New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-08
closer and more direct approaches TO New
York.
THE OUTLOOK FOR FACING.

In these April days the thoughts Of all interested
in the turf turn with eager anticipation to the
racing season Of sss, which in this part of The
country will extend from May 10 to October 10.
That there will be more racing ard larger amounts
at stake than ever before is evident from the an
nouncements OF the chief associations. Every
year they heap up bigger sums for competition
Some OF them, however, have made the mistake
Of putting their money into huge purses and prizes
for the horses. without spending enough for the
convenience and comfort of the public. The DIS
position has been too largely to sacrifice every
thing to the purpose of getting together the
greatest number Of well-known horses and to let
the public look after itself At no track In the
East hitherto, except that Of the Conry lsland
Jockey Club, have the railroad facilities oeen
satisfactory At most Of them the approaches 10
the grounds have been rough and rude and the
narrow gates have caused dangerous pushing ana
crowding and vast discomfort. This has been
especially true OF Jerome Park but the new man
aCement promises better things.
Every association before inviting the public 10
attend and support its meetings. should make
broad its entrances should improve Its grand
stand. should see to its sanitary arrangements and
make such contracts with caterers that decent
eating and drinking can be secured within its
arement In these matters. Some OF the most
ambitious Of American racing clubs which take
great pride in the immense sums that they give
for the contests. have allowed their buildings
to become dapidated and dirty. have neglected
their sanitary arrangements. and have taken so
little care Of the food and drink supply that In
the hot summer days when racing is at its height
the afternoons devoted to the sport have been
hours OF torture to thousands OF the spectators,
who were forced to occupy foul and dusty seats,
who were not properly protected from the sun, who
were assailed by intolerabe odors AMI disgusting
sights, and who not able 90 quench their
thirst or satisfy their hunger. the food and
drink offered them OF the poorest quality,
although held at exorbitant prices Extortion
and negligence have had far too much sway on
our race-grounds The Coney Island Jockey Club
has done far more than any other to make us
grounds attractive and comfortable, and yet 10
has not reached perfection. Its restaurant facill-
tics have not been good although in other respects
there has been no serious ground for criticism.
Jerome Park, under easy-gOing and conserva-
tive management, sank into deplorable state.
It's transportation arrangements were insufenole.
The lam at its gates on holidays frightful,
and its buildings were not kept in proper con-
dition The revolution that has taken place
the whole aspect Of affairs.
This is the time for the established organiza-
lions to take these matters in hand, to put their
buildings and grounds in proper condition, and to
make it sure that their patrons can enjoy pleas
ant afternoon Of sport at the races. AS to the
new Long Island Jockey Club, which proposes to
give meetings in summer at Astoria, this seems to
be the most visionary scheme projected for long
time. No one will believe that it has any solid
and substantial backing until the names of the
capitalists behind the enterprise are revealed. The
men who now stand as sponsors for It are not
sufficiently prominent or influential TO guarantee
a corner peanut trade and the notion Of so obscure
and Insignificant people announcing so huge an
undertaking with the most lavish promises OF
enormous purses and stakes is simply grotcsquc.
It seems to be mere lIitc-dying speculation, and
will be considered such by all sober and sensf-
BILE racing men, unless the weddings who now
nosture as its officers can convince stable-owners
that en- pital sufficient to carry out their pledges
is actually paid in There seems TO be no proha-
bility Of this, and it Is likely that the new Long
Island Jockey Club, heralded with so much vaunt-
ing and such glowing pictures, will soon pass
away like the baseless fabric Of a vision II is
not needed, anyway 1t would be supertluity
and an excrescence. The American, Coney Island
and Brooklyn Jockey Clubs and the Monmouth
Park Association, in the five months from the
middle Of May to the middle Of October. provide
al the racing for the people of New-York and its
vicinity that any reasonable turfman can desire.
To overdo the matter, as the new club proposes,
will be to invite the repeal of the Ives bill and the
suppression Of all legitimate sport.
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