The Savannah morning news., 1901-08-23
MAY BE IN CIRCUIT
utG ASSOCIATION LOOKINGTO
SAVANNAH TRACK.
FOR EASTERN CIRCUIT RACES
WANTS TO HOLD EARLY SPRING
MEETINGS AT SAVANNAH.

o,bis would Mean Races of the Sort
Vbnt Are Seen Mt Bennings, Aque-
duct and Morris Park-Eastern
Circuit People Want to Make a
Trial of the Track First-After
That, Is Is Said, They Would BE
willing to Lease-Number of Stalls
ON the Grounds May Be Increased.
Meeting of Racing Committee of
the Fair This AfternOOn-PrO-
gramme to BE Arranged and a
starter Chosen.
A movement is afoot to get Savannah
in as one of the points in the Eastern
Racing Circuit. There is talk of an Of
fer from the association, which wants
IA start it's season earlier than hereto
fore 1t has no track farther South
than Bennings, near Washington, but
wants one.
T. O. Mcbride. who is interested in
racing. spoke yesterday of the effort of
the Eastern people to get the track
that is now being finished up by the
savannah Fair Association. He said
that the racing association wants to
get the track for February and March,
in order that it may have an early
spring meet here. From Savannah, the
horses would go to Washington, thence
TO Aqueduct and thence to Morris
Park.
AS Mr.. Mcbride understood it, it is
not the purpose of the association to
offer the Fair Association any very
large amount for the use of the track
the first season, as it is desired as an
experiment or trial. The racing people
do not know just how the sport would
take here or just how many horses
they could get but they believe that
good opportunity is offered. After the
trial has demonstrated the success that
may be won from good races, under
such auspices as the Eastern Circuits,
in Savannah, it is said that the racing
people would be willing to pay well for
the use of the track for two months
late in every winter.
The movement has also reached the
notice of Mr.. A. B. Moore, general man
ager of the Fair Association, though
not officially. No offer has as yet been
made. Mr.. L. ]. Maxwell has been in
terested in the effort to secure races
for Savannah, too, and his information
is that the Eastern Circuit is seriously
considering making a bid for the Sa-
Vannah track.
Not in the slightest degree, so far as
can be learned, would the lease of the
81 511rir ha fxxrn he faI
affect the plans of the Savannah Fair
Association. After the State Fair is
held in November, it is universally
conceded that the best thing that can
be done for the city's interests is to
enter into some arrangement whereby
races as exciting and as attractive as
those at New Orleans, Latonia, Sara
.toga or anywhere else may be secured.
After the work of the Fair Association
has been accomplished, it is not i'm
probable that jockey club may be or
gained.
Only 100 stalls are provided for at the
Fair grounds. This number will be in
sufficient. A Canadian, who owns rae
ing stables, has written Mr.. Moore
about the prospective races. The rae
ing man does not see how he is to
bring his horses to Savannah, unless
there are many more stalls put up.
that 100 stalls seem but few to him.
Mr.. Moore said this can be easily rem
edied. As soon as it is shown that more
stalls are needed, they will be erected.
Their will be no difficulty on this
score.
meeting of the Racing Committee
of the Fair Association will be held this
afternoon at the Office in the Board of
Trade building. The members of the
committee are Messrs. L. ]. Maxwell,
T. j. Davis and A B. M. Gibbes Presi-
dent George w. owens of the AsSocia-
ton is chairman of the committee.
The meeting will be for the purpose
OF arranging a programme of the races
to be held during the Fair There will
be both harness and running races,
and the committee is to decide upon
the division of the $1,000 appropriated
Tor the races into purses for each of
the events. When the programme has
been arranged, it will be printed for
circulation among racing men.
NO bids for pool privileges or for
barroom and restaurant privileges
nave yet been submitted to the Fair
Association. Sept. l is the date set
Tor opening bids. Mcbride said yester-
day that he would submit a bid for the
pool privilege. He will also try for that
at Atlanta, Valdosta and Jacksonville,
all of which are in the racing circuit
mat has been established.
starter for the State Fair races is
TO be chosen. This will be done by the
committee this afternon. There are
some twenty-five applicants for the
position. All set forth that they are
the finest that ever started a race.