The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-03-01
Great Western Circuit Lineup
For the Year is Well Balanced

For the Year
(By j. L. Hervey.)
Chicago. March 1.-As prognosticat-
ed last Sunday. the last week has
been n of the busiest ones-one of
the most interesting and important,
so far as harness racing affairs are
concerned, that Chicago has ever en-
%perienced.
First came the annual meeting Of
the Great Western Circuit. at which
that chain Of meetings. second only
to the Brand Circuit in Importance
and prestige. was thoroughly reorgan-
lied for the coming campaign.
Next came the special congress Of
the American Trotting association.
which proved as expected one of the
organization, the deliberations them
selves being sizzling throughout,
while their results will be widespread
in their influence upon the conduct
OF harness racing in the middle west
and west.
And during the most Of the week
the big auction sale al the stock yards
ran along. filling each afternoon and
evening. attracting a large attendance
of bidders and buyers and resulting
In many notable transfers.
Taking up the Great Western Cir
cult first, 1t nay be said that as 1t
lines up for 1913 it is the most SYM
metrical and best balanced that it has
been for years. If ever. a number
Of seasons two or three Grand
Circuit towns were seized with the
bright idea that it would be a clever
thing to belong to the Great Western
too. In this way they would gain a
double prestige and might. pull a few
more horses and owners to their meet
ings than in the past. So they applied
for membership and got it. as their
dates made such an arrangement pos
sible. Then several others followed
anomalous situation. That is to say.
an eastern wing" of the Great West
ern. composed Of these Grand Circuit
points. which. t%erritorially. were an
excrescence, which did not in n way
strengthen the circuit as a circuit, and
We're lin 1t" only for what they could
individually get out Of it," Several
where the great western originated,
and to which 1t truly belonged, awoke
to this situation and expressed the
opinion that these de~ad-weights and
useless eastern members should be
dropped. But-they had been adj
mitted to membership. were "in." and
were DESTROYS Of staying in" So
was the old story over again of the
difficulty Of letting go after having
so easily taken hold!
However, W years ago there came
a chance to drop one Of them. This
was the Columbus. Ohio. association.
which. by the way, had been the first
Of the big ring points to enter the
Great Western. Columbus got into
a row over dates with the Grand Cir
cult stewards and as a result drew
out of It and endeavored to form an
other one. composed Of members
drawn from both the Grand and the
Great Western. And in this attempt
she made no scruple of wrecking the
date schedule Of the Great Western
in order to further her plans. This
Of course could have only one result.
the latter organization, and it liz
doubtful If she is ever again counten-
anced in 1t. For her action affecting
1t was objectionable. In her fight on
the Grand Circuit she lac plausible
grounds. which appealed to many fair
minded horsemen as tenable. But for
her attempt to demoralize the Great
excuse. as from 1t h had re-
ceived anything but fair treatment and
consideration.
With the Kaleidoscope shake.up
which the Grand Circuit experienced
a few weeks g it vas apparent that
the tenure of the other Grand" MEM
bers OF the Great Western was at an
end. for the Grand dates allotted them
were. with n exception. such that 1t
was impossible for them to expect to
receive the same ones from the other.
The situation. therefore, in a way,
resolved itself and left the Great
Western stewards last Monday the
comparatively easy task of arranging
the following schedule Of members
true Great Western" Circuit. in fact
as well a name:
Decatur, ILL.,. Aug. So.
Peoria, ILL.,, Aug. 1916.
G~alesburg, ILL.,, Aug. 1923.
Des Moines. Iowa, Aug. 26-2s.
Hamline. Mimi. Sept. 1-5.
Milwaukee, Wis, Sept. 8-12.
Detroit, Mich, Sept. 1919.
Peoria. Ill. Sept. 22-27.
sedalia. Mo. Sept. 80. Oct. 8.
Springfield. H., Oct. ell.
Open week. Oct. 1918.
Dallas. Tex. Oct. 20. Nov. 2.
Phoenix. Ariz., Nov. 3-S.
That this is not a perfect arrange
ment u.s.. Of course. true. Geographic
SaA1y IL lcdNe3 C~OISlueTdDlc 10 ne de-
sired, particularly when we consider
the jump from Milwaukee to Detroit,
then back to Peoria, ILL.,: then to Sc
dalia. Mo-: then back to Springfield,
ILL.,. and then to Dallas. Tex. II many
stables followed the line of march
their winnings would have to be heavy
expenses. But it may be said. with.
out revealing any state secrets, It is
not at all likely that many stables
will do 80. In fact, 1t is doubtful il
any Of them does. II is quite possible
that some western campaigners will
ship east from Milwaukee to Detroit;
but. having done 80. 1t liz not likely
that they will double hack again. In.
stead they will keen on xouth. To Co.