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TAMPA VENTURE A COSTLY ONE. Tampa, Fla., March 24. Departures of horsemen ami race followers continued today at a steady rato and with the Uxceptiou of a dozen or more who are staying over for a few days to enjoy the fishing, all who engaged in the racing here will be well on their "way by Monday to other fields. Most of those who participated in the racing at this point will go to Acnsacola, stopping over at Jacksonville en route to witness the sport at Moiierief Park. Arrangements were completed today to send the hulk of the horses intended for racing at Pensaeola by a special train which will depart on Sunday next, arriving at the gulf city the following day. The train will be made up of about ten cars of horses, two day coaches, one sleeper and a couple of baggage cars. Several of the poorer owners were hard hit by the abrupt termination of the racing here and are forced to dispose of some of their horses at sacrifice sale to procure enough money to ship the remainder of their stock. 4 Among todays departures were William Murray, who will do the starting at Pensaeola. He will stay over at Jacksonville several days. C L. Jones also left for Jacksonville, whore he will try to interest some of the horsemen in the Pensaeola track. Blair Bagglcy, Love Token, Sainister and Broken Ties were purchased today by A. 0. Blume and will be shipped to Mexico. While many would have preferred remaining here to shipping to some other locality, it is just as well that the meeting came to a close when it did, for the sport was beginning to show evidence of raggedness and it would have only been a matter of a short time before scandal would have developed. There certainly will he no more racing hereabouts unless the lawmakers of this state afford the racing interests relief by the repeal of the anti-hook-inaking law which becomes effective May 1. Much speculation has been indulged in on ibe. snbject. Some have the temerity to aver that a race meeting of some sort will probably be held here next season, but minors of this character are silly and without the slightest foundation. The management of the West Tampa course will bow to the mandate of the. law and if the pari-mntuel system of betting and a racing commission bill fails of passage in the legislature during the present session the plant will remain closed, not alone next season, but for many seasons to "come. Since the establishment of racing at the West Tampa course, the venture lias cost - the promoters heavily and they have invested a large amount of money in the project. The only thing to show for the expenditure is the plant and at present it looms .is. a white elephant, for its upkeep will mean additional expense.
