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IRISH PLAN TOTE COMPANY Hope to Open and Establish Control Office for Outside Wagering Want Improvements. Special Correspo7idencej; LONDON, England The "tote," after its installation in Ireland, was expected to prove of invaluable assistance to racing, which was at low ebb at the time. While the expectation was not wholly realized, the pari-mutuel system of betting did well under difficulties. It attracted a new crowd of racegoers, while many who had temporarily given up began to race again. Though the small players gave it their full support, the turnover was far from satisfactory. The dividends compared favorably with the bookmakers prices, but the volume of business was not commensurate with the labor and money involved. Those who championed the "tote" were always faced with the fact that the overhead expenses were more than the turnover justified. One of the great difficulties on the different tracks has been the queue system. "I am in a position to state," writes an Irish correspondent, "that practically a similar but improved scheme will be in working order here for the New Year. It will be available at Baldoyle, Dublin, January 1." A company, the Tote Investors Ireland, Limited, with such prominent supporters of racing as Capt. Charles Moore, steward of the Irish Turf Club; James J. Maher, member of the Irish Turf Club and National Hunt and Steeplechase Committee; trainer senator James J. Parkinson, trainer Herbert M. Hartigan, owners Charles Burke and Florence J. Burke as directors, has been formed. Its chief object is to receive bets on credit from its members on the race course. These bets will be transmitted to the totalizator. On each race course it is the intention of the company to have an office and all business will be transacted without extra charge to its clientele. If the plan is a success it is bound to lead later to more important develbpments. It is expected that by the opening of the next flat race season that a central office will be established, through which "away from the course betting" on the "tote" will be possible. Racing then may become cheaper for the general public, race course executives may have more money to carry on with, while better stakes and purses may ensue. At least these are the hopes of the newly-formed" company, which is out to make the "tote" in Ireland either a success or a failure, but it hopes it will be an overwhelming success.
