The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-11-16
The old GUT SOLD
Dennis Mclaughlin Buys in
the Notorious Hill Race
Track.
PROPERTY BOUGHT FOR $4,000
John Mullins Bid $3.50, 900
and the Stockholders Stop.
ped at $1o5, 900.
PROPERTY BOUGHT FOR $4,000

at Gutenberg go under the hammer of
Austfoneer Frederick Wolbert. This
famous old race course, known from one
end of the country to the other as the
Gut" was sold to Dennis Mclaughlin
for Sl25. 000. There were only four bids.
There were many stories afieat yesterday,
in fact they were as thick as were
straight, tips in the old racing days. to
the effect that several combinations-ha had
been formed to purchase the property.
but only two combinations were there to
bid. The first bid was $100, 600, by John
Mullins the well known furniture dealer
of this city, and the final bid of sl25, 600
was made by Mr.. Mclaughlin.
AS early as one o'clock man were at
the track to learn its fate, and up to
three o'clock they came struggling in by
twos and threes. Two o'clock was the
hour set for the sale. but it was much
after three before Auctioneer WoIbert
COUNTED an old bookmaker's stand.
Among those present who were interested
in the proceedings were:-Messrs. J. E..
Hulshizer. Jr-, Cornelius Cronin, Dennis
Mclaughlin, Willard Fisk, Chief of Police
Donovan of Heboken, Fred Barr, Nicholas
Crusius, A. H. Meyer, Rudolph Rabe,
Lawrence Pagan, George Wa1baun, E.
Carr, Joseph Kaiser, Thomas Keely, DR..
Justin, DR.. Burns. T. Meeeks, Charles
Bolts, Frederick Walker, E.. H Hichner,
j. Brill Maurice Stack, II. G.. Ross, John
Moriarty, t. Hines, H, Gordon, j. Clark,
T. Mccain, J. Fitzpatrick and j. Nc
Govern.
The race course was the property of the
North Hudson Driving Park Association,
but some time ago, by an order of the
Court of Chancery, a receiver was APP
pointed for it, in the person of Mr.. j. f.
Hulshizer, Jr.. Secretary of the New Jersey
TITLE Guarantee and Trust Company. Mr..
Hulshizer Immediately set to work to dis
pose of the property. It was TO have
been sold the middle of last month, but
the sale was adjourned. by an order
| granted by V-fee-Chancellor Pitney. It
was secured by several of the largest
stockholders. on the ground that they had
not received sufficient notification of the
sale. This was secured by Frederick
Barr, Nicholas Crusius and a few others,
who Immediately set about the task Of
raising about $250,000 with which to puT-
chase the site. It was rumored that they
intended to start a bicycle track. That
they had been unsuccessful in their eff
forts, was demonstrated yesterday, when
Mr.. Rudolph Rabe, their counsel, bid
s105 600. but could go no higher.
The sale took place in the old betting
stand, about the centre of the ground.
This spacious building, once the scene CT
tremendous excitement, where thousands
were won and lost, where some were
ruined and others mad fortunes in a day,
where bookmakers shouted their odds,
and their assistants wrote out the tickets,
contained about two hundred men when
the sale began, but few were prospective
buyers.
The auctioneer began:-"With ynur
kind attention, gentlemen, I will sell the
following described lands and premises. 7,
He then read an exhaustive description of
the buildings and lands, and described
them in detail He read the conditions
under which the sale was made, and said
that all the buildings on the site went
with the property. There are more than
forty stables, not including the hotel and
betting stand. He went on TO say that
there were about seventy-three acres to
be sold, and the lands were entirely free
from any taxes or assessments with the
| exceptions of such as were or would be
levied for 1889. He said he did not
know whether any taxes had been levied
| against the property this year or not.
These later taxes were to be paid by the
purchaser. Ten per cent. of the pur-
chase money was to be paid down when
the lands were sold, and the balance to
be paid by December II at noon, at the
office of the New Jersey Title Guarantee
Company. when the deed would De de-
livered. providing the sale was confirmed
Mr.. Wolbert then told of the splendid
situation of the track, saying that i had
an enormous frontage on the Boulevard
was sorry that the track had been shut
off by the law prohibiting pool selling and
a es5ting Four on vea h9r aso. yNoa. g was gnsasaa
| said he. chow much am ] bid for this
valuable tract? How mueh?"
started the bidding with an offer Of $780,,
900. Mr.. Rudolph Rabe, counsel for the
| Willard estate and the Stockholders men
toned above. offered 100000. Mr.. Null
Inns almost Immediately raised this to
$12O, God. Mr.. Mclaughlin. who was stand
ing a little off from Mr.. Mullins, made
minutes delay the lands were knocked
Mr. Mullins and Mr.. Mclaughlin had
purchase Of the park. previous to the
sale. When this was learned. later, many
Talnsa sSe BID Why 81 his Da M / r the p naa
chase Both were seen BY a regorter Of
our IL " tEtC 1 a. ~ tlIC Wis 7
posal Of the property?' was asked of
Mr.. Mclaughlin.
81 have none he replied.
'4Nin you cut the property into build
ing lots?y was. asked.
I'VE may he answered, 'but I am
not su-e.'A
Mr.. Mullins made like answers. Both
admitted that they had understood eacn
other previous to the sale. but further
than that would give no informations The
purchasers were congratulated on all
sides. Mr.. Mullins made a remark to the
effect that he was willing to offer as high
After MIR. McLaughlin had signed the
contract and was introduced to Mr.. Huls-
hi7er, Mr.. Wolbert went on to dispose of
the personal property. It went for a
mere song. Such low prices were IN
thought Of. The following was the per-
soral property disposed Of:
Three team carts. 2 dump carts. 3 Har-
ring carts, 2 rollers. I combination roller
and seraDer. l scraper / team sprinkling
wagon. three hose carriages with hose /
and nozzies. 13 sand screens. Is pick axes, |
Al iron snow shovels, 8 Short handle show
els, % coal shovels, 40 Woop snow show
els, IS handles of snow shovels. So sta
bic breoms. about 70 old pumps "a outside
gas lamps. "a gas glass globes. 2 ice boxes,
globe stoves, 10 medium globe stoves. .
Small stoves, / gas stove, / large parlor
stove. 5 long Office tables. 5 oak tables.
/ plain scale, l jockey scale. folding
ned, l small desk, ] walnut screen. 81
small closets, | safe, 10 plain tables. 2
blackboardss II spittoons, $50 good chairs,
I51 DAMAGED chairs. I large book ease