Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-06-23
RIG FIGHT WILL
TAX HOUSING CAPACITY
m TOLEDO. July 4


xrapple with a difficult housing
problem in preparing for the enor-
NOUS crowd expected here to witness
the heavyweight championship con-
test between Jess Willard and Jack
Dempsey, July 4. With a seating ca
pacity estimated at about 50.0OO IN
the arena it il estimated that at
least 10000 visitors will be in Toledo
the day Of the bout. OF these ABOUT
one-third, or 10000, are expected to
be In the city over night.
Toledo itself is a city of about $780,
900 population and even in normal
times the hotel accommodations are
inadequate. The city, boasts OF
eleven hotels Of 100 or more rooms
capacity and ten more Of fifty rooms
or better. The two biggest hotels
have been ''sold out" for the last six
weeks. Nearly all the other larger
hotels have reservations calling FOR
their full capacity. The smaller
hotels are filing more slowly, but un-
Questionably will be occupied to ca
pacity long before July 3.
All the hotels plan to install extra
cots and beds in the rooms. A nat
rate Of IS a bed. whether there are
two or half a dozen beds in each
room. has been established as the
minimum. Only few newspaper
men who have been on the scene a
month or more, will be PERMITTED to
occupy rooms alone. Other guests
Will be obliged to share their rooms
with as many persons>as the man
agement sees fit to provide beds for.
Estimates place the total bedding
accommodations in the hotels at q
discrepancy of 1s,Co0 beds for the
number Of persons expected to spend
the night of July in Toledo.
Ad @. Thatcher, Toledo sports
man, is the leader In the enterprise
to provide sleeping accommodations
for this overflow. Thatcher and sew
eral associates have Obtained leases
on a number Of vacant buildings In
the down town district and for the
last month have been installing cots.
The two largest Of these buildings.
the Terminal Building and q five
story structure formerly occupied by
4VtVAV Adx80St AOUnI I1lCut 0SO1
will provide room for 1000 and $500
cots respectively. while others prob
ably will have room for another 1000
beds.
Thatcher and his associates are in
Sailing cots formerly used in army
environments. All bedding for the
temporary sleeping accommodations
II being rented from Chicago. linen
for 10000 cots having been secured by
the Toledans. Probably 10000 beds
will be ready by July 8. which leaves
only 1000 extra SETS for any
emergencies which are bound to
arise.
Lodging houses are preparing to do
a land Office business. Like many
other American cities. Toledo has
out grown its housing accommoda-
lions in the last few years due to the
great industrial growth and roomine
quarters are none too plentiful even
In normal times. Keepers of lodging
houses are planning to double up
their regular guests to make room
for the expected influx OF visitors.
Toledo Is within short
train distance Of many large
cities and hundreds 81 per
sons will stop over night in these
cities. coming to Toledo only in time
Tor the contest. Hundreds. perhaps
thousands, Of persons will stay all
night in Chicago. Detroit and Cleve-
land. all within few hours ride of
Toledo.
Pullman and steamer accommoda-
tons cannot be counted upon. The
United States Railroad Administra-
ton has ruled that it cannot permit
the boxing contest to interfere with
train movements vital to the demobli.
sation Of returning troops and has al.
ready cancelled permits for many
special trains which had been plan.
ned Tor the contest. Persons who
were planning on making the trip on
These special trains will therefore
nave to come to Toledo before the
bout and will add to the crowd OF