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SAN ANTONIO MEETING GROWS IN FAVOR. San Antonio, Tex., December 7. Arrangements for the opening meeting of the .Mid-Winter Fair Association here are progressing favorably. From letters that have been received by the ollicials, it lias been demonstrated that the keenest interest is being manifested in the new meet all over the south and as far north as the Canadian racing centers. Inquiries from horsemen from Latonia. Hot Springs. St. Louis, Lexington and Memphis are l louring in. and the chances are that hundreds of the followers of racing will come from the north to usher in the new racing infant. The .Mid-Winter Fair is not a mushroom affair; it is regularly chartered by the State of Texas, and is composed of the leading -citizens of San Antonio. i;ot "one of whom Is a professional racing man. When the project was first mooted, it was understood that a few people would control it. but the idea became so popular and the demand for small blocks of stock from the merchants of the city became so urgent, that the idea of a close corporation was completely abandoned and the invitation was sent broadcast to become interested in the enterprise. As a result, in a capitalization of 5,000. which has been fully paid up. there arc forty-one subscribers. The largest number of shares held by anyone individually is twenty-five, and from that down to one share. This lias the effect, in the first place, of interesting a great number of the best citizens of San Antonio, and. at the same "time, it removes the proposition from the danger of beiug classed as a commercial enterprise. While the promoters expect it to pay its way and more, the stock is so well distributed that any one person will not derive any great pecuniary benefit, no matter what the profits may be. The press has fallen into the idea and is giving the new project its hearty support. The announcement that the messengers were to be taken out of the stand, that the touts and disreputable followers J of racing were to be entirely eliminated, and that the betting feature was to be made merely an incident and wholly subservient to the sport itself, has created the greatest enthusiasm among all classes and even among those who have no particular interest in racing, the project is well thought of. A delegation representing the association visited Beaumont the past week and found that ninety per cent, of the horses, bookmakers and better class of followers of the racing there would be here when the barrier vises next Saturday. From Latonia Mr. W. E. Walsh writes that at least two or three carloads of high-class horses will be shipped and there will be three carloads from New Orleans. San Antonio offers to the horsemen an Ideal place to winter. Being semi-tropical in its climate, there is not a day in the winter when a horse cannot be galloped, and the association has offered to winter horses here at practically a nominal cost. Artesian wells furnish the water and the stables are dry and. being built on gravel foundations, no amount of rain can make the ground muddy. Horsemen who contemplate racing at Tampa, or who lielieve that racing will be resumed at Hot Springs, can ship here, make their expenses by racing and, at the same time, keep their horses ready for the meetings to follow. After the present inaugural meeting, the association proposes to make many improvements, and next winter will probably race a little later in the year when the season, is at . its height here and will add many new features to its fair in addition to the racing. There has been a general demand among the farmers of this section for an opportunity to display their products during mid-winter they have complained, from time to time, that the International Fair is held entirely too early for them to make a proper display of garden truck and their agricultural products that mature here during the winter months. , The new Mid-Winter Fair will fill this long-felt want. It will show to the world what a tremendous state Texas is. when it can produce at one end of it garden truck that thrives only during the summer months In the north, while the other end of the state Is locked in winters embrace. The laws of Texas prohibit syndicate betting and. while the management has no idea of operating under such a system, it wants to make it clear to the people of the north that the ring will be strictly an open one.
