Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-19

Finest Race Course.
New York now has the finest race course
In the world, called Belmont Park and To-
Gated In the center OF Queens county. Long
Island, on the estate of the late William
DeForrest Manice. which. half a century
ago. was one OF the show places around
New York The old mansion. which was
built in 1877. is still in excellent condition
and is the headquarters of the Turf and
Field Club The park has ESQ acres, with
five tracks in the Enclosure The main
track, standard oval. is one and a half
miles long, the turf track is one and three
eighth miles, the steeplechase three miles:
the 'straightaway chute" for colts. with
out curve or angle, seven furlongs tthe
longest in the country, and the training
track one mile. Each track is 100 feet
wide
There are stables for l. goo horses in rows
OF separate buildings. uniform In architec-
ture but varying in size to accommodate
from ten to thirty horses. These stables
are rented by the month year or season
so that lessees may be exclusive Eight
or nine breeders and owners have erected
stables at their own expense and according
to their own plans, for which the associa-
ton has given them sites free OF charge
The paddock is 300 feet long by ~ feet
wide, with stalls for thirty-siX horses and
Is connected by a private walk with a
clubhouse for the jockeys exclusively. Nc
one else is allowed TO enter this house
Jockeys are required to go there iumedi-
ately upon their arrival at the park. on
days when they are riding and are NOT
permitted to leave until they are called to
the track. They have very comfortable
accommodations and a wide balcony from
which they have a splendid view OF the
field. This is considered one of the most
Important Of the improvements.
The Grand Stand.
The grand stand is $50 feet long. $50 feet
wide and co feet high. with seating ca
pacity of lJ001. and 'bleachers" on the
roof. The construction is fireproof. no
wood having been used except for seats
The walls are brick. the framework is steel
the floors concrete and the seats fold IN
like those in theater. There is another
stand without a roof. also fircproof 800 feet
long. 50 feet wide and 40 feet high To
which only 30 cents admission is charged
1t Will seat about 10000 people making
the accommodations for the public about
25,eW. The private accommodations pro-
vided for members Of the association are
capable of taking care OF about 2.5Uo and
the clubhouse. OF Italian rena issance de-
sign, also fireproof. is undoubtedly the An
est structure that has ever been built on
race course. 1t is convenient commodi-
Gus and as comfortable as any club house
In New York and cost $4,000. Its three
balconies l12 feet long and Is feet
wide and are connected with the grand
stand by steel bridge. The restaurant
and cafe are equal to those of any club or
hotel in New York. The buildings are all
on the south side of the track. so that the
people who go 10 the races will never
have the sun in their eyes.
tour-track line has been built To the
gate of the park by the Long Island Rail
road Company, and the trains are man
aged on the subway system-two tracks
for through express trains and two tracks
for accommodations which stop at local
stations. The terminals are depressed with
bridges across the ten tracks which can
accommodate ten ten-car trains. On race
days the company runs trains at ten-min-
ute intervals from Long Island City and
Brooklyn The new park was opened on
the 4th of May and programs have been
given there daily ever since