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CHANGED CONDITIONS AT NEW ORLEANS Horsemen Will Find Practically Two New Tracks to Raco Over Next Winter. NEW ORLEANS, La.. October 1. When horsemen come here next winter to participate in the racing season, which will extend from Thanksgiving day, November 27, to St. Patricks ay, March 17, they will find vastly different conditions than they left last winter. Of course, the remodeling of the Fair Grounds plant has been so extensive as to practically embrace a new track altogether, but even aside from the removal of .the City Park stand, the destruction of all the old barns and the erection of new ones, there have been sweeping changes at both tracks. Jefferson Park, as it will open its gates to start the long season, should be dealt with first. Manager Rouprich has transformed the Jefferson race course from a hollow, poorly drained track into a high, hog-backed track, which promises to be faster than any new track in the country. He put nearly a yard of sand on the ridge, while more than a foot was laid on over the inner rail and nearly two feet at the outside. The track is well graded down from the ridge, both to the inner and outer rails. It has taken Rouprich all summer to bring about the required results. The big task is just about completed, as Saturday the harrows were put on, and in a day or two the track will get its final rolling, after which it will have to wait for a good rain. v A cutting and filling machine run over the track from daylight to dark for the last two weeks has not only smoothed it out like a floor, but lias distributed the sand so there will be little danger of lumps and less danger of holes. There is no vestige of the several bad places in the stretch where many horses fell last year. Ditches have been dug all about the track and through the infield, as well as among the barns, and manager Rouprich is of the opinion he has the best drained course in the country. Work of going over barn and stable will begin this week, and when completed there will not be a leak anywhere. Barns that were low have been raised more than a foot, and the grandstand has been cleaned up preparatory to big improvements inside and out and painting. Over at the Fair Grounds Placide Frigerio has hauled nearly 10,000 cartloads of choicest river sand to the Fair Grounds. This selected soil was used to finish off the big job which has resulted in building tlie Fair Grounds track two feet higher than .it ever lias been. ; , , v Tlie "rio" mails laiidJiog- in ihe backstretch, which made a name for itself, has disappeared. The whole section was dug down six feet, soaking up and retaining moisture were unearthed and removed. The hole was filled nnd packed early last summer; heavy rains helped pack the sand so the water could not get dqwn, and now a perfect drainage system lias assured no standing water anywhere on the grounds. Horsemen who have arrived early on tlie scene, predict splendid racing and track record breaking performances next winter at both local tracks.
