St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-07-24
A GOOD BEGINNING.

Derby day is over, the running races
have been inaugurated and everybody
is in a comfortable frame of mind. The
weather could not have been finer if it
had been made TO order; the attendance
was even larger than had been antici-
pated; and while there was some disap-
pointment that Spokane, Terra Gotta
and few other big horse guns did not
materalize, still there was such an eX-
cellent display of horsefesh and such g
superb exhibition of speed everybody
felt satisfied. The experiment has
proven a success, and from this time
forth the Hamline race course will take
front rank with the popular sporting
resorts.
There were many things to commend
in connection with this inaugural meet
ing, and few things to condemn, and
as frank criticism now may be bene-
fetal in the future, we will take the lib
erty to speak plainly. Among the many
gratifying features of the day, the pub
lie spirit manifested by the people of
the Twin Cities was one of the most
pleasurable They turned out in great
force and did everything in their power
to make the meeting a success. The
exceeding good behavior of this large
audience was another pleasant feature.
The officials of the Twin City Jockey
club merit commentator for the excel
lent programme that was carried out so
perfectly, and the managers of the Man
itoba road are entitled to praise for the
way in which they handled the great
crowd.
Now as to some of the things that
race course managers could be induced
to spend less time in starting the races,
the public would be profoundly CRATE
full. 1t is terribly wearying on the pa
thence of an audience to have whole
half hour consumed, as was one yes
terday, in starting the horses after they
are on the track-and that, too, in little
three-quarter race when there was only
a $500 purse at stake. There is no
reason why the printed schedule should
not be carried out as promptly on race
track as it is on a railroad line. Then
again, there was the same trouble there
yesterday that is experienced at every
state fair; the people would stand
up, Notwithstanding they can see a
great deal better sitting down. A
few persons in front will always
jump up about the time araceis to come
off then those behind them have to get
up IN self-defense, and thus the whole
crowd are brought to their feet, when it
would be infinitely more agreeable if
everybody would sit still. There is
probably no authority for enforcing pO-
lice regulations to abate this nuisance,
and the only way to get over it is to
adopt the suggestion we had in mind at
the outset. And that is to build a new
grand stand on the plan of the one at
Saratoga, with the seats so elevated
that it doesn't make any difference
whether people get up in front of you
or not. Those who want to stand up
can stand up, and those who want to
remain seated can sit still, and yet all
be able to see the races. The first inn
provement that the state fair associa-
ton wants to make is to tear down the
old structure and to put up a grand
stand that amounts to something, and
one that will be so secure as to relieve
people of all apprehension of the dan
ger of its topping over. We say this
much by way of suggestion for the
future benefit of Hamline, both as
fail ground and as a race course.