The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-17
JOCKEY CLUB SEEMS A GO.
PROBABILITY OF WINTER RACE
MEETINGS FOR SAVANNAH.


ed TO Investigate Regarding an
Organization and Race Course and
Report to n Subsequent Meeting.
Opinion Was General That Many
| Horses Would BE Brought to sa-
vannah During the winters by the
Establishment OF First-class
Track and Quarters.
Winter race meetings seem to be a de-
cided probab ility for Savannah. No well
defined plan has yet been even outlined.
but number of gentlemen met last night
at the De Soto, and their expressions were
| heartily in favor of the re-estab.ishment
| OF the Savannah Jockey Club and the con-
struction of race course, stables, grand
stand and other facilities for race meet
ings.
The action taken was the appointment of
a committee of eleven to investigate all
matters bearing upon the establishment of
track and quarters at Savannah, to re-
port at subsequent meeting Gen. w
| w. Gordon Is chairman, and the other
members are Messrs. II. NJ Lotion, W. W
| Starr, L. J. Maxwell, George w. Owens,
w. ]. DeRenne, J. K. Garnett, C. E.
stults. R. w. Powers, John r. Young and
DR.. William Duncan.
At the meeting, which was held In the
gentlemen's parlor of the De Soto, were
Messrs. George w. Owens, II. NJ. Lotion,
Herman Rosenheim, William Duncan, L.
| ]. Maxwell, w. W. Starr, D. F. Jack. B.
H. Levy, J. X. Garnett, Joseph Doyle, Ed
ward Doyle, Saunders of South Carolina,
| James c. Shaw, B. W. Wrenn, w. j. Wat
son, Lawrence Lippman, Mills B. Lane,
| w. j. DeRenne w. w. Gordon, C. E.
| Stults, w. G. Lee. r. w. Powers. w. T.
Burch' c. A. l.. Cunningham Frank M.
Butner and ". E. Wimpy.
On motion of Mr.. Owens, Cen Gordon
took the chair and. on motion of Col.
| Wrenn, Mr.. Maxwell acted as secretary.
| The chairman stated that the meeting
was ready to hear from any of those
present relative to its purpose. Mr.. Starr
| stated something of the advantages that
| would accrue 20 Savannah from the es-
| tablishment of a flrst-class race course
| conducted by reputable persons under the
| sanction of a circuit association.
Under proper auspices, Mr.. Starr said,
| there is no question that the leading rae
ing people of the country could be in
duced TO come 10 Savannah for winter
meets. Indeed. they would be glad to take
| advantage of a good track and good quar-
| tiers, for with such inducements there
would be everything to benefit them. The
city would be thoroughly advertised by
these people and the great crowd that
! follows races, and money would be spent
| freely, helping all branches of business
| Advantages of climate and rail and ocean
rates are Savannahs that would be at
| tractive to owners of stables of racing
stock. Mr.. Starr also upheld the dignity
of the sport Of horse racing, when con-
| Quoted honestly and upon an elevated
fo1u hafn hf,aer oh a. he
said, that should not make 1t far prefera-
BILE TO the sport of football or baseball.
| The horses themselves, he declared, enjoy
! IL, and it is free from anything like cruel
| ty 20 man or beast.
Mr.. DeRenne added his Endorsement of
! a race course to what Mr. Starr had said,
| declaring 1t his opinion that the city
would derive great benefit from the estab-
| lishment of a course here Not only
| would it be a good thing for the city,
but for the racing people as well, as
| they are in need of such a. place as Sa-
| vannah for wintering and holding winter
| meets.
Wealthy owners of racing strings at the
North when Mr.. Garnet knows assured
him that they and others would be glad
| to send their horses to Savannah for the
| winter If races were TO be he'd. Thay IRE
| fer this city to others, believing 1T is we'll
| ADAPTED New Orleans is too distant, and
/
almost const ant rains that fall there dur
| ing the inter-. Mr. Garnett said he
! thought there would be no difficulty in
| filing 1000 stalls with the best horses
| Mr.. Saunders was called en-. and his
views were much the same as others who
| had spoken. He has been engaged in rae
| ing for many years, and is thoroughly ia
mi1r with everything pertaining to the
| sport OF kings" Many owners Of fancy
strings in the North and East. he said,
| are looking for just such a pace as Sa-
varnah to winter their horses. The time
IL ripe for the establishment OF. a course,
and about the patronage, Mr.. Saunders
sad, there viii be not thu slightest ques-
tion. Owners are now struggling with the
difficulty of getting as far away from
| hcme as New Orleans, the only winter
racing town in the South, while San
Francisco is too far away to be consid-
cred
A discussion as to the money New Or
| leans makes out of its race meetnes then
| ensued. Mr. Saunders being asked If he
| knew what amount Is regarded as that
| derived by the city f-om the stay of the
| many visitors and hcrsts during one sea-
| son. He answered that more than 81, 600 =
600 has been settled upon as an estlm ate
# the revenue he city derives, while Mr..
| Maxwell declared tat the Times Demo-
crat had computed 81 5oeo00 as the amount
the city made during the last meeting in
New orleans.
For every horse quartered at the course
| during a meeting, Mr.. Saunders said I
least So a day could he co1side- ed as the
| expense of maintenance. while the own 7rs,
| sta6iemen and followers OF race nice iugs
| may be counted upon 10 spend any ans unit
of money. I, is not only to anima,s lua-
ming In races that club may lcok or ex-
pendtures. for the owners have cells along
that they work out in preparation FOR
spring meetings elsewhere. The e cost just
as much as the racers.
Mr.. Owens, to get down to scmat thing
practical, called attention to tie old Ten
| Brock course west of the city. He sail
| the property is now ownad by the Agricul-
| tural and Mechanical Association, that 1t
Is in good condition and could be secure
by club upon the expiration of the pres
ent lease in August. The track was for
merly regarded, he said, as enc of the
| best in the South.
Mr.. Lotion said he could see no reason
| why Jockey club should not be success
full, with the right men al the head to in
| spire confidence, and he proposed that a
| committee he aDDOfnied crnSi1er all