The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-07
SARATOGA SEASON is OPEN,
THE SPRINGS rs NOW RtADf ."
PLAY THE PART or HOST.
No Gambling This iear-Hack Nuisance
Remoye ed From BrOadwa!-New spee"'
way Ready for Trotters-An OraerH
and Fashionable season fro""se"'

S.p.roGA SPRINGS. June o. According
m cns,om. almost as old as the village
the Saratoga summer season opened to-
day The opening was not altehoeo w
anv official announcement, business was
mi susnended and the town did not put
on its purple and fine linen in honor OF the
occasion. Length of years has nHea 'ne
date of the coming to the Springs OF the
cottage colony as the first week IN june
During that week city servants are busy
making the country homes ready 1or 'he
coming of the masters, and on the "''
day of the week. according to an ancient
fiction, it is assumed that the season mas
been formally opened.
Tonight dinners and dinner-dances are
being given at many OF the cottages ana
Tomorrow the avenue and the speedway
will be thronged with carriages and speed
ing wagons which on last Sunday we're roll
ing through Central Park or whizzing down
the Harlem River Speedway,
There is every reason to believe tha'
Saratoga will have an unusually gay sum
mer The fashionable set ha"" made ar
engagements, apparently, to come early
and stay late. Such cottages as are lor
rent are finding tenants rapidly, and the
advance engagements at the hotels are
away ahead of what they have been for five
wears. 1t looks now as if the hotels would
do better business this season than during
any summer since the famous one OF 1882.
And all these evidences Of busy sum-
mer present themselves in spite OF the
official announcement that there will be
no gambling here this season. Some
nersons have been rather astonished at
this announcement, especially since the
village has not been hit by any wave OF
reform. Those who know the real situa-
ton are not astonished in the least at the
announcement.
Two years ago THE SUN told of the Sara
topa system for controlling the vice OF
gambling. 1t was pointed out at that
time that the number Of gambling houses
had been reduced from something like
fifty to six and that the latter number
would be reduced from time to time, as the
authorities thought best.
A few months ago there was no thought
of doing away with all gambling here this
summer. All the townsfolk and all the
visitors want the Saratoga Club, the Man
haitian and one or two other places IN tne
same line of business. The people OF the
village do not want any more, ana tneH
do not purpose having any more. fe"
months ago it was found that some other
gamblers were headed from the West for a
summer in Saratoga. They were informed
that they'd better go, else where. Then II
to put all the gamblers out Of business, and
the edict was promptly promulgated
The fact of the business is that Saratoga
has outgrown the need OF the sum
mer society Of gamblers. This statement
doesn't apply TO a man of the name OF
Garfield, because he Is regarded as Sara
logan and one of the most progressive
in the village. But William c. Whitney
is regarded as the patron saint OF sara
toga now, and the residents OF the village
want to run their town in about the way
they think he and his associates IN the Sara
toga Racing Association would like TO have
it run. But since Mr. Whitney never eX-
presses any views on the subject, the natives
can only act on their best judgment. :,
But Saratoga has done more for itself
than to put the gamblers out of business
To do some of the other things required
legislation. and Senator Edgar T. Bracket
attended to that
First law was passed making 1t unlaw-
full for vehicles to solicit passengers on the
streets or to stand there for hire. A hack
stand was provided at the expense OF the
village, where such carriages might remain
until called for. This legislation evoked
much criticism from the class directly
affected by it. but its wisdom has beer
amply demonstrated, and even the hack
men themselves, as a class, are now in favor
of it, because their revenues have been in
creased and outside interference with theil
business has been prevented by a syster
of licenses The streets are now reserved
for the legitimate purposes of driving anC
riding and may, in measure, be said tc
have been reclaimed to the use OF the public
Another bill was introduced providing
for a speedway running parallel with Uniol
avenue, the famous boulevard, and giving
a clear, level mile, 300 feet wide, for trottine
and speeding purposes. In the summel
months the most famous road horses OF
which has already become an established
feature Of Saratoga.
And now Saratoga, the season being
open, is ready 10 entertain.