The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-08-26

walls there would be currents of cold air,
but these would be so small in comparison
with the great volume of air IN the building
that they would not affect either the horses
or spectators.
''Ihe place could be artifcially warmed
and lighted in any degree that might be
desired. 1t would not be necessary, and
would be in fact injudicious to have the
atmosphere too warm. The temperature
of clear spring, or a bright autumn day
would insure perfect comfort to man and
beast, and would be calculated to bring
about the best racing results. Artificial
illumination would be simple, so that the
building could be used in the night as we'll
as by day. Besides its employment for turf
purposes it would be valuable for
athletic societies, base ball clubs and
similar organizations. It could be kept
open the year through, and on account of
its great size could be the scene OF a dozen
events at the same time At preGent the
only place where athletics can contest IN the
cold season of the year is the gymnasium,
which on such occasions is close, poorly ven
tilated, hot and crowded Under such con-
ditions the strongest man is liable to catch
cold or get sick. For this reason our best
athletics refuse to enter contests under such
conditions. In the building | have sug-
gested there would be no such dangers and
everything could pass Off as nicely and as
well as in the open air in summertime.
THE cost would, of course, be great on
account of the size, but would not be so
great as to make the scheme impracticable.
| have not had estimates prepared, but
from what | know of such matters, | am
certain that it could he finished for less
than what the Equitable Life or the Potter
building or any one of dozen other bust
ness palaces have cost, The prime cost would
oe the principal consideration, Of course.
h Ill. r 49,
the expense of repairs and maintenance
would not amount TO any considerable
figure. The track would not require one
quarter Of the attention that an ordinary
one does on any one of our great courses.
| The heating and lighting would, however,
be quite expensive. Iron is q very good
conductor, aud in this building would radi-
ate the heat of the interior with remarkable
rapiditV. Thelarger amount of the surface,
| however, being Of glass, whic is an excel
lent non-conductor, much OF this loss would
| be c0unteractsd
Another item of cost would be the con-
struction of the STABLES, Offices and stands.
| This, however, would not differ from the
ordinary expense at any other race track
| They could be located inside or outside of
the main building as might be doomed
most advisable by the parties who uuder-
take the construction. For the
stables the inside ring could be
utilized while the sides of the
building could be cut through to any re-
| Quired extent for pool rooms, bookmakers
offices, lavatories, restaurants, cigar stands,
barrooms aud the other industries that al
ways grow up around race track. The
entrances and exits would be arranged
after the usual fashion at any track, but
c0uld be made on far larger scale ald TO
afford much greater facilities to the general
public.
$50 far as size Is concerned it is ex-
| tremely easy, nowadays, to erect structures
with vast span, aud if it were thought
best to adopt such plan, no engineering
difficulties would stand il the way. The
new buildings in Paris, erected for the ak
position now in progress, show that it is
possible and economical to make buildings
of 500 or 600 feet span and of almost any
desired hight. In building of this size
| could be put any base ball field in the
United States. The furthest hit by Roger
Connor would not go ''over the fence,n and
the highest ''sky-ro ,ket" would not touch
| the roof Even, however, If an unusually
well-batted ball should happen to 90
through pane Of glass the injury would
not be at all considerable and could be read
lily repaired.
''As an investment, such scheme would
| undoubtedly be a SUCCESS, for with the
| active aud constantly growing interest of
the American people in the turf, and in all
athletic sports there would be no difficulty.
provided the location was well chosen, In
utilizing the building, profitably, almost
every day in the year. The receipts at any
great meeting of the turf or
ball between two flrst-class clubs
would pay handsome return on the capital
invested, even were this up to two or three
million mark Besides the receipts from
admission fees there would be also a large
income from what is commonly known as
privileges, that Is to say, the bars, restau-
rants, pool-rooms, etc. These are ma urally
very large upon the race track and where
the track is extremely popular roll far I'D into
the tens of thousands. The book-makers
and mutual machine people would give
almost any amou 1T to do business upon the
ground, and Judging from what they pay
every day to the racing associations Of the
country, would in themselves yield enough
to make handsome return upon the cap
ital invested.
81 have taken no steps thus far toward
putting these ideas into execution, but they
have been so warmly received and ap-
proved by my friends, and even by
strangers, by all, in fact, o far as 1 know,
who have given any attention to this mat
ter. that | think of sub hitting them in the
course of the coming autumn to a
number OF people who are likely to
be willing to join me in the enterprise.
'As to the health of horses running under
these conditions there can be no question.
The wonderfully trained animals that be-
long to Barnum's Forepaughs and the
other great circuses do their work for
years in crowded exhibition buildings and
tents of none too good construction. Yet
they preserve their health, and am told.
live to greater age than do horses engaged
il other work. Ia great building, such
as L have proposed, they would have an un-
limited amount of fresh air, and nothing in
the way of cold, rain, mud or chilling
draughts to impair their physical welfa e.
FALES-CURTIs.