The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-07-02
Plumpest Purse In History
Is to Be Fought for
Total Receipts of Day
Are Estimated to Be
Is Capable of Seating
$1,000, 900 - The Arena
10000 People

Ringside, Jersey City, n. j., July
(By the Associated Press Gates tc
the big fight opened at 9:45 and ir
popped the crowd Through the en-
frances on each side of the big wood
en- octagon poured the men and women
who to-day were to witness Jack
Dempsey of America and Georges Car
pentier OF France do battle for the
heavyweight honors of the world and
the plumpest purse in history.
Soon the saucer of yellow pine,
which when the sun was out, glistened
like giant bowl of brass, was fecked
with humanity But unlike an ordi-
nary saucer it filled from brim down
instead of the bottom up, for the first
u arrive was the gallery god with the
periscope eve who had camped all night
outside the arena for the privilege Of
paving Promoter Tex Ricksrd $3.50.
Gradually, however, the wave of hu-
manpy rolled down to the ringside, as
the more plutocratic ticket holders
reached the stadium.
''The battle of the century" had no
exclusive bald headed row. Hairless
pates, in many cases, were replaced by
coiffures par excellence, for women who
recently had espoused the boxers art
had turned out in full force.
The early comers sat down to wait.
They found just three things to do-
debate the weather prospects, which in
the morning appeared dubious; admire
the worlds greatest arena in which 90,-
900 odd could nestle just as cozily as
the proverbal sardines, and speculate
on future ring history.
And chatter it did, the democracy of
the ringside. The chief topic at first
was the weather A sultry day had
followed humid night. The sun tried
to pierce the screening clouds that
gave constant threat of rain, then
gave up the attempt after a brief un-
successfu! effort II was an ideal day
for the spectators, for no one lOnged
for the scoIching sun and no one want
ed il to rain.
The crowd had many things to talk
about, but most OF il, of course, was
about the coming affray on the can
yaslcovered square This led to con
versation even among men and wom
en- as far separated as Fifth avenue
and the lower East Side, New York
and Chicago, America and Europe as
foreign TO one another as prince and
pauper; with interests As varied as
those of lawyer and ditch digger.
For they were all here-sOciety
women and shop girls; the merchant
prince and the S2O-a week clerk, who
worked for him; the man who lived by
his brains and his fellow without a
profession, and sportsmen from five
continents.
And fighting their way out to Boyle's
Thirty Acres were coming thousands
more.
II was a case Of a fight 70 see a
fight. The crowds struggled on, lum-
bering along over tile cobbled streets
Of Jersey City. They came, these pill
rrims. equipped for anything from
trip to the moon TO journey fea
tured by Signor Dante.
Travellers who landed in Host Rick
ards seventh circle Of seats. trimming
the amphitheatre came with glasses 70
span three hundred feet TO the ring.
What tn fight fans saw when they
arrived was a great hollow lined with
men and women in which the Wool
worth builling could have lain down
without scarcely having to draw in its
neck. a great hollow from the bottom
Of which only the sky, fringes Of Jer-
sey City's famous smokestacks and
two buildings coulG be seen.
There were black specks up along
these buildings that looked suspicious ]
ly like human figures. II
In the arena which, from its top ]
most tier few at regular intervals the ]
tricolor Of France and the starry flag 8
q America, an army Of workmen put !
On. the last touches q
The ring was the scene 81 the great '
sst activity. the canvas covering was '
pulled tsut and the ropes bound with ?
Fhite flannel tape il
About the ring experts we're setting {