The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1896-09-03
THE IDEAL TRACK.
The Remarkable Changes Made in
Landscape in Two Weeks.

The most remarkable transformation
scene ever worked in Kenosha county
is that at the Ideal Park Racing asso-
ciation's grounds. "Wednesday after
noon a representative of this paper
went out to look at it. He found
scene there which beggars description.
A peaceful field of corn turned into a
huge race track with all the. parapher-
MALTA of grand and betting stands, sta
bles, water and electric light plants,
five side tracks and huge railroad
platform and every convenience for the
handling of immense crowds, seems an
astounding thought. But that is what
has taken place.
Ideal park presents totally differ
ent appearance now than it did fifteen
days ago. Then it was rolling farm
land, half of it sowed with corn and
half covered with hay-land such as
few would think of attempting to
change in general contour or use for
anything that required levelness. That
was the property the Ideal Park Rae
ing association wanted, and after much
haggling succeeded in getting. A piece
of land 127 acres in extent was pur-
chased outright, and an option secured
on about 300 acres of the surrounding
country.
Work was begun at once, and now
regulation mile track, with quarter
mile stretches and curves. replaces the
hills and knobs A grand stand and
betting ring are being rapidly COM
pleted, and 500 stables hastily, though
we'll constructed, and the prospects are
that when the track swings open its
gates next Saturday every essential for
a race track will have been completed
in nineteen days.
Much WORK Yet to Be Done.
While much remains to be done in
the way Of putting the finishing touches
on the buildings and track, yet an i'm
mense amount of work has been ac-
complished in the short space of fifteen
days Work was commenced on the
track August 10, but it was badly han
dicapped the first two days by lack of
material, and few expected to see rae
ing on it before the latter part of Sep
TENDER or first of October. Every man
that could possibly be used has been
put to work, and the filing and grad
ing pushed as rapidly as possible.
The total cost of the track, the man
agement says, will be $4,000, the
grading alone running up in the neigh
borhood of $4,000. Both Of the curves
and the back stretch had to be graded
an average of twenty one feet. Two
knobs in the Enclosure were leveled to
furnish the material. Altogether, over
10000 cubic yards of dirt have been
handled, most of it going to the curves,
which in most places are graded at
least thirty feet. Five hundred and
fifty men and 26O teams have been at
work constantly since operations
began.
From the rail of the track the entire
course cannot be seen, a small knoll
hiding the far turn on the curve, but in
the grand stand it can readily be seen
without turning. This is made posi-
BILE by the fact that the stand is at an
angle to the stret.h and is situated
about twenty-five feet high. The
stand will contain 1000 chairs, with
room for 500 more should they be need
ed. Platform stops will lead up to 1t,
and the managers expect to accommo-
date over 1900 feet on them. The
betting ring is TO the right of the grand
stand and is 208 by 100 feet. These
two buildings are rooted now. The
chairs will be placed tomorrow
Looking for Hlgh-C1ass Stables only
The managers, IN order to have moth
ing but the better class of horses at the
tracks, have decided but 500 stalls shall
be built, and discrimination will be
used as TO the stables wishing to race
at the park. Four hundred horses are
ample. the race men declare, for any
first class meet These stables are
Within the track inclosure. Next year
additional stables will built on the
AiOltlltl DIV uCtl W lAC tJScAIClttllOll JUL
side the Enclosure. Kitchens and sleep
ing apartments for the stable hands
will also be erec;ed there
1t is the intention Of the managers to
fix a steepleUhase course next spring,
the field inside the track being admir-
ably suited for it. 1t is rolling, typi-
cal, glaciaied region. and contains
any natural hazards. Nothing will
be done with it this fall
The Milwaukee railroad guarantees
10 run its trains to the park i'll fifty
minutes without stop. The company
has put i'll platform 1000 feet long,
switches and sidings for 200 cars. The
ride is through pretty country, the
whole region being rolling prairie and
woods Harry Kuhl will not act as as
sociate Judge, ". B. Godfrey, who was
to be clerk of scales, acting in that ca
pacitv and D D p0nnr0v assistant