Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 244, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 October 1911 — GIVEN UP TO COWS [ARTICLE]

GIVEN UP TO COWS

Dairy Queens Supplant Kings of Turf in Kentucky. . One by One Stately Domains In Famous Blue Grass Region Are Being Converted Into Prosaic L ' . for Farming. Louisville, Ky.—When the states of New York, Illinois, Missouri,, Tennessee, Louisiana, California and others rang the knell on racing they also sounded the passing bell of the bluegrass stock farms of Kentucky. These stately domains, in that beautiful region which is known as “God’s Country,” are rapidly being converted from stock farms into prosaic places for the raising of, cereals and vegetables and with them passes the most pleasing product or racing. Instead of bringing forth Colins and Sysonbys, Dominos and Henry of Navarros, Cliffords and Africanders, Kinley Macks and McChesneys, winners of suburbans and futurities and cups and handicaps that are no more, these beautiful stretches of pasture land will be devoted to producing corn and tobacco and wheat - ' One by one the princely places that have been maintained by the million'alres of east for the purpose of rearing the colts that carried their colors on the race tracks of the country are being devoted to other uses. Clarence Mackey has shipped his famous stallions and mares abroad. It is reported that Jflnes R. Keene is soon to give up “Castleton,” where he has developed so many\great race horses. And “Elmendorf,? J. B. Haggins’ vast estate, it to be given over to the cows, for henceforth “Elmendorf” will be known as the site of the most perfect dairy plant in the world Instead of, the home of the greatest , horses. “Elmendorf” represents an investment of millions of dollars. There are almost 6,000 acres and on them has been expended every improvement that money and energy can provide. When horse racing still thrived the stallion stable at “Elmendorf” was the high court of horsedom. Built of stone and brick and with the finest of woods used throughout and finished to the Hmit of horse comfort, this structure cost at least $75,000. Within its walls dwelt Salvador, the king of them all until his death two years ago; Africander, McChesney, Kinley Mack, Star Ruby, Imported Water Cress, Water Boy, Imported Dleudonne and a dozen others that won fame as winners or the begetters of winners. Now Salvator is dead and the others have been shipped across the seas. Their palace is given to the cows; the queens of the dairy have supplanted the kings of the turf. All through the Bluegrass it is the same. Some of’the old breeders cling to their places, hoping that there will, come a turn and that New York or some of the other states will let down the bars. But most of them have

wearied of the lean years, and the pastures where the horses that made Kentucky famous stood deep In bluegrass know them no more. In this extremity it is the automobile that has brought comfort to the Bluegrass, for the beauty of the region and the fine roads have made it a famous resort for touring. But if things keep on as they have the Kentucky stock farm will, in a few years, be only at memory?