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ROSEATE REPORTS FROM CALIFORNIA According to the San Francisco press Thomas II Williams president of the New California Jockey Club is enthusing over the outlook for racing in California this season The opening day President Williams is quoted in the Call was beyond my ex ¬ pectations and it is gratifying to see how thorough ¬ bred racing still holds a warm spot in the hearts of the sportloving people of California I look for the sport to be as popular as it was two years ago before the passage of the antibetting bill With such generous patronage as Is being bestowed the association will be able to give increased purses which will attract the best horses in the country countryThe The patrons of racing seem to be accustomed to the present mode of betting now The association intends to keep well within the statutes and there will be no infringements allowed within the race track enclosure The several decisions handed down by the courts in reference to individual betting are generally known by the public The bettors are aware of what they must do I look for a successful season in California and I am glad to see that the public is for the sport sportThe The Call in its report of the opening day has this to say sayIt It was a great day for the horse and the follow ¬ ers of the horse and judging from the turnout there will be many another great day during the coming hundred or more on the track across the bay President Thomas H Williams the man who guides the destinies of racing in this far western land was there with a smile ol satisfaction The attendance surprised even him and as they all know this dean of the turf is ever hopeful He saw new life for the sport yesterday He could come to no other con ¬ clusion than that the people of San Francisco wanted to see the horses run and were willing to pay their money for the privilege privilegeA A year ago the layers of odds the betting com ¬ missioners and the bettors were shy and skeptical and suspicious They hid behind posts and whispered and nudged one another through fear Yesterday they went right ahead and bet their money and won or lost it There was no fear of arrest no lurking suspicion that everything was not ail right rightWhen When the crowd had assembled in the betting ring somebody dug up a soap box which was mounted by attorney Carroll Cook and a cheer went up as the attorney for the race track raised his hand and made ready to deliver a speech of warning and caution bis final instructions to bookmakers and players alike Cook assured them all that they were well within the law hnt he cautioned them not to take any chances He laid down the law of oral betting as established by the WalkerOtis bill and defined by the last decision of the Supreme Court of the state The crowd listened intently and cheered at the finish Then the layers took their places and began to quote prices on the opening race of tlie season and the bettors fairly jammed them ¬ selves around in an effort to wager their money moneyIf If there is any scarcity of money In San Fran ¬ cisco Oakland or the surrounding cities there cer ¬ tainly was no evidence of such financial stringency in the Emeryville betting ring Just as soon as the fourteen layers took their places in the ring they were besieged by the anxiosis bettors all fighting for a chance to place their money on the chances of the horses they liked It was just the same as the olden days except that programs took the places of the blackboards and the bookmakers mingled with the crowd instead of standing aloof on the block and shouting The public did the shouting yesterday yesterdayEventhing Eventhing In the betting ring seemed to work like magic There were no mixuns no mistakes and no disturbance Evidently Judge Cooks words were hoard and appreciated by everybody and none of them gave a single thought to the presence of officers of the law lawPractically Practically all tle veterans the oldtimers and the regulars were there Very few of those who were expected failed to materialize They all shook hands with one another extended congratulations and talked about the possibility of a great season under the new betting laws What a difference from the outlook which last years opening day presented
