Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-01-04
VICTORY FOR PROGRESS
Rapid Building In Chicago and Expan-
sion Of Residence District Writes
Death Warrant of Club That Orig
mated the American Derby-cIoslns
of Club House Quiet.

greatest Of American sporting events
the Derby-has been allowed to die.
The Derby died when betting was dis
continued. Since then the end of the |
club has been in sight. But the real
cause Of the demise of the organization
was the onward march Of progress, the
rapid building of residences in the vi
entity Of the once great race course. |
Finally the ground came to be In de- l
mand for residence property and the !
club was practically forced to surrend- |
er to progress.
The contrast to the scenes of splen-
dor and gayety that have occurred
within its walls and about it's wide YER
andas the Washington park club was
last night dark and gloomy and its
finale was without even valedictory
serenade.
When the bell of the big clock in the
office struck 6 the echo through the
silent, untenanted halls sounded the
knell of the great American Derby and
signaled the end of the organization
that had contributed some Of the
brightest pages to the history of Amer
lean sport.
A night Waterman slammed the big
front doors after few heavy hearted
members Of the dying club had gath
cred UP their souvenirs and mementos
of twenty-one years enjoyment and
walked down the driveway for the last
time. No feast, no ceremony, no for
NAL leave taking. marked the passing
of the club 1t ended In solitude,
mockery to the thrilling excitement,
| the brilliant holiday throngs and fren-
zied cheers Of delight for the winner Of
the first American Derby that vel
coined the birth Of the historic race
track in 1884
End of High Class Racing.
When an end to horse racing In
Chicago was ordered after the Derby
in 1904 when Highball shattered the
record for the Derby and $4,000 people
turned out to enjoy the bright June
day not all hope of another Derby was
abandoned by the people of Chicago,
but when the directors of Washington
Park club decreed two weeks ago that
the organization be disbanded and the
property subdivided into building lots
the end of thoroughbred racing in
i Chicago was admitted.
II Sunday night several companies OF
men and WON en- spent the evening al
4 the club house. 1t had originally been
J announced that the doors would he
J. closed New Years eve, but the direc
tors changed the date to New Years
day No parties were planned, how
i ever, and the only visitors during the
, day were few members who wen
, to the club house to carry away the1l
private property.
In Existence TWenty-one Years.
The Washington Park club, meas
t ured by mans existence, had LITTLE
: more than reached its majority. Thu
| organization was approaching its TWEEN
/ ty-second year when the directors de
termined that it was useless to con
Z tinue it as a social organization only
( No club in Chicago, and few in tn
country, numbered a stronger list Q
notaDles among it's members and it
history cannot be eliminated from tn
Z record of American sport. In fact,
history Of thoroughbred horse racin
], would be ridiculously incomplete tina
: did not contain the story of the si1
teen American Derbies-events tina
: rank with the classic races of Englan
run under the auspices of the Wasl
4 g
/, Record of the Great Race.
The sixteen American Derbys tina
It made Washington park famous are 9
follows:
: Time.
1Ss4-Modesty (Murphy) ...2:42A
5. 1Ss5-Volante (Murphy) ....2:49k
: 1886 Silver Cloud (Mur-
n phy) ........ "a
o 1870. II. Todd (Hamil-
ton ).............. ......2:5o12
1888 Emperor of Norfolk
(Mnrphy) ........... -. .I:4OA
e 1883 Spokane (Kiley) 49,. .2:4lA
:. 1S9O-Uncle Bob (Kiley) ...2:53A
Z 1-Strathmeath (Coving-
tom ........... .2:4lA
1s92-Carlbad (Williams) ..2:44A
y 1S93-Boundless (Garrison) .2:36
1 1S94-Rey Ell Santa Anita
vi (Van Kuren) ............2:36
1S9S-Pink Coat CIV. Mar
TIM .............. .z:41A
Sidney Lucas (Bull-
mani ............... ..2.4O9
E 1901-Robert Waddell (Bull-
19o2-Wyeth (Lynn) ..2:40
1s03-The Picket (Helge-
l. oyi Z.SS