Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-21
Racing ty Lantern Light.
By C. C. PETTUS.

Not any turf event of the season thus
far has witnessed such a display OF gehu-
inc nubIic enthusiasm as the thrilling neck
and-neck finish between the game three
year-olds. Peter Pan, McCarter and Mont
romery. in the $4,000 Brighton handicap.
For never before in the history or THESE
great all-aged stakes, the Brooklyn
Suburban and Brighton, have a trio OF
three-year-olds fought out the battle at the
end, with all the older horses BEHIND then'
1t was a struggle to arouse the blood OF
an anchorite, one to cause even the most
confirmed hermit to renounce his lie OF
exile. and once more to feel that the world
excitemcnts are alluring-especlaIIy at
struggle of this kind. between plue-pIoooeo
race horses of the highest class.
When the late George Engeman, 1ather
of William Engeman, the principal owner
of the Brighton race course property
started nearly thirty years ago TO bulld
race track on the sandbanks at Coney Is
land. his friends TO man looked on the
enterprise as visionary in the extreme, ana
tried to dssuade him from carrying out the
project.
But Promoter Engeman had already
bought a number of acres OF these sano
dunes by the sea- and. foreseeing the posi-
bjlities Of the locality, as seaside resort
for the general public, within easy access
OF two millions of people of New YORK,
Brooklyn and Jersey City, he went ahead
with his race course. -.
The Brighton Beach track was built, ana
n racing association founded by himself
Simeon Hoagland, Col h. w. simmons
Mai C. C. Wheeler, ]. j. Burke James
McCiowan C. A. Hoff, and others, as It's
moving spirits, men OF experience anu
popular in the world of sport.
From the outset the enterprise proved
success, although the sea on several occa,
sions inundated the track grounds ana
caused a temporary cessation OF tne / ael i.
10 repair damages But finally these IN
roads OF old ocean were checked Tor gooo'
and not in many years has the track sui
fered in this respect. .,
These early days at the Brighton track
a quarter of century ago were lG Hl,,b oi ne
Cissitudes. The American Jockey Cluo the
Coney Island Jockey Club, the Saratoga AS
sociation and the Monmouth Park AsSocld-
zion. the only ones in the metropolitan rae
ing field were not especially lrlehuiS " 'i4e
Engeman track by the sea-
PM the new course not only held Its own,
but in the second year of its history raced
lo6 days to and including December 1.
a great boon to the poorer owners, some oi
whom. now in Easy street, owe their
start 10 Rrighton's stakes and purses, at
a time when their horses were not good
enough to win at the more pretentious
tracks.
One of these early pioneers of the sea-
side course, James Mccormick. who has
done so we'll this season with Glorider ana
Tangle said at Brighton recently:
book could be written about the lncldehts
Of Brighton's early days. The pubic al
ways got plenty of action ana 'he man
agement was deservedly popular. One ar
ternoon in November, 1854, heat race, IN
which l had a horse, was Spit II was
dark when the final heat was cailed up
and this deciding heat was run by lantern
ught-One lantern at each furIong pole
In the latter part of the fall season OF
1884 the Brighton management set aside a
day for reporters benefit-a testimonial