Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-03-19
THIRTY RACE TRACKS CLOSED
Anti-Gambling Legislation Causes
Disoontinuanoe Of Circuits.
MANY MILLIONS ARE LOST
hrseNsEu and Ovvaera safer Deprecia-
atoa IN Propsrtiss-FiEhtsA Against
the Agitation Prove 20 ne
Fruitless.


NEW YORK, March ls.-More than thirty
race tracks in this country. not including
nine IN the state Of New York and three
IN Florida, have been closed by adverse
legislation since 1892, when the first sue
osssful crusade against racing was car
ried on in New Jersey. It Is estimated
that more than sfOO0O.OO0 worth OF prop
aFty has been deprecated in value. while
Thousands Of owners and breeders have
been financially crippled. The thorough
bred breeding industry has been reduced
90 q minimum and the passing OF some
Of the greatest race horses in the world
has been recorded.
The New Jersey crusade was chiefly due
to the iniquities at Gutenberg and Glou-
cester, where winter race meets were held
in defiance Of the racing law and the sure
thing gambling element ruled with an iron
hand. Because these tracks followed a
rule Of ruin policy unconstitutional amend
ment was passed by the voters across the
Hudson river which closed magnificent
Monmouth Park. together with the small
Ter race courses at Ellzabtth. Linden and
Clifton. Many Thousands of dollars in
vested in these tracks were lost as a re-
suit and the tracks were allowed to go to
wreck and ruin. Today they are disman-
tied and 30 far gone that the casual OBJ
server would find II hard to believe that
Thoroughbred horses ever ran over them
for high stakes and purses.
Attempts Fail in Chicago.
In spite Of powerful influences the Chi
cago tracks were soon put out Of business.
Washington Park. where the $4,000 Ameri-
can derby was run; Hawthorne, over
which Edward Corrigan presided; Worth
and Harlem. in which the blind John Con-
don was more than ordinarily interested.
we're forced to close their gates. Several
attempts since have been made to re-
vive the sport in the Windy City, but the
reform element in each instance has devel-
oped sufficient power to successfully OPP
pose favorable legislation. Corrigan and
Condor, once bitter enemies, met with
other reverses. When former Governor
Polk conducted winning fight against
race track gambling in the state OF Mis-
souri,. Corrigan was caught in the net
He was the principal owner of the bis
track In Kansas City. which together Will
the fair controlled by the Celia syndicate
was forced to nail up the shutters.
Condor put nearly a million dollars into
Oaklawn Park az Hot Springs, Ark. only
to find that after one season the reformeri
held the whip hand in the legislature al
IAttle Rock A bill prohibiting bookmak
ing became . law and Oaklawn, together
with another track at the Springs became
worthless Corrigan was caught agar
when the Louisiana legislature closed TIT
game at New Orleans, where Il had thriveS
for many years. The master Of Hawthorn
invested a fortune in the construction Of
the city park track, when was run II
opposition to the old fair grounds, II
which Celia and Condor were said to b
heavily interested. They operated on Z
conflicting date schedule one winter anC
both lost money. Then. having reached al
amicabIe agreement, these tracks founs
that they had few supporters among TIN
lawmakers at Baton Rouge and were com
PEELED 20 give up the fight in spite Of
storm Of protests from the business mel
of New Orleans.
Memphis Loses Track.
Montgomery park. Memphis. where man,
turf events mad history. and the Nash
Vile track were boarded up because or tn
anti-booknalsing crusade in the state o
Tennessee The merry go-round at Roby
Ind, also fell a victim TO the crusaders
Iren HIN and Alexander Island were closes
before the District Of Columbia put tn
iSibosh on the Washington Jockey Club
track at Bennings, which was a costly AZ
fair and was the biggest racing plant sout
OF New York. New Hampshire made shor
work OF the big race course at Salem.
In far off Seattle the lawmakers took
crack at q prosperous track and then cam
an unexpectedly strong fight against tn
t,irf solons IN California In 1908 the Cali
fornia legislature passed measure frame
on the lines of the Agnew-Hart bill, wit
the result that the million dollar track a
Santa Anita, near Los Angeles. threw "a
the sponge. Thomas II. Williams, ewne
Of the Emeryville track. across the ba,
from San Francisco, tested the new laV
and got a decision that oral betting wa
legal, but this winter the California legis
lature made that form Of speculation I'm
possible and EmeryvillO shut down a shoi
time ago rather than conduct hopeless
fight for restoration.
The Texas legislature more than a yea
ago passed ant-racing measures whic
closed tracks At Dallas, Houston, San Ar
tonic. Galveston. El PasO and other ciuei
In Florida new law goes into effect o
May ], which, IL is said will make furthe
meetings at Jacksonville, Tampa and Per
sacola out OF the question. They tried ra'
ing and betting in Atlanta, Ca, two year
ago. but the venture was abandoned upo
the arrest and conviction Of q layer {
odds.
New Workers Give I'D.
II is needless 70 record the fact that III
Agnew-Perkins bills passed at Albany la'
year made Il advisable for the owners Z
the Aqueduct. jamaica belmont Parl
Gravesend, sheepshead Bay BTightOl
Empire City and Saratoga tracks 20 civ
up the fight temporarily at least Kent
worth Park. Buffalo, closed as soon q
the AEnew-Hart bills were passed In $50
Under the present conditions, unless SON
relief IL obtained from the courts, few
any Of these tracks will operate this yea
But the Jockey club Is not idle and there
be number Of test cases very soon.
The only states in which racing and be
ting oan go on now are Maryland. Virgins
West Virginia, Utah, Montana and Kel
lucky. There are tracks ready 20 resun
business AZ Salt Lake City and ogden an
Butte while PimneO will hold a sprir
meeting as usual in April. II has be-
rumored for some time, however. that n
Maryland legislature would be asked
pass bin prohibiting bookmalVing az Il
Baltimore track. also a. the little half mi
circuit located at Marlborough. which wi
run Al a loss last fall Jamestown ne,