The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-06-22
WASHINGTON PARK
CLOSES ITS GATES
Club Has Been Losing Money
Since the Bookmskers :
Were BaRlshed

CHICAGO. June 21.-There will be no
more horse racing at Washington Park
TINS year and a report was in circulation
tonight that the track where SO many
American Derbfes have been decided will
be abandoned
The stand taken by the city authori-
ues prohibiting betting in any form at
ment Of the present meeting With the
elimination of the bookmaker, racegoers
refused TO patronize the track. and dur
was taken in at the gates to pay the en-
ployes Of the track, to say nothing Of the
purses for the races, which amounted to
an average Of $4,000 a day
After the races had been run off today
the directors CT the club held meeting to
consider the ACCESSIBILITY of continuing the
meeting for the full twenty-five days, de-
spite the large sum of money that would
be lost and the decision was reached to
close the gates for the present meeting
at least.
All Stakes Declared Off
The announcement was made by Secre-
tary Howard that all stakes left to be de-
clded had been declared off. Among the
stakes left undecided are the Hyde Park
stakes, the Sheridan handicap, the Young
handicap and the Wheeler handicap. A
proposal was made to Secretary Howard
to run some of these stakes at the other
tracks, but it was refused. Mr. Howard
declaring that if they could not be de-
cided at Washington Park they would
When the edict by Mayor Harrison
against betting at the track was issued
last week it was believed by the officials
of the club that their patrons would be
willing to pay admission to the park to
witness the races regardless of the bet
ting end of the game
That this supposition was wrong was
plainly evident even on last Saturday,
when the American Derby was run.
When last years Derby was decided be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000 people passed
fIl1aC1I 1CI Cot
urday, when it was known that there
was no chance to hazard money on the
results of the races, the attendance was
fully Is, 900 less. Notwithstanding that all
conditions surrounding the running of the
event were as favorable, or even more so,
with the exception of the attraction of the
bookmaker, than on the corresponding
Derby day year ago.
Low Gate Record Broken
Yesterday, with the same restrictions
regarding wagering money governing the
races, not over 81, 500 was taken in at the
gates. A year ago on the corresponding
day ten times that amount was paid
in at the gates. Today lmatters were
in paid admissions, making today's at
tendance the smallest that has ever wit
messed the thoroughbreds run at Wash
ington Park.
Whether the closing of Washington
Park will have any effect on the running
of races on other tracks in the vicinity
of Chicago is not known The Washing
ton Park track is situated in the city of
Chicago and is under the jurisdiction of
the city authorities. The other Chicago
tracks, Harlem. Hawthorne and Worth,
are located outside the city limits and are
outside the Jurisdiction Of the city au-
thorities. Whether Sheriff Barrett will
interfere with these tracks is problema-
tic. At any rate, it is not likely there
will be any more racing in Chicago until
July II, when Hawthorne opens for its
summer meeting. The dates allotted to
Washington Park which were abandoned
today, it is said, will not be given to the
other tracks.