The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1889-12-28
BROADBRIM'S N. Y. LEI

A bitter wall of grief and despair wen,
up last week from little coterie of gamb-
ling snobs when the news got abroad that
jerome Park had closed its gates as a
racecourse forever. 1t was the mos
emlnently respectable of all our racecourses,
and there was favor of the elite four
hundred about it that kept its flag flying
long after bankruptcy stared it in the face.
There is wide difference in this world
between Tweedledum and Tweedledee,
though there are mahy people who can't
see it. The fellows who bet on horseraces
at Gutenberg and Elizabeth are gamblers
the persons who did the same thing at
jerome Park were sporting gentlemen.
Larry jerome was sporting gentleman,
and it was mainly by him the Park was
founded, and for time it captured what
ever we have of sporting aristocracy in
New York. 1t was to ordinary racecourses
like Monmouth Park or Sheepshead Bay
what Monte Carlo or Almack's would
have been to John Chamberlain or Daly's.
All of our fine ladies went out there in
their drags, drosky and landaus whenever
there was to be run of celebrated cracks,
and it was thought nothing out of place to
take little flyer on the flyers. and some
times when the cash ran short diamond
bracelet or a pair of soitares testified
their faith in their feet-footed favorities,
and many fine lady, after some of the
big races, came back home metaphorically
on her uppers, though really saved from
humiliation by being the owner of her
own turnout which fortunately had not
gone up in the general ruin.
The stock was owned by close corpora
tion, and was considered a bonanza TO
which there was no bottom. 1t was
nice plum for the insiders TO be reaping
every year from twenty to fifty per cent,
when government bonds at three and a
half per cent, were commanding heavy
premium. How was this heavy interest
got? was 1t by anything that was produced?
anything that was created for the benefit
of mankind? Not a bit of IL. It was
gambling pure and simple, and nothing
else. You were told at Jerome that every
thing was done on the dead square No
jocAeying, no pulling, no tricks of any
knud, but the fastest horse was sure to win
every time. What of it2 The games of
faro dealt at John MorrisseY's Chamber
lain's or Daiy's were just as square as the
races at Jerome Park, but it was gambling
and nothing but gambling all the same.
It's very dangerous, for many man, and
woman too, stake their last dollar on the
losing holse, who would no more have
been seen inside of a gambling house than
they would in brothel, Jerome Park
was the first great patron of American
steeplechasing, which has cost more lives
and broken limbs than all the athletic
tournaments and battles in the prize ring
put together, On one great racing da,
saw six riders 60 down all in heap, one
was killed outright and several were more
or less manned or injured. Did the slight
accident interfere with the amusement OF
these gentle saVages? Certainly not. 1t
was only jockey killed, nothing more.
The grief of the stricken mother when her
son, WHO left her full of life and hope and
strength a few hours before, was brought
home dead, was nothing. What was it TO
them? Clear the course of the debris, and
quick bring out more horses, Croesus and
Midas have the call. But the phenomenal
success of jerome begot rivals. Long
Branch, ConeY Island, and lastly the new
racecourse at ,Weslehester, which helped
20 complete its ruin, and last week it ran
its flag Of distress up half mast and closed
Ats gates with deficiency OF one hundred
and thirty. five tbousad dollars am no
mugwump OF moralist on races; loYe a
good horse next 10 good dog, he seems 10
~ sans nosl natural companion Of al