The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette from Fort Wayne, Indiana • Page 35

THE FORT WAYNE JOURNAL GAZETTF SUNDAY MORNINQ MAY 1n. CO HISTORIC CENTLIVRE PARK WHERE NEXT PAIR. WILL WHEN the growth ot Fort Wayne made the Driving park at the end of State boulevard too valuable a tract to be used for amusement purposes and the land was bought and cut up into build ing lota by a real estate corporation last fall the county was without a fair grounds The heavy stockholders and directors of the old organization didnt care much Save for a couple of years the fair had been a losing proposi tion. and they had been forced io put up money to cover deficits almost annually, They had been good sportsmen and did not want to give up the institution and be looked upon as quitters and that is why they held on as long as they did The sale of the property to the real estate company furnished an easy and honorable way out of the difficulty I he passing or the Unving parlf the one mile track of which was one of the best and fastest in the United States was a blow to the lovers of horse racing in the city and northern Indiana The Amateur Driving association which was revived three years ago and had been giving meets regularly during the was particularly put out as there was no, place left for it to hold 4ts events, Paul Strieder secretary of the fair association during the last few yuu of its precarious existence's a firm believer that if the ram will let him alone he can make a Fprt Wayne fair a big financial success He heard II these expressions of disappointment over the discontinuation of the Driving park and even before the final fair was held at the old place last fall he luu making arrangements to form a company and lease the old Centlivre park to continue the Fort Wayne fair which has become an indispensable institution in northern Indiana I Most of the stockholders of the old association remembering their experience in the company from which they had just escaped wig wagged Stneder nothing doing when he approached to fc.sk them to get into the new venture However there were enough business men who believe as does Mr Strieder that the fair can be made a winner and there was no dim culty in financing and incorporating the project Mr Strieder is secretary and general manager and is in entire charge of the arrangements for what he promises will be the greatest air Fort Wayne has even known The dates are September to 19 Wonderful Improvement at Park. Several thousand dollars is being expended in putting Centlivre park which had practically been dosed since the Centlivre Brothers sold off racing string ten years ago in proper condition for the show When the new company took possession of the place last fall the weeds were breast high on the race track, once considered the best half mile circle in the central states; fence were down and sagging the buildings looked shabby and the whole enclosure wore a dilapidated air that would have discouraged any one but the optimistic head of the enterprise The transformation is really remarkable and to see the park now one cannot believe it is "the same place it appeared a year ago The track which was put into shape first of all so as to accommodate the race horse owners who wintered rheir strings at the park is now almost back to its oldTlme condition the fences repaired" and the buildings that were in the park and those brought from the old fair grounds are being made presentable Lease Extends Five Years The sport of kings has but five year to tarry at Centlivre park After that time it must move on to another location for the lease obtained by the company la for but that period The Centlivre Brothers will then cut the park into lots The enclosure contain forty acres and just the right size for a fair The Driving park was composed of I OS acres at least fifty acres of which, counting the enormous infield of the mile, track, waa never used Grandstand Is Erected The.

old grand standLat Centlivre which had a seating capacity of 750 people was struck by lightning and badly riddled eight years ago and was torn down, the salvage lumber used to erect two dwelling houses. The grandstand at the Driving park was not worth moving so it was decided to take the bleachers from the former fair grounds cover them with a canvas canopy and make them serve as an amphitheatre The structure is 300 feet in length and will seat 3 000 people. It is on the west side of the track and extending along the entire 'home stretch From the spectator standpoint the Centlivre track is much better than the mile course at the Driving park The horses pats the grandstand twice in a mile race and they can be seen at all times while on the mile track they were lost to view while on the back stretch The large barn that serves as the home of the Spy Bun stock farm is utilized to house the horses that are working out on the track this spring and later it will be necessary to erect new barns to care for the visiting racer during the fair A long row of stall sheds burned down at the park six years ago just a week after the fire that destroyed several barns at the Driving park Midway Will Be in Pretty Grove The midway and all of the shows and concessions will be located in the shady grove near the Clinton street entrance to the park and here too will be the art hall and the other exhibit buildings George Bishop has been named by Secretary Strieder to have charge of all the concessions and he getting an early start to give the fair the cleanest and most interesting mid way in its history Spy Run creek, cut through the center of the park and add much to the picturesqueness of the place It is crossed by an iron span that was formerly a part of the old bridge over St. Joseph river at Leo and waa purchased from the county by the Centlivres A cinder driveway leada ffdm face tract and "will be continued on "afoundlhe outside of the course to the grandstand The wooden bridge placed over the creek twenty four years ago collapsed in 1912 Many Amusement Events Are Arranged Centlivre park will take the place of the old fair grounds as the place for staging all outdoor amusements and sporting events The Amateur Driving club will hold semi monthly meetings and will start shortly after the first of June The children of the Fort Wayne public schools will have their annual field day on May 29 and On the following day Decoration day the first motorcycle races of the season will be run Motorcycle racing became popular here three years ago and la becoming more so every summer A a Fourth of July attraction for the park Secretary Strieder is arranging to have Lincoln Beachey the loop the loop" aviator and Barney OtdfielcT most1 daring of all automobile race drivers put on a program Mr Strieder ha many other interesting events planned and will give Fort Wayne Somewhere to go on every holiday and practically every Sunday during the summer and fall Ha Been Park for Forty Three Years The late Charle L. Centlivre founder of the Centlivre Brewing company and father of Louis A.

arid Charle Centlivre purchased that portion of the park lying east of Spy Run creek from the late Charier PfeifTer in IS7I a an investment. He enhanced its natural beauty greatly and in I87S converted it into a public garden and picnic grounds. It continued as such until 1690 when Charles and Louis A Centlivre purchased the tract west of the creek built the race track and started the Spy Run stock farm that became famous all over the horse world But one race meet was held there before the Centlivres with a number of other prominent men bought the Driving park ground and put in a mile track so that Fort Waynf could be on the grand Circuit In those days every young rnai with any rneans whatever owned a fast horse and entered the amateur meetings The Centlivre string at one time in the early nineties reached fifty five head and was featured by Atlantic King 2 09 1 4 sire of some of the fastest horses on the grand circuit Frank Bogash was trainer and driver ICenfJnut sa nsxt psgsj.