Middletown transcript., 1892-06-02
MAPLE VALLEY STOCK FARM:
THE GREAT KITE SHAPED TRACK rs
INSPECTED BY NEWSPAPER REP
REsENTATIvES.-H THEY
WE'RE ENTERTAINED.


at Kirkwood, DEL, and being among
the arst to arrive, had the opportun
ity of seeing the buildings, grounds
and stock under the guidance of j. G
Mccoy.
notwithstanding the very heavy
rains the previous night, the track wa'
in very fair condition. although some
what heavy. A force of men will
harrows were at work drying out the
surface, and by the time the visitors
arrived it was in excellent condition
The track is full mile and to get ar
idea of the exact shape draw the out
line of a Bartlett pear. The start il
slightly up grade about four inches to
the 100 feet, until within fifty feet Of
the judges stand when it strikes dead
level and continues either a slightly
down grade or dead level the entire
distance, and from the start to the lIrst
turn it is one-third of mile. The
turn consumes another one-third
while the remaining distance brings
the observer under the wire in one.
third Of mile straight away. In
using the word turn we merely do SC
to give the reader more exact under.
standing of the style of the track, but
the turns or bends 6 re SO gradual that
a horse or driver is not aware of "be-
ing oD turn" until they have passed
it. Heading down the quarter stretch,
the track is forty feet wide at the start
and sixty feet at the finish, and is sur
rounded by neat four foot fence on
both sides.
On the ground on the left side is the
apparatus for splinkling, consisting of
d inch pipe with a swing joint at
every 30 feet, which are arranged on
the order of spigot, so that by draw
ing the joint out the water is allowed
to escape. At the end of the joint is a
wheel attached to an upright elbow,
the pressure of the water causing it to
reyolve, and spray a space 80 feet
square by replacing them tho current
is cut off and the water closed. Four
men in gum suits start out at a signal
from the judges stand and go directly
to the half-mile pole where they divide,
two coming down the quarter stretch,
and two the opposite side, allowing a
few moments between. The proceed
ing ones open the pipes, and those in
the rear closing, thus sprinkling the
track thoroughly and Systematically in
fifteen minutes, while it would take
the cumbersome water cart fully an
hour to do the work, besides the track
being cut up by the wheels.
The judges stand is situated between
The start and finish, to the left of the
home stretch, while on the right is the
grand stand with seating capacity of
1000. It is built in two stories. On the
East is the tank, sixty feet high, with
q capacity of $1,000 gallons of water,
pumped from 12 foot well, or nearly
,ne-half as much as the entire supply
If this town. About 200 feet east Of
his tank are the stables for visiting
lorses, consisting entirely of spacious
box stalls lined with boards, and SO
inished as to avoid any possible injury
o the occupant. 1t is intended to ac-
omodate 200 head.
Opposite to this. we find the pad
lock and the home stable, under the
upervision Of T. VIM. Hewitt, Of
Va, and his army of
rooms, rubbers and trainers, who take |
great amount of pride in showing |
'isitors through the long corridors of |
'ell kept stalls filed with the blue
loods OF the farm. As we emerged
rom the extreme end Of the barn we
oticed the hacks driving up loaded
nth the expectant guests, and among
hem were newspaper men from Will
lington, Philadelphia, Baltimore,
'ew York and other cities.
q pom their arrival dinner was an
and they all repaired at once
, the dining room where a most ex-
client repast had been prepared by the
Association. After this the guests
,paired to the track to watch the per-
FINANCES of the various stars. J.
rank Barnes, the Associations stand
!, was the first to come down the
retch, dressed in white cap, pants
Id blouse to match. He was driving
e acknowledged "Queen of Delaware
offers " Gypsey Girl, record 2.224,
ID the lady certainly shows her keep.
le went an exhibition in 2.23 alone.
le, it will be remembered, has had
1t little training the past year owing
lameness. " Happy May" by
Apply Russell pretty little 4 year
/, Minnie Dale, by Hero of Thorn (
lie, and a handsome black gelding,
Hnamite, were then sent an exhibi-
N mile, which was won by the latter
2.3O4, while Fascination logged out
nile in 2.264, and kept the outer '
'ck all the way. A groom ran a
ny with him but the fleet footed y
ungster hardly noticed him. Comet, y
handsome sorrel illy PAGER was the
1t star to bow to the audience and =
,ed her mile in 80 As. 4.
During these exhibitions of speed :,
photographer was perched on the U
RENE pinnacle of the barn taking "
'p shots of the track, visitors, horses, c
everything within the range of n
ion. After the horses had been re- VI
we'd the pipes were opened and the n
'sts treated to as fine water display A
could be desired.
The entire grounds cover an area Of
acres. The track rtank and. d.water- 3