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TO REVIVE RACING AT ST. LOUIS. Joseph A. Murphy Takes Initiative in Plan to Bring About Resumption of Sport Along Restricted Lines, St. Louis, Mo.. August 31. Joseph A. Murohv. known and respected throughout the length arid breadth of America as a capable racing official, is taking the initiative in a movement to bring about the restoration of racing in this city on a high-class plane. His plans have been indorsed by and will receive the support of leaders in the civic, commercial and industrial life of the community. Judge Murphy has obtained an option for the leasing. With the privilege of purchase at the end of twenty years, of 103 acres, known as the Maxwell property, on the St. Charles Rock road, in St. Louis county, which he purposes turning over to a stock company capitalized at 00,000. which is to be organized to handle the project. The plans provide for the opir-atlon of a general amusement park known as Max-welton. The park will be equipped with a roinfoned concrete stand, two tracks, one at a mile and a sixteenth, for automobile and harness races, horse show exhibits, etc., and the other within it. a mile in circumference, for contests of man and beast, including running races; suitable stables and paddocks: a hydrogen generator for use in prospective airship contests, and a golf course. Concerning the thoroughbred racing feature of the enterprise. Mr. Murphy makes this statement: "The statutes of Missouri are almost Identical with those of New York State, where men high in social and mercantile circles are engaged in a successful effort to redeem racing from the throttling bold of abuses which all but strangled it. What Mr. iBelmont, Mr. Keene. Mr. Whitney and other wealthy New Yorkers have done, the merchants of St. Louis can do. When the proper time comes wo will have competent counsel thrash out the law with the state and county authorities, and we will not only studiously avoid any infraction of the law ourselves, but will have sufficient police to see that no one else violates the statutes. I am opposed to any continuous racing for the city of St. Louis. Two weeks in the spring and fall is all there should be. and racing will thrive better as a setting for other sports, as I have planned, than as a separate proposition. Many St. Louisans, like myself, would welcomo a return to the old days of Cote Brilliante and the early days of the Fair Grounds, when tne short spring and fall meetings were the social outdoor events of the season. These days can be brought back. The splendid Woodlands Farm of Barney Schreiber. one of the great thoroughbred nurseries of the world, which should be and will lie one of the citys most prized assets, is within driving distance of Maxwelton." The specific proposition which -Mr. "Murphy and his backers have in mind is the holding of thirteen days of entertainment each spring and fall, with the idea of attracting visitors to St. Louis from a wide area. Those who have given their formal indorsement to the venture include Mayor F. H. Kreismunn; J. IT. Gundlack. president of the city council. Saunders Norvell. vice-chairman of the Centennial Association; Charles F. Wenneker. president of the Million Population Club: F. W. Mott, vice-president of the St. Louis Real Estate Exchange: A. J. Lam-liert. secretary of the Aero Club of St. Louis; Emll N. Tolkaez, president of the German-American National Alliance; J. L. Hornsby. W. .It. Wilkinson, president of the Stnte Fair: O. P. Strother. president of the West End Business Mens Association: L. F. Hammer. Jr., Owen. Miller, president of the Central Trades and Labor Union; Norman J. Coleman, mem-ler of the State Board of Agriculture: O. L. Hal-sey. St. Louis Auto Manufacturers" and Dealers Association; J. A. Sliultz. president Missouri Manufacturers Association; George B. Bowles, secretary St. Louis County Fair, and James P. Blake, secretary of the Gentlemens Driving Olub.
