Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-07-02

RENO, New, jury q.
MYTH the last plank In place, the
w canvas covering of the ring
stretched until it cannot slip or
rumple beneath the feet of the fighters.
the arena in which James j. Jeffries
and John Arthur Johnson will settle the
worlds heavyweight championship on
Monday is ready for the %thronging
thousands who will see the history
making battle fought out.
The widespread opposition to the
fight in California, which finally result
cd 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 reso-
luton adopted by several of the annual
church conferences and conventions.
The governor. the mayor, and even the
President were appealed to, n the
story of the governors flna interior
cnce is now history.
When Richard and Gleason finally
decided upon holding the fight on the
coast the question of the 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 tool office at the
beginning of the year., was willing to
grant a forty-five-round permit, break
ing the twenty-round limit, but still
there was friction at some points, and
finally it was decided to take the fight
across the bay.
Emeryville is the site of the new
California Jockey Club race track. 1t
is convenient to all railroads, street
cars and ferry boats, and when the
sporting world heard that President
Williams, of the Jockey Club, a con-
scented to the use of the grounds for
the fight arena they breathed a sigh
of relief. It 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
gigantic purse were deposited, I'M
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 peal upon the county officials. Will
Jams said that he would keep his bar
gain with Rickard, but it was evident
that he did not desire to DO so.
FRISCO AGAIN.
The promoters then began to gather
their forces in San Francisco again. A
storm of objection and protest was
,saised by the church declarations and
ike organizations, but the police COM
mittee of the supervisors recommended
that the forty-five-round permit be
granted. Attorneys were employed by
the churchmen to fight the matter be-
fore the supervisors. Everyone expect
ed a. verbal battle at least, n when
the recommendation came up for &C.
tion the board room was crowded.
1t is not everyone, however. who is
familiar with the routine of board
meetings. Very quietly the committees
recommendation was advanced on the
days program of business, called Up,
and the permit granted without a word
having been said against 1t. The OPP
position did not realize what was going
forward until 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 statament 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 prepara-
lions forward without further consid-
GRAFTON of the opposition.
Great was the CONSERVATION when