The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-04
TESTING THE TRACK.
The First Days Races on the
New Course at Kent.
LUCK AGAINST THE FAvoRITEs.
Seattle, Tacoma, and All the Smaller
Towns Turn Out to . Good
Days Sport.

looked in at the races, and went away
pleased with what they saw. Two things
were demonstrated by the events of the
day-one of them that the new society has
taken great deal of pains to organize a
successful and interesting series of amuse-
ments, and the other that the track, while
not at present in the very best possible
condition, will some day in the future be
one OF the fast courses of the Western
circuits. The weather was all that could
have been desired. The sun shone brightly
during the forenoon, and when it would
otherwise have been oppressively warm a
timely rift of clouds blew up and kept the
fahrenheit at a convenient notch all dur
ing the day.
Seattle was not as well represented as it
will be today and tomorrow. J. w. Mac
Leod went out on the early afternoon
train and was prevailed upon to act as as
sociate judge with B. f. Shaubut. SUIT
cliffe Baxter was there, too, looking as
happy as an Alexander with more worlds
TO conquer, and George Kinnear and
Charlie Armstrong all wandered about the
grounds between the heats and rushed
with the rest of the crowd to get a better
view when the starting judge yelled Ego"
Representative Murray, of Pierce, came in
from his farm near Roy, and compared his
stock at home with the horses on the
track. Representative Byron Barlow went
up from Tacoma to see his horse Mink fail
to win race. George Willard, Staver &
Walkers Seattle man, was on the track
early in the day. County Commissioner
John Wooding was there, and c. III.
French, the banker of Slaughter, and a
raft of Slaughter citizens. DR.. Grasse was
another of the Seattle delegates. George
M. Van Dorm went too.
The city hall at Tacoma was deserted
and the city government left to its own
resources, while City Treasurer Boggs and
Comptroller Taylor took in the races. Port
lands mayor was at the track early in the
forenoon, but he returned to Portland
last evening to canvass the vote of the con-
solidation election held there recently.
1.-THE kite track is something new to
me-" Mr.. De Lashmutt said However,
j don't see why it shouldn't develop
good rate of speed in horses. This one is
new, and its condition now is a guarantee
that it will improve every day as it grows
older and tougher. 1t ought to be fast
track in the very near future"
L. P. w. Quimby, of Portland, was one
of the most prominent figures on the track,
and one Of the most earnest devotees at
the shrine of horsefiesh. Dr. Sweeney, of
Seattle, was up in the grand stand the
greater part of the afternoon. Robert
Campbell and Architect Z. HI. Fisher were
among the liveliest in the crowd John
Fuller, of Tacoma, and few friends dared
the perils of railway journey and left
home early in the day to be sure to see all
the fun.
The day was remarkable for the presence
of large delegations of Presbyterians from
Puyallup. Tacoma Sumner and Slaughter.
Deacon Ballard. of the Presbyterian church
at Slaughter, was in the front row of the
grandstand. Senator l.. F. Thompson, the
wheel horse of the church of the same
denomination at Sumner, was an interested
spectator. James Hart, superintendent of
the Sunday-school at Christopher, looked
on and smiled when the favorites lost.
Hon. J. +. Van de Vanter and wife, DR..
and Mrs. Soule, and many other leading
churchmen of Kent were local representa-
tives.
The ladies will be here in greater num-
bers today than they were yesterday.
Joseph Mcknight, whom everybody
knows, will set good example by taking
his family with him when he goes out to
the track today. B. F. Shaubut, Sutcliffe
Baxter and Charlie Armstrong will take
their families to complete the party, and
lot of others have announced that they
will do everything they can to educate
their lady friends up to high apprecia-
ton of the beauties of the horse race run
on the dead square.
Work on the grand stand has stopped.
The only thing lacking now is coat of
paint. Everything was ready when the
races began yesterday. The grand stand,
built to accommodate 2,400 persons, was
over half filed. A. s. Moore was starting
Judge, and B. f. Shaubut and J. W. Mac
Leod were his assistants Sam Frazier
was in his element, instructing the
reporters how to write an account of
horse race. J. f. Mcknight came down
from the judges box occasionally to
express his approval of the whole affair.
This takes my eye," he said, as he looked
on at heat that was being trotted off in
2:24. II have enjoyed myself today. I've
got season ticket. of course, because I'm
a member. but if / wasn't I'd have one
Just the same"
Frank Shaubut admired the track more
than anything else. Just think of it,"
he whispered; ''only two weeks old.
What will ii be after couple of seasons
races have been run over it?'
Secretary Van Bokkelen was every-
where at once. The distance between the
Judges stand and his Office, by a round
about way, is half a mile, and there are
those who believe that he made the dis
lance seventy-iive times during the day.
President Van de Vanter showed up fire.
quently and during the trotting and
pacing races acted as timekeeper in con-
junction with Mr.. Macleod.
There was an abundance of officers on
the ground Sheriff Woolery was there.
and several local deputies also came to see
the sights and show their badges of au-
thority. Marshals were provided by the
association, and they, too, we're omni-
present. The day was as quiet as the oc-
casion of horse race could well be. The
assembly was enthusiastic, though, in
spite of everything.
The first race was for trotters in the :o6
class. There were seven entries on the
programme. but Hannibal, jr., was barred
at the last moment on a telegram convey
ing the information that his owner.
Thomas Tongue. had been sus-
pended for non-payment of Sl02.
Bishop Hero led the six that started
and held his position until the quarter
post was passed. Then Blonde trotted
ahead steadily, TO be overtaken by Joe
Kenney on the home stretch The tables
were turned at the finish, Blonde was re-
duced to third place, while Hylas Boy took
second. Joe Kenney was the winner of
the heat in 2:265.. The second was led