The St. Louis Republic., 1903-01-04
DRIVERS WANT SPEEDWAY.
SPORTSMEN WANT TO BUILD
COLISEUM AND A SPEEDWAY.
Max Orthwen Promoting Both PrOctsOcaton of Speed
to Be Space Around Tower Grove ParkWant to Save
and Rebuild the Present Colseum-Improyement
in Family Horses Badly Needed in st. Louis

One gentleman of st. Louis, very much
set on amateur sportsmanship-as distin
guished from mere "sport'-has two pet
projects. Most persons competent to judge
them and to form correct opinions will
agree that the projects are highly laudable
and that they belong to a very proper man
one entirely capable Of guiding them to
successful elimination.
Max r. orthwein is the gentleman of the
dual projects. The first of them, the sal
wage, removal and re-ereceion of the Coils
cum. As is quite well known. the present
Coliseum building is to be removed to make
way for library building. At present the
splendid structure has no future beyond dis
mantlement Mr.. Orthwen is eager to have
1t taken down-it Is built in sections-and re-
moved to a location about the Grand ave-
nue. and Olive street district. 1t will take
some 500. 900 to do this. Mr.. Orthwein feels
that there are. or should be. In st. Louis. 200
men willing to subscribe 600 each for the
purpose Of removing the big building and
setting 1t up again.
sportsmen agree that the loss Of the big
arena would work incalcuiable injury to the
higher pastimes. Without 1t a horse show
main feature OF the Coliseum as it stands
there is not any chance to doubt that its
possibilities and usages have not been de-
tty. Those who claim to know about such
things say that 1t is an ideal place for
meetings-poiitical. religious, social and 9TH
II 10 beyond the scope Of this article to
determine this l do know. however. that,
as an arena for sports. the Coliseum has not
been avatled OF to in anything like Its ca
pacity. Perhaps st. Louis has not been
large enough or advanced enough to make
such things as balls; society cirensss indoor
profitable. II it has not been 50, the day
will soon come when it will Then the pleas;
Be- be- thoroughly Se sipps appreciased. siA e VIII
show tha. she was up 10 The Coliseum.
snd the shUw u had
profit, instead Of the previous anhand.om
loss. So will It be with other events tried
found wanting. An odd society circus.
social riding exhibition. potato races, a
couple Of rousing Partisan balls. bench
show, etc. will make the gentlemen who
Join Mr.. Orthwein happy and not y or. The
possibilities OF the structure are too wide to
be discussed at length here.
As far az political meetings. etc, go they
who should know say the Coliseum Is the
only place on earth. And when the dlgni-
for % The Two Words Fair and receptions @ % Ssiis
and other affairs take place, where can they
be held save at the Coliseum?
Then the lessees of Madison Square say
that the money which they receive from
promoters Of big glove contests looks as
good as any other money to them SO not
be deemed anything but most attractive
, one.
Mr.. Orthwein's other hobby is. perhaps.
easier Of accomplishment than the Coliseum
Idea. 1t Is nothing more or less than q
driveway on which gentlemen Of st; Louis
something sadly lacking in this city. Every
town of tenth.rate consequence has some
dTSe or othe snoS @ and
the law. ct Louis lacks in this respect
what towns like Detroit Kansas City.
surs ans etss
caso. Philadelphia and New York.
Yet II does seem that St. Louis Is pri-
afternoon trottins brushes between owners
Of fast horses than any other town In the
world. Not anywhere do so many we'll
like each other so well. Every man who
i owns a good horse knows the other fellow.
They are all close friends. In Chicago and
owners scarce having an acquaintance with
each other. In st. Louis they are boon COM
panions
There is not even the remotest attempt of
a speedway in st. Louis: Many locations
have been spoken of. The Worlds Fair
Grounds broke up q pet speedway scheme
partment. He had plan to work way
aeross the Oats Of Forest Park. back Of the
IindeN Pavilion. Another scheme en-
braced run from Baden to Chain Of
Rocks. This Is bit out of town, though
| Kings XII highway % has BEEN BEEN talked Of. but
| trafic renders 1t a bit impraeticable.
Mr.. Orthwein thinks that the reserve
strip around Tower Grove Park would make
! an admirable speedway. 1t is just wide
enough undulating enough, long enough and
! 50 happily situated that drivers can go all
around the park to the original starting
! place instead of coming back In lines closely
paralleled to those on which they went out.
| Then the way lies around an exceedingly
handsome park. close to one of the finest
! gardens In the world, is right In the center
Of rich residence section. is but ten min
utes' drive from the center OF the business
| city and almost within thirty minutes drive
of the principal private and public stables
+. Of st. Louis and right of the main artery
! OF trafic between North and South St.
! Louis. Further it Is but fifteen minutes
trot from Forest Park and the Worlds Fair
/ Grounds. The location Is admirable in that
| the way lies on n plateau which Is ono Of
| the highest points in the city.
+, There are plenty of men in St. Louis who
own or should own, or who. under proper
conditions, would be glad to own, roadsters
Of the right kind. They should have q
speedway. It il not easy to find more en-