Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-04
FIGHTERS ON EDGE,
TAP OF THE GONG
AWAITED IN RENO

take his wife to q newspaper once. where
she will wait until the fate Of her hus-
band has been decided, getting the re-
turns round by round. Mrs. Jefries
hates prize lights. She is sure. however.
that ''her jim will win.
when the fight starts it will be more
than battle between the two principals.
Jeffries' chief second will be James j.
Corbett, who Was champion until whip
ped BY FttSslmmons. Johnson's chief
laney: Delaney trained and fathered
both Corbett and Jeffries when they were
young fellows. He Is Jefries' enemy
now. and johnson depends upon him
to tell him weak points in his opponent
and to advise him Just when to sail in:
the most dramatic touches that could be
imagined. 1t will be a test OF the best
ring generalship this age has produced.
Besides Delaney In Johnson's corner will
Prof. Burns and Stanley Ketchell. mid
dleweight champion of the world. who
Will act as timekeeper for Johnson.
Wires Kept Busy.
1t is appalling to think Of the number
Of words that will be written about this
fight before another sunrise. Not only
every move. but almost every thought.
Of the men In the ring will be clronicled.
In the cold figures Of the telegraph COM
panies' estimates, 10000 words of press
matter will go out over the wires II
johnson wins. II Jeffries wins it will
be much less. They estimate about 2OO.-
600 words.
A force Of 100 expert telegraph oper-
ators has been gathered in this little
desert city. They have been brought
from as far east as Chicago. A carload
Of modern equipment was sent on from
CT
were parked for the accommodation of
these men. Extra precautions have been
taken along the line to safeguard the
wires and the company has increased its
roster In all principal Offices and repeater
stations from coast to coast.
One wire official said that outside Of the
San Francisco disaster Of 1906 no greater
volume OF matter has been handled for
q single event in the history Of telegra-
ply.
And yet the half has not been told.
There are incidents that go to make up
the real life of gathering Of this sort
that no eye can see and no pen can tell.
On the eve OF the biggest thing in his
life Jack johnson sat with q party of
friends yesterday afternoon and talked
tokingiy Of his career.
Tonight" he said. Il am thinking Of
the hard road that I've Travelled since
left home when I was twelve years old.
l ran away as a kid, slowed away on a
cotton steamer and landed in New York.
Il didn't have a nickel AS the ship
docked ! went on deck and standing In
the center OF a crowd of passengers with
my longest face and my saddest eyes,
without friends, family or money. was
about to jump overheard.
Il walked to the rail and told every
body to keep away from me. My old cap
turned around. about to try my bluff at
the fatal plunge. woman threw a dollar
In my cap.
"A shower of money followed, and my
first meal in the big city was chicken.
Johnson's Ambition.
Since that time for twenty years
have Travelled over most Of the world,
and have had my ups and downs. But
my ambition has been realized. 1 have
taken my old mother out of that Calves
ton shanty where / was raised from q
baby, and I've put her in the best house
could find In Chicago. She's got every
sniP ing she want =; and I'm
been finding four-leaf clovers. and the
men have been bringing in old horse.
shoes. but to the fighters mind the best
indication OF good luck that has come to
While the members OF the family were
at the dining table last night, waiting
for Jeffries and Frank Gotch to come In
q vagabond dog wandered in and crawled
under Jeffries' vacant chair. Attempts
to drive the visitor out were useless
Jeffries returned at dark. A large steak
had been prepared for him. AS he en-
tered the room he saw the dog. He
laughed and said: well. here's a yellow
deg with good luck to me. Well JUS
make him the mascot. He's welcome te
stay"
And cutting the steak in two Jeffries
tossed half OF It to his new friend.
Food Question Is Serious.
BY o'clock this morning the breakfas
problem assumed a phase that BODIED ii
for lucheon and dinner. Throughout the
night special and regular trains had add
ed thousands to those on the ground and
most of those had gone foodless fol
hours. AS each train arrived it's pas
sengers made dash for restaurants
lunch stands or sandwich hawkers and
Reno's food supply began to melt
When the lucky thousands who hat
rice. they found the homeless throng had
been before them. At every restaurant
and eating place the doors were locked
and guards kept the waiting ones in line
letting them in only as a customer de.
At o'clock the word flew through
town that tho bacon and ham supply
was exhausted. An hour later 1t was
merely q question Of taking what the
red-eyed and worn walters placed be-
fore one. Table linen had disappeared,
and dish washing was a pretense.
What the mobs win do when they pour
out OF tho arena this afternoon can
only be guessed, but 1t Is safe to say
that the better part Of them will 60
hungry to trains for a hungry ride
home.
Reno has done its best, but with its
population Of $4,000 more than doubled
In twenty-four hours. with trafhc con-
ditions abnormal and a ready-spending
crowd the housing and feeding question
was beyond it. One thing that even