Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-04
Famine Threatens Immense Crowd
in Little Mining City.
FOOD SUPPLY ABOUT GONE
The Restaurant Doors Locked and
Guarded-Fair Skies and Cool
Breeze Make Perfect Weather
Conditions for Big
Contest.

that today lifted its rays above the sage
brush hills inclosing this ordinarily peace
full valley sets over the Sierras there will
have passed into comparative oblivion one
Of two mighty men-James ]. Jeffries or
John Arthur Johnson.
Its first rays shot into barrack-like
places where men of home and family
were lying in row after row. It glinted
through shutters into strange bedrooms
where men were sleeping three in a bed
and on the floors. 1t rent aside curtains
OF smoke and saw red-eyed men grouped
at gren tables and standing around spin
ming wheels. And on each of these ia
bles it met its rival, the gold of the
earth, in heaps. 1t saw the great bare
structure of pine boards with white
roped ring in the center waiting. 1t saw
the streets already stirring with the
restless life and automobiles already
whirling along the country roads.
Out of the southeast came a cool wind,
and the clear sky gave promise of a
perfect day for what promises to be the
last great heavyweight prize fight in the
United States. Here. between the fire of
eastern reformers and the deep sea of
Pacific coast politics, the pugilists are
gathered in their last stand. Never be-
fore in the history of the prize ring
nave SO many fighting celebrities and
sporting characters met in one narrow
street If Announcer Billy Jordan has to
Introduce all these men this afternoon
he will lose his voice long before Jeffries
and Johnson make their bows to the
public.
Richard Sure to Referee.
The morning of the fight brings no
change in the details that will make up
the setting up of the stage. To down
.
cree. Tex Richard offers this morning to
bet $1,000 lie will officiate. The night
passed peacefully at both camps, and
early this morning the trainers and ham
dlSrs and managers were busy complet-
Ing their arrangements to appear at the
ringside promptly and TO get out of town
tomorrow.
The gong for the first round is sched-
uled to ring al 80 o'clock. Pacific coast
time. but what with introductions and
the fuss of the moving picture game. it
probably will be half an hour later be-
fore time is called. 1t is probable that
the arena. seating 1900, will be COM
fortably filed.
The main struggle this morning was to
get something to eat before going to the
arena. The restaurants last night almost
gave up the attempt TO feed the hungry
multitude. Many places were sold out
of every scrap of eatables before morn
ing. The doors of the main restaurants
were guarded by husky walters. who let
few hungry patrons sift In at intervals
Once inside, ii was a waiter who told the
guests what they could get to eat. Menu
cards were mere ornaments. Hundreds
of men who came in on the late specials
last night walked until they were weary
hunting place TO eat and sleep Some
gave IL up as bad job and remained up
ali night
Early Start for Arena.
Ii was weird throng that started on
It's way to the arena as the clock moved
toward noon In the crowd were the pu-
giists. the sports who followed the pugi-
lists and bet on them, the men who write
of the doings of the ighters-more writ
ers than ever reported a fight before
women and boys. thieves and gamblers.
beggars and detectives and all the casual
riffraff that follows big sporting events.
They were burned by one fever, sped by
one desire. made one by common goal
During the morning many automobile
parties sped out TO the two camps on the
edge Of the city. seeking a last tip from
the wise ones. The pOolroomS were busy
taking bets. During the early hours the
odds remained the same as last night
Jeffries the favorite at 10 TO 6h They
were pushed down to six at one time by a
bet of $1,000 on Jeffries. made by II. H.
Frazee of Chicago, who will manage JEFF
fries round-the-world tour-if-
George Considine of New York bet
5000 on Jeffries at odds of 10 TO So and
announced he had more at the same
price.
Larger betting is looked for at the ring
eide. with a possible change of odds in
favor of Johnson r. E Smathers of New
York said he would bet ScOOUU on JEFF
fries later
The latest news from the camps is that
both men will wait until the last minute
before motoring 10 the ringside- They
Will dress az their camps even TO putting
the bandages on their hands.
Fighters Take Short Sprints.
Both men arose early and went out for
short spSs the road to timber up.
johnson had not made his final plans.
but Jeffries decided TO have all his train
ers except Red Cornell and Farmer
Burns 10 precede him to his quarters at
the arena.
Cornell and Burns will remain at the
camp 10 give him final rub.
On the way 10 the arena Jeffries will
Continued on Second Page)