view raw text
RAINY WEATHER AT BOWIE ♦ Incessant Downpour Turns Prince Georges Track Into Quagmire. ♦ Mud Runners Have Advantage — Bowie Bacing Commission Bill Hits Snag. ♦ Bowie. Md.. April 9.— Incessant rainfall rendered the course at Bowie a veritable quagmire today and scratches were numerous throughout the afternoon. A good crowd braved the inclement weather and gathered in numbers in proximity to the machines in the enclosure, braving "the downpour only to witness the actual running of the races. The program offered many good numbers despite the riddling by the scratch man and mudlarks were to the fore in every event. When the committee of prominent citizens of Prince Georges County awaited on Governor Harrington yesterday at Annapolis, to plead the cause of the recently enacted racing commission bill, it was learned that Bowie is probably facing its last season of thoroughbred racing. When the delegation, headed by Hampton Macgruder. president of the Southern Maryland Agricultural Association, presented their case, they suffered a severe shock when the fact was brought to light that a counter bill fashioned somewhat after the late lamented Fox anti gaming measure, had been passed by the House committee for the county and had been jammed through the Legislature. This knowledge was the first had of the anti-betting measure anil the fact that it passed the Senate and the House without its main feature being detected, plainly illustrates the loose Maryland method of passing laws. In addition to this measure the racing men found t.. their discomf iinre that an article had been ap-Itended to their own measure creating the commission exempting them from the 50 daily tax, which was their chief argument for the signing of the bill. This evidently happened while the Bowie moguls were asleep at the switch, for Mr. Macgruder rapidly waived the exemption claim and agreed, as originally intended, that the assessment would be paid and devoted to county road work. GOVERNOR WILL HEAR REFORM ELEMENT. Tlie governor commented severely on the fact that the two bills diametrically opposed to each other should find their way into his hands and will hear a committee Wednesday or Thursday representing the reform element before taking action on either measure. Among todays arrivals were Col. W. A. Gamble, who has leased the horses of Capt. W. J. Press; E. W. Heffner. contract employer of jockey 0. Mer-gler and jockey W. Obert. W. Kennedy has purchased Egniont from J. F. Sweeney at private terms and the gelding will carry Kennedys «-olors tomorrow. Joseph E. Seagram, president of the Canadian Bacing Association and the Ontario Jockey Club, is after a rider for one of his Kings Plate candidates. Mr. Seagram wired Fred Gaylor to engage W. Collins if possible. F. Mallory. an arrival from Tijuana with his band of horses, reports the loss of two of his most valuable racers. Tony Kotch died after his arrival and the well-known Barsac was destroyed after he had contracted blood poisoning. T. J. Shannon has arrived at Havre de Grace with the stables of E. G. Soule and J. W. OBrien. For reporting to ride Harwood when in a badly intoxicated condition jockey A. Casey is suspended for the meeting and the case reported to the Jockey Club. a 1
