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BELMONT PARK INSPECTION Newspaper Men Guests of Presi ¬ dent Joseph E Widener Beauty Scheme Flowers Plants Shrubs and andNew New Lake With Four Fountains FountainsDazzle Dazzle Eyes of Visitors NEW YORK N Y May 17 President Joseph E Widener of the Westchester Asso ¬ ciation was host to the newspapermen at Belmont Park yesterday Before the party enjoyed his hospitality Mf Widener showed the various Improvements that had been in ¬ augurated during the winter period com ¬ mencing with an inspection of the fine old Manice Mansion which has been for years the headquarters of the Turf and Field Club ClubRich Rich in tradition with one of the finest collections of boxes in the country and a rare display of trees and shrubbery the Manice grounds have been a sort of shrine for those who love the beautiful in nature It was there that Louis Phillips spent some time and Madison Grant is the authority for the state ¬ ment that the great cedar of Lebanon which is one of the attractions of the paddock was planted by the distinguished French exile exileThose Those who have felt the charm of the old edifice and its surroundings will find much to commend in the changes that have been instituted by Mr Widener who with his accustomed good taste has preserved all that was beautiful and introduced a modern touch that must add to the comforts and pleasure of the members of the Social and Sporting Association that has given a tone to racing in the neighborhood of New York YorkOne One of the most notable improvements has had to do with the establishing of quarters where people can meet and chat while wait ¬ ing for friends or a place at a table The broad hall is now flanked with big com ¬ fortable rooms tastefully furnished and there is an opening to what was formerly the veranda off the lovely old house The veranda has been replaced by a brick ter ¬ race commanding a full view of the beauti ¬ ful old formal garden It is a vista in keep ¬ ing with the general character of the place placeThe The plantings and lake were discussed and those who had not been to Belmont Park since last year were amazed at what had been done They were shown where 4000 trees of good dimension had been planted and tho 15foot private hedge replacing the outer rail of the course was pointed out outThe The effect of the planting was well illus ¬ trated by one of the party who remarked that the trees formed a frame for what must be considered a lovely picture pictureMost Most of the trees are now in leaf and the scheme which cuts off the view of the houses in the region of the course brings into apparent closer proximity the fine range of lulls that form the backbone of Long Islahi and reach their best in the neighbor ¬ hood of Westbury WestburyThe The new lake with its four fountains play ¬ ing caught the fancy of the visitors It is Continued on twentieth page BELMONT PARK INSPECTION Continued from first page 750 feet in length and 350 feet in width and covers a space of three and a half acres Its installation has altered the appearance of the infield and when the shubbery which is planted along its borders has developed somewhat it will be hard to tell where the hand of the landscape gardener has taken up the work of nature The steeplechase field has been improved through the introduction of privet boundaries at the turns in place of the wooden beacons which some of the riders seemed so prone to ignore on occasions occasionsThe The front of the huge grandstand has been newly painted and the hanging boxes in front of the club enclosure were as gay as a bril ¬ liant collection of nasturtiums geraniums morningglories and daisies could make them the artistic effect being heightened by trail ¬ ing vines vinesPresident President Widener told the company that the club enclosure which boasted of forty two boxes prior to the running of the Zev Papyrus race and which had to be increased to fortyeight or fifty on that occasion now numbered ninetynine and the total box ca ¬ pacity counting those in the lower portion of the stand totaled 220 thus illustrating the growing popularity of racing Every box for the meeing which opens Thursday with the running of the Toboggan Handicap and International Steeplechase has been sold and there are applications for many on file fileLater Later at luncheon Mr Widener said the onetime charge that Belmont Park was a rich mans track was disproved by the fact that there were accommodations at the course for 1500 horses The roster of stabling showed that fortysix owners were represented as occupying the fortysix stables on the ground The statement that he would always welcoine suggestions for the better ¬ ment of conditions and progress in the man ¬ agement of the park would be welcomed but that complaints would be frowned on brought a manifest sentiment of approval from his guests He went on to say that he had been told that he would never be able to please the trainers but to refute this pointed to the fact that he had betn presented with a testimonial in the shape of a silver plaque with the names of the givers inscribed there ¬ on Mr Widener said that nothing had ever moved him so deeply as this proof that the i men who train horses at Belmont Park are satisfied with the efforts of the management j to give them the best service at all times timesMr Mr Widener told his guests that he was sure the coming meeting would be in line with its predecessors and thanked them for the part the press had played in bringing about the conditions that have resulted in the great popularity of racing in the East EastA A general discussion of the turf and the bright prospects for the iiort followed after which an adjournment was had to Jamaica JamaicaCaterer Caterer Harry M Stevens superintended the luncheon in person and was the recipient of compliments at its close
