The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-10-22
is Fastest TRACK
IN KNOWN WORLD
H. G. ToIer Tells Some of Its
Early History.
HAS NEVER BEEN CHANGED
Ransom Browns Measure
ment of Wichita Track
HAS NEVER BEEN CHANGED

Ever since the world was startled by
the report that Cresceus had beaten the
worlds record for trotting horses and re-
duced the time below two minutes. peopla
everywhere are asking whether the
| Wichita track is a full mile.
That question ought TO be easily SCI
tied. The Wichita track is here now
just the same as it was the day that
Cresceus made his fast mile. and just
| the same that il has been for 10. these
many years. 1t has neither contracted or
! expanded and anybody can go and meas
ure it. II. G.. Toler has had about as
much TO do with the fairs in Wichita
and the races as anyone. He was the
( owner OF Ashland Wilkes, John p. Gen
/ try, and other famous horses 1t &C.
CURED 10 a reporter for the Eagle YES
/ terday that Mr.. Toler might be able 10
! say something about the Wichita track
! that would interest the readers Of the
| Eagle, and he was seen at the Toler
. Auditorium.
/ Mr.. Toier was sitting. in his private
I office at the Auditorium. talking with
some friends. when he was asked to tell
on which Cresceus had made his famous
race
Yes. I can remember few things
about the Wichita track" said Mr..
ToIer. IN. A. English, who lived in the
days of Jim Steel, and who did more for
Wichita than any other man. made the
track. If 1 were TO say that y. y.
English spent $4,000 TO help Wichita, /
would not miss the figures very far.
English owned the ground at that time
and he spent $500 on the track alone.
He had the track surveyed and located
just as 1t is today, and some of those
fellows who are telling about the first
survey making the track short and it's
being made larger by McNair are simply
mistaken.
The man who laid out and measured
the track was John Bear. He was one
of the best surveyors and civil engi-
neers in the west at that time. The
track was built to his measurement and
under his direction, and it stands today
just as he built it.
Mr.. English spent not less than $4,000
on the grounds. He was president of the
first association. and the first fair was
held. I think. in 1886. Col. HartzeH was
the secretary of the association, and he
appropriated the entire proceeds to go
west. The track had TO be surveyed by
a respectable surveyor and his sworn
statement that the track was a mile in
length. before they could hold legal races
under the American association. The
track was measured three feet from the
pole. as the rules require. and my recol-
lection is that the measurement showed
three feet over the mile, but the sur
veyor made the necessary affidavit that
the track was fuils mile.
Mr.. English. l think. mortgaged the
grounds with some other property for
$4,000 to the Keen syndicate. and they
afterwards got the fair grounds. Ransom
Brown measured the track three years
ago. and his deposition is now on file
with the secretary of the American Trot-
ting association, 80 Dearborn street. Chi
cage"
Did you see Cresceus make his fast
mile?"
NO. / was not at the fair grounds that
day. L have always been doubtful about
the two-minute horse, but, both before !
and since Cresceus was shown on the
track here considered him the great |
est trotting horse in the world. He is
a game devil, and 1t is my candid opia- {
ion that IL put into a race with Lou