Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-22
ATTEMPT TO SHELvE OLD
WESTERN JOCKEY CLUB
CRESCENT CITY, ITS ONLY PROP
IN LAST TWO YEARS, GONE
Once Powerful Body Is Weakened by
Every Vicious Attack on Racing
In the West-A. !. A. VIII
Govern

Special to The Herald.
NEW ORLEANS. Dec. M.-The long de-
layed but not unexpected preliminaries
for the shelving of the old Western
Jockey club developed with last weeks
racing at the fair grounds. Weakened by
every attack directed at racing In the
west. this once powerful body mas had
during the last two years only the Cres-
cent City Jockey club to rely upon, and
now this last prop has been taken from
under and the body that has existed In
name only for many troublesome months
seems about to be dismembered.
Last summer there was made prema-
ture announcement that the Western
Jockey club was about to be and In some
quarters that 1t had been formally dis
banded That such action would have
been wise was the belief of several OF the
most prominent members. That 1t was not
dismembered was due to the fact that
other stewards were loath to give up
the yearly salary that attached to their
stewardships, and SO 1t was allowed to
stand. It's one hope of life was the con-
tinued LOYALTY of the Crescent City Jockey
club. Internal strife with this latter or
ganization finally has brought the crisis.
and IL by any chance the governing pody
should make show Of further life 1t
will be only through the generosity Of
some of the wealthy members.
No Revenue from Crescent
Al the opening of the season here there
was much discussion as to wnat rules
would govern the racing at the old fair
grounds track. Some of the old Stock
holders were anxious that American lurI
association rules should govern ana tnat
ho
w T. c. After a long discussion 1t was
decided to let things go as they had been
so far as surface indications could snow,
but In reality, the old plant is racing
for itself strictly and from it's profits the
w. ]. c. will derive not one cent OF reVe-
nue. That much has been agreed upon,
and to show the intentions or the commit
tee that is In charge Charles 8. Busn. VINO
for so many years was he dominating m
fiuence in local racing and VINO always
has been steward representing the W.
I q with some sort of supervision OF the
racing. has been denied official recogni-
ton. ,r
dov Judge Clarence Mcdowell was COM
missioned TO inform Mr.. Bush that there
would he no place for him In the judges
stand. where he had sat for so many sea-
sons. This was quiet way for INFORM
ing him and through him the body ne rep.
resented that the time for severing all
official connections had come. In all the
Years of the life of the w. j. c. there
was constantly accommodating a FUND
above the salaries of the officials and the
EXPENSES of conducting the affairs OF the
organization. 1t is generally understood
that what was left of this fund was di-
vided among the members some time ago
and the only chance for revenue SUI
ficient to pay salaries and expenses.
total of probably $4,000 per year. was tnat
to be had from this one remaining track.
End Of w. J. C.
This money was to come through
license fees and fines. One of the arrange
ments between the two local racing asso-
Citations was that all such fines ana Iees
collected this winter would be dlvioeo
equally between the two clubs those from
the City park plant to be turned over 10
the American Turf association and the
fair grounds part presumably to the
western Jockey club. There was the
chance for the Crescent City Jockey club
To get back at its governing body, and the
members promptly took advantage OF the
onportuntty by deciding to keep Its part
In its own treasury. 49,,
without this money the ". j. G. VIII
have nothing to carry 1t along, and rail-
ing to derive any benefit financially OF
otherwise from membership, not to mem
ton the possibility that they may pc
called upon to go into their pockets 10
share the cost of carrying on the busi-
ness of the club. it is almost a certainty
that the stewards will now agree to dis
band,
Only One Governing Body
motion for formally giving up was
arranged by Louis Celia last summer, Mr.
Celia realizing at that time that there
was no longer a chance for the w. J. O.,
but he- was outvoted by Messrs. BUSH,
Montgomery, Perkins and others. VINO
have a fancy for the yearly salary that
goes with stewardship. With the change
In circumstances will come change OF
heart and of vote, and it would not be
surprising il the next meeting OF the or
ganization resulted In dissolution. 50,
after about seven years OF existence, the
bubble of pretense VIII burst and there
will remain for western racing govern
ment only the American Turf association
But in the A. t. A. all Is not so serene
as It might be, II the talks or some OF
it's members may be taken as an indica-
ton After all there may come still an
other turf body that will be combina-
ton OF both the old ones, with the best
points of both taken in, to make up one
that will be fit to control, as neither OF
the old ones has been. This may not come
directly, but 1t must come II the western
turf is to be preserved. and none Will
doubt that those who have been most BIT
ter In the fight of the last three years
will listen to reason rather than destroy
the good thing that is theirs and event.
,e, liz :. .~ron &o a Yaaca that will bo lasting