Telegram-herald., 1891-03-21
WANT THE RACES
A Strong Contingent OF ths Asso-
citation - Determined That
GRAND RAPIDS SHALL NOT Be LEFT
Prospects Good for shs Formatisa OF
Another Horsssaea's AssoeiAtiea-
what the Leaders OF the
Movement Say.

One week ago today meeting OF the
Grand Rapids Horsemen's Association
WAS held AI the Morton House. Owing
TO insufficient noticing comparatively
few were IN attendance. Those who
grsced the assemblsge with their pres
enee, went on with the election of
officers and other business without the
slightest semblance of discord until
the question of holding a spring meet
ing was reached. The general sent!-
ment OF the meeting was against il
then, but there were those who dlsa-
greed with the majority. The principal
reason upon which the negative action
was based was the lack OF track IN
suitable condition. Said one of the
directors in his declaration against the
adyisability of meeting before fall,
personally. should of course like To
see series OF good contests, but my
better judgment tells me that 1t
would be unwise on our part
To attempt the thing. We have
mile tracks 10 be sure, but they
are not and will not be III suitable con-
dltlon tor iirstclass meeting. The
horsemen would be sure TO go away
dissatisfied, and the action would
doubtless result in difficulty in getting
star performers the succeeding year"
Plausible as the opinion "at first
blush" seems, the number OF horscmen
who lean to the opposite idea is by no
means Insignificant. Indeed they have
during the past week developed Il great
amount OF energy, and new organiza-
ton OF horsemen IS among the prob
abilities OF a few days. One of the
horsemen who want to see spring races,
remarked to the TELEGRAM.HERALD
yesterday: 1--WE are going to have Il
race meeting during the first week in
July, and don't you forget IT. This is
the situation. 1t was stated that We
had not suitable accommodations. but
I'll tell you that that Is a mistaken
notion. The track at the Kent county
fair grounds will be In excellent condl-
ton long before we want the meeting.
The society has assured us that If We
want to hold meeting that all accom-
modatlons will be in the best OF con-
dition. The stalls are large and no finer
could be asked. It's all bosh to talk
about track needing years time to
put 1t IN proper trim. The new dress
ing was gwen the Detroit track but 4
few weeks before the Blue Ribbon meet
ing last summer aud the track was
good enough for Sunol to do half in
l:02i. The result of this Will be that a
new association called The Grand
Rapids Horse Breeders Association
will be formed. Boyd Pantland will
be president and VIM. Oswald secre-
tary. ID | read the signs rightly"
Last evening some eight or ten of the
horsemen who bear opinions in accord
with those expressed gathered at the
Morton House to look over the situa-
ton and take steps preparatory to
forming new association. 1t was con-
sidered advisable TO call the meeting
for organization next week, rs so few
were present.
Ali of those present were members of
the Horsemens Association. The idea
IS to have the new association subsidiary
TO the older organization and entirely
friendly to IT. 1t Will be composed Of
those who want races TINS year and are
willing to undertake the financial re-
sponslb.Iity. SAID Mr.. Oswald last
evening: Il am heartily IN favor of
races tins year. il we 20 TO postponing.
and let u year slip by with Grand Rap
ids mot IN H., il will be hard thing to
getin the swim again next year. There
never was such lively interest in good
horse flesh IN this city az there is today,
and am pleased to see that the inter
est is growing. We have lots of good
horses in the city now, and more are
coming all time. Ye. sir, | shall work
hard u get races here this year, and
between you and me We will have some
the first week in july"