view raw text
RELIEF MEASURE HINTED AT REPORT OF PENDING MOVEMENT TO REPEAL DIRECTORS LIABILITY LAW. Intimation That Bill to Relieve Racing Associations and State Fair Managements from Personal Liability Will Be Introduced at Albany. New York. March 24. The determination of the owners of race tracks in t Ills state to keep their Kates closed to. the public no long as the so-called directors liability law remains on the statute books means that hundreds of persons and much valuable property will be seriously affected. Several race tracks statisticians have figured out the probable financial losses caused by anti-betting legislation at Albany. They assert that at least :;o.000 persons have been deprived of a means of livlihood; that racing property, including tracks, breeding farms and buildings, valued at 0,000,000 has been depreciated; that 5,H0,000 annually in the shape of salaries paid to track officials, clerks, employees, stable help, jockeys, trainers and bookmakers assistants, together with the gate receipts of the various associations, stakes and purses, feed hills, rail-joad transportation and money spent by the racing public, has been cut off: that the breeding industry, in which James 15. Ilaggin, August Belmont, .lames It. Keene, John E. .Madden. Clarence II. Mackay. Milton Young. Harney Sehreiber and others invested large sums, has been wrecked, and that business men and the farmers have been deprived of a large revenue directly derived from the sport of kings. With no racing in New York state this year unless the Jockey Club secures relief from the drastic liability law, many famous horses will have little opportunity to race and many so-called poor owners who have always raced here, will bo forced to the wall. Jockeys and trainers who have the means will probably go to England, France and Germany, where first-class talent can earn plenty of money. The jwssibility of a general closing of the state fairs may cause an awakening up the state, it is imintcd out. The fair associations -have thousands of dollars invested in property and if they are forced to follow the example of the Jockey Clubs tracks it is pointed out that the farmers will bo deprived of large suins In taking the bull by the horns the Jockey Club is not censured by racing men, but rather is commended for calling the attention of the puMlo to the true state of affairs. It is hinted that a bill relieving the racing associations and the state fairs of responsibility for betting on their promises will be introduced at Albany in the near future, as these interests have many friends among the lawmakers. It develops that the action of the track owners was entirely unexpected and that it was a surprise to August Belmont, who found himself in the minority. Hut on the whole the opinion prevails that the move was all for the best and that the Legislature may see lit to repeal, the liability law. In view of the fact that .the racing associations are not asking for a return 1o open bookmaking and do not favor legislation calculated to bring about former betting conditions, persons not particularly interested think that the race track owners not unfair In their demands. August Belmont at present, has thirty-throe horses in training in this couutry, but in view of the decision of the track owners to keep the gates closed until they secure some relief he will ship four of his best two-year-olds to Kngland immediately. These young horses are Blaek Rock, a colt by ltock Sand Black Poplar; Golden ltock. a colt by Rock Sand Fairy Gold, a brother to the three-year-old Belfry, now in Kngland; Toggery, a filly by Uock Sand Teas Over, a sister to Sandwich, Mr. Belmonts candidate for this years Epsom Oaks, and a filly named Wild Weed, by Kthelbert Woodvinc. "In sending these two-year-olds to England." says Mr. llejmont." "I do not mean to withdraw from racing in this country. I did not make entries to the Mtakes in Kentucky, and as these youngsters are eligible for some rich events in England. I am anxious to let them compete over there. Rut the rest of my horses will race wherever the sport is permitted in this country and in Canada. I am willing to take my chances, and if racing is revived in New York stale 1 will have my stable lit for the usual campaign." Alreadv arrangements have been made to ship these youngsters to George Watson at Newmarket. Wat soft is an Englishman who has for many years handled horses belonging to the chairman of the .lockev Club. While it is improbable that racing will come to mi end in this state as a result of the passage of the Perkins-Agnew anti-racing measures, particularly the so-called directors liability bill, which .was the cause of the closing of the tracks on the last day of August, 1910. and which brought about the announcement on Tuesday last that there would be no racing at any of the courses hereabouts this year unless there was a repeal of the obnoxious measure, there is always the possibility that the realty holdings of these racing corporations will be placed upon the market," says the Suu. "There are no more valuable properties in the boroughs of Kings, Queens, Nassau and The Bronx than the race courses, which in the main consist of improved property of the highest character. In Kings County the holdings of the Coney Island Jockey Club amount to more than 400 acres, assessed at ,321,250, and it is understood that the property can be liought for $.l,0OO.O00. It comprises , many acres of line woodland and a lot of upland under line sod and grass. It was said last year at one time that the Wood Harmon Company, which liought and developed the Parkvillo farm property, were negotiating for it. but the realty compauy disavowed this at the time. Within half a mile of the Coney Island Jockey Club is the track of the Rrigliton Beach Racing Association, owned by William A. Engeman, which consists of about eighty acres, assessed at S9GS.G00. It is a splendid tract, situated most advantageously, holding a strong position near the ocean. A mile up t lie Ocean Parkway is the Gravesend track of the Brooklyn Jockey Club, which has an assessed value of 182.450 and could not be bought for less than ,000,000. It is well situated between the parkway and the Fifth Avenue line of the Brooklyn Bapid Transit running to Coney Island. It is an old and historic property- older than Coney Island, though not so old as Brighton Beach, which antedates the other courses by several years. "It was thought that I". .T. B-wyer, who is the president of both the Brooklyn Jockey Club and the Queens Couutv Jockey Club, whose course is at Aqueduct, would hold both meetings at the latter course, which has one of the linest homestretches In the country. The Brooklyn track has long leen known as the politicians course, as the late Hugh McLaughlin, John Delmar, James Shevlin. John .Mccarty and a number of other men living and dead prominent in olitics at various times owned stock in the corporation. "In Queens County there are two racing organizations Aqueduct, already referred to, which is on tlie Kockaway branch of the Long Island Railroad beyond Woodhaven, and which lias upwards of 100 ;icres in it. One million dollars would not be out of the way for this plant, which could be made ready for the builder in short order. "In the vicinity of Jamaica is the home of the Metropolitan Jockey Club, of which ex-Senator Wil- Ham II. Reynolds Is the president. It has been said that the promoters could have had , 000.00 for their plant if they cared to turn it over to the realty promoters last year, when too race iheetlng was fields Like all of the other courses -railroad transportation is at the very door of Jamaica. "In the neighboring county of Nassau and just across the line, in faetpu -portion of the property is in Queens, is tobe found the palatial home of the Westchester Racing Association, of which August Belmont is the president, comprising more than 000 acres and including everything that those who are fond of racing and its social" accompaniments could desire. The Turf and Field Club, whoso membership comprises the names of the best-known people in the country, is a part of the plant, occupying the rare old Manice mansion surrounded by its superb box trees and a shrubbery whieh is uriapproached in tliis part of the country. There is a mile and a half track with chutes, a spepial exercising track, a steeplechase course Of magnitude, a palatial clubhouse, a gigantic grandstand, a commodious field stand, a spacious jockey and officials house and a paddock in the midst of rare old trees. There ie also a comprehensive layout of tracks for train service approached through a tunnel in short It is a monument to the turf which should and probably will endure long after troubles sjirrouriding the sport have boon forgotten. It cost approximately ,500,-000 M-hcn it was built seven years ago and naturally has enhaneedviu value tremendously since then, all values in the vicinity having risen sharply. It has many rich men on its list of membership who probably would endeavor to preserve it for other purposes than realty development. "The last racing property around Jew York Uhieh would go would be that of the Empire City Racing Association, near Yohkers. James Butler is the president and chief stockholder. It is said that Mr. Butler and his associates gave 00,000 for the place, which cost the late William II. Clark just double that amount when ho built it some twelve years ago. It would not be far short of the mark to place the value of the property at the present time at , 100.000."
