New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-18
ON ENGLISH TRACKS
Racecourses a Mine of Wealth
for Towns POSSESSING Them.

| near. 10 the great ACKNOWLEDGMENT of tbosc
citizens who cater for strangers hpt
further benefits accrue to the ra,enavors
through the profits which arise FROM tho
meeting. which are dedicated to TIE
lowering OF their contributions 10 tho civic
! Golfers.
! Among the few places where the rate
! collectors are not necessarily confirmed
pessimists are Doncaster, Yarmouth Rrigh.
! ton and Chester, each of which possesses n
rate reducing racecourse. Doncaster. happv
in the possession of the old established St
| Leger meeting, Is peculiarly favored mas
! much as its course is a gold mine on the
| surface and an embryo coal mine beneath.
Citizens at Butterscotchville actually
| greet their rate collector with n smile. and
| TO be not at home when he calls is a
subterfuge rarely INDUCED in. The reason
| for this. apart from the natural geniality
OF the Yorkshireman, is TO be found in the
! fact that the racecourse has been known
TO furnish the corporation with over 5000
/ in receipts. while the average profit is in
| the neishborhood of $4,000, which is not
| far short OF 10 shillings head OF popula-
/ ton.
/ In 1910, when I'll. 800 was handed over FOR
/ the relief Of the rates, il was stated that
| the sum represented a saving Of ! shilling
| and pence in the pound. while in 1909 the
/ $4,000 accruing for the same purpose was
! the equivalent Of . shillings ard pence in
| the pound.
Yarmouth has boosted a racecourse for
many years. but It IS only within the last
decade that the corporation has taken over
/ control Of the annual race meeting. Prior
! 10 1904 committee that had a thirty years
| lease of the course ran the same on phil
anthropic principles that resulted in $1,000
| being distributed among local charities as
the result of the meeting Of 1902, and h.'oo
| IN 1915. when three churches participated
in the division.
| In 1901 the corporation. having paid the
1o-guinea subscription. due under the rules
Of racing. 70 tho Jockey club. started its
career on the turf. and although the first
wears receirts were wisely devoted 10
course improvements the result OF the sec
ond meeting furnished the authorities with
a ne. profit of $500 equivalent 10 about 2
pence an inhabitant. which was devoted
toward the payment OF the rates
Some few years ago the old Srandstahd al
breezy Yarmouth was burned 10 the ground
without any one, saving perhaps the insul
ance people. showing the least particle OF
regret at the confagration, and in It's place
a freproof building, 10 accommodate ls'"o
persons. was erected, at cost Of to"o'
and in addition other Improvements were
effected. including the laying out OF a per-
fectly straight mile. Bloaterville looks Tor
ward with the utmost compacency to
very considerable increase In its racecourse
receipts in the immediate future.
Although Tottenham does not derive a
large sum for the alienation of the rates
from the annual four days racing at Alex
andra Park. il appears 10 be an undoupleu
fact that without racing its rates woud
cost more. iud gtng from the fact mat the
trustees receive 5000 from that source OF
revenue toward the upkeep OF the PARK
and palace. and have further stated that
they would require $4,000 a year II the race
course We're done away with.
Al Brighton the local raceCourse has
been the source Of much gain TO the town.
not merely as an attraction. but also as
rate reducer. In 1903. when the racecourse
trustees made a gift OF fi.Cno 10 the cor
noration for the benefit OF the aged ana
deserving poor the interest being distrlo-
uted at Christmas It was stated that up 10
that date the course had provided the Town
with benefits which aggregated 5000 ana
included the Queens Park. the presenta-
tion of sixteen acres. part Of the race
course. and the legal estate in the race
ground.
Since that date the corporation mas re-
ceived an offer Of 5000 a year from syn
dicate that desired 70 inclose certain parts
IF the race hill on not more than dozen
DAYS in the wear: the offer however, was
not accepted. and the corporation takes
the risk OF the receipts averaging that
sim Asa matter OF fact. I'm 1875 two meet
ings furnished the corporation treasury
with Il 200 profit: IN 1eo6 f2,7s5 accrued. the
August meeting providing a record attend
ance. in 1907 i2.O9l was paid over TO the
neonle.s representatives from the trustees
in 1905 when bad weather prejudlced 'le
takings. clips. and in 1909. t2,2SS. mat
great deal depends on the weather expert
euced can be gathered from the fact that
whereas the June meeting OF 1905. when the
weather was June-like. showed a clear
pron, Of son. the previous years meeting
resulted in deficit.
The Chester Cup is a great insututloh'
for not only does II furnish the winner
with Cheshire cheese. value -, lose'her
with other emoluments. but II materially
reduces the rates by attracting huge
crowds to the famous Roodee. The. cor
noration Of Chester does not eHudlo
Yarmouth I'm running the race meeting IT.
self. but remains discreeuy IN the BACK
ground while the Chester Race Company
Limited does the work. When. however
- has been done and the shc<ols have
rolled in tue corporation looks 10 the COM
many for one-eighth on The gross taklhSs'
aud il, due course receives q sum-tl17O IN
1907 f17s4 I'm 1905 4. so I'm 1893 and tl4lb in
the wear Of national mourning. DlO-equlVa-
lo,t 10 a > pence rate. IN sixteen years the
cornoratiou Of Chester has received t22.-op
in the 81 ape Of rent from the racecourse.
chester races cover three days ~ the
wear and their popularity can bc gagged
from tho fact that I'm 1907 73.3h people at
tended the meeting and paid tl2.279 i'm re-
coints an Increase of more than 1000 people
and q 900 over the previous year. when the
figures were IS. ga and tll.21 respectively.
Needless 10 say cup Day with a record
Of sS.sSg visitors and receipts Of 5000. ac-
counts for the greater portion OF the at
tendance II is interesting 10 note that the
COMPANY. whose net profit varies from
wear TO year. but is generally somewhere
about T. so Ghe gross receipts amounting
to from $4,000 10 $4,000. cannot pay its
shareholders more than 10 per cent. free OF
income tax but rs il does this with re-
markable regularity they have little rea-
son 10 find fault with their distinguished
board OF directors.
Although Manchester Race Course has
paid its shareholders "a much as - per
cont a rear. and kempton Park-MhOse Is