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LAEGE CROWD AT YONKEES. EMPIRE CITY MEETING OPENS WITH AN ATTENDANCE OF 15,000. Poor Transportation Facilities Keep Many Away Prince Ahmed Wins the Han- dicap Featuring the Card. New York, August 10. Fully 15,000 were in attendance at the Empire City track to encourage the! "western invaders," as the people most largely represented in the racing at Yonkers are called by New Yorkers, in their inaugural attempt to conduct a race meet in the metropolis. Fully 5,000 more would have been at the course, but for poor transportation facilities. The power operating the electric cars on the lines leading to the track gave out at a critical period, forcing 5,000 passengers to walk a distance of more than three miles. During the breakdown more than 3,000 persons congregated at the 155th street terminal of the elevated road and on learning of the car tie-up returned to the city. Despite the inconveniences it was a good-natured crowd and they seemed to enjoy the racing immensely. Before the sport began Joseph A. Murphy arrived from St. Louis and accepted the position of substitute steward in place of Francis Bishop. Mr. Murphy will serve for the remainder of the meeting. The scene both in the betting rings and paddock was typically westerw. It looked as if the regulars from Churchill Downs and Latonia had been transplanted liere. Active betting prevailed in both rings, seventy-seven layers taking care of the speculatively inclined in the big ring, while eighty did like service in the field. Sixty others applied for stands hut were refused because of lack of room. Western owned horses scored in four of the races, including the feature, the Empire City Handicap, which went to Prince Ahmed in bandy fashion after a spirited stretch run to wear down Topsy Robinson. The eastern owners felt sanguine of success and plunged on Plavigny and Cloistcress to take down the purse. They, however, were never serious contenders, Cederstrome being the stoutest challenger that Prince Ahmed had to dispose of at the end. The westerners profited handsomely by the victory of Ferriss horse. Colloquy gave a good display of speed In the opening dash by running the about six furlong course in 1:09. Carthage, which enjoyed favoritism for the race, ran poorly and far below his best form. Failure on the part of Clerk of the Scales Snltnon to give out a correct list of the scratches for the fifth race led to endless confusion, and ultimately caused all bets to be declared off and a grant of additional time by the stewards. La Veita had been ordered withdrawn by the stewards, as well as all other horses owned by and entered by T. P. Hayes, because of bis being in the forfeit list.
