The New York herald., 1922-10-16
Motor Cars on the Speedway.

Motor Cars on the Speedway.
The opening of the Harlem River
Speedway to the automobile will
bring regret to many who will look
upon the abandonment of this once
favorite resort of the metropolitan
road driver as one more outpost won
by the gasoline propelled vehicle in
it's encroachment on the realm Of the
horse.
In the period prior to the Speed
way Seventh avenue and Jerome
avenue were racing grounds for the
amateur horsemen who We'd with one
another in the speed of their horses
and the perfection of their turnouts,
The growth of the city ultimately
rendered these thoroughfares unsafe
for speeding, and there was rejoicing
when the strip of land on the west
ern side Of the Harlem River was
converted into a speedway.
In its early days the Speedway was
a conspicuous success. 1t afforded
the horsemen a superb stretch over
which they could test their fleet trot
ters and PAGERS and it also gave
pleasure to thousands of New York
ers who, though not owning horses,
still had as strong love for them as
any of the buff coated brigade that
logged to the starting point and
turned for a brush into which they
put all their skill.
Many of the most prominent men
in New York patronized the Speed
way and several built private stables
in it's neighborhood. On fine after
noon NATHAN STRAUs behind the CAL
ifornia gelding Cobwebs, PIP, son
of the halfbred sire Whips, by Elec-
tioneer, was sure to be out in search
of contest. Cobwebs was king of
the Speedway for a period. Another
familiar figure was G. X. G. BILLINGS,
an amateur reinsman of great skill.
1t was over the Speedway that Lou
Dillon, 1:5SA, when queen of the
turf, pulled her owner a quarter in
252 seconds, showing the highest
speed ever attained by harness
horse. The black champion of his
day, Uhlan, 1853, was another of the
Billings stable often seen on the
Speedway, sometimes with his owner
holding the reins, but oftener with
CHARLES TANNER in the wagon.
Other noted amateurs seen on the
speedway were General BRAYToN
IVES behind Monte Carlo, 2:07A;
JAMES BUTLER with King Direct.
2:O4%; FRANK WORK with Praytell,
2:O9A, and Pilot Boy 2:O9A, the
latter a handsome gray, now PEN
sioner on Long Island farm
through a provision in Mr.. Works
will.
Another Wall Street man who took
his recreation on the Speedway was
A. 3. GwATHMEY, who owned Tiver-
ton, 2:041a. e. f. SMATHERs had
number of fleet trotters and PAGERS
for pleasure driving on the Speed
way, the best known being Lord
Derby, 2:05%; John NJ, 2:02A. and
Morningside, 2.04A JAaEs A. MUIR
PLY never lodged brush with Don
Derby, 2:04%; Ardelle, 2:o4h, or
Coast Marie, 2:11A. FRED GERKEN
with The Monk, 2:05%, finished in
front oftener than elsewhere, while
JOHN LAWRENCE from Hoboken with
Lizzie March, 2:O2A, and a record of
a half mile in O:57% over the course,
took the dust of few.
ANDREW CRAWFORD had good trot-
ter in Invader, 2:10, and GEORGE COLE
MAN owned trotter with a great
brush in Kingwood, 2:17A. DAVID
BONNER was often seen on the Speed
way behind a good trotter from some
body else's stable, and no one could
get more speed in hard fought test
than the veteran.
There were hot exchanges some-
times between men of high temper
following these races which had a
ribbon for a reward. The colloquy
between General IYEs and JAMES
BUTLER when the latter won notable
victory over Monte Carlo is classic
that will be repeated with gusto for
many a year to come.
In later years the horses taking
rart in this sport were not of as high
quality nor were their owners COM
parable in skill as reinsmen with the
men who made the early history of
the Speedway. The crowds had