New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-07-04

draw or some unexpected disaster. two
words VIII he flashed around the world;
wins
Tomorrow afternoon James ]. Jeffries
snd John a johnson viii meet in their
long talked % fight for the undisputed
heavyweight championship Of the world
-loae6 fists VIII thfl6 against flesh. and
blood will rush through leaping muscles
IN .he open arena built near Reno, And
the son OF slave nanny Of the old
South. Heavyweight Champion Johnson. Or
fhe son Of a preacher the undefeated JEFF
fries Will lie declared the most perfect
fighting machine in the history Of the
prize ring
Driven out Of California. warned out Of
other states by reform sentiment, harried
and pressed by s thousand difficulties. the
promoters Of this great fight are about to
realize the results Of their labors. The
Sghters are ready to spring 10 the centre
II the ring al the tap Of the gong The
5erraced arena Is waiting for its multitude,
and the multitude is straining 10 get into
the Enclosure.
L is estimated that ten thousand visit
- are crowded into this desert city to-
kay From East and West the specials
7dissor-ed their loads Of sporting men,
many Of whom have travelled from the
far corners Of the earth All day hig auto
mobiles powdered with the white dust
% the desert. haze chugsed in from the
coast cities from the California valleys,
from ranch and mining camp. even from
Seattle. a thousand miles away.
The last touch to the drama that VIII he
staged tomorrow was added ly the ar
rival Al the Johnson camp of Billy Delany,
veteran trainer of fighters. who announced
positively that he would he in the black
mans corner as chief second. Delany took
Jim Jeffries in hand when he was q raw
boy and made him the champion of the
world. Several years ago the trainer and
Jeffries quarreIIed. and they have been bit
Ter enemies ever since. The craY-haired
nelany, who knows Jeffries. perhaps. as
no other man knows him, has picked John
son to win. and viii direct every detail of
The battle the black man viii make against
.Jeffries.
The rurnor that Promoter and Referee
Tex Richard viii not act as third man
IN the ring VIII not down It bohhed up
again with renewed life to-day. when it
was whispered that Charley White. Of New
York. the alternate referee had confided
80 A friend that he fully expected to he
called on 10 act at the last minute This
was not possible of confirmation, how
ever. and Rickard reiterated his intention
Of officiating
The effort u ill the blank in the two
word message that the wires will carry out
o. Reno tomorrow and TO answering it in
WAY that viii bring financial profit is
turning heads gray to-day. The real an
sRer is getting 50 close that il hurts The
wise ones, OF the betting brigade never
We're further up in the air They are still
talking -aA0ut the yellow streak and
cant come hack but the betting sheets
show = remarkable indecision
Between the partisans. the great mass of
fight followers is waverinE. In the pool
rooms il : 40 TO e.. with ,Jeffries the IA
vorite. and even money that Jeffries wins
. in twenty rounds In the pari-muIueIs. the
heavy play is that Jeffries viii win in
twenty-five rounds or more
This last DAY before the fight will he re-
1nembered in Reno for many long year.
A. the break Of day the sky gray, and
al during the morning black storm clouds
Were adrift in the hills. but the day
wore on. the wind cleared the sky and the
foothills were mottled with the gold of the
sunlight and the blue and black Of the
cloud shadows.
viii it rain. VIII il he cold tomorrow"
asked the strangers. And the natives an
swered that in all probabilities the arena
would he 80 hot that melting pitch would
glue the spectators to their seats
Despite the threatening weather, the
roads to the fighters camps were dotted
with vehicles Of every description. Hacks
carried scores Of the humble oEt TO the
Johnson headquarters. struggling for right
Of way with automobiles filled with gay
groups Of sports and others bearing the
stamp Of wealth.
The road 10 the Jeffries cottage was one
long procession. Outgoing parties met
automobiles that had just come through
5he gaps in the Sierras, bearing men from
the Pacific Coast cities All stopped at
Aioana Springs. until The place looked like
camp meeting
JefTries received his friends on the lawn
under The willow trees. He sat there most
Of the day. playing cards and chatting.
word Of the coming fight on his lips and
his face as inscrutable as ever. Ever
guard Al the gates TO keep the unknown
curious out. every inch Of room around
the cottage was filed by a strairinS neck
and q gaping face. Not smile. not
trown escaped the ever growing crowd.
JeFries did absolutely no work during
The day. lie lid not give a sign that the
fn1rninence OF the fight was perturhing his
spirits He was thoroughly glad. too. THAI
his heroic training over. and he was
ready TO meet tn- test with ali OF his old
zine spirit
An uneasy. restless movement was no
Ticeab he among the trainers and camp fo,-
lowers Broken sentences. overemphasis %
conviction and various other little things
showed that on the part of some Of the
syhite fighters intimates al least, :heTe was
some turmoil Of spirit.
Ragtime music told of the approach 10
Johnson-s abode. The arrival Of the great
Delany lifted The spirits 81 Johnson and
his friends 10 The pinnacle Of confidence.
There was no evidence OF what was .
come in 4 few hours.
Johnson did his road work IN the morn
ing. and then Announced that he had
reached his fighting weight, 200 pounds.
and would step into the ring al POS JET
fries would not give out his weight until
tomorrow
Telegraph officers We're busy installing
inside wires at the arena. Painters were
busy marking on seat numbers and sec
ton. Every seat. * found. was so
arranged that a clear view 81 the ring
could he had. The ring looked solid
enough for an elephant 10 tread on.
There l. not a house or telegraph pole
around the arena on which free seat
may be found 10 view the fight. Natures
arena is around this little spot on tie
man faultIess in beauty, wild and free in
Is s. Fsla for la -