The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-09
OLYMPIC CLUB GROUNDS,
They Will Be Closed in May,
Much to Mclntyre'S
Sorrow.
Grading Soon to Commence and
Then a Bulkhead VIII be
Necessary.

The outdoor athletes of the Olympic
Club received quite surprise few even
ings ago. when they learned that the
directors had concluded to dispense with
the services of Peter Mcintyre, who is
superintendent of the outdoor grounds.
Mcintyre has received notification that
after this month his position will be de-
clared vacant. Naturally the old athlete,
who has done such yeoman service for the
Olympic Club during the five years he has
been employed as caretaker and manager
of the beautiful outdoor grounds, received
quite a shock when he learned that his
time for quitting his position had arrived.
The reason for the discharging of Nc
Intyre is owing to policy of retrench-
ment which the club intends pursuing in
the future. In speaking of the matter one
of the directors said last evening that it is
quite possible that the grounds will be
closed after May 1, as they have been a
burden on the shoulders of the club from
the start, and that several thousand dol
lars have been wasted on their keeping and
improvements.
The directors are at present in hot water
over notice they had recently received to
the effect that grading on the Seventh
back of the 100-yard stretch will be COM
menced in the near future, which will
mean that a sandbank twenty feet in
height will be piled up against the wooden
fence, which structure cannot, OF course,
withstand such enormous pressure.
The directors Immediately held con-
ference with ]. T. Doyle, the owner of the
property upon which the outdoor athletic
park stands, and that gentleman advised
the club to tear down the fence and con-
struct bulkhead, which would put the
Olympians out of pocket to the extent of
between three thousand and four thousand
dollars. The directors, however, could not
see their way clear in the expenditure of
such a large amount of money and sug-
gested to Mr.. Doyle that as he was the
owner of the land in question he should
build with a view of protecting the club
interest.
This Doyle refused point-blank to do and
tho directors concluded that their only
safe policy in the premises would be to
close the grounds and await the results
that time and sand will bring. Should
their property be damaged to any extent a
lawsuit will be unavoidable, but whether
the owner of the property or the city will
be held responsible is question that is
now being discussed by the officers of the
club.
The latter pays Doyle $210 month
rental for the grounds the first five years
lease of which expired on the LIST of this
month, and according to the contract the
club has had with Doyle the former must
pay the property-owner the sum of 500
per month for the next five years to come,
it matters not whether the athletes
use the grounds or not. The club is in a
big dilemma. and the directors are at their
wits ends about it.
Mr.. Doyle is well aware of the fact that
the club has been daily losing money in
the maintenance of the grounds, and he
has suggested as a means of decreasing its
expenditure that the property be converted
to more profitable end than that of park
in which the young athletes now enjoy
themselves.
Amateur athletics have been very poorly
patronized ever since the time of the open
ing OF the grounds and notwithstanding
that several very excellent field days have
been given in the past five years, the club
cannot recall one single instance where the
profits, athletically speaking, ran ahead of
the expenses.
A committee has been appointed to in
quire into the present value of property in
the vicinity of the grounds and it will re-
port at the next meeting of the directors.
1t is said that the land in the immediate
vicinity of the grounds has decreased in
value since the closing of the Midwinter
Fair, which at the time of its greatest pros
perity gave property in that neighborhood
quite financial turn for the better.