, We presume.
no one was better aware than NJ. Minor
himself.
Four months OF almost uninterrupted
rains had So saturated our leve! lands ard
completely filled al! drains that, notwith.
standing bitches and draining machine; the
last rain flooded the whole track and
err az,
Friday just before day, q drenching rain
fell, with hardly q moments cessation. A
careful survey Of the course Satisfied the
management that it would be unsafe 70 run
over 1t for some days. At this time, after.
noon of April . the weather was lowering
and threatening. and 'Old Probabilities"
toreshadowed still further rains.
Under the circumstances :c BECAME tho
duty OF the steward. to decide upon the
length OF the postponement. for We repeat
the necessity for postpOnemen: WAS un..
versally conceded.
In forming just conclusion. several con.
slderatiOns entered. among which were the
best interest of the club, that Of stable
owners. the public. and the condition os the
course.
Experience has taught tha: nothing is
more detrimental than postponemen from
day to day. when these have to be success.
have 20 be drawn daily, for work that
does not come. or TO the public. who, be.
coming unsettled as to the certainty Of
events at fixed days, lose all interest. and.
failing to HatrOniZe, make the meeting a
failure. On the second Of April, OWING to
tho preceding rains and to the then unset.
He'd weather, this apathy In the pGblic was
everywhere apparent. We were how fast
coming upon the season of the year when
tlrju ek nd taI
or the rains of our early springs, and the
quantity Of water WHICH had
alien made our expectations Of early good
Weather, after the then threatening storm
passed over, but the more certain. = few
lays OF good weather would give IL a GOOD
rack and dry grounds. and in'use in 20 the
'nblic mind IN inclination for 0u..aoo: ne.
reatiou.
No race meeting was flied 70. a. sea.iie~
late that the fourth Of May, except that at
which. We had the assurance,
would postpone. il necessary. 20 accom-
nodate itself to the necessities Of gu. case.
In view OF these fact the stewards. using
he discretionary power vested in them bv
he rules, postponed the meeting one week.
instead OF postponing it TO tho ensuing
'uesday. as had been suggested by some.
Mr.. Minor says: "Now tho writer called
poI all owners OF horses, except Mr..
Toward; they 10 man said they were o..
osed to postponenent for week" Major
'acon and Mr.. Williamson, of Mobile, the
Ultimate friend and accredited agen. of Mr..
,ottrill. speaking for the latter, both ad.
ised the postponement made In the pres.
noe OF several gentlemen, after full discus. Z
ION and consultations; and Mr.. Hitchcock.
yer his own signature. in your Issue of
une 4. says ''he thought the club should
ave postponed the Faces" He and such
theirs as could be found were consulted on
:lday morning, and as the report came
ack. and we believe the fact to be. al: were
favor OF postponement, though !. !s DOS.
bic some preferred an earlier day. What
here asserted can be substantiated at auv
me oy men whose word no one doubts.
ach ona mus. decide for himse.! wEethe.
not these parties advised postpoaement
the meeting, and in the next breath told
1rdham they were opposed to il.
Mr.. Minor states that the pOs.ponement
as made IN the interest of Mr.. Towards
'rses. We deny it; as we deny that his
1rses were or could be- benefited by il.
very one in the least conversan. with the
'ndit1on Ut these horses knows that tho
70 ct them On which his trainer depended
ere threatened with letting down. Every
70 IN the busipess knows the iongera
rise n such a condition IS trained the
eater are the chances against him: such
u,
aci. when dry ana harde: track viii
eak him down. Had Mr.. Towards horses
n On April 3 It is bus tdif II say they
,uld have done much better,
Berg fully advised Of this. whe: Nir.
oward voted tor q pOstponemen., ha
70" ne was acting against his own inter.
3. an act totally incomprehensiole to 3
rrcW minded selfish nature. AS turned
:, both horses brske DOM in their first
ees, q not unforeseen result Of the post-
nement to many. The fact, while seem.
,ly gratifying TO FOrdhan, only illustrated
; sp!teful spirit OF which his com,nunica.
II IS oorD. SO much for the POSTPONE.
M: now tor 'he second cause ~ com.
lint.
'Fordhan says: ''Ic was also .;.ar out
u there was only one stable prepared for
siness Nj. Cottrill'.), and they did not
NJ mat string to take all the money off,"
demand OF Mr.. Minor that he paDlicly
nlsh the name OF cit" who gaze thi. out.
g accusation is a serious one. if e:re. i'm.
ting nothing less than dishonest favor.
m. and We desire to nail the g.l.ehood to
forehead of the slanderer.
y t ueny that any person OF respectable.
having authority to represent. ;ae views
The o1ilcers, or directors OF the club. ever
70 ONT, as reason for postponinc the
es, their tear that MIR. Cottrili's string
U 'oAo al tne money on; or that any
son or suggestion akin 70 this ever was
de or entertained in considering the
stlon OF postponement. Captain Cot
himself, we are sure, believes Il such
urulty. Ihere IS no turfman Ill whose
cesses the officers and members of our
nave taken greater pride than in Cap
Cottrill, not only because he is liberal
puollc spirited, but because we know
no horse of his ever loses race which
IAN WIN; IN other words, because be runs
horses IN perfect good faith and hon
z.
8 the name Of Mr. Howard has been