Morning journal and courier., 1892-07-28
RACING AT NIGHT,
The Experiment. Has Proved Very
Successful I'm ST. Loufs.


From the Breeder and Turfmanl
The new feature of racing by electric
light has had weeks trial at South Side
park. st. Louis, and is no longer an ex-
pertinent, but the weeks sport SO conduct
ed shows the scheme to be eminently prac-
teal.
The attempt to run horses at night by
artificial light is not a late one. 1t has
been tried repeatedly before, both in this
country, France and England, but never
with any great success. The greatest diff
fculty has always been the appearance of
shadows, misleading the jockeys and
horses and presenting a constant danger
One great reason of the success of the
present trial was the entire obyiation of
this difficulty.
South Side park is located on the sum-
init of Compton hill, the highest point In
the city limits. From the rear of the
grand stand one can look over the whole
city. The result is that every breath of
air stirring finds its way into the stand
and makes it after night-fsll one of the
coolest spots in the city limits.
The course by night presents n striking
picture. Everything is dazzling white
stsnds, fences, posts, in fact everything
around the place that will stand a coat OF
whitewash has been treated to a bright
coating of white. Under the steady glow
of the incandescent lights the effect Is be-
wilderiDg. Around the track at q height of
twenty feet rms a wire strung like the
trolley of an electric railroad. Along this
at distance of twenty five feet are strung
clusters of incandescent lamps, the space
between them being so short that a man
walking under them would cast no shadow
on the ground. There are four lights in
each cluster, and the current put in them
is up to their fullest capacity. They have
four times the intensity of the incsndes-
cent burner. In addition to this circular
constellation giant search lights are placed
to illuminate ths turns. These powerful
lamps throw a very penetrating ray, max
ing the CANDY colors of the Jockeys cloth
ing as distinguishable as in broad day
light. So powerful are the rays OF these
lamps that peculiar arrangement 10 made
| use of TO muzZle the rays in order to pre-
| vent shadows. In addition to this the
grand stand is one blaze of light. making
the home stretch as bright as day. The
effect from the grand stand is really beau
| tiful. The broad track encircling the en-
closure lies sharply defined under circle
of light beating down on it with such
Il nciCt tUt most minute de-
preston is defined. Within this ring of
brightness is a dark inclosure, across
which the horses and riders fit two and
/ fro like spirits of darkness.
The eyes of the racing fraternity of the
country have been centered on st. Louis
during the past week, watching the out
come of the electric light racing venture
with the keenest interest. Monday even
ing number of eastern capitalists were
present and went away satisfied.
| Racing at night is carried on just as day
/ racing, only there is considerable differ
ence in the effect produced on the specta-
tors From a spectacular standpoint night
| racing certainly has the advantage The
| manner of the contest is exactly the same.
| When time is called Starter W. II. Bruen
| gets ont his flag, and Polo Jim, the great.
| est whipper-in on any race course, goes
down the track, armed with his big buck
handled lash. and prepares to line the
horses up. The sight from now on grows
extremely picturesque. To obviate all
| danger only five horses are allowed in each
race. Of course the jockeys try their
tricks more 50 than they would by day
light, but Jim's familiar cry, .'Dog gone
you. niggah," and the occasional swish of
his long lesthern lash brings them to time.
OFF they goi The flag falls and the bunch
go laundering down the quarter stretch.
The people hold their breath as the dare
devil jockeys drive pell-mell to catch the
inner rail. big patch of black shadows
seems to lie along the rail, and right into
it the horses shout. only TO emerge again
on the opposite side of the track, where
they have q long, straight run, their NOV.
ing forms outlined the whole way along By
a brilliant background of white. Now
they are turning again, this time to com,
into the homestretch. Again they are OBJ
scured, and for an instant no man can tel
who is leading. This moment of suspens,
is terrible, and moment later, when they
flash in view. the relief is expressed ir
ringing shouts. Then the final struygl,
begins, and every exciting detail of tn,
finish, even to the eager look on the jock
ey's faces, is plainly visible to the specta