The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-01-07
SPORTS LOSING FAITH
They Now Admit the Florida
Fight May Not Take Place.
No Hope of Inducing the Governor 10
Recede from His POsitom-COm-
ditiOn Of the Arena.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla, Jan. 6-There
WAS a story current to-day that COrbett
had written a letter TO Mitchell Offering
to foregO the purse and meet him in pri-
vate i'm case tho contest could not be other
wise pulled oft \ telegram was received
from Mitchell denying that Corbett had
written such letter and when the story
was sifted it developed that Corbett had
said to Manager Bowden. of the club. that
he was 50 anxious To fight the Englshman
he would meet him in a room for nothing,
either with gloves or bare knuckles.
To-day as mas been the case every day
since the match was made the only develop
ment has been talk Some days the talk
is spicy and some days it is duh This has
been one of the dali days. The truth seems
to be that the determined opposition of
Governor Mitchell has taken the heart out
Of the fighters and out OF the promoters
of the contest. The athletic club is stil
talking about bringing the fight of on time
and Corbett and Mitchell are said 10 be
training away, but majority Of the people
here don't believe that the contest Will be
allowed i'm Florida, at least not publicly.
II Corbett and Mitchell get together they
will have To meet secretly. 50 secretly that
the Governor will not know they have
fought until the newspapers so announce.
All talk about the club bringing pressure
TO bear on the Governor to get him 10 let
up" in his opposition is said by those who
ought 10 know to be the veriest rot. Tn
doubtedly the club would like To get the
Governor TO recede from his position. but
the club knows. and the public, at least
the Florida public knows. that the Cover
nor Is not in the receding business.
1t is said that the DuVaH Athletic Club
VII
who have been engaged on the construction
OF the arena in ."hicn il is intended that
COThett and Mitchell shall Hght. The arena
Is built around the old fair building. the
center OF which Will be about the location Of
the ring. The fair building, which has not
been used for several years will form a
part OF the structure Its sides have been
torn away. but the roof viii remain and
join the new roof which is to cover the adj
ditiCnS. The building Is TO be practically
square. The club says that the structure
can be finished in three days. The work
done 50 far has been the tearing Out of the
sides of the old fair building and Inc putt
ting in Of upriEhtS for the new part. these
uprights are all i'm place The supports for
the inclined plane upon which the seats are
u BE- arr also in place. The uprights are
2xl and the supports very little larger No
flooring nor weather boarding has Yet been
building complete in three days a consider
able addition viii have To be made 10 the
There was a story floating around i'm
sporting circles that the scene Of the col-
test would be transferred - cuba. r war
said that Mr. IT. r. Plant. who is largely
interested In Florida railroads. and also
controls steamship line from Tampa.
Fla. 10 Havana. had offered 70 provide all
tke facilities necessary 10 transport
large crowd to Havana. provided Corbett
and Mitchell would consent to meet Their,
This is a sample Of the stories floating
around. but all of them have more or less
Of the fake about them. 1t is apparent
that the continual talk ana uncertainty has
already disgust II great many people.