Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-03-08
OMAHA CHOSEN FOR
FTREMEN'S TOURNEY
First Interstate Firemen's Tourna.
ment Ever Held Will Be Staged
at Omaha Speedway
FINAL ARRANGEMENTS MADE


The first interstate firemen's tourna-
nfent ever held will be staged in Omaha
this summer.
Ever since last November more or less
irdefinite talk Of an interstate firemen's
tournament has been heard, but yesterday
the talk ceased to be indefinite and the
big event Is now a certainty.
The Iowa State Flremen's association
Is sponsor for the tourney. Iowa IL the
hot-bed OF fircmens tournaments. The
Iowa state tournament Is the biggest Of
an state events. To show the extent of
the Hawkeye association De Witt. Ia.
q which city the 1910 tourney has been
awarded. was compelled 10 guarantee the
sam Of $3.50 to get the event.
The lows association appointed com
niitsee consisting Of O. N. Borgess. OF
Mantle. Il. Parsons OF Marion. f. r.
lambert OF Des Molnes and n. @. Hitch
Geek OF Council Biuffs n committee TO
pfomuleate an Interstate tourney.
Eease Omaha Speedway.
syesterdoy three OF this committee.
Hoggess. Parsons and Hitchcock came 70
Omaha 60 confer with officials Of the
omaha Auto speedway with regard "a
slaging tho tourney nt the Omaha speed
way. Tho speedway officials granted the
use OF the racing bowl for tho tourney
and the committee announces that prep
arasions will be made for II at once.
Nebraska. iowa. South Dakota. Min
nesoth. Kansas. Missouri and possibly
Colorado and wyoming will be invited
TO send teams 20 this tournament. II
VIII be the biggest thing OF It's kind ever
held Never before has an intercstate
firemcn's tourney OF any kind been held.
The event VIII last four days. II VIII
be a $4,000 tourney and the prize list viii
run we'll up into the thousands
The events win include hose races. hook
and ladder races, relay races and the like
by volunteer departments. The paid de-
partmentH will also have races with the
horses and motor apparatus dernonstra-
lions and contests viii be carded.
Teams from over 100 towns. perhaps 900
or so towns, will enter. Mr. Borgess.,
who Il president Of the Iowa association.
and Mr.. Parsons. who is secretary. both
OF whom have attended scores OF tourna-
ments. declare that Omaha will be
startled at the magnitude OF the event
All cities want II.
Once Omaha sees thia first tourney"
said Mr.. Boggess. Omaha will want Il
every year. And Kansas City and st.
Paul and every other city In this terri
tory win want It. You will be surprised
at the contests. They are the most won
derfnl thing In the world.
AS for the crowds It VIII draw "a
Omaha" continued Mr.. Boggess. 1T will
not surprise me In the least---in fact. ]
feel confident OF it--that the crowds will
be even larger than came TO Omaha for
The big exposition you held here. II will
vie with the fall Ak-Sar-B Ben festivities
as q magnet 20 attract the people to
Omaha. They will come by the hundreds
from the towns whose teams are repre-.
scented TO cheer their favcrites on to vic.
tory. I figure the interstate tourney will
prove 70 be one OF the biggest athletic
tournaments IN the country next year"
An Interstate association 10 control and
conduct the tournament will be organized
shortly with representatives from all Of
the states on the board Of directors and
arrangements viii be started Immediately
The event will be held some time after
the middle OF duly. hut will be so seized
uled that It will not conflict in any way
with the automobile or horse races 20 b,
staged here.