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NEW ORLEANS RACING SITUATION HANGS. New Orleans. La.. October 3. It is not likely that Messrs. Heaslip and Lagarde will be in Louisville on Sunday to close up the negotiations for a local holding company to take over one or both the racetracks for the purpose of giving a locally managed race meeting of from sixty to one hundred days. There is too much to do to arrange the details and get the guarantees required by the northern stockholders for Heaslip and Legarde to get back and be ready to close by that time. M. Heaslip says of the project: "l would like it to be distinctly understood that racing here this winter will be a profitless business, and those form ing the holding company will simply back the enter prise in order to keep the sport alivo here and for the purpose of offering this very needful attraction to our visitors, as has heretofore been the custom. "For the benefit of the public at large it should be stated that the men back of the new enterprise are some of the most prominent, in business and social circles, and not, as was reported, hotel, restaurant and cafe proprietors exclusively. It seems that the people of New Orleans have begun to realize the desirability of conducting winter race meet-lugs more strongly since the sport has been practt cally killed in the east, for there is no longer any doubt that a large number of the best people hero will support it when it comes again. And the chances are its on the way." Rumors are rife regarding a stirring time in Louisiana for next winter and it is generally admitted, even among the so-called reform element, that opportunity may arise whereby a special ses sion of the state legislature may be called, ana the Locke bill be in a measure modified so as to Rive the racing game a better chance for life. There will be no attempt made to violate any of the recent enactments of the Louisiana legislature, and it Is stated that no test cases will be made, although attorneys for the racing people insist that if brought before a supreme court the Locke bill would not be found without killing defects. Tho efforts of Colonel Heaslip and Mr. Lagarde. how ever, have been to organize a local company com posed of leading business men of New Orleans, which will lease City Park for a period of from ono to fivo Tears at a nominal figure from the old company controlling. The Fair Grounds may also be leased, although the greatest effort now is to obtain the former plant for a term of years.
