The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-26
WANT A SPEEDW AY
Local Horsemen Are Again Agitat-
ing the Old Question.
TWO LOCATIONS ARE SUGGESTED
one /. Along Kenwood Boulevard
and the other ON Lake ys Il
sOf the Isles

One Is Along Kenwood Boulevard
and the other ON Lake ID? IA
'of the Isles.
Minneapolis forsemen are again agi-
tating the question of a speedway for the
many fast trotters and PAGERS chat are
owned in this city In Chicago, New
York and many smaller cities of America,
fine roadways. have been built where anna
teur drivers enjoy exciting: brushes every
pleasant afternoon These drives have
proven a source of much pleasure not only
to owners of fast, horses, but also to the
public in general. The citizens as
whole take great delight in watching the
impromptu battles, and on any Saturday
or holiday afternoon, the speedWays OF
the cities mentioned are lined with men
and women, who vigorously applaud the
efforts of the matinee drivers. =.
Horsemen of this city have long left
the need of such speedway, but up to
date NO one has suggested suitable site.
1t is extremely difficult to pick out a
stretch of read long enough and wide
enough for speedway, which can be used
without interfering with ordinary traft1c
The speedway must be given over entirely
-
ton to ask the city to vacate Travelled
street for the sole convenience OF the
owners of fast harness horses
Again, the road selected for this pur-
pose must be fairly straight and level IT
must be wide and at least half mile
long. 1t must not cross any other drive
wav, for in such case the safety of or
binary rigs would be endangered, and the
horsemen would not be able to drive ct
full speed for fear Of collision at a
cross road. Lastly, the place selected
must not present too many natural dlH-
culties in the way of grading and the like,
else the EXPENSE entailed WILL eHectually
block the scheme.
This week a well-known local driver,
after a tour of inspection, selected two
sites, where it was thought that speed,
way could be constructed, and where prac-
tically all the conditions mentioned were
met. -...-.. .-- 500 ., -,
80 Along Kenwood Boulevard. -
One of the sites in question lies along
the Kenwood boulevard, beginning just
beyond Lyndale avenue, and cont 1nulng
on the left side of the present carriage
drive to fork in the road about nall
mile further on. No buildings oDstrucC
the proposed speedway and no houses
front the road on this side. SO that a
new driveway it is believed could be built
without interfering with the rights or
any other property holders along Ken
| wood boulevard .-.... g..
| The stretch of ground where 1t is pro-
posed to locate the speedway Is at pres
ent used as a pasture by the owners OF
various bovines. 1t is practically as
straight as a string. and would require
comparatively little grading and leveling.
It has ample width for the purpose de-
sired. and if the cost of the. land does not
prove too great. may turn out to be an
| ideal place, inasmuch as the expense OF
construction, on account of the natural
| advantages, would be = comparatively
| slight, after the site was once secured.
If speedway were located at this place,
it would afford splendid opportunity for
wheelmen, drivers and others to watch
the; work of the horses. The local owners
Of. fast steppers- realize that they should
consider the public, and wish to locate
| the speedway If one is built, where &C
| cess will be easy both to the drivers and
| to those who wish merely to look on. The
site mentioned would enable the crowds
which swarm to Lakes Harriet and CAL
! houn in the summer to stop off for a short
while and view the inpromptu speed con-
l. TESTS. = a. - -t. = - ~. .s.S ~ e.
| On Shore. of Lake Of the Isles.
| The second tentative site selected lies
along the east shore of Lake of the Isles.
1t is strip of ground between the boule
ward and the. lake itself, and is formed by
dirt thrown up by the dredger.< This strip
of ground belongs to the park board, and
! Is now put to no USE It is a little more
than half a mile in length, and of just
about sufficient width to admit of good
speeding. There are two slight turns but
neither is sharp enough, it is thought, to
interfere with fast work. -.
After speeding. over the course, the
horses could be driven back along the
boulevard speeding only one way of the
drive, and thus giving more room for the
races. From the road above spectators
could have a splendid view of the con-
| tests. -. ...<-~..
In view of the enjoyment that would be
derived by the general public as we'll as
| by the horsemen themselves, 1t Is the gen
eral opinion that the park board might
be induced to set aside this strip of land
which is now, practically waste ground
for speedway, provided the horse owners
assumed the cost of construction, which
they would undoubtedly be willing to do
Speaking from this point, one horseman
said: = TT
Money Can Be Raised. =
have had definite assurance from mum
Der of wealthy men who are interested il
| horses that the money needed for speed
way would be forthcoming If a suitable sit,
| could be found. 1 believe that neither o
these locations present any great difficulty
and that the expense of building drive a
one of these points would be comparativel,
light, if the land could be secured at rea
:, sonable price. = 4 >.-- -. d.
+ I have laid the matter before several men
who agree with me that the general Location
:; of these two sites is admirable and that i
after. careful examination by experts tn
} scheme is found practicable they will do thei
share in the work The matter will be thor
oughly Investigated, and it will be ascer
tanned whether the ground desired can b
secured. Then, If it still seems possible t
proceed with the scheme, an effort will b
made to interest all horsemen who woul
be likely to enjoy the benefits of a speed
way. ~
It is useless to think of locating speed
way at some remote point in going to an
returning from which afternoon woul
be consumed. But if drive can be bull
at some accessible place, where horseme
can stop for half an hours or an hour
, speeding on their way to or from Lake Har
: riet, and where the public will have an op
: portunity to watch the horsemen at thei
work see no reason why Minneapolis Shout