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RUSHING WORK AT LAUREL NEW RACE COURSE NEAR WASHINGTON IS RAPIDLY ASSUMING SHAPE. H. D. Brown on the Ground and Giving Construction i Work His Personal Attention Plant to Be Up-to-Date in Its Appointments. Detroit, Mlcli.. August 24. As the time draws near for the closing of racing on the Canadian tracks, horsemen are looking forward to the opening of the new plant at Laurel, Aid. According to reiwrts received, this plant is being hustled along with great rapidity and will he ready long before the scheduled opening on October 2. The greater part of the buildings are now more than half finished, while the principal part of the stabling is being rushed along so that horsemen who wish to can ship there at almost any time. There are now nearly 200 stalls ready for occupation, while 300 more will bo finished by the middle of September. II. D. Brown, who is the promoter of the new enterprise, is now at Laurel looking after construction work. The secretarys oliice building is already finished. This is up-to-date and includes a big room for the use of the horsemen, the jockey room, with shower baths and an overhead balcony for the use of the riders when not in the saddle. The grandstand, which is over 300 feet long, is well under way. The llooring is all laid and work has been commenced on the roof. The front of the stand will be fitted with boxes, as was the stand at Mon-crief Park. Jacksonville. A large platform will be built where the trains arrive and a walk to the stand will prevent inconvenience for patrons who come by train, as they will not be obliged to cross in front of automobiles, the speedway for which has been built beneath this walk. The roof of the grandstand Is of Japanese type. The stairways to the stand will be over eighteen feet in width, so that there will be no crowding. The betting ring, which will be an open one, will accommodate at least fifty books. Booths are being built so that the old-time slates may bo used. Numerous stakes will be run during the meeting, but as there will be u clash in dates between Laurel and Iinilico they will be arranged so as not to conflict. The minimum purse .will, be 00. Manager Brown proposes to make arrangements for the special shipment of horses from Laurel to the new track at Havana, Cuba, which will provide practi-caliy continuous racing for 150 days under his con- trol. The officials have already been engaged, and " vill arrive at Laurel" before the opening of the meeting. Starter A. B. Dade.- who will start at Havana, will preside at the barrier at Laurel on days which do not conflict with Pimlico. On the other days W. M. Murray will do the starting. Taking the plant all through it will be one of the most up-to-date on this continent, and will furnish twenty-six days racing for the horsemen. The track will be a fast one and will be complete long before the opening to give it a chance to bo worked over and settled down before actual racing begins. The plant will be easily reached from Baltimore and Washington, being twelve miles from the latter and twenty-two from the former. Ten trains make daily stops at Laurel, as it.is on the wain line of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Baltimore, Md., August 24. II. D. Brown, who is building a new face track at Laurel, between Baltimore and AVashington, says that while the meeting wijl conflict with Pimlico for two weeks, the two institutions will be ou perfectly friendly relations, this having been agreed to between Mr. Brown and Thomas Clyde, the principal stockholder at Pimlico. The stamp of- friendship has lceu so tightly bound that Mr. Clyde will race some of his horses at Laurel, as will others closely connected with the Pimlico track. "I had a long talk with Mr. Clyde at Saratoga," said Mr. Brown, "and he was agreeable that the dates at the two tracks should eon-llict; in fact, he rather preferred it to changing the Pimlico dates to September or November, not believing that a long meeting in Maryland would be good for the sport. It was definitely settled between us that there should not be any ill-feeling in any way whatever, but to conduct the two meetings on about the same lines and without friction. Our purses will be about the same as those at Pimlico and our stakes will have a like value, or as near as possible. I shall arrange the dates for our stakes so that they will not in any way conflict with the stake dates at Pimlico. I mean by that I shall not have a two-year-old stake the same days as Pimlico and other features will be arranged in the .same manner, so that horsemen can enter their horses in stakes at both tracks and be able to run them at both places. t "I have made application to the Jockey Club for dates for the month of October, and I do not think there will be any objection. I realize that I am coming iuto the territory of the Jockey Club, and I want its sanction to race Tinder its rules and will abide by its decisions. When it is considered that I have provided racing opportunities for horsemen during the wave of reform, and am willing to continue to do so, I hardly think there will lie a dissenting voice. I think I am entitled to the good will of the horsemen and promoters, as I built the Jacksonville track when winter racing was on the decline. I shall also be ready for horsemen at Havana on Thanksgiving Day, with an institution of exceptional merit. I intend to race there for 300 days, and there will be no purse of less than 09, and. if the conditions permit, there will be plenty of 00 purses. "There will also be two stakes each week, and a Derby worth 5,000, if the government will sub-fccrile half of the amount. President Gomez promises to suggest to congress that such an appropriation be made; then I will add 12,500 to the stake. I also intend to give .0,000 for a handicap to be run either on Christmas or New Years Day. So you will see my plans will give hot-semen added opportunity to race in the winter and this should lie welcome owing to the present condition of affairs iu this country."
