The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-08-27
THE new SPEEDWAY
It is Ready For Bust
ness With the
Horsemen.
FINE STRETCH OF ROAD.
Only Waiting For Rain to
Wet 1t Into
Shape.
FINE STRETCH OF ROAD.

The new Mill street speedway is ready
for business with the horsemen. The
first working of 60 feet is finished, as
far as construction is concerned, and
all that remains is to surface and roll
the roadway.
No more beautiful stretch of road Is
to be found in New England and pleas
ure drivers will be in possession of a
veritable paradise. The road is so feet
wide and winds in graceful curves,
skirting the edge of Goes pend, furnish
ing an ideal drive along the water front
except where it winds among magnifi-
cent shade trees near the June street
end. The plan of the completed speed
way calls for a roadway 120 feet in
width for distance of a mile. The com
pleted portion is of one-half that width,
leaving the balance to be worked in the
future, probably next year.
The footing of the new road, which
is destined to become the Mecca of the
speeding brigade of fast road horses for
which Worcester has become famous
throughout New England, is at present
of the poorest. Mr.. Prior Is awaiting a
continued rain to wet the road into
proper shape for a thorough rolling and
surfacing, when the finishing touches
will put the footing on a billiard ball
standing.
For number of years, Worcester has
had no proper place for pleasure driv-
ing for the small army of horsemen who
like to shake out their roadsters into a
merry clip for friendly brush with
friend or foe on the road. The boule-
ward, or the Webster square end of
Park avenue, was for years the scene
of many a little quiet contest between
owners of the fast ones, but the en-
croachment of the street railway tracks
spoiled the fun and drove the horsemen
to pastures new. Then the scene or
after dinner drives was transferred to
the upper end Of Park avenue, between
the top of Sunnyside hill and Elm
street, and the fun rolled merrily along
until the advent of the bicycle. That
pursuing bogyman, which is the hob
goblin Of all hobgoblins for the horse
man. put an end to the sport on the
avenue altogether. The shady boule-
ward, where it winds through Elm park,
skirted on the one side by the precip-
tious slopes of Newton hill and on the
other by the Incompatible view of Elm
park, became the popular resort OF
wheelmen and later of wheelwomen, not
to mention small boys and young girls
galore, and the horsemen were forced
to move on and off, out of the way of
the new regime.
Speeding became dangerous. Even
in broad daylight It was hazardous
undertaking to step along at any KIND
of clip worth the name of speeding,
while in the dusk of the evening it took
a nervy reinsman and one who felt as
sured of his claim on the future life to
strike even a 10-mile gait down the
road. in and out among the silent
wheels Then it became necessary to
move out Of the city, where the condi-.
ton of the roads was prohibitive of
fast work.
Thus, during the last three or four
years, the speeding contingent has been
forced to waive the sport except during
the few short weeks of the winter sea-
son, when the snowpath brings the en-
thusiasts together Now all this is to
end. The speedway is to be the horse
mems own property. When completed
IL is the intention to have bicycle paths
in the confines, and the wheelmen may
have all the fun that is coming their
way without trespassing on the do
n ain of the drivers Speeding will be
in order without danger other than the
possibilities of accident, which are con-
slant, and but add zest to the sport.
AT the annual meeting of Worcester
Driving Park Company, and at the an
nual dinner at the Lincoln House last
winter, the question Of organizing a
road drivers club was discussed and
met with considerable favor. Road
clubs have sprung up during the past
five years. the country over, like mush-
ms, and there is abundant spirit
among local horsemen to organize a
club in this city The talk proposes the
erection of a clubhouse near or on the
new speedway, where, at the, end Of a
pleasure drive, could be found proper
stabling for the steed, while the driver