The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-11-03
aeonAep W. JeaoMe's POSITION.
uis Reform Of Racing and subseaussa
Fortunes and Misfortunes.

Jerome has recently resigned the prcSi
, dency of the New York Jockey club
the now racing organization, which Il
said to have the finest course in the
world-and was reelected president oil
the Concy Island Jockey club. And
thereby hangs tale.
Leonard Jerome, brother Of the late
Larry Jerome-the greatest wit and
practical joker this country has ever
produccd-and father Of Lady Randolph
Churchill, can fairly 10 termed the
father Of the American turf. While, OF
course, it cannot be claimed for him
that he is the first man TO have started
running racing in America, yet it can
be Justly asserted that when this great
est Of sports had lost it's popularity
through the chcanery which had de
bauched it, it was he who, unaided
lifted it again TO the plane OF its former
responsibility.
For a period of thirty years prior TO
the close of the civil war the turf was ia
boocd by decent people. 1t was the Gus
tom in those times TO run races in heats,
and it was not unusual for those who
found that they had bet the wrong way
to purchase tine winner Of the first heat
before he made his second trial.
For thirty years gentlemen sternly set
their face against racing. Two attempts
were made in New York TO revive this
sport as the pastime for respectable PEG
ple. but the recollections Of the past
we're too vivid, and two failures were the
only results. 1t was while this darl:
cloud lowered over the turf that Leonard
| w. Jerome, then a man of immense
wealth, and with the keen sporting pro
| clivity Of a true gentleman, determined
| upon a resurrection. There was no one
to give him a helping hand, and so un-
aided on the 2lst Of September, 1864, al
a personal expenditure Of more than
| $500. 600. he inaugurated the now famous
| Jerome Park track.
His determination was to make II re
| sort for ladies rs well as gentlemen, TO
| give it a club house surrounded with ali
the social rigidness of the most exclusive
organization, and to make even the sus-
picion Of fraud in the racing Of horses
| not only so odiOus but 50 severely pun
| ishabe as TO remove all possibility OF
the slightest attempt at chicanery. 1t l.
needless now TO narrate the successful
result Of that experiment. Doubling
friends nocked around the master mind
calculating only, 1--WE did not know you
we're going to do it this way" Fashion
smiled upon the project. Money rolled
into the new associations Golfers Racing
was again made the foremost sport OF
America.
The story of its subsequent strides-a
tale the narration of which is only made
possible by Mr.. Jeromes ciIorts-is told
in New York having tracks at Mon
mouth park, at Coney Island, at West
chester, at jerome park, at Brooklyn, at
Elizabeth, at Linden, at Clifton and al
Brighton beach, all within easy travel
ing distance of the metropolis; story
emphasized by successful courses at
Saratoga, at PimlicO, at Ivy City, at La
tonia, at st. Louis, at Chicago, at Lex
ngt0n, at New Orleans and Minneapolis
a story that tells of millions of dollars in
vested in horsefesh, of millions of dollars
wagered on horseflesh, and of hundrds
of thousands of people shouting and
gcsticulating over the painting struggles
of the noblcst creatures God has made
Fortune, however, has her whirligigs
The Leonard jerome of today is the same
true hearted gentleman and the samcup
right sportsman of twenty-five years ago
but he is not the same millionaire. Tn,
story of his financial shipwrcck can b,
told in two words-Paciiic Mail jerome
Park today is only Jerome Park in name.
for the foot of the stranger is upon il
1t is this condition of affairs which
has made Leonard w. Jerome's yearly
salary of $4,000 as president of the Coney
Island Jockey club an item in his finan
cal calculations which is not to be de
pissed That position he has occupied
for many years past. Recently he, with
many others, had good reason to believe
hat the famous jerome track will be
taken by the city of New York as the
site for a new water reservoir. The then
existing commissioners favored the con
iemnaton of the property.
To John A. Morris, who has made a
fortune of many millions by the manipu
laton of the Louisiana lottery scheme.
Leonard jerome expressed his belief that
the jerome track would be seized, and
that new track in that vicinity would
oe immensely profitable. Morris was
quick to act upon the suggestion, and
Mr.. Jerome was made president of the
new racing association, which was
named the New York Jockey club
Work was begun at once, and as the re-
suit of an expenditure of between 81 $780,.
900 and 81 400, 900 there was constructed
what good authorities claim TO be the
finest racing track in the world.
But Mr.. John Hunter, enjoying year
~ salary of $4,000 as the president OF
the Jerome Park association, did not
look kindly upon the destruction of the
enterprise of which he is the well paid
head. Mayor Grant appointed new com
missioners with different views concern
ing the reservoir site, and, as a result.
when the new track was opened. jerome
Park still fingered as rival and an oh
stacle to its financial prosperity. John
a. Morris is human, and consequently
John A. Morris is vexed. RumOr has il
that he foolishly lays at Mr.. Jerome's
door the blame of his non-paying invest
ment, and rumor stronger still says that.
in return for more than a year of the
most arduous labor given up TO the crea.
ton of the new track. work made more
onerous by the accumulated years of Mr.
Jerome, the father OF the American turf
has received. 10 use the exact language
of one Of the best known racing Judges
in this country, "Not one dollar and q
half"
Fact, however truthful rumor NAV be,
has it that Mr.. Jerome was kindly i'll
formed recently by the directors of the
Coney Island Jockey club that he must
decide between it and its Westminster
rival. His conclusion was prompt. lie
instantly resigned the presidency Of the
new race track, and was again elected t.
watch over the destinies OF the Coney
Island association.
And This il tho fsla which bapc,o ,,1on