Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1900-05-11
IIHIEDE FAST HORSES MEET
ii h Class Trotters on New
Ytrk's Great Speedway.
A RARE SIGHT FOR ALL

eSe ''S'ece Sai DC oeen mere
Than on Any Other Drive In the
world-A Recent Sunday Morning
Meet-The Exclusive List.
Ever since the trotting horse became
recognized product OF this country
Kew York has been the great centre
.~vard which each breeder turned a
longing eye. hoping some day to pro-
iuce u world beaten that should find
a market there. In the early days OF
breeding the trotter the road riders of
he metropolis absorbed the champion
performers, and in q certain sense this
true to-day.
or course, with the immense growth
81 breeding light harness horses. when
thousands are produced annually. no
one SECTION OF city can absorb all but
II IL safe to say that at the present
time there are more high class trotters
In New York than all other cities In
the country.
The reason is not far to seek New
York naturally attracts a class OF men
who have the means and wealth to
srattfs' a desire for whatever they
wish. For many years the great draw
eack TO harness sport was the lack OF a
Suitabl" place for fast driving. Few
men care to own fast horse unless
they can crafty the ambition to have
fast one and excel some competitor In
point OF speed.
Now ell this is changed. The owner
and lover OF the light harness horse
has free access to the finest drive de-
voted to fast driving in the world. 1t
rs "A boon not alone accessible to the
man OF wealth, who drives a champion
that perhaps represents an outlay OF
many thousands Of dollars, but equally
80 to the man OF humble means who
prohs' bly, finds as much pleasure behind
his modest priced trotter as falls to
the lot OF the wealthy devotee.
Again. IL is not alone those who drive
;hat vote Speedway Park on " the
brightest and most enjoyable spots in
Greater New York. Thousands who
make the journey by car to enjoy the
beautiful scenery and watch the sport
derive fully as much pleasure as those
who drive.
'rne visitor who had not seen the To-
vuiity in ten years would scarcely rec
Dgnize the place to-day. What was
,hen Il rough. unattractive spot of
wilderness has been transformed into
lovely park stretching for two miles
along the banks OF the Harlem River.
SofteneI and made more attractive.
The rugged beauty OF nature has been
softened and made more attractive.
The sheltered hooks and overhangins
cliffs present an ever changing piano.
rama that alone would make visit
well worth the journey.
When to this Is added the most mag
ninccnt speeding ground man ever con-
structec. over whose surface one can
see almost daily the fastest harness
horses In the world competing in spir.
tied contests. what could the lover OF
nature or sport desire that IL not here
provided for his enjoyment?
The approach from the Viaduct az
l55th street has been hewn for the
greater part OF the way out Of solid
rock. This part Of the drive has n MA
cadam stone surface. The broad walks
on either side in the pedestrian Ia
join the throng view the sport
Many. however Ter to make the
journey up Amst an avenue. leaving
the car at Wa, ngton Bridge and
passing down JTS-d stops EscSs
that lead to the i've.
At the end OF the approach tbs
Speedway proper begins. and extends
for tribe over a mile and a half to
Dykeman street. which is really a ma
cadamized extension. The construction
or the roadbed is similar to that of the
tracks where harness races are held,
and no track has better care or Is kept
In more perfect order. The first stretch
extend.: to High Bridge. From this
point to Washington Bridge there is a
slight descent as the upper stretch In
reached.
II is here that the drivers usually
congregate and the majority OF the con-
tests take place. The lower stretch Is
rarely used for speeding. except on the
homeward journey, when q party OF
friends indulge in a grand scramble to
see which shall first reach the macad-
am.
Sunday morning. from ten to twelve
o'clock, Is when the drive is liable to
be most attractive to the lover OF har-
ness sport. The visitor may then see
not only many OF the fastest horses the
skill OF the breeder and trainer has
produced. but prominent visiting horse
men from other cities who sojourn here
to enjoy the advantage or the famous
drive.
At recent Sunday morning meet,
among the many famous horses seen in
the tbrong., was Robert j.. s2:e1 l-2, the
Champion harness horse OF the world
at the time he was transferred from
she race track to tho road, and Bumps
z:o3lt. that now holds the worlds rec
ord to wagon. Among others scarcely
less noted were Bessie Bonehill, 2:05X;
Roy Wilkes. s:os IL; Darrell. 2:07X:
Lizxie Wilkes. 2:oSA David B., 2:esH:
James L. 2:09 Ia; King Egbert, 2:OsX:
Lucille. 2:o9x; Nettie Jefferson. 2:1oH;
J. II. D., 2:iok: Ambidexter. 7:11X;
Iron Ban. 2:11x; Jack. 2:12h; Chanty.
t:1six: West Wilkes, 2:1Shs Glen Mere
Boy. 2:14A; Sir Ella. z:14x, and per-
haps others which figure as members
az the exclusive ais list.
This was not any special occasion.
either, but is such common occurrence
that many Of the regular spectators
come to know all the Speedway stars.
which OF course. adds greatly to the
enjoy ment Of witnessing the contests
Those present that morning saw the
famous Cracks" Robert J.. 2:01 IL,
Pumps. e:03H; Darrell. 2:07A. and Jack
f:17 Ia, IN one of the best contests ever
A.