Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-08-21
'PUGILlSTIC Carnival.
THE OLYMPIC CLUB OF NEW ORLEANS,
MAKING GREAT PREPARATIONS
For the Coming Fistic Events the Club is
Conducted and How Its Big Fights are Man
aged-Many Thousands Of Dollars are
Brought TO the City by The Sports
Plans Now Perfected.


Brought TO the City by The Sports
Plans Now Perfected.
spscisl Correspondence Of as Sunday Rsoistsr.
NEW ORLEANS, August 20.-The big
gest "event," or rather series Of
"events" in pugilstic circles since the
days of the Roman cestus, will be the
prize fights to come of before the Oiym-
pic Club, Of this city, the week Begin
ming September 4. This great "pugilis-
tic carnival" as New Orleans delights
to call 1t, has created a sensation
throughout the world, and well it might.
There are SAP, 500 offered in prizes, s40,-
| 600 in side bets and some 5000 spent
on other preparations, and Mr.. Sullivan
or Mr.. Corbett will be $4,000 richer
| when 1t Is over. 1t is big affair,
moreover, aside from the money In
volved, more than ever before dreamed
| of in pugilism, for it is new departure
in "the manly art OF self-defense." an
effort to make the prize ring refined and
Notwithstanding that gentlemen
can patronize.
The Olympic Club has already done
much to rescue pugilism from the
roughs and toughs who formerly con-
| trollled it, and the bad repute into
which IL had fallen. 1t hopes to make
"glove contests" as reputable form Of
sport and athletics as wrestling, foot
ball and other popular games-in all OF
which the club claims there is the same
amount Of physical danger and possible
injury-if not m0re-as in the ring,
| where broken bones are most infre-
quent. The Olympics believe, with the
Greeks OF old, that pugilism is an i'm
portant part Of athletics, and ought to
be encouraged and patronized, and that
1t will be II it can be separated from the
disagreeable features that have hither
to surrounded it.
Under It's management all the rowdy-
ism and disagreeable features of the old
prize ring" have been done away with.
| The 'glove contests" as they are now
called, are given under the authority Of
| the State of Louisiana, under a special
| license from the Mayor Of New Orleans,
with the Chief Of Police or other police
officer, with Fifty men or more under
him, presiding to see that everything is
fairly, honestly and orderly conducted.
A COMFORTABLE PLACE.
Moreover, the contests" take place
| in one Of the most comfortable clubs In
New Orleans, In an immense amphithe-
atre, laid off like an opera house, with
NUN bered seats, private and proscenum
boxes, easy chairs and every comfort
| imaginable.
The Olympic ring is so orderly that
no one need hesitate about going there,
and no one In New Orleans does hest
tate. The president OF the club, Mr..
| Charles Noel, IS leading manufacturer
and prominent member OF the City
Council, and the other gentlemen hav-
ing charge of the contests" are solid,
substantial and respected business men.
At least three-fourths OF the audience
on the night Of "a contest" are OF the
better classes-lawyers, doctors, bank
ers, merchants and men OF that kind;
and the other quarter sporting men,
mostly from the East, are kept well in
order.
An investigation made by the Louisi-
ana Legislature few days ago proved
the Olympic" fights to be thoroughly
orderly: Some Of the religious people
tried TO break them up, and resolution
was offered in the Legislature prohibit
ing them. A legislative committee in
vestigated the matter, and some OF the
best citizens OF New Orleans came for
ward TO testify that they had been
present at these prize fghtt and saw
nA;a,tfAnahIa II, rha,,
were scientific displays, they said, and
not brutal. Perhaps little blood was
split, but no one was seriously hurt.
They had given, moreover, an immense
impetus to athletics in New Orleans.
When the fights began there was but
one aehletic club in New Orleans. Now
there are ten, with q membership of
5000: but their best work done was in
aboishng in New Orleans the revolver
as a settlement of disputes. Formerly
when you were insuted IL was the
fashion TO shoot the insuter; now you
knock him down, because you know
how to do it. And on this testimony
the Legislature decided not TO interfere
but to let the Oympics go on with their
fights.
HEAVY CAPITAL REQUIRED.
A large amount Of capital is required
TO carry on the pugilistic business, which
is conducted on business methods like
race course. The Olympic Club, which
is stock company, has all the money 1t
needs, and is able. therefore, to offer
bigger purses and spend some 500, 900 or
SIS, 900 In all on the coming fights In
addition to its capital 1t has the advan-
tage Of a splendid reputation for hon
esty and tair dealing, as there has never
been a complaint against 1t. 1t is this
fact which has made IL unwilling TO CO.
operate or act with any other club, even
when invited to do so by so influential
an organization as the Coney Island Club
OF New York.
Aside from the money taken In by the
Olympic. New Orleans makes "a hand
some thing" by these "pugilistic carni-
walls" They stir up the city as much as
Mardi Gras does, give the railroads
plenty OF business during the dull
season, pack the hotels and boarding
"sll along the line" 1t was impossible
to get room at any OF the leading no.
tells week before the last Olympic
fight between Fitzsimmons and Maher,
and cabs cost fancy prices. 1t is true
that large part OF the visitors had
decidedly sporty" look, with big dia-
mond pins and beavers that betray the
gambler, but men Of this kind are noto-
riously lavish with their money and they
la,ya hahind handsnma enna The