Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-07-02
ARENA READY
FOR THE FIGHT
Last Plank in Place and Cover
ing on the Ring Stretched
for Mondays Go.
MILE AND HALF FROM CITY
Finest of Lumber Has Gone Into the
Construction of Great Octag-
onal Amphitheatre.

or rumple beneath the feet of the
fighters, the arena IN which James j.
Jenries and John Arthur Johnson will
settle the worlds heavyweight cham
pionship on Monday is ready for the
thronging thousands who will see the
history making battle fought out.
And the thousands are coming. They
are pouring into this little city by
every available means of conveyance.
Some OF them come from the other
side Of the Atlantic ocean. Some
have voyaged across the Pacific, trav-
cling nearly 10000 miles to witness
the fight, and probably there would
have been many more from great dis
tances had 1t not been for the strong
opposition to the match and the wide
spread agitation to prevent It which
finally resulted in the transfer to the
far less accessible Reno.
The widespread opposition to the
fight IN California which finally re-
suited in Governor Gillett's drastic
action, barring the event from the
state, and the shifting of the scene to
Reno, was headed by the churches OF
the country, and found a place in the
resolutions adopted by several of the
annual church conferences and con-
ventions. The governor, The mayor,
and even the president were appealed
to, and the story OF the governors
final interference Is now history.
Fight Over Location.
The first problem encountered oy
the promoters after the men had
signed articles was that of selecting
n I'll L A..
favor Of Salt Lake City, Utah, and It
looked for a time as though the match
would be staged there. Jack Gleason,
Richards associate, Is a San Fran
ciscan, however, and he was equally
determined that the fight should be
held In his home city The difference
between Richard and Gleason contin-
ued until the governor of Utah plainly
intimated that his stand would be
against the fight, and Rickard yielded
the point
When Richard and Gleason finally
decided upon holding the fight on the
coast the question of the exact place
was still in doubt for several weeks.
1t was found that the board OF super
visors of San Francisco, under the
new administration which took Office
at the beginning of the year. was will
ing to grant a As round permit, break
ing the 20 round limit, but still there
was friction at some points, and final
" it was decided to take the fight
across the bay.
Was Convenient TO Roads,
Emeryville is the site of the New
California Jockey club race track. II
I'll ae
cars and ferry boats, and when the
sporting world heard that President
Williams of the Jockey club had con-
sented to the use OF the grounds for
the fight arena, they breathed a sigh
OF relief. 1t looked as though the way
was cleared at last. The men were in
training, plans for the arena were
drawn, the agreed portions of the 81
gantic purse were deposited, and
everything looked smooth.
Right in the midst OF this, however.
the church opposition came. The peo-
pie of the east bay shore where Emery
vile is located brought great pressure
to bear upon the county officials. II
was announced that the fight would
be stopped at the first indication that
II was anything more than the sparring
contest is purported to be. This state
ment created alarm, and when II was
by a request from Williams
that the promoters, II possible, find
some other place, sportdom suffered
a decided blue spell Williams said
that he would keep his bargain with
but It was evident that he
did not desire to do so.
Gather Forces in Frisco.
The promoters then began to gather
their forces in San Francisco again.
A storm of objection and protest was
raised by the church declarations and
ike organizations, but the police com
nittee of the supervisors recommend
I'd that the 45 round permit be granted.
Attorneys were employed by the
,hurchmen to fight the matter before
he supervisors. Everyone expected a
verbal battle at least, and when the
came up for action
the board room was crowded.
II Is not everyone, however, who is
familiar with the routine Of board
Very quietly the commit
tees recommendation was advanced
On the days program of business,
called up, and the permit granted
without a word having been said
against it. The opposition did not
realize what was going forward untiI
It was too late even to protest.
The pressure upon the governor had
not been RENTED for a moment He
declared that he did not believe the
state law would justify intervention,
however, and with this statement from