New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-15
A MODEL RACECOURsE.
THE NETWORK JOCKEY CLUBS NEW AND
COSTLY TRACK.
IT'S RARE ACCESSIBILITY, CONVENIENT
OF THE GRAND STAND.

ARRANGEMENTS AND GREAT CAPACITY
OF THE GRAND STAND.
With view TO a careful presentation Of the facts
about the racocoursc and buildings which J. A. Nor
ris Is putting up for tho New-York Jockey CLUB In
westchester at cost Of 81 600 000 Tribune reporter
recently took the route TO the place which the public
will when the gates arc thrown open In August
From the New-York New-Hsven and Hartford stahon
in Harlem the journey to the track is lovely one
In ten minutes Van Nest station Is reached, where an
army of sborers is making seventeen-foot cut and
thrty-oot films that the race trains VIII leave
their passengers the very gates Of the track No
tunnel, no changing from to boat, or from boats
10 cars, lust short ride from the city, and the
Second and Third ayes. elevated roads will connect
with the Harlem branch Of tho New-Tork and New
Haven by the time racing this new track begins
One can even have choice Of routes as the trip can
90 made by boats which will start from Brooklyn or
the Battery, and. making three or four stops, iand
passengers within Eve minutes railway journey OF the
grand stand. Racing patrons driving walking out
10 their sport viii be accommodated by boulevard
which is being built from the entrance for carriages to
a connection with the Southern Boulevard at west
Farms.
~You will see,D said william q. Day, architect Of
the New-York Jockey Clubs and its buildings,
with whom is associated Thomas r. Jackson, y be-
eve In giving TO a play, especially II It's mine, hne
stage setting. ] am glad the public will SEQ this
place through The Tribune, Just as It Will when u
comes to inspect It later in the season. You might
have ridden up to westchester and then have come
across In a hack While you would thus have seen
ono very important part-the track-you would have
gathered very little Idea Of what the public Is really
moro interested lnwhst is going TO do as much TOT the
sport here the unique track the ease Oh reachng
it, the beauty and convenience OF tho grand
stand and betting ring. Until recently matters UP at
weschcster have had most bare. unfinished l'ok Now
the thing is beginning 10 bloom. One hundred ana
seventy instead Of some forty fifty men viii be Hard
at work to- morrow, and within fortnight things VIII
really begin to put finished look. Just now but
the skeleton Of the picturesque which will soon be
visible to travellers the railway can be seen from
| the Van Nest station
READY MEANS OF EXIT.
Half dozen Of what took Ike sentry.boxes guard
the entrance. Each OF these Will be a tcketofico
with turn-stilo attachment shortly and the fence
which guards tho approaches being constructed,
VIII be made OF gates which may be thrown back
after the races so that the hrong which enters six at
time, can pour by hundreds at once. Tho OK
bows for carriages, which is covered is 4e2 feet long
and ten feet wide. Twenty-Five oonveyances can un-
load at once. The grand stand is reached without
steps, by covered tiled walk fifty feet vide, which
inclnes from the entrance TO tho highest seats, or
rather to the promenade Just back OF them. Rather
moro than the skeleton Of this immense structure Is
now visible. Messrs. Smyth and Casey are hurrylhg
it so that II seemed TO grow the reporter was look
IL,
New-York Jockey Club viii be beautiful as vel as
UNIQUE affair 1t $50 feet In clear length ana threo
towers placed mainly for architectural ehect VIII rise
from It. There is 10 be tower at tho entrance 10 inc
grounds too but its sixty feet Of altitude VIII 90 CON-
pletely Swallowed by the proportions OF the creator
ones Of the stand. The grand stands centre to~er
will be fifty by afy feet and 116 feet high, who eaon
OF the end towers Will seventy feet from the base
Stairs Will be built that those who choose can watch
the raeos from those cogns OF vantage.
tits not necessary to go into the towers though, to
obtain a splendid view Of tho lovely surrounding
country. From the promenade, twenty ieet VICE.
which runs the entire length Of tho grand stane ~
the TOP and back four thousand people may watch tho
battles Of the thoroughbrcds beowor sean the Sound
in front Of them or, looking 20 tbs west, see High
Bridge tho Palisades and the Hudson. Tho stAnd
80 equipped with canlever supports that at least ono
third Of the spectators will be able TO watch the races
without tho annoyance OF Intervening pillars or sup
ports The roof projects thirty feet, and stu cannot
iptorfere with tho wow OF those In the top seats
Tho lawn is reached in front by sixteen small ana one
largo starcascs and these built a. TO allow the
crowd that persists In watching racing from suoh
places a. starNEayS, ence tops, etc., to the intense
annoyance of others, to have iB way here without
troubling anybody.
Visitors TO this track can hang stairway raillnss
and veil themselves hoarse They muggle
I'D chair and stand H. and the spectators VIII
look calmly on, their heads, undssuroed
Another advantage this stand will have VIII DO the
absence of too strong sun light BY O'Clock In tho
Afternoon tho will be at tho back OF tho stand
and tho lawn viii be as shady orchard. Pom
pean colors have been chosen with which 70 pant
the grand stand and everything about II, including
ratings cantlcvers and staircases, VIII DO CAREFULLY
a STRANGE PLACE Fer THE BETTING RING.
But enough OF the grand stand The betting ring Is
in tho strangest OF paces-ght under tho grand stand
but It is perfect one. 300 feet long By $50 fees
wide. Ono can reach It either By stops leading down
from tho erand stand or; by inclined path leading
down through flower bc1s, nom tho entrance II Is
as light as daylight mako II. and right In view OF
tho horses as they finish race. Tho lighting az
entire length OF the roof and every possible provision
has been made for the comfort and convenience OF
able to do business in The great exchange One hun
drod and seyenty-hvo feet OF eaoh snd o. inc hSSS
for q cafe, the northern ono for dInnBFoom Each
Of these IS built on an incline 70 anord view Of nc
track and the supports arc skeleton columns OF light
but strong steel, each ono capable OF outstanding
To The south Of the grand stand arc the house
and the saddlng paddoc1s the former the neSFoI' IL
sa The s'S SS n Which win be- the Offices
and weighing and SGSy Sm' Is s noT t Sea mS Ssn
seats Tho brick sheds and saddlIng paddock viii
picturesque As wen as highly "a sss d b bns
two columns So oleverly has tho cantilever prIncI
pie been used that even these arc only placed who're
paddock viii extend down TO pretty grove Of trees
and it is said that Mr. Morris rs strongly In fayer OK
having every horse saddled here He believes in hAv
ing racing made attractive possible. with no non
sense about IT,
The track ITSELF which promises to DO satisfactory
10 both owners and the public. IS coming on
finely. IL has been carefully graded and Mr.. Jackson
Is now putting the top.dressing. The turns on
this track not wide as those Of most courses,
hut they arc thrown up moro. D. d. Withers, President
of the Monmouth Park Racing Association, and A.. j.
Cassatt who visited the course last week, say tho
track IS tho finest yet built in America
NO TROUBLE TO SEE THE FINISHES.
It IS an oval Of nearly mile and hail. but so
arranged that starts of from seven frlongs TO
milo and quarter will DO made on the back stretch
in full view Of the grand stand. The course for half
and thrcequartcr mile dashes. which Is more nearly
straight than that OF any other course extends dag