The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-07-18
4 II Appears to be Very Serious Oc-
cupation On the
Track.
Queer Specimens Of Humanity to
be Seen in the Betting
Ring.
Women Who Buy Tickets and Boys Who
Give and Get Tips-Profes-
sional Sports.

ness for large class of people and less OF b.
amusement. says the New York News. Ga
Looking closely at any of the crowds gain D
cred on any of the prominent tracks, IL is
very evident that this business class is de.
cidedly large one. How many OF the real q
toilers in this great city and the towns ~ y
ing within easy reach of it go to race =,
track on week day? Very few of them, in f.
deed. and this fact is accounted for on the il
ground that the cost of attending an ordln-
ary davis racing is too expensive for the
purses of most of the working people.
There are thousands of men who go to the
races occasionally to whom the whole busl- =
ness of the track. except the actual running
of the horses, is all strangeness ana be- Y
wilderment. Especially is this so with ref 8
erence to the betting part. Ihese people p
feel as much at home on the grand stand or i
n the paddock as any one of the jockeys :,
MIGHT at a session of the Concord phil !.
osophers. And yet it would seem that they "
ought to know good deal about the pet
ting, because on every track IN the country
the racing seems to be the smallest part OF
the performance and to excite the least in
terest until the final finish settles the re-
rult, and that result is of special interest !
chiefly because of the amount of money
that has been placed on the contestlng
horses
The various devices for betting bring one
thousand people to horse race where one
hundred 90 because of genuine love tor
the sport. Take any day and any race
track as an example of the truth OF this
statement. When short time ago the
great Realization stakes, for purse OF
$4,000, was run at the Coney Island
Jockey Club track, the scene IN the betting
ring was about the iveliest one would de-
sire to witness. In the center was a series
Of rallied walks, inst large enough to admit Omit
counter. Behind this counter stood score
Of stalwart men in their shirt sleeves, who
exhorted the hurrying crowd to "Step up
lively! Step. up livelyH' Now is your
time" walk up, gents; walk up and
Over the heads of these loud mouthed ex-
horters hung series of mechanical con.
trivances having resemblance to small
hotel bell registers, and it was here that the
mutual pools were sold. As every apparent
II anxions enquirer walked up ana deposit
ed his offering in the exhorter's large con
tribution box an assistant remarked in
s ment so one.' "Rancooas two,'' banquet
one,, 'Her Highness two,'' and 80 on, at
the same time striking little bell, at the
each horse popped out in a small round
frame. One uniform motto hung over the
head Of each exhorter: Five dollar tick
cts; all totals form one pool.
IN another part of the track imposing and
stentorian voiced auotioneers are calling
ond choice by 20 bidders How much for
the whole field?" and q hundred other cries
Of a similar nature. In front of the auc.
tioneers was an audience of perhaps 2OOC
people. It is quiet audience, compare
lively speaking. Their demeanor would be
quite appropriate for metaphysical lect.
ure at the summer schools on the shores OF
Greenwood lake. The difference between
them and the philosophers is that the
hnrsemen in front Of the auctioneers
stands fully understand the subject unde1
discussion.
Apart from the auctioneers' stand is Sc
ries of small pulpits and in ench OF then
stood a bookmaker with blackboard be
side him on which is placarded the amount
Of money in odds which he offers to place
On each horse. These are the book
makers, and among them are represent
atives Of all the well known firms. Their
must be money in this bookmaking,. TO
little pulpits, and marks his betting offer
on the blackboard, pays the racln
association one hundred dollars a da
for the privilege. There we're over ninet
bookmakers on the Coney Island locke
club track regularly, and that netted :
the clnb's treasury over nine thousand do
lars day. -.
There Is no betting going on among til
people who crowd the paddock or the gran
stand of the quarter stretch. All that SOL
Of business is done by the pooi.sellers' n u
equestrian enthusiast was hauling out
wad of bills and daring other men to bac
or bet against any certain horse. 1t SCENE
all q quiet, sad. serious and practical busl
ness affair, where money was, a1ter som
finance, put in somewhere and somehow an
got out again in a manner even more CON
6licateu and mysterious. There was on
Old gentleman in one of the pulpits, Wit
as to external appearance, would nay
passed as pastor OF any cnurcn IN u
He had sorrowful and benign cast {
countenauce, and even in the tie of h
white cravat there was SOM
thing that CAV, . the idea s
seemed just the person to ofiiciate at
happy wedding or to preach sermon fu
Of sweet resignation over some very Of
man and very rich. who had live
too long for his own comfort or for that {
his long expectant heirs. but most OF Il
They we're grave. gentlemanly, wide-eye
fellows, watching every turn of their con
petitors of the business, noting almost i
tuitively every change that was made in tt
betting rates, and taking fair advantaf
and quick one, of every offer made then
Il is only few years ago since racing
tracks began to be frequented by bettln
women. When the custom first came to
recognized the betting was done quiet
and in such manner as to avoid publ
attention. There was no auctioneer NJ
bookmaker to disturb their rest upon tt
hard seats of the grand stand. ALI that
over now, and the most enthusiastic wage
ers on the track are the women, who
every track are recognized and pointed o.
rs those who follow the races" III
regular messenger boys reap harvest FRO
them, fol- all the bets are made throu!
them, as it is one of the recognized cano
of every race-track that no woman shall
down into the betting ring.
West Twenty-third street. near Ninth a,
nue., who are said 40 have made during
winter season on the tracks near New fol
nearly $4,000 each out of the tips they Ra
to and got from women. A craze grew
about these boys and it appears that IL
Ibid make some wonderfully cute guesses
to winners. They are shrewd youngste
: for when one had given tip to one won
the other would decline to give her one, 7
Each always chose different horses SO Il
had a double chance to win. and they ne
euaeeted q winner to man.
There ID mystery to the ordinary IN
yidual as TO the way ~ which the mol
placed in the pools Is divided. Still the
nlanation Il simple enough. Suppose
koroes run-A. B, G and D. One humid
fickets are sold on A, 10 on B. 20 on ,
"a 10 a DA2OO tickets in all at %.
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