Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-07-31
Get ROCK ISLAND
into RACE GAME?
Movement on Foot TO Place This CITY
in Great Western in Place Of
Davenport.
LITTLE PUSH WILL PIT IT OVER
Local Race Course More Convenient
and Wet Weather Has Less
Effect Upon It,
BY RAHBIRD.

Because Of the unsatisfactory condi-
lions under which horsemen are forced
to race and the inacessibiltty Of the
Davenport mile track to the general
public, a movement is under way to
eliminate Davenport from the Great
Western circuit and substitute Rock
Island as the lead off town It is true
that the majority OF the towns in the
Great Western have mile tracks, but
two Of the best racing towns in the
circuit have half mile tracks. Des
Mofnes has a half mile track, but is
second to no town in the United States
in the class Of races held there.
Horsemen who have raced on the
Rock Island track in the past declare
it is one Of the best half mile tracks
in the state. With very little work,
it would be in a flying fast condi-
ton. The soil is such that the rains
OF this week would not have delayed
port. Horses can be raced on the local
track within an hour after a heavy
rain.
New Barns Needed.
1t is true that it would take some
money to provide new quarters for
outside horses. This track mas about
fifty stalls and perhaps one hundred
and so additional ones would be nee
essary to accommodate outside horses
in case of a big race meeting These
stalls are 50 constructed against the
fence that it requires very little ma
terial or labor to construct new ones.
There is nearly d mile of Tense, which
can be used as a back for new stalls.
The Rock Island track is within two
blocks Of one car line and three blocks
Of another. Il also has two paved
streets leading up TO the entrance OF
the park 1t is just a mile from the
business section Of the town, conse-
quently near enough to cause no one
inconvenience in getting there. 1t is
near the center of a community Of
100 600 population It is practically
impossible for Moline people 10 reach
the Davenport track by car line and
be in time for a race unless they start
before noon. The local track can be
reached by car line from either Of the
tri-cities or outlying towns within an
hour
Horsemen Pay Purses.
Many people who are unfamiliar
with the rules Of racing, think it nee
essary for the race promoter TO lay
out the necessary money TO pay purses
of the races and depend upon the gate
receipts 70 reimburse him for this
amount and other expenses. However,
this is not true. Under the plan used
in the Western circuit of 8 per cent
entrance fee and per cent deducted
from money winners, IS horses will
pay for any purse. It is true that it
would be hard TO start Is horses at
once, but this is never done. When a
horse is once entered in a race, he. is
then held for the entrance fee, regard
less Of whether he races or not. The
1T trot in Davenport has "a entries,
netting the promoters $3.50 clear
money after the purse is paid. In De
tr0it the two big races are guaran-
teed by the chamber of commerce and
the list Of entries is always so large
that the guarantors are never called
upon to contribute to pay the purse.
The Tavern STEAK" at North Randall,
Ohio, has made money for the
men who guarantee 1t, and they are
not interested in the association.
Need Few Good Men.
Rock Island needs just a few en-
terprising business men to take hold
Of this proposition and work it out 1t
is a chance TO put Rock Island in the
limelight as a good live racing town,
which is one Of the best means of ad-
vertising and boosting a town can
have. The first two years Ottawa was
in the Illinois Valley circuit it was a
losing game for the promoters, but
now the entries pay the purses, and
they have an average daily attendance
of 5000 people Is there any reason
why Rock Island cannot do better
than this2 We have more people TO
draw from.