Evening star., 1894-03-23
TWO RACING CLUBS
The Senate Confines Pool Selling to
Ivy City and Benning.
THE BLACKBURN RACE BILL
The Committee Takes Action Also
on Hotel Liquor Licenses.
OTHER BUSINESS HANDLED

The Senate District committee went over
the whole grounds Of the race track ques-
ton this morning. and reached a conclu-
sion which was in the nature of a COM
promise between the desire to give the or
ganized jockey clubs of this city full ad-
vantages for their regular meetings and
the rear lest an amendment to the law
might operate to break down the mile limit,
and thus open the way for winter racing
The committee was slow in meeting, and
quorum was not secured until IL 80, nearly
an hour after the regular time for meeting.
There were present Senators Harris, Hun
ton, Proctor, Mcmillan, Gibson and Martin.
The bill, Senate 1850. which was recommit.
ted during the week, was taken up and
thoroughly discussed The danger of an
amendment changing In any way the mile
limit was pointed out, and the committee
examined the question carefully, with
view to prevent any discrimination in
favor OF the BenninS club as against the
Ivy City track. The substitute bill drawn
by the Commissioners, which was reported
ravorably, with the limit reduced to half a
mile, gave the privilege Of bookmaking at
the regular spring and fall meetings to all
organized jockey clubs Of this city This,
OF course, let in not only the two clubs
that now maintain tracks, but opened up
tne possibility of new clubs and new tracks
which, some of the members of the COM
niittee argued. would not be at all desira-
pie. At length it was suggested that mas
much as the main contention was between
these two clubs the desired result could be
easily reached by abandoning the Commits
sioners' bill entirely and amending the
blackburn bill. The latter measure proyid-
ed that the act of 1893 should not apply to
bookmaking at the spring and fall meetings
OF the Washington Jockey Club, which
operates the Benning track. The commit
Tee adopted an amendment to the effect
that the act in question, that of January
81, 1878, should not apply to bookmaking at
the spring and fall meetings of the Wash
ington Jockey Club or the Ivy City Jockey
ciub. me original proviso was retained
TO the effect that these meetings must oc-
cur between March and December Is, and
must not exceed eighteen days each Sem
ator Gibson was directed to report the bill
10 the Senate as amerded.
Not Invited In.
The lobby outside the committee room was
occupied during the session of the commit
tee by dozen or so of folks interested in
horses and race tracks, divided into two
parties. One of these parties consisted of
Capt. Sam. Donaldson and Mr.. Joe Black
burn, jr., who represented the Benning
track and were not particularly eager that
the original Blackburn bill should be amend
ed in any particular. Mr.. VIM. Dickson
headed the other body of citizens in the in
terest of the Ivy City track Contrary to
the expectations neither delegation was in
vited into the committee room during the
meeting. the question being settled salts
factorily without their assistance.
Liquor Law.
The committee also discussed the adyis-
ability of amending the bill already re-
ported to the Senate, known as the Bah
cock amendment to the liquor license law
of the District. Since the report of the Sem
ate was made it has been pointed out to
the committee that the bill as drawn would
operate to shut out from their legitimate
dealings a number of business houses
wholesale dealers in liquors. The commit
tee came to the conclusion that this was
not desirable nor was it contemplated by
the original law or by the amendment
Therefore an amendment was agreed to ex-
cluding such business and mercantile es-
adjustments from the operation of the 400
feet limit.
In the absence of Senator Gallinger, who
was called out of the city on Wednesday,
the committee took no action upon his reso-
lution introduced and passed on Tuesday,
looking to an investigation by the District
committee into the subject of tenders and
other protecting appliances on the cable
and electric cars of this city.