Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-06-18
Ottumwa Driving Park Be
gins Business.
STARTS WITH A PARADE
Affair Is Not Manipulating Scheme
But Is for Pleasure of the Members
The Races and the Winers in
Saturdays Events.

From Mondays Daily.
The opening of the Ottumwa Driv-
| ing Park, which took place Saturday
afternoon, was an auspicious event,
and fit beginning for several seasons
of sport in this city, among the people
who own horses not for the money
they can win with their speed but for
the pleasure that comes of it. The
Ottumwa Driving club is composed Of
men who have had some experience
| in handling horses and who know what
a good horse is, and the interest they
take will create an interest among 9th
ers whose experience has been less.
| The club starts with good member
ship, and the prospects are good for a
very noticeable increase in the num-
/ Der as time goes on and people learn
that the promoters of the affair mean
/ business.
The program Saturday commenced
with parade through the business
portion of the city and out to the
track, which Is located on the site of
the old fair ground, west Of the city.
The track itself has been put into
good condition, and after little more
working it will be fast. A grand
stand and a judges stand have been
built on the grounds, and the place
4 has taken on business air.
4 The Parade.
4 The parade formed on Second street
i in front of the Wapello club house
and proceeded east on Second to JEFF
ferson, south to Main, west to Court
north to Second and west to the track
About thirty carriages were in line
and they presented a pretty picture
The carriages themselves were of the
most modern patterns, and were
drawn by the best horses in the city
There would probably have been g
much larger number in the parade
had it been on some afternoon Other
than Saturday. owing to the fact tha
business kept number of the mem
: bers of the club from participating.
At the Grounds.
When the participants in the pa
rade had arrived at the grounds, Cal
vim Manning, who acted as master o.
ceremonies, made a short speech from
i the judges stand, announcing the for
NAL opening of the park and comment
ing upon the wide awake spirit showr
by the people of the city in taking par
, in the affairs of the organization, ant
! prophesied bright future for the clut
= He then announced the races for the
afternoon.
), The Races.
oI The first race was half mile pace
. and was participated in by JOSEPH
Dain Jr., with his horse, Don" anC
3 William Majors with his horse, Earl
/ The latter horse broke in each of the
. three heats, but showed good speet
f when held at his gait. The first two
r heats were close, Mr.Dain winning the
= first and Mr.. Majors the second Ii
Y the third heat, Mr. Majors horse broke
f on the back stretch. and, although HI
f gained control of the animal ant
/ brought him under the wire at goot
!. gait, the third heat and the race wen
to his competitor. The time was 1:27
t 1926, 1.27.
e The. second race was half mill
l. trot, the contestants being "Eleano
n B." owned and driven by A. B. VIII
liams, and Captain L." owned by Dag
gett & Sons driven by Ernest Dag
gett. The two heats were both yer,
close, the horses keeping within
= short distance of each other all tn
way around the track, but Mr.. Wi
l. liams' horse succeeded in landing bot
:. frsts by small margin. The tim
n for the two heats was 1889 and 1:31.
i w. B. Bonnifeld. Jr., drove his trot
l. ting mare, Julia" in race one-hea
e with Joseph Dain, Jr., who drove hi
e PAGER, '"Tramby." The time was slow
S Mr.. Dain winning.
o Will Have Regular Meetings.
It was announced at Saturday
meeting that there will in the futur
be regular meetings each Friday a
/. ternoon.