The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-06-23
HORSEMEN TO
PRESENT PLEA
FOR EXTENSION
Question of Allowing Races to
Continue viii Be Decided
by Fair Board Today.
OWNERS SAY 40 DAYS
RACING WAS PROMISED
MANY BUSINESS MEN ON REC
ORD AS OPPOSED TO THE
PROPOSITION.

a special meeting of the directors OF
the State Fair association viii be held
this afternoon, at which a final decision
viii be reached on the question of the
extension of the lease Of the Utah
Jockey club. which is holding a racing
meeting at the fair grounds. The orig
inal lease was for a period Of thirty
days, which expires Friday. The Jockey
club has been anxious for an extension
of the lease for ten days following Fri
day and for twenty days following the
fair in the fall
Since the beginning of the meeting
An intensely strong sentiment has de-
veloped against its continuance beyond
the limits of the original thirty days.
President James @. Mcdonald Of the
fair association believes that thirty
days racing is enough, and some time
ago made a definite announcement that
this will be the limit of the meeting.
Mr.. Mcdonald made this announcement,
believing that there would be no Oppo-
sition to the termination of the lease on
the part Of other members of the fair
board. Such opposition, however. has
developed and there is a prospect of a
division on the question at today's
meeting. though little doubt is felt that
a majority Of the thirteen members Of
the board viii be found In favor Of the
discOntinuance of the racing.
Plea Of the Horsemen.
It was said yesterday at the race
I track that a large committee represent
ing the horse owners would appear be
fore the board to urge the extension Of
the meeting. This method would be
adopted, it was said, to secure ten days
additional racing upon the plea that
the owners had brought their horses
here expecting forty days racing, and
! had involved themselves in expenses
they would not be able to meet unless
/ the meeting continued for forty days.
The horsemen will urge that inasmuch
( as the meeting was advertised for forty
/ days, that stakes and purses to be run
/ off were advertised and that this was a
/ consideration under which they were
/ induced TO bring the horses to the track.
/ the sudden discrimination of the meet
will work a hardship on them.
Petition Was Circulated.
Several days ago some business men
/ began the circulation Of a petition which
| received a number of signatures before
/ Mr.. McDonald's announcement made
/ further circulation of the petition I'M
/ necessary. In the short time the petit
.
| signatures Of d considerable number Of
/ the principal business men of the city.
/ The text Of the petition follows:
salt Lake City, Utah June II. 1909.
I To His EXcellency. Governor William
Spry, and the Directors Of the Utah
State Fair Association of the State OF
Utah:
Gentlemen: We. the undersigned citi-
/ zens Of the state of Utah. respectfully
petition as follows, That
Whereas said Utah
| ISOLATION has leased the fair grounds i'm
/ Salt Lake City. Utah. to a racing or
/ jockey club for q period of thirty days.
ending June . next with the right OF
/ renewal for ten DAYS Immediately fol-
/ lowing said date, and with the right of
/ renewal of twenty days in the fall Of
/ the year. at the option Of the directors
/ Of said Utah state Fair association, and
| Whereas, the operation Of said jockey
/ club entails and uecessitates the making
I Of bets and selling of pools. and
| Whereas, such betting and pool selling
makes a serious monetary drain upon
/ the community and entails sorrow and
suffering upon many unprotected peo-
pie.
/ Therefore we, the undersigned citizens.
I 90 hereby petition that the contract now
I In operation be not extended either for
/ the period of ten days following June
| . or for any other period
/ Respectfully submitted.
List of the signers.
! Charles Read.
] Harvey j. Jones.
J. H LeysOn Co. c.. r. PearsalI. vice
/ president.
! Heber NJ Wells. former governor. sec
/ rotary and manager Utah Savings &
I Trust Co.
w Mont Ferry. councilman. capitalist.
| Keith-O' Breu Co, II. W. Walker, man
/ ager-
/ John A. Street attorney.
/ NJ. H. Walker. head of Walker Broth
/ ers. bankers.
/ l. II. FarnsWOrth, cashier Walker
/ Brothers bank.
/ ". Z Lake with Walker Brothers
+ bank
J w S. Mccormick. banker.
/ IT. S. Young, cashier Deseret National
I bank
/ w. w. Ritter. president Deseret Saw
Continued on Page 7.