The record-union., 1897-02-08
SUBURBAN ATHLETIC PARK.
Intended to be the Finest In the
Country.
Outline of What M. N. Winans and
His Associates Have
i'm View.

If the plans of NJ N Winans of this
city and his San Francisco associates
can be carried out-.and they seem to
be feasible enough - Sacramento is
about to have the finest athletic park
west of the Missouri River, if not
in some respects the finest in the coun-
try.
The proposition is to lay out these
grounds in one of the suburban spots
reached by electric cars, either OAK
Park or East Park, to be equipped for
all sorts of outdoor athletic sports and
competitive games, such as bicycle
racing, baseball, handball, trap shoot
ing-in fact, everything in the nature
of popular open-air paStinle.
There is to be a. handsome and COM
modious grand stand and clubhouse,
combined, about 80 feet in length and
affording perfect view of the grounds.
This clubhouse is to have ten club
rooms, shower bath for athletes IN
training billiard and pool tables, etc.
1rStead of being built close UP to the
bicycle track, as at the Velodrome IN
San Francisco, 100 feet of the center
OF the stand will be set back fifty feet,
and this space will be occupied as a
dancing platform or for other purposes.
Thus the track will not be shut off from
the view of persons in the rear seats,
as the platform will be below the circle
of seats.
The park will be inclosed by a four
teen-foot solid fence. The bicycle track
will be the finest in the United States.
1t will be laid with one and one-quar-
ter-inch Oregon pine (vertical grain),
coated with a preparation that will be
impervious to rain. The track will be
one-quarter of a mile in length, and
this will give a fine straight stretch for
race finishes, something that six, seven
and eight-lap tracks cannot have. 1t
will be fully a second faster than amy
siX-lap track.
There are now on this coast the fast
est riders in the United States, and it
is the intention of Mr.. Winans and
his associates in the enterprise to have
the track completed by the 1st of April
so that it's opening may bring together
the great crack riders of the country
tefore they leave for the East.
The interior of the grand stand and
clubhouse will be lighted by electricity,
and races can be carried ON at night
as we'll as in the daytime.
Mr.. Winans returned last night from
San Francisco, where he said he had
examined the plans for the park and
buildings. The estimated cost of the
work he said, was $500, but $500 of
this will be saved by his associates
owing to their facilities for securing
the lumber. OF the $4,000 required Mr..
Winans says that $4,000 is ready, and
the other So, 900 will have to be raised
in Sacramento.
He thinks there should be no diff
Guilty in getting that sum subscribed
among busines men, because of the
great crowds of people that viii be at
tracted to the city by the high class
entertainments to be given at the ath-
letic park. He has already consulted
the Southern Pacific officials, and says
that arrangements can be made to run
excursion trains at low rates into the
city from at least twenty towns about
Sacramento ON Saturdays and Sundays.
These excursions will be placed at
such low rates for fares that people
can come here, do their trading and
save more than their car fare AT
low estimate he thinks that 400 or 500
people can be induced to come to the
city every week.
Tomorrow evening he is to have
consultation with a number of busi-
ness men and a representative of the
railroad company, when this matter
viii be fully considered.
Asked as to the proposed baseball
franchise. Mr.. Winans said he still held
an option ON it, and if he could satisfy
himself that the State League would be
in good, responsible hands, he would
probably enter it with a Sacramento
team. 1t is likely, he said, that Senator
Bert Of Sam Francisco, now in the
Legislature will be President of the
league If the directory should be COM
posed to his liking.
The plan outlined by Mr.. Winans
and his associates would, if carried
out make Sacramento a very attractive
center for all the popular outdoor
sports, and would bring here the best
athletes of the coast, as well as many
from the other side Of the Rockies. and
the result would be that much outside
money would be left here.