The Driving Clubs of Greater Boston 



35 



pel them to race over the Charles River Speed- 

 way, that a committee of them went to Henry 

 M. Whitney, a citizen of Brookline, and asked 

 him to intercede fur them with the selectmen 

 in having the ban removed. Mr. Whitney suc- 

 ceeded in doing so, hut it proved later that 

 Beacon Street boulevard, as a popular resort 

 in racing to sleigh, was doomed. 



Old-Time Winter Scene on Beacon Street 

 Boulevard 



This was brought about by the action of the 

 Boston newspaper men, Messrs. Jewett, Cogs- 

 well and the Trotts, Frank G. and L. G., who 

 made a round robin that no attention be paid, 

 by writing press stories, of those using the 

 boulevard to sleigh, but that long accounts be 

 given to the racing and brushing going on at 

 Charles River Speedway. It was surprising 

 how quick was the result ; in a few days the 

 Beacon Street boulevard was deserted by 

 owners of fast trotters and pacers, and the 

 Charles River Speedway was crowded. 



Walter B. Farmer, as previously stated, 

 proved the power that was the real making 

 of the club, when on December 21 (matinee 

 day), he personally presented to every man 

 woman and child that lined the sidewalks, his 

 signed invitation to use the clubhouse as his 

 special guest on that afternoon, and on every 

 matinee afternoon in the future, until further 

 notice. As may be imagined, the independent 

 action of Mr. Farmer caused the owners of 

 the property great concern ; in fact, to an ex- 

 tent that after a few days they sold the club- 

 house and stables to the Gentlemen's Driving 

 Club of Boston, the majority of whom were 

 members of the Metropolitan Club, the direc- 

 tors of which, at a special meeting, leased the 

 property to the Metropolitan Driving Club for 

 one year. 



With the assurity of a home for one year, 

 at least, it was a happy crowd of members 

 Tiat assembled at the clubhouse on Christmas 

 Day to witness the final matinee of the series, 



and the presentation of the cups won. Walter 

 B, Farmer won the champion cup for trotters 

 with Fashion, his fastest race being in 

 1 :o6 1-4, 1 :o6 1-2 and 1 :o6 i-_». F. C. Smith 

 won the point cup fur trotters with Lady 

 Hilton. The champion pacing cup was won by 

 Harry J. Russell with The Private, M. A. 

 Nevens doing the driving, in 1 :o6 1-4, 1 :o6 1-4 

 and 1 :o6 1-2, while the pacing point cup was 

 awarded to L. E. Seeton, the owner of Fred 

 11. 



( )ne bright feature in the matinees of the 

 Fall of 1904 was C. W. Marks, of Chicago, a 

 Boston born boy, who shipped from Chicago 

 for racing on our speedway his three horses, 

 Tom Keene, 2:04 1-4, Carlio M, 2:09 1-4, and 

 Fanfaron, 2:11 1-2, and he certainly had great 

 sport with his fleet trio. 



A sad occurrence that season was the trot- 

 ting mare, Madeline Electrite, owned by T. J. 

 Donnolly, dropping dead in the third heat of 

 her race on November 30, after having won 

 the initial heat of the event in 1 :og 1-2. This 

 was the only accident of the season. 



In the matinee held on December 24, M. C. 

 Harrison won a heat to sleigh with Axtello 

 in 1:12, which still remains ( 1 9 1 4 ) the 

 Charles River Speedway record for a half- 

 mile to sleigh. 



SEASON OF 1905 



The first matter of importance coming be- 

 fore the officials of the Metropolitan Driving 

 Club of Boston, in 1905, was accepting the 

 invitation of the Concord (N. H.) Driving 

 Club for an intercity matinee on February 15, 

 the event to be held over the Concord (N. H. ) 

 Speedway. It was a big day in that city, the 

 Governor of New Hampshire holding his bi- 

 ennial reception and ball in the evening, while 

 the racing, in the afternoon, attracted an im- 

 mense crowd. 



The one great feature was John Shepard 

 driving bis pole team, Promise and Altro 

 L., an exhibition heat in 37 seconds. As 

 the clean-stepping pair of trotters, hitched 

 to a natty Perrin sleigh, with their 71-year-old 

 owner holding the reins, swept over the course 

 with the Governor seated beside him, there 

 was a continuous ovation from the start to the 

 finish. 



As to the racing, sad to relate, not a 

 winner was returned for the Metropolitan 

 Club, Concord horses earning all the glory for 

 their owners. The events were quarter-mile 

 heats, and in Class A trot "Lo" Currier's 

 Plural defeated A. W. Turner's Max G. Best 

 time, 32s Class B trot went to H. G. Kil- 

 kenny's Charley Benton, beating C. H. Belle- 



