Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-07-31
THE ARENA At DALLAS.
OnIy Second 10 the Coliseum in Sea'ins I'D
paciiy.

II the law of the Lone Star state does
,ot succeed in landing decisive leu manu-
hoot or an uppercut James j. Corbett, the
cbampion heavyweight fistic artist OF tne
,,iverse. and Robert Fitzsimmons, the
,rorld,s middloweight champion, will meet
~. q, To settle the momentous ques-
t;o,, ,vhether one or the other is the better
man in a boxing argum ent. incidentally
the two big pugilists will also decide when
shall enjoy the pleasure of slowing away
s6I 600 in his inside pocket.
Tho Florida Athletic club has hung up
ei1 o0o nurse for the contest, and each
hoxor has backed himself for the addition
n snm of $40, 900. The president and treas.
,,rar Of the club is Dan A. Stuart, q well
-, snorting man Of Dallas, and its
,,,an.,or is Joseph II. Vendic, known to
,,,n,,,- thousands of horsemen the country
oro- ne Circular Joe Nendig, the bet
TING commissioner Of THURMAN Michael +.
Dyyer The proposed scene of the battle,
Dolios has been chosen for the reason that
tbe Texas sporting men who are backing
tba enterprise are of the opinion that there
l. M law in the Lone Star state prohibit
inc boxing for the championship of the
world and sol. 0G0 coin of the realm. The
attorney general of the state, on the other
hand. seems to believe that the proposed
contest is to be prize fight and that prize
fights are illegal in Texas.
Tndeterred, however, by the opinion of
the attorney general, President Stuart and
Manager Vendig are making the necessary
ARIA nrcments for the contest and are pre-
narinr to erect in Dallas the largest am
nbithcater ever built in America. The pro-
posed building is octagonal in form and is
simply a mammoth circus tent of wood.
Despite it's double row of windows, it is
hut one story high, and tiers of seats rise
gradually until the ts>r,ost ones approach
the roof The most remarkable thing about
the arena is its seating capacity. There are
6S5 press seats near the ring, 1905 box
seats, II ,6SS reserved seats and 81, S66 I'M
reserved seats-a grand total of so, SIS.
The architect who planned this man.
moth structure declares that the building
is the largest arena mentioned in modern
or ancient history since the days of Titus
the Roman emperor, who completed the
Coliseum or Flavian amphithcater n. ID.
so and had Il great number of gladiators
and several thousand wild beasts butch
cred to make Roman holiday when it
was dedicated. This is the same Roman
gentleman who failed to perform a single
act of benefcence one day and was so
stung by remorsc that he exclaimed, my
friends, l have lost day
The Coliseum is the largest permanent
structure of the kind ever built and could
and did accommodate $4,000 spectators
whenever the Corbctt and Fitzsimmons of
The time ceased talking for publication
long enough to meet in the arena and dc
a little actual fighting. The heavy hand
of time has landed full many jab and
swing on the Coliseum, but it Is yet to
be seen in Rome, slightly disfigured, but
still-i in the ring.
On paper at least the Dallas arena Is
close seGond to the old Coliseum of the
Eternal City, and the morning of the fight
The promoters of the great enterprise
hope to see every one of the 81, S45 seats oc-
cupied by people whose rich sporting blood
will have led them to flock to Dallas from
all parts of the United States, to say moth.
ing of Mexico and Canada. Dallas hotel
keepers also anticipate host of visitors
and as sporting men always spend money
with prodigal liberality the business mel
of the enterprising city are of the opinion
that great deal of ready cash will be left
in Dallas by the deyotees of fistiana.
According to the census of 1890 Dallas,
Is the largest city in Texas. In that year
it had "a population of 3S,067, and the five
years that have passed have materially in
creased the number. The city is great
railroad center, a market for the cotton
and other agricultural products of the state
and holds high rank as distributing cen.
ter. The state fair will open in Dallas Oct.
10 and continue until Nov. 10, and the
battle between Corbett and Fitzsimmons