Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-07-04


proper selection. So Reno IL was anu
everything was switched to TINS 'own
and the hurried construction vi 'h0
arena begun.
The Reno arena is located nihe an"
q half from the center OF the CITY, anu
stands where stood the arena III which
the Root Hart fight took place just
four years ago. The plan is almost
identical with that Of the arena III
San Francisco which had to be apah :
doned when the state interviewed anu
csused the shift to Nevada. 1t is about
300 feet square, and seats Zo'ooo APP
proximately. and its cost was expect
ed to exceed s17,5OO.
forest of lumber has gone into
the construction of the great octagonai
amphtheatre. 1t Is so designed Una.
every one of the spectators rs insured
full view of the ring In wh1ch the
battle will be fought. Looking down
from the bleachers, it seems ABSURD
to think that enough action could De
compressed into that 24-foot space 10
keep such a horde OF people interest
ed, even for minute.
Measured within the ropes with
their padded corners. the ring is just
"a feet square. From edge to edge in
each direction the raised platform Is
q feet. allowing Is inches beyond the
ropes all around. This space is left for
the convenience of the seconds, who
must spring into the ring between
rounds to fan and wash and encourage
their warning chleftalns.
Below the edge of the platform runs
n
Gated the telegraph instruments which
will click the story OF the pattie
around the world. Here also are the
telephones with metallic head-dresses
attached through with the thousands
on the outside will hear of the progress
of the fight via the bulletin boards.
Back of this bench are several others.
providing in all for 100 newspaper
men.
From this level around the ring the
sections radiate outward and upward
like spokeS of wagon wheel There
are eight of these wedge shaped sec
tons. and each row of seats is five
inches higher than the one in front.
the last row rising 35 feet from the
ground level The seats do not run
one behind the other, soldier ia hion.
but alternate so that the man behind
looks down on the ring between the
heads OF the two directly in front of
him. BY this arrangement the ring
will be f1anked by a sloping wall of
races and staring eyes. circling the
fighters on all sides to a height of 80
feet, There will be no spaces and
lines between them Just a solid wall
of faces glaring down at the white
square.
Between the press seats and the
bleachers there is Il gentle slope upon
which approximately 5000 chairs are
grouped. Here the aristocratS will sit
at their eaSe-men to whom $50 seat
for an afternoons sport is little out of
the ordinary. The 5000 will be on low
er level than the ring. and will look
upward at the fighters.
Through the hleacher section wire
fences have been run. marking off the
zones Of financial standing. First be-
hind the chairs come rows of seats
held at 500. SIS and 800 each Then
come the SIS seats the $40 rows in
great number. and finally the gallery
gods. perched high above the ground
at S. per perch.
EotlllHu tllFSt highest seats Dlocu
wkla surrounds the arena 1t leads to
the exits. and these are so placed that
the flow of the crowd will be well dis
tributed There is no central point of
egress at which crowding thousands
may aim. enhancing the danger com
mon to all crowds of panic and Stam
pede
Beneath the bleachers are the quar-
ters of the fighters. the dressing
rooms in which they will don. or rath
er expose. their fighting togs. The
two camps are separated by the width
of the arena. and a short aisle. kept
clear of other traffic will be reserved
for each man and his followers when
they make their progress to the battle
ground.
Unusual precautions have been TAX
en- to prevent disorder of any kind
There will be several platoons of
guards scattered through the aisles.
and among the audience. Every en-
trance and exit will be supervised to
prevent Crowding. and plain clothes
men will be scattered everywhere.