The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-07-03
ARENA READY FOR EAGER THOUSANDS
TO WITNESS BIC FIGHT ON MONDAY

ployed by the churchmen TO fight the
matter before the supervisors. Every
one expected a verbal battle at least,
and when the recommendation came
up for action, the board room was
crowded
1t is not everyone, however, who is
/ familiar with the routine of board
meetings. Very quietly the commit
tees recommendation was advanced
on the days program of business,
called up, and the permit granted
without word having been said
against it. The opposition did not
realize what was going forward until
it was too late even to protest.
The pressure upon the governor
had not been remitted for a moment
He declared that he did not believe
the state law would justify interven-
tion. however, and with this statement
from a man known to be opposed to
prize-fighting. the promoters were
content They did not fear that the
authorities would step in, and carried
their preparations forward without
further consideration of the opposi-
! ton.
Great was the CONSERVATION. there
fore. when Governor Gillett, when the
actual erection of the arena had been
| begun. and everything was considered
! settled announced that he regarded
the contest as a prize-fght and not
/ boxing contest, and that in accod-
ance with the laws of California he
/ would not permit it to be held. There
was talk of contest in the courts,
/ but it was seen that this would be
too long drawn out to admit OF de-
cision in time to stage the fight, and
the governor making II decidedly
plain that he meant what he said, and
would go to all legal lengths to stop
the affair, the promoters gave up, and
picked the state of Nevada as their
one sure stronghold.
Goldfield at first made a strong bid
for the match, but accessibility was
point to be strongly considered, and
Rickard and his associates finally
came to believe that Reno was the
proper selection. So Reno it was, and
everything was switched to this town
and the hurried construction of the
arena begun.
The Reno arena is located mile
and a half from the center CT the
city. and stands where stood the arena
! in which the Root-Hart fight took
/ place just four years ago. The plan
is almost identical with that of the
arena in San Francisco which had to
be abandoned when the state inter
vened and caused the shift to Nevada.
/ 1t is about 800 feet square, and seats
10000 approximately and its cost was
cApCtlGu 70 tAGGtu iOOu'
\ forest of lumber has gone into
the construction of the great octaS-
onal amphtheatre. 1t is so designed
that every one of the spectators IS
insured a full view of the ring IN
which the battle will be fought Look
ing down fro III the bleachers it seems
absurd to think that enough action
could be compressed into that 24-foot
, space TO keep such a horde of peopi~
. interested, even for a minute.
Measured within the ropes with
their padded corners the ring is just
II feet square. From edge to edge in
each direction the raised platform is
y feet, allowing IS inches beyond the
ropes all around. This space is left
, Tor the convenience of the seconds
| who must spring into the ring be-
, tween rounds to fan and wash and
, encourage their warning chieftains.
e Below the edge of the platform runs
| narrow bench upon which are l.
j, Gated the telegraph instruments which
T. will click the story OF the battle
r around the world. Here also are the
| telephones with metallic head-dresses
> attached, through which the thousands
on the outside will hear of the pro
t gress if the fight via the bulletir
boards. Back of this bench are sey
r eral others, providing In all f-r 10,
. newspaper men.
S From this level around the ring tht
4 sections radiate outward and upwarC
l. like spokes of a wagon wheel Their
+ are eight of these wedge-shaped sec
: tons. and each row of seats is fv,
+ inches higher than the one in from