Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-29
HARNESS HORSE SPORT


The new speedway of the Road Drivers
and Riders Association of the District or
Columbia is fast approaching completion
and at a date near at hand will be opened
with a flourish never before attempted by a
similar organization In this part of me
country.
There was a largely attended meeting OF
the members of the association held at the
Metropolitan Hotel last Friday evening.
There were present Gen. Nelson A. Miles,
president; Edward H Droop. treasurer;
p. V DeGraw. secretary; Col. Thomas w
Simons Mr.. James d. Yeamans and J.
MAY Morrison of the executive committee
and about fifty other members.
For some time past the path Of the Road
Drivers and Riders Association has not
been one strewn with roses. Numerous diff
ficulties have beset the organization and
hampered the greatly desired forward
movement. Means for the completion OF
the speedway were the main obstacles
Charles McDermott stepped to the fore a
short time ago. He offered to do the work
at his own expense. The offer was accept
ed. For the past week Mr.. McDermott
has had a force of about thirty teams
with wagons, plows and scrapers, and
about seventy-five men, on the task, ana
now practically all there is left to do is the
narrowing and hardening of the track.
This progress, so hastily made, was
cause for profuse felicitation and congratu-
lation at the Metropolitan Hotel meeting
Mr.. McDermotts praise was loudly and elo-
quently sung. and j. May Morrison. who
delegated to aid Mr.. McDermott as he
might be able. and who has spent much
time in the performance of this mission,
was also duly commended.
IL the plans of the Road Drivers and
Riders Association are carried out the
Washington speedway will have no SUI
peror in the country. If authority can be
obtained from the proper source club
house and speedway stables will be built,
and the infield and surrounding grounds
adorned in way that will make it a model
of its kind
Bedworth, jr., 2.O6h was not taken to
Baltimore. 1t was intended to start him IN
the free-for-all class al the Gentlemens
Driving Park meeting last week. but he
came home from his campaign on the Mary
land and Virginia circuit suffering with a
cold, and it was not deemed advisable to
run any risks with him by racing him while
no. entirely well. Bedworth jr did not
show his real speed during the last days of
racing on the circuit, and it is now believed
that his failure 10 win at Hagerstown and
Frederick was due IN some measure, at
least. to Illness. Still, he met q very high
class of horses at both of those places and
would have had to show unusual form to
have beaten them.
Frank Yokum broke the half-mile track
record at Charter Oak Park. Hartford.
Conn. last Thursday. He won the free
for-all pace in 2.0s. 207A and 207. The
former fast mark for the course was 2O7A.
This horse was at one time owned by
Judge Yoemans. formerly a member of the
Interstate commerce commission and was
given his early training by Frank Seeley.
a driver well known in Washington on the
Old Dominion running course just across
the Potomac, in Virginia Seeiey always
insisted that Yokum a two-minute
PAGER. Since the horse left his care he has
gone many very fast miles. He now has a
mark of 204k, and good judges declare he
has not yet reached the limit of his speed.
Charles McDermott has purchased from
William Weber. the East Washington
grocer, the trotting mare Elnara. This
mare is by Elyria. She is magnificent big
sorrel She has mark, but recently
pulled a wagon half mile over the Bright
wood track with Tom Baldwin, who weighs
30 pounds. plotting her, in Ill, and It Is
thought with proper handling can go mile
in go easily. Mr.. McDermott Will ~ to
break the Brightwood team record with Ell
nara and Marion Wilkes, and there is talk
of Il match race between this pair and any
other two trotters owned in the District
Tom Cannon will try to hunt out team.
Such a race would be rare for the local
track and would create a good deal of in
tefest
The success of the stable of horses from
the Riverdale Stock Farm of Enfield, n H.,
on the Maryland and Virginia circuit and
elsewhere in this section of the land re-
Gently, has been a matter of much COM
ment. Bishop is from this stable and
twice took the measure of the fast Wash
ingtOn PAGER, BedWorth, jr Jennie w. is
another member of this contingent and at
Baltimore last week simply paced rings
around the speedy Hallack NJ. and Kidd.
She won the 225 $1,000 stake race in
straight heats in 2.12A, 211A and 211A.
Harrison Wilkes, a trotter from the Yam