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MARK HANNA COMMISSIONER Governor Comstock of Michigan Announces Appointment. Selection of Governor Surprises Turf Followers New Commissioner Approves Fair Grounds pates. LANSING, Mich., Aug. 3 Mark R. Hanna, former head of a Detroit construction company and a nephew of the late Mark A Hanna, national political leader of Cleveland, yesterday became Michigans first racing .commissioner. He was named by Gov. William A. Comstock and the appointment followed within a few minutes after the Administrative Board had approved a lease under which the state fair grounds at Detroit will be turned over to a group of Detroit sportsmen to be used for racing purposes for the next five years. It will be Mr. Hannas duties to supervise and regulate horse racing throughout the state under the terms of the Jarvis-Root Act, which legalizes pari-mutuel and auction pool betting on races conducted under state supervision. Although Mr. Hanna, a republican, has been prominent in politics for the past decade, his appointment was in the nature of a surprise. His name had not been mentioned in the extensive speculation as to the governors probable selection for the post. Mr. Hanna is a native of Ohio and is forty-three years old. As commissioner, he will receive ,000 per year. Ten minutes after his appointment, Mr. Hanna approved tentative plans for a twenty-five day meeting at the state fair grounds, beginning Saturday, September 2, and under the auspices of the Detroit Racing Association, under which title the Detroit group is incorporated. Under the contract accepted yesterday Continued on twenty-second page. MARK HANNA COMMISSIONER Continued from first page. by the Administrative Board, the Detroit Association guarantees to pay the state ,000 for each day racing is held. The minimum amount provided in the lease is 50,000 to cover the twenty-five day meeting this fall and 00,000 for eighty days annually during the five year period of the lease. In addition, the state will receive twenty-five cents on each admission and will have use of the grounds for state- fair purposes for two weeks annually. Incorporators of the Detroit Racing Association are Peter A. Markey, Walter T. Wright and L. J. Lepper and Commissioner Hanna was told that others in the group will include Charles B. Bohn, William C. Rands, Arthur E. Jackson, John D. Cronenweth, Dubois Young and others, all of Detroit. The lease was approved with a stipulation that the association must have a paid-in capital of not less than 00,000 before opening the track for racing and Clarence J. Lehr, attorney for the association, said that the organizers were prepared to purchase preferred stock of that amount or more at once. It was also stated that the association plans to make extensive Improvements costing more than 00,000 and including the en tire resurfacing of the track, construction of additional stables for 500 horses, a clubhouse and improvements to the grandstand. Whatever improvements are made go to the state at the expiration of the lease. Under a tentative schedule, the association will distribute an average of ,000 in purse money daily during the coming meeting, the first with legalized betting in this state in about fifty years. The racing will be under the personal supervision of judge Joseph A. Murphy, general-manager of the Hawthorne and New Orleans Fair Grounds tracks. Representatives of the Detroit Racing Association were to call upon judge Murphy at Hawthorne today.
