The Washington herald., 1910-12-18
ny q. ID. SALE.


Early in the day old Sol put the foot
ing on the Speedway. also on the Po-
tOmac Driveway. on the blink. the result
being that nothing was doing Gen. Mel
son A. Miles appeared early on The scene
behind his fast and handsome pair OF
bays. all fitted out with Russian bells.
and, with other up-to-date equipment
anxious for brush. but was compelled
TO return his rig to his private stable
with his ambition unsatIshed.
Harry Hesser and William Blatcher
came down from Mount Pleasant with
John o. Gheen's Barongale, 2;16iz, and
also found the footing not to their liking.
Andrew Gleeson, who promised TO be on
the field early with Nan Patterson and
make Gen. Miles take TO the tan timber.
Tengged- Michael Norris was afraid
Ferka might strike a tendon. and WAS
also absent Peter LOTUS could not get
Miss Arcola 10 the blacksmith shop, in
order that her shoes might be roughed,
and did not flash up as promised. +. +.
Han, who pledged himself TO be pres
ent with the pick OF his large stable of
trotters and PAGERS. got cold feet at the
eleventh hour. ID. j. Mccarthy was
afraid that Harry Madden might be pres
ent and also failed TO show up. and SO il
went all along the line Of District of Co
luTnbia horsemen who are won't to make
merry on the snow path whenever the
opportunity presents itself. Charley Wea-
yer walked all the way from West Wash
ing 10 the Speedway. and, for the want of
q nickel or a car ticket walked back
IN he in bp af
alleged horsemen in Washington was
Harry Bowling. who got out of a sick
bed TO add zest to the sport.
But there viii be other days and other
snow storms in this latitude before the
backbone OF winter is broken, when Op-
portunity will be taken BY the forelock
instead of by the tail. and we may yet
indulge in some old-fashioned brushes
such as were had on Pennsylvania ave
nue. and on the White Lot Ellipse some
fifteen years ago or more. In those glor-
ious days there We're more horses owned
in Washington that possessed speed than
are owned here to-day three 10 one.
There We're more sleighs owned at that
period, three 10 one, than are owned here
now. There were more game sports in
Washington in those days, three TO one,
than reside here now. There was more
light harness horse interest displayed in
Washington fifteen years ago. by a large
majority. than is now displayed, and, it
may be truthfully remarked, a blessed
sight more fun. Are we degenerating as
a horse town? II sometimes looks as if
We were
Many OF the main props of sport OF
those days have passed over TO the ma
jority; some have become superannuated
by reason of age. Andrew GleesOn, ST..
Washington Nayl0r John II. Gheen,
Charles HaFtung, John Graney, John II.
Kelly, and host of other horsemen, are
gone to return no more. In the days Of
which We speak. what is now known as
the Potomac Park was an unsightly
swamp without form and void. 1t was
the dumping ground of the city, and a
disgrace TO the city in the eyes Of all
visitors. The only spot within the cor
porate limits was what is now called the
White Lot The present Ellipse was the
thought OF President Grant, who was a
lover OF the American trotter and a pa
iron of light harness sport. He expressed
a desire 10 the head of the Engineer
COrps-that splendid body OF men who
have done so much for improvements Of
various kinds on this cOntinsnt-fOr
spot where he might exercise his fine
stable of trotters at speed. and. in close
proximity 10 the White House, and the
present Eliipse is the result.
Every afternoon. when his duties and
The weather permitted, the great soldier
might be observed holding the reins over
d tuotter. sometimes a span of trOtters.
When his term expired the Ellipse was
used by all who wished to drive on il at
speed. and this condition of affairs ex-
listed until racing on the Ellipse became
a menace TO people who were merely out
for a quiet airing, when the local authOri
ties ordered that no person should drive
over tho course at a gait exceeding six
miles an hour.
When Col. SymOnds. superintendent of
Public Buildings and Grounds, and an
enthusiastic light harness horseman.
threw open the drive, beginning from b
street and extending TO the Long Bridge,
some six or seven years ago. he conferred
"a great privilege on the hOrsemen Of
Washington. On each Wednesday after
noon the drive was thrown open to the
horsemen Of the District and many were
the lively brushes to be witnessed on that
day between some of the best-knOWn
men and horses in Washington. When
the footing became too hard to be driven
over at speed with safety, the Drivers
and Riders Association, founded by p.
V. De Graw, was permitted TO construct
a Speedway a mile in length, beginning
at Twenty-third street and ending at B
street.
The horsemen of Washington expended
in the neighborhood of S6,O0O or $1,000 on
this course. when park improvements. a
4ew years since, compelled them TO resort
TO, the Speedway just abandoned by rea-
son Of other park improvements. The
Speedway just abandoned has cost the
hoTsemen Of the District upward of
$1,000; 50. taking 1t all in all. the horse
men of the District of Columbia have ex-
pended in the neighbOrhOod of $4,000 to
s12.0m in building and keeping in repair
speedways of which they were tenants
and to which they bad no legal titles.
II A permanent speedway becomes an
established fact, the horsemen of the Dis
trict of Columbia will still be tenants at
Will When they obey the rules laid down
we understand that their obligations will
cease. 1t is understood that the Federal
government will maintain the course and
keep il in order at its own expense.
Whether this be true or not. a permanent
speedway win be a great boon conferred
on the hoTsemen of the District and
everybody may rest assured that no other
city m this country viii have a course
exactly as good for the purpose for which
IL viii be dedicated. 1t INDY be taken for
granted that local horsemen cannot hope
long to use the new Speedway for their
personal benefit. The plan Of improve
ments on the part of the park where the
teR course is located. is being rapidly
Always the Same.