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HUNGRY FOR RACING AT NEW ORLEANS. New York. .March 15. "Just back from New Orleans," said an old-time race goer, one who can go back lo the days of the late Leonard Jerome and describe races that were run more than thirty years ago. He was strolling up Broadway when he volunteered a description of the feelings of the people in New Orleans fifteen years ago and their feelings today. "1 dont want you to use my name In this tiling. he said, "for it might get me in bad with the man agement of the existing winter tracks for boosting New Orleans. Rut you never saw people so crazy to have horse racing revived as they are in New Orleans. The cry for racing comes from practically every business man in the city. Merchants, brokers, hotel men, restaurant proprietors, clubs in fact, to hear them talk, all feel the effects of the absence of racing men ami visitors during the winter months to an alarming extent. "To siicli extremes have they gone for favorable legislation to revive the sport that appeals are posted in many places which read We Want Racing and We Want a Fair. No better illustration could be given of the feeling of the people than to have such a pleading placard hanging in some of the most prominent business houses in the city. "The proprietors of the big department stores, as well as those of the smaller institutions, are complaining of had business. Restaurants like Fah-hackers and Antoines especially feel the loss of the winter visitors, and the hotels and occupants -f Arcade stores are unanimous that the revival of racing would improve the business of tile place to a great extent. 9 "There is not a shortage of money in New Orleans. On the contrary, there is plenty of it. but it needs some sorl of amusement to make folks loosen up. They are down there in the south, with little more than moving picture houses to offer recreation and entertainment. The city appears to fie standing still, as it were. All first-class theatrical shows do finely. In fact, any old sort of entertainment, from grand opera to skittles, would take these days in New Orleans, so eager are the citizens to be entertained. I was talking with some of the men connect-- .1 with the Southern Pacific Steamboat Company in the way home, and they told me that in the racing davs at New Orleans they used to transport anywhere from 5.000 to 7,000 passengers interested in racing on their ships to and from New Orleans during the winter months. "1 can say in conclusion that if ever there was a citv where the business men wanted racing it is in New Orleans, and if they dont get it pretty soon they will be disappointed."
