Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-07-04
In Which Jeffries and
Johnson Will Fight.
Reno The Scene and the Struc-
ture a Huge Affair.
viii Accommodate Thousands 10
See Gladiators Battle.

the ring stretched until it cannot slip
or rumple beneath the feet of the
lighters, the arena in which James j.
Jeffries and John Arthur Johnson will
settle the worlds heavyweight cham
plonship on Monday is ready for the
thronging thousands who will see the
history-making battle fought out. And
| the thousands are coming. They are
| pouring into this little city BY every
available means of conveyance Some
of them come from the other side of
| the Atlantic Ocean. Some have voy-
aged across the Pacific, travelling near
| ly 10000 miles to witness the fight and
probably there would have been many
| more from great distances had it not
| been for the strong opposition to the
| match and the wide spread agtat ton
to prevent it which finally resulted in
| the transfer to the far less accessible
Reno.
The widespread opposition to the
! fight i'll California which finally re-
suited 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
| resolutions adopted by several OF the
annual church conferences and con
ventions The Governor the mayor.
aud even the President were appealed
to. and the story of the Governor
| final interference is now history.
The first problem encountered by
| the promoters after the men had sign
| ed articles was that of selecting a
| site. Richard declared himself in fav-
or of Salt Lake City. Utah. and it
| looked for a time as though the match
would be staged there Jack Gleason.
Richards associate. is San Fran
ciscan, however, and he was equally
determined that the fight should be
held in his home city. The difference
| between Richard and Gleason con-
tinued until the Governor of Utah
| plainly intimated that his stand would
be against the fight. and Richard
yielded the point
| When Richard and Gleason finally
decided upon holding the fight on the
coast. the question of the exact 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 took Office
| at the beginning of the year. was will
| ing to grant a 45-round permit break
| ing the 20-round limit. but still there
was friction at some points, and fin
ally 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 had con
sented 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 We're
drawn. the agreed portions of the gil
gantic purse were deposited. and
everything looked smooth
Right in the midst of this. however.
| the church opposition came. The peo-
| pie of the east bay shore where EN-
eryville is located brought great pres
sure to bear upon the county officials.
| 1t was announced that the fight would
be stopped at the first indication that
| it was anything more than the spar
| ring contest it purported to be. This
statement created alarm. and when it
was followed by a request from Will
liams that the promoters. if possible.
| find some other place. sportdom suf-
fered decided blue spell. Williams
said that he would keep his bargain
with Richard but it was evident that
he did not desire to do so.
The promoters then began to gather
their forces in San Francisco again
storm of objection and protest was
| raised by the Church Federations and
| like organizations. but the police
committee of the supervisors recon-
mended that the 45-round permit be
granted Attorneys were employed nv
the churchmen to fight the matter be-
fore the supervisors. Everyone ex-
pected a verbal battle at least. and
when the recommendation came IN
for action. the board room was crowd
ed.
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. call
ed up. and the permit granted without
word having been said against il.
Nv cbpcSlliot ulh fl'tI realize what
was going forward until it was too late
even to protest.
The pressure upon the Governor had
not been RENTED for moment He
declared that he did not believe the
state law would justify intervention
however. and with this statement from
3 man known to be opposed to prize
lighting. the promoters We're content
They did not fear that the authorities
would step in. and carried their pre-
parations forward without further
consideration of the opposition
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 fight and not
boxing contest. and that he in accord
ance with the laws of California
would not permit it to be held There
was talk of a contest i'm the courts
but 1t 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 it decidedly plain
that he meant what he said and would
go to all legal lengths to stop the af-
fair, the promoters gave IN and nicL