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Ryder Agency to Police Cahokia Downs Course Take Special Precautions to Offset Any Chances of Fire By C. A. LINDEMAN Staff Correspondent EAST ST. LOUIS, 111., May 31. With the date for the opening- of the new racing plant, Cahokia Downs, located near East St. Louis, approaching, John Stelle and his associates are bringing the loose ends together. One of the major issues that, confronts race tracks is that of policing. Cahokia Downs has secured the services of the Ryder Protective Agency to police both the. grandstand and stable areas for the forthcoming season. In fact that agen-cyi under the supervision of its president, R. J. Ryder, has been on the grounds actively since the ,f irst barns were opened. In the next few weeks the men of the Ryder agency will be supervised by C. E. Connelly, who is well known on race tracks, having just completed seasons at both Gulfstream and Tropical Parks in Florida. In the near future, Connelly, who is departing for the Monmouth Park meeting, will be replaced by James McAlpine, well known on most of the East Coast tracks for his police work. To offset any chance of fires in the stable areas such as has plagued several tracks, no cooking fires of any type will be permitted in the stable area or tack rooms. The Ryder men police the area each evening and morning, then screen-out all undesirables and anyone who may be under the influence of intoxicants, Stelle emphasized that Cahokia Downs will, be among the best policed race tracks in the country and questionable characters will not be tolerated before or during the race meeting. A trip through the stable area, reveals fire extinguishers at every turn. Should a fire break out, one has but to make a few steps to acquire the necessary equipment to extinguish it. As previously. stated, ajl barns are built of metal wherever possible, to insure the safety of the men and horses, that inhabit the area.
