Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-27
A NEW ERA FOR BENNrNG.s.
The Old Race Track Made Ready FOE
a New Club.
NfhovENrSrs COMPLETED AND rvrnrrurxa
READY FoR NEXT wEEK's RAcrs-rm GRAND
STAND, STABLES AND cLrB HopsE-How rux
TRACK Has BEEN TREATED

STAND, STABLES AND cLrB HousE-How rux
TRACK Has BEEN TEE,rEn.
"They are of -
mo, hang il; a false startr'
Many an old washingtonian has heard thess
and other EXPLANATIONS hardly 90 chssse %
what was the old Bennings race track. and mart
week almost another generation will troop out
to this famous old resort and cheer the fsyorits
| to victory or groan at his defeat
When il was known that il the last t.u,s
meeting Of the Jockey Club at Ivy City did not
prove much greater success th.p
usual the course would be gwen On, |.
vail OF despair went mp from
the sport-ioving public OF Washington, who
enjoy above all things a good swapping day at
the races. 1t was thought that even the con-
slant hackers would get view Of a race meet
ing this year only through the medium OF the
pool rooms, whose most ardent admirer can
hardly claim that with their close atmosphere
click OF instruments and monotonous They
are of at Monmouth" Hanover at the quar-
ter" &c, they stand any comparison
with clear bracing day at
good track, where the crowds OF peo-
pie. bright colors. glossy coats and pipe
stem legs of the flyers. a possibility above all
OF yonr best girl by your side and mayhAp four
with various hieroglyphics in your inside
pocket. combine 10 give a charm possessed by
no other resorts.
NEW CLUB on AN OLD corRsr.
When it was known then that new club had
been formed TO he known as the Washington
Jockey Club, composed Of energetic live men
and that the Benning's course had been bought
and was 20 be revived as a first-rate track,
every ono smiled gleefully. The old resort nj
Jennings last summer was a wilderness. the
track fallen into ''innocuous desuetude," over
grown with weeds and in places swampy. Ono
OF the faults with the old track when il was used
was that II was soft and damp at the first turn.
Inc country here IS rich I'm springs, and one OF
them bnbbled up al this point and spread over
the track. This was the first point attacked by
L. NJ Draney. the president of the new organl-
zatloa- The source of the spring was found
and the water drained down parallel 10 aud
then across the track, and now emerges in q
| steady stream OF clear cold water Just adjacent
| TO the pool lawn. This remedied great evil.
ALTERATIONS MADE.
The track was then altered materially and q
hill OF considerable size in the infield which
obstructed the view, cut down and the low
| ground filled in. Another marshy place lower
| down was also drained by pipes. Up 70 the Sd
OF February not a nail had been driven on any
OF the buildings. On that day this work had
commenced IN earnest-grand stand, club
house, stables and kitchens were all started and
when STAR reporter visited the track this
week yeritable transformation had taken
place and at the opening day on Tuesday
everything will be almost as spick and span as
u the buildings had been in course of construc-
ton for years.
THE GRAND STAND.
The grand stand possesses a number of er.
cellent innovations. Ii is not built with the
lower floor level with the track. but from the
fence gentle slope runs up to the lower Hoor,
which is not closed in, but entirely open on the
track side. The result of this is that from any
portion OF the front lawn or lower por-
ton OF the stand clear and
uninterrupted view OF the entire track can be
obtained. The pool lawn adjoins on the left,
| being little lower aud reached by a few steps.
The lawn for the bettors is light and roomy. IL
was an excellent idea having il lower than the
| 'front.' lawn ana stand, as persons who do not
| like the crush in the crowd can stand above and
| get a view OF the whole proceedings. IL will
! also form a convenience in finding friends in the
crowd or In spotting the man who gave Won
that TIP on the last race. The upper stand is
light and airy and will seat ,, 900 people, while
the whole building will accommodate easily
1000 visitors.
THE CLUB HOUSE.
| On the opposite side of the stand from tho
pool lawn is the club house. This is q pretty
little structure, three stories in height. with
wide shaded porches affording an excellent
view OF the track. This resort will be fitted up
| with every convenience for comfort aud will ba
| open for members during the entire wear
| The secretarys office, paddock and sheds
| follow III order and then nearer the lower turn
come the stables.
! THE STABLES.
These are neat little Affairs with big com.
| Portable box stalls. Some have twelve stalls
and some fourteen. There is besides extra
stable room and altogether nearly two hun
| dred horses can be accommodated. Below
down a little hill, stand the kitchens.
Up near the stable big water tank
| Is IN course of erection The tank will be filed
| from an lnexhaustible spring by means of an
engine, and Will supply water 20 the stables,
club house, grand stand. &c. One great beauty
/ OF the arrangements at the new track is the
| convenience of everything. The stables
kitchens, paddock and track are all i'm easy reach
OF each other. The entire grounds aIe sur
rounded by a neat board fence.
THE TRACK.
One of the main points naturally in racing 10
the track and by Tuesday the one at the new
course win be in excellent condition. IL ha,
been rolled and packed and every stone re-
moved. The sandy loan of this part of the
county will dry out easily after a rain and there
| Is no doubt that in time the Jennings track
| will be one of the best in the country The
track is 80 feet vide, being considerable
| number of feet above the average and wiz
accommodate Tery large fields.
THE MEETING NEXT WEEK.
The new club has spent about $50 900 at the
track and the first meeting, which opens on
Tuesday, should prove big success A large
number of the flyers will be on hand. All the
horses that have been wintering at Ivy CITY
| will move over and big contingent are ON
| their way from New York and will arrive to-
| morrow. Plenty OF book makers will he here
| ready TO do business. The facilities for
| reaching the grounds will be ample
| The Baltimore and Potomac Company will
| run trains at short intervals, the round trip
| being twenty-five cents. From Baltimore both
roads will take hand in the traffic. The Penn
| sylyania running trains for three DAYS and
the Baltimore and Ohio for two days. The
| round trip fare, with admission 20 the grounds,
/ will be 81. The price of admission will be 81,
which combine pool lawn and grand stand
privileges.
| Two Burclarfes -