San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-04-27
JOCKEY CLUB GROUNDS.
THE NEW CLUB HOUSE ABOUT COM
PLETED, AND GROUNDS
S0DDED,
The Improvements Over Last Race
Meeting-A Race Club That
Lets no Grass Grow I'm
der Its Feet.

The San Antonio Jockey club is one OF
the Invest institutions of its breed any
where In the east or west, the north or
the south. This was demonstr ated last
November, when the races opened on a
track that six weeks before had not a
| sod turned on it, with co mfortable sta
bles for 200 head of horses. a grand
stand that could accommodate 1,5OO PEG.
pie, and a track that has no equal for a
half mile track in the country. The I'M
pie preparations thus made have been
since supplemented by other additions,
that make the accommodations for this
spring. greatly In advance OF those
last fall. These improvements in
| C lude u good graded and graveled
roadway from the avenue TO the grand
stand and club house; a ~graveled road
way in front of the stables; an addition
of several score TO the number of stables
on the ground; the cleaning out of all the
underground in the groves and the sod
ding of the enclosure between the new
| club house and the track; last, and by no
means least, the erection of a club house
for the exclusive use of members of the
association. While these Improvements
have been carried forward the track itself
has received constant attention, has been
improved with constant care and work,
all of the fences in and around the track
and stables whitewashed, board sheds
| built in front of the stables facing east so
as to exclude the sun and a world of minor
details attended to, all looking to the
| greater comfort of the horsemen and their
stock.
The new Jockey club house, which is
now receiving its finishing touches and
which will be in complete order for its
| guests when the races open neXt Tuesday
is a very comfortable structure, built for
use and not for show, answers the end of
its construction as a ducks foot the mud
and is as cosy and comfortable as it is
possible to be-. The building Is in the
shape Of a parallelOgram, its longest side
facing the track. 1t is two stories in
height, with wide roomy galleries run.
| ming round it on ALI sides, TO which
ample openings lead from donble
doors all along its length, on every side
and on both floors. The view of the
track and grounds from the upper balcony
is a superb one, and that of the lower one
| scarcely less so, as il also affords q good
view of the entire track from start to
finish. The general reception room, bar,
| office and gentlemen's toilet rooms are on
| the first floor, the main entrance to
which is from the graveled roadway that
ruus round the grand stand and past the
rear of the club house to the stables.
The ladies' reception and toilet rooms
are on the floor above, as is also the as
sembly room, which is the largest room
in the building. The whole is tastefully
finished as well as arranged with a view
TO utilizing the immense balconies, which
form the principal feature OF the Club
house. 1t is in fact a house inClOSed with
rOomy and airy corridors, which, while
shelteTing from the sun. admit all posi-
BILE Highland the air from all quarters of
the heavens. This Club house is for the
exclusive use of members and their visit
ing friends from abroad, and during race
week It's bar is restricted to the use of
| these, the open bar under the grand Stand
| atfOrding drinking facilities for the gem
eral public. The new structure has been
erected at a cost of $1,000 under the direct
supervision of the directors and officers of
the Jockey club, who are decidedly
pleased with the result.
This arrangement leaves the entire
grove to the south of the main entrance
to the grounds to be utilized for fair
ground purposes when the wisdom of the
city embraces the splendid opportunity
that is here afforded of combining with the
Jockey Club association in maintaining a
fair at the least possible expense.
There are already on the ground as
many animals to participate in the races
hat open next week as were on the
grounds during the last fall meeting, and
more are arriving every day. The pros
poets for a good attendance is equal to
the promise of better sport and faster
time than ever before seen in a series Of
| spring races in this state. The officers Of
the club have spared themselves no labor
in preparing for this event, and their eff
forts will not be intermitted until a per-
feet little paradise of a park, as well as
the perfection of a race track, is realized
on their grounds. They are justly proud
over the results of their labor and cash
outlay, and San Antonio has just reason
to be proud of them.