The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-06-24
FAIR ASSOCIATION
REFUSES PERMIT
Horse Races viii Close Friday:
Gambling Is objection
able Feature.
LESTER FREED TENDERS
HIS RESIGNATION
Says Board Is Dictated to by
President Mcdonald Of
State Fair.

There Will he no more horse racing
a the Utah state fair grounds after FRI
day under the management OF the Utah
Jockey club. This decision was arrived
nj by the board OF directors of the Utah
State Fair association at a meeting held
Wednesday afternoon at tho chamber of
commerce. The board went into session
at p. nj. and adjourned at $40 o'clock,
after the hottest session that was ever
held In the history OF the association or
probably ever will be. Tho result not
only tabooed racing. but also resulted
In the resignation Of Lester D. Freed.
ono Of the most prominent members OF
the board. and who was directly respon-
sible for the big success Of the state fair
amusements, horse racing being the fea-
ture; the past two years.
After the meeting adjourned, President
j G. Mcdonald said that the board had
refused to give an extension Of ten days
for the present meeting owing to the OBJ
Jcctionable gambling feature connected
With the sport
President Mcdonald said that the board
OF directors had before them at the meet
Ing petitions signed by prominent bust
ness men and bankers OF this city from
the state senators and representatives,
track and urged its discontinuance Mr..
Mcdonald said that In the face OF so
much public sentiment against the racing
there was no other course left but to
call of the meet Friday. the date OF the
expiration OF the Utah Jockey club lease.
Vote Taken.
After the vote had been taken on the
proposition II was found that William
G. Windcr, Thomas Smith, Mrs. w ".
Ritter. Mrs, y. y. Empey, Robert Irvine.
John II. Seeley, c a. Hickenlooper and
President j. G. Mcdonald voted against
continuing the present meeting, Lester
j. Freed. NJ. X Parsons and William T.
Armstrong voted for the races.
Lester D. Freed said that the Utah
state Fair association was morally obli-
said that no objection had been made
when the Jockey club advertised forty
day meeting and the horsemen came here
stood by the board that the races were
to continue, providing they were pro-
NOTED in clean manner; and Mr. Freed
further said that the best people OF the
city attended the races and all praised
the manner in which the sport was
spent in the neighborhood OF $1,000 in
improvements and were paying a rental
OF Sls9 a. a day for all race DAYS; In the
il would BE an Injustice TO the horsemen
TO call of the races,
Freed Resigns.
Lester D. Freed resigned as one of
the board OF directors giving as rea-
son rnat President j. Gs Mcdonald is
the whole show and what he says goes,
Mr. Freed said that he would not be
dominated by any one and was tired OF
having one man dictate how others should
vote. Mr.. Freed said that the majority
OF the members Of the board had not
attended a single meeting and knew moth
Ing regarding the sport except what they
had heard. yet they voted against It. Mr..
Freed said that Mcdonald told him Fri
day that he would call off the races Mr..
Freed demanded a board meeting at tina
time and Mcdonald refused TO listen, Mr..
sons prevailed on a board meeting, but
were Informed by President Mcdonald
that il was Of no use, AS the other mem
bers would vote against the racing.
would he no betting allowed al the statc
fair races during the coming fall meet
ing.
Horsemen Disappointed.
Trea srrer w. H. Gleason. who is prin-
cipal financial hacker OF the Utah Jockey
club was interviewed last night re-
earding his views Of the situation, and
said;
THE decision OF the state fair board
not TO extend the meeting to the
pected limit of forty days was a great
disappointment to us. but inasmuch as
this decision represents the voice of
majority of the directors, We Will ac-
cept il gracefully and without complaint
OF criticism. 1t means quite a big loss
10 us and great inconvenience and loss
to horsemeu who expected to share in
additional purse money that we would
have distributed in the ten days, but it
cannot he helped now. The meeting will
end after the card Is run off Friday af-
ternoon, IN accordance with the Of
ticiaiy expressed wish Of the fair board
1irccforc