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BELMONT PARK BUILDINGS DESTROYED. Incendiary Fires Reduce the Birr Grandstand am] Other Structures to Ashe.;. New York. April 7. Belmont Park rare track .in- seem- .r many famous turf struggles, be ii. ruins. Phases this morning destroyed tii- main eruadtctaad. the field si.uid and the betting ring and the jockeys quarters in the administration imiMing. The incendiaries then rrossed the road and partly destroyed the Long Island railroad sta tion and the entire grandstand of the tutted Hunt Clnb. The paddock and the clnbhouse in Belmont Park were save. I. though both were damaged by tnioke and water. Estimates of the h s ran is high as 10.000. Bottles of kerosene attested the origin of the Inc. The door of the admiaistration buildinc was .Unrated with k rescue oil. Time and time again firemen were forced back by exiuoding bottles Seven distinct fires were sit according to Thomas Marshall, chief of the bureau of fin- investigati ns That the fire was of incendiary origin is certain .1111! ii is believed to have been set by German plotters, wl.o knew that the race course has been offered to the government urbea war was declared. It was arranged to have either a detention camp or a field for drilling sohBen at Belmont Park. l"!i blase was discovered at :i oclock and the watchman Immediately notified Beraran 1.. Pete, tin- superintendent When Mr. Pete arrived at the track he noticed flat iu seven different parts .1111;. also, raw thi t across the Lang Islaad Railroad tr.nks the stand of the United Hunts club was on fire. At the ame time a blaze started ill the frame bouse used as quarters for the Jockeys. M.iny Valuable Printings Not Damaged. The dub bouse, which contains many valuable paintings, was not damaged, although the wooden chairs and the kitchens of the Westchester Racing Association iu the grandstand were wiped out. Mr. Belmont said today that the plant would 1. ready for the opening meeting on May a*. The repairs thai are needed can easily b. made within a mouth. A two days meeting i- scheduled to take place on Mia 12 aad 1:1 at tie Behmoul Terminal track. The destruction or the grandstand at this track ••Mil barely interfere with the racing, according • o officials of the Paited Hunts Association. A reward of Ni.r.iio has gcred be Mr. Bel •nint far the arrest and conviction ol the incendiaries. Mr. Rarlocker, secretary of the Belmont Park Association, declares that the oil grandstand can be utilised for the coming meetiag, ;s it was built chiefly of concrete and steel. Nothing ;..i be decided in that matter until alter an investigs tion of the damage done, but that the sclicduled meeting ill be laid is ass art d by Mr. Beteseat. l.elmont Park is owned and leased by tie- Weal cheater Racing Association, of which August Bel moat is president. The grandstand seals 11.000 :« -sei. . aad the fiebi stands about .-.. m ii. it is ,,iih a few weeks buck thai u r the stables was burned down at Belmont Park and several horses destroyed. Thai fire was laid to have been caused by a drunken negro stable hand through his failing down when carrying a stub!.- lantern.
