The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-11-13
LOCAL BOOSTERS
BID FOR FIGHT
Offer of 100000 Sent for the
JeffrieS- Johnson Bout in
Salt Lake.
BELIEVE IN ADVERTISING
WITH PEOPLE TO HELP GREAT
PROFITS MAY COME.
BELIEVE IN ADVERTISING

Salt Lake has entered the arena as
bidder for what is expected to be the
greatest contest ever witnessed in sport
dom-the Jeffries-JOhnsOn fight. Hester-
day a telegram was sent TO Jeffries guar
anteeing a purse Of 100000 if Salt Lake
should be chosen as the meeting ground
for the coming battle Of the modern Tit
ans
The offer was made through a. Fred
Wey who is backed in the proposal by
q number of the leading business men or
the city, as we'll as the leaders of the
sporting fraternity. The matter OF en-
deavoring to bring the fight to Salt Lake
hes been under general discussion for
several days past and number OF IN
formal meetings of those interested have
been held to discuss the proposal Afder
considering the project in all its phases
it was decided to make a bid for the fight
and TO offer 100000 as an inducements
This sum has already been guaranteed
and the promoters of the plan stand
ready to increase the amount should 1t
be necessary.
Yesterday afternoon the following tele-
gram was sent to James j. Jeffries at
New York, by Mr.. Wey:
"A. Fred Wey backed by business men,
offers 100000 for the Jeffries-JOhnson
contest. Consider Salt Lake an applicant
for the fight"
: Mr.. Wey and those interested in bring
ing the fight to Salt Lake look upon 1t
I'm the light of an Investment. They be
lieve the advertising the city will re-
ceiVe the world over will be of the kind
the money viii be well spent if San
Lake should be successful in its bid.
u have studied the matter over for
the last couple of weeks Mr.. Wey said
yesterday, land I have come to the con-
clusion that it will be a great thing for
Salt Lake should we be able to land
the fight here.
Other Cities Bid.
"Of course, at the very start there may
be some objection based on moral
grounds. But at that, there are probably
twenty-five cities bidding for it, incIud-
ing San Francisco. Los Angeles. Port
land, Seattle, Goldfield and Denver.
These cities are perhaps all as moral
and as good as we are So far as the
evil effects go, l talked the matter over
with number of prominent business
men in San Francisco, after the Johnson
ketchel fight. and they all spoke Of the
material benefit to business obtained
through the attraction of thousands Of
mOneyed visitors There was no indica-
ton that moral standards had been low
cred
When I thought what the value of the
advertising would be, l concluded we
might as well get in line and try to get
the fight here.
IF the people don't want it. of course.
that's another proposition. and we don't
want the fight. If the objection is too
great We viii have to drop the matter
But, I think long as other towns are
out after it we might as well get it if
we can.
Tine benefits to be derived from hav-
ing the fight here are greater than most
persons realize. The scene of the fight
will be advertised the world over. and the
publicity will last year or more after
wards through the medium of the NOV
ing pictures of the contest.
We have made the offer of $4,000
and should it be necessary to offer more
We are prepared to do that Salt Lake
has an excellent prospect of being the
choice, as one Of the PRINCIPALS has al
ready tntimated that he would prefer this
city if the fight could be arranged here
Il expect to receive a reply to my teIe-
gram by tomorrow and look for encour-
agement"
The fact of the offer for the fight hav-
ing been made yesterday caused a stir in
excitement in downtown circles, and the
period of waiting for the decision Will
be one of impatient expectancy for the
salt Lake sportsmen and admirers of the
fistiC game.
Should Salt Lake be awarded the prize
in securing the worlds CHAMPIONSHIPS
fight in which Jeffries will endeavor to
bring the laurels back to the white race
there Will be no difficulty in providing
the proper accommodations There are
several convenient sites in and around
the city available for the arena, and this
according to Mr. Wey is one of the least
things to be considered