The Washington times., 1907-09-08
Saratoga Officials
Say Empire Track
Can't hyure Them
Enough People in State Outside of Gotham to
Support Spa CQurSe-LaSt of Soft Soap
for WeSternerS.
By J. S. A. MACDONALD.

NEW YORK, Sept. The month OF
August was an eventfuI one IN metro
pOlitan racing circles.
II developed two thinEs-Empire City
race track and a feeling that beautiful
Saratoga is on a retrograde movement in
so far as racing is concerned. The huge
crowds which thronged the Yonkers
course daily during the eighteen days
II was open prove concIusively that New
Workers are as enthusiastic about the
sport In August as in any other month.
Il IS safe to say that twO-thirds Of
those who JoUrneyed to the track daily
had never seen Saratoga. and would not
nave gone there even had there been
no racing a. home. This IS almost PROOF
conclusive that the game at Saratoga
was injured only 10 a slight extent.
Reform Disguised Rich.
It was not Empire City which made
this years season at The Spa away be-
low the standard. 1t was something else
closer at home. When the powers that
be allowed clubs owned and controlled
by SaratoEans 70 open up and kept Can
fields and other luxurious rooms con-
Quoted by outsiders closed. a feeling OF
antagonism was the outgrowth. The
rich people who formerly went to Sara
toga to be amused remained away this
year, after last years experience. when
not card was turned.
Saratoga racing officials claim that
1 Iney have now sufficient clientele at
/ nome ana IN nearby towns 20 assure
them good patronage. and that II opDo-
sltion is permanent during August. why.
they VIII not suffer as much as MANY
people believe. This is certainly en-
couraging, for it would indeed be a
calamity 10 see a lovely spot like Sara
toga abandoned as racing point
Decision vitality Important.
II Empire City race track has come
to stay, the only reasonable thing to be
done is 10 give Saratoga three oDen
weeks In August and cut o the dates
of the other New York tracks so as to
give Mr.. Buffers course a chance to
live. Empire City is said to have
cleared 100000 at its meeting which
ended yesterday and Mr.. Butler is
quoted as saying that II he is allowed
70 conduct racing in the future he win
spend every cent Of this sum, and more
too. on improving the track.
Racing folk are very much Interested
In the aftermath Of the pre-ent contro-
Versy- The West is especially anxious.
and when the appeal comes up for a
nearing in October the eyes of the en-
IRE amer 4aiIeIlcah racing contingent wiz be
on that court. The decision. one way
or the other. means much to racing in
this country.
What Commission Wants.
It is a significant fact that two of the
members of the New York Racing Com
mission visited Mr. Buffers track while
racing was being conducted there Both
expressed themselves as being very
mach pleased with the plant and tho
manner in which the track was man
AGED. MI NadSWOTth is said 70 ro,-,
made the statement, while talking to
friends in the CLUB house, that il was a
mistaken idea II anyone believed that
the racing commission was antagOnistic
10 the Empire City track.
What the commission was anxious To
do was to ind out just how II stood
under the law creating the commission
He and his cOnfreres desired to know
whether or not they had ne power to
grant licenses without the courts being
resorted to. Therefore the decision in
the mandamgs appeal Csc Is OF the