The Washington times., 1894-04-23
OF INTEREST TO HORSEMEN
House NiIl Consider a Race Track
Bill for the District.
FAVORED BY THE COMMITTEE
Recommended Its Passage, and the Jockey
Club People Are Hopeful Of success-Race
Track Troubles Across the River.

One of the matters Of local interest which
will come up to-day in the House Is the bill
to permit bookmaking at the Benning and
Ivy City race tracks at Spring and Fall meet
ings of eighteen days each. Representative
Hayes, OF Iowa. introduced the bill few
ago and it was referred to the District Com
mittee in the natural order of things. This
committee, through Mr.. Richardson, of Ten
nessee. submitted the bill on last Friday, with
accommodation that it be passed, and the
consideration of the bill and its favorable
report will be had to-day.
In the report Mr.. Richardson states the bill
is substitute for bill 6lO9, and provides ad-
ditional safeguards, the time for racing being
limited to the time between April and No.
vember 30 instead of between March l and
December 10. and being for obvious reasons
and to minimize abuses limited to mile
tracks. The report further says the changes
Ill nowise alter the bill so as to make it differ
ent in principle from the standpoint of the
District Commissioners, who recommended
the passage of House bill 6l09.
The members OF the Washington Jockey
Club are confident the bill will go through all
right in the House, and are hopeful Of its
passage in the Senate. II their hopes are re-
aiized there will doubtless be an early Sum
mer meeting for the benefit OF the horsemen
who have wintered at the local tracks, and
many others who will not be able to get stable
room AZ the Brooklyn track.
1t was reported last evening that Albert
| Gleason had been awarded the contract for
the grading and other necessary work for the
construction of the Grange Camp Association
race course on Alexander island, and th:t
the contractor would start in this morning.
Already stabling for 200 horses has been
erected and the grand stand begun. The
legal complications which occurred relative
to the lease OF the ground and resulted in an
injunction being obtained against Jones Il
Co. continuing the occupancy of the land
have about been satisfactorily settled.
Mr. Jones' who did not obey the order of
the court in stopping the work. will have an
opportunity to present his explanation TO the
court at a hearing to-day. 1t appears it was
by advice of counsel that the order was not
obeyed. and Mr.. Jones believes he will be
able to make his peace with the judge with
out much trouble.
There is an interesting bit of history con-
nected with the troubles in acquiring posses
sion of the land. which is now given to the
public for the first time. 1t seems the tract
OF land in question has been for some years
rented to Harrson Green. an old colored
man. who titled the soil and eked ont some
sort of an existence. The agent of the land
when approached by the Jones combination
saw the opportunity TO derive greater revenue
for the owners Green had no lease save a
verbal agreement. renewed yearly SO the
agent succeeded in obtaining the old mans
consent to remove within stated period for
the sum of $500. 800 of which was paid down
and the balance promised when Green va
Gated.
AT this iuncture Green was approached by
other parties and promised 81, 200 if he
would transfer his interest in the tenancy to
Braxton Smith. The Old man agreed and
then disappeared for a week or ten days.
during which time number of the workmen
were arrested. charged with malicious but not
felonious trespass. Green being the party to
swear out the warrants. When the hearing
came up Green was missing. and Mr.. Smith
came into the game as the successor of Green
as tenant.
After application for an injunction had
been refused by two or three judges. the oppo-
nents to the Jones' venture succeeded at
Fredericksburg in getting restraining order
issued. The sequel to the story is to the effect
that Harrison Green reappeared on the scene
and gave the snap away, with the further in
formation that the deal with Smith is off
because he never received cent of the
promised 81 900. and he is willing to move at
once so he can get the s400 balance of the
Jones $500.