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TEN DAYS SPRING MEETING Arranged for Jefferson Park to Follow Close of Fair Grounds. Movement in Nature of Experiment to Plan for Future Racing Dates. NEW ORLEANS, La., January 12. The Jefferson Park management made official announcement Saturday that tlicy would nice at their track imme-il lately following the close of the Fair Grounds meeting. Accompanying the announcement that they would race, was tin; following statement: "The management of the Jefferson Parish Fair Association has1 concluded to conduct a ten-days spring meeting immediately following the close of the present meeting of the Business liens Racing Association. The announcement is made after thorough consideration of the Jefferson situation and with a view of so arranging racing dates at the Jefferson track, as to more fully meet popular approval in the future. "The public cannot be ignorant of the fact thnt for two years, because of adverse weather conditions and because of an early fall opening the Jefferson Parish Fair Association lias operated its plant at a financial loss. While . the weather conditions have been unfortunate and have resulted in cutting down the attendance at the Jefferson track to the smallest number possible, tlte management is of the opinion that too early a start has likewise han:-. dieapped the association. For this reason the management have determined to conduct a short spring-meeting to discover whether it would not be more profitable and meet with a larger share of popular approval to .start -later ju the fall and a-ace foe, a few days in the spring following the close of Fair rounds track. i TOO EARLY FOB. WIHTER TOURISTS. "It is an established fact that winter tourists do not reach New Orleans until during the holiday season. Our two years experience justifies lis in believing thnt from these inrople race tracks draw larger amounts of support and also in concluding that the New Orleans public will not patronize the sport too early in the fall. It is our intention by testing a .short spring meeting to determine what arrangements shall be made for future dates for the Jefferson plant. "More tlinn a quarter of a million dollars have been invested in the Jefferson Parish Fair Association. The directors of this association have tried i.i very way to keep racing clean and above suspicion and to meet every popular demand. The association has . been glad to meet witii its funds every appeal from any worthy cause, notwithstanding its final loss, and it will continue to support any movement which has the advancement of tiie city or state its its object. "To couclude, the management of the association has inaugurated this movement to test by a short springs meeting whether or not it would be more popular to shorten the fall season and run for a brief time in the spring, or to continue under its present arrangement. Future dates at the Jef-fersjn plant will be based upon the result of this trial." Many improvements are now in progress at Jefferson Park. e.iecial attention Ivelng given to the track proper. The management expects to have the course in good condition in time for the spring meeting and is confident that it will be much faster and safer than last year.
