St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-04-30
AMONG The HORSES.
Commodore Kittson Decides
to Close Out His Breed
ing Establishment.
He will Sell His String of
Trotters and Quit the
Business.
From a Financial Standpoint
It Is Considered a Wise
Move.
The Twin City Races = Colts
FoaIed--Stoek Of Sher-
wood & Knight.

About the 18th of June all the trot-,
ting-bred stock owned by Commodore
Kittson and kept at his Midway Park
establishment will be sold under the
hammer to the highest bidder. This
great collection of horses consists in
part of such well known stations
as Blackwood, Jr., 2::22115; Revenue,
2:224, and Won Arnim, 2:199.
The famous turf-performing mares that
are now breeding are Sannie G. 2:27;
Astoria, 2:2971a; Lady Groesbeck, 2:25115;
Lady Logan, $3.50; Lady ROlfe, 2;22114;
$3.50, 2:174; Minnie R, 2:s64 Fannie
Witherspoon, 2:164, and Gem, 2:13M.
There are seven other mares, Standard
bred and proven producers. The
youngsters that have been win
ners at the breeders meetings
are Also. Asteroid, Rosanna, Collector
and Minnie Winnie. There is one five
year-old, six four-year-o four three
year-olds, six tWo-year-olds, six year
lings and about ten sucklings-all the
produce of the above stations and
mares. Midway will soon be
cut up with streets. The advancing
years and feeble health of the commo-
dore account for the dispoSing of his
magnificent.stud of horses, which has
for the last seven years been the pride
of the Northwest. The complete re-
tirement of man like Commodore Kilt
son from the trotting turf.iS an event OF
a great deal of Importance, and will be
regretted by all horsemen, especially
those in Minnesota. No man in the
state has done SO much to elevate the
standard of racing, or given his money
sofreely in building up the trOtting horse
interest here as Commodore KittSOn. He
has been an active business man all his
life. A few years ago he reached
point where he thought he saw way in
which he could so arrange his business
as to indulge his lOng-suppressed taste
for breeding the trotting horse. About
that time there was fortunate con-
juncture of circumstances, which, aside
from his business matters, helped to
further his purpose. The trotting and
running horse organization that had
bought, and then owned, the farm on
which the Midway stables are now To-
Gated was very DESTROYS of disposing of
the property. At that time the interest
i'll turf matters had partiallgdied out. The
property then consisted of the farm of
115 acres, with fair mile track, a grand
stand, dwelling house and number
of farm building and stalls. After some
negotiations Commodore Kittson bought
the whole outfit for about $4,000 and
Immediately commenced to improve the
establishment by building fences and
erecting stables thereon. These stables
are regarded as equal to anything of the
kind in the United States. They are in
the form of a Greek cross. 24S feet in
length by 1870 in width. The main en-
trance, on the University avenue side of
the grounds, is twenty feet wide, with
offices Oh either side for the owner and
manager. These are 24x26 feet, and
have ceiling height of twelve feet.
From the managers room a stairway
leads to the second story, eleven feet in
the clear, which is divided off
into sleeping rooms for the at
PENDANTS. From the office of the
proprietor, on the east side of the en-
tower, SiXty-four feet high, from which
a splendid view can be had of st. Paul
and the surrounding country. The
whole building is of brick, with stone
trimmings, galvanized iron corniccs
and rooted with fancy cut iron shingles.
No hay is ever kept in the bnilding,
into all parts OF which water is forced
by large windmill. The whole of the
stable part is paved with tarred cedar
blocks, and throughout the building
is made as perfect and complete as DOS
sible for the purpose it is designed
for. The structure cost between
$4,000 and 100000. Since Commo-
dore Kittson purchased these grounds
he has added few acres to his holding,
and all the real estate has been steadily
increasing in value till now it is worth
nearly or quite three-quar ers of mill
ion dollars, and probably could not be
bought for that sum. 1t is beautifully
located, about midway between the
thicllly settled parts of the Twin Cities,
just where it will continually increase
in value. 1t is very evident, notWith-
standing the large expenditure of money
by Commodore Kittson for buildings
and stock, that he will net a very hand
some sum by closing out his breeding
up into lots and sold, as it
probably will be in a few years
at the outside, there is no telling
what the sum total realized from its
sale will be. Both cities are rapidly
growing towards it, and the asphalt
paved avenues of St. Paul are nearly up
to its eastern boundary. 1t is evident
that the march of civilization will soon
make it necessary to run streets and
avenues through it from east to west
and from north to south. The horse
men of Minnesota will greatly regret
the withdrawal of Commodore Kittson
from their ranks. He has been to them
a tower of strength, and through his
influence, both in Minnesota and in the
East, many benefits have accrued to
Ibis state