view raw text
IMPROVEMENTS FOR LAUREL Practically a New Plant Will Be Ready for Racing in October Steeplechase Course to Be Rebuilt Stables and Other Build ¬ ings Being Remodeled NEW YORK N Y July 15 With Spalding Jenkins as its new president and William P Riggs as its new manager the Laurel race track in Maryland is being greatly Improved for the racing season of the Maryland State Fair that will be conducted there for the month of October When Col Matt J Winn took the track over from II D Brown its original builder he made many and important improvements and alterations but those that are under way now at the course are calculated to make it one of the most uptodate and beautiful in the country One of the most important works going forward and one that is of vast interest to the horsemen is the building of new stables Already 110 of the old stalls have been demolished and four new twenty eight stall barns are In the course of construction In these barns there are three living rooms at each end and the quarters for the men will be upstairs instead of a stall converted Jnto such use These barns are the last word In stable J construction and all the others on the grounds will be put in first class condition conditionTransoms Transoms will be put in and partitions replaced There will be sheds on each barn and there will be several boiler houses at convenient places so that hot water will no longer be a problem There will be careful attention paid to the sanitation of the stables roads and walks are being built to eacli of the barns Public kitchens will be Installed with every convenience and provision has been made for the erection of several private kitchens kitchensPADDOCK PADDOCK BEING SECONSTSTrCTED Then several alterations are going forward in the paddock It will be reconstructed with the stalls all at the back of the building much more after the fashion at Pimlico This enclosure will be restricted to the owners and the trainers and it will be fenced off from the grandstand The office buildings and jockey room is being made over and the quarters for the riders will be modern In every particular while a veranda will be built from which they will have an opportunity to watch the racing when not riding There will be a walk from ihe judges stand to their quarters and this will be fenced off like the paddock paddockAnother Another important work that is going forward is tiie practical rebuilding of the steeplechase course This has been going on for some time and when it is completed the jumps will be brought up to the regulation height While all these improvements are under way for the comfort of the horses and the convenience and comfort of the horsemen there are vast improve ¬ ments under way for the public In addition to re ¬ painting the stands the roofs have been sealed and bleachers seventyfive feet long have been con ¬ structed in connection with the Jower end of the stand There has been a deal of grading and filling done back of the stand and a lawn has been put down that places the walk from the trains on a level grade New entrances to the stand with a covered walk for the trainers are also under construction constructionIt It is the intention of the new management to have the clubhouse a regular organization tinder the per ¬ sonal supervision of president Jenkins and in this he is having the cooperation of many of the best friends of racing in Maryland Virginia the District of Columbia Pennsylvania and New York YorkThe The interior decorations of the clubhouse will be under the supervision of Mr and Mrs Spanlding Jenkins and 25000 has been set aside for this purpose The improvements under way will cost about 125000 125000Altogether Altogether it will be a new Laurel that will throw open its gates October 1 and with the rich turf prizes that are planned for the meeting the late fall sport willassume an altogether new importance
