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_ Fight
talk has raged like the war
fever in Nevada and Grass Valley, and
vicinity, for several weeks past. Many
have been the bets, and wise have been
the prophecies. Articles of agreement
were made in June 13th, between the
pugilists, and both soon went into train-
ing. Rogers was handled by J. D.
Churchill, at the Half-way House,
while Steele was under charge of M.
Tracy, at Grass Valley. The fight was
to be for $200 a side, gate-money to be
equally divided. The following is an
account of
THE MEN.
_ JEHU
ROGERS was born in Durham,
one of the most northerly counties of
England. He is 28 years of age, and
fought at 134 1/2 lbs. He has only been
four months in California. He is short,
thick-set, square-headed, and of a very
swarthy complexion. He is tougher
than a boarding-house steak, and as im-
pervious to blows as a gutta-percha car-
spring, to say nothing about his being
as long-winded as a steam-engine,
quicker than a cat, and as good-natured
as a basket of chips. But he must like
to fight, as he has been engaged in sev-
eral mills. At Birmingham, in 1861, he
fought one Bill Peel, L20 a side, but the
contest was stopped by beaks before it
was finished. In 1864, at the same
place, he whipped Sol Platt, L5 a side,
winning in 12 rounds, time 18 minutes.
His next fight was with Miles Wilson,
and was decided against him on account
of a foul. He came to America this
spring, and has had one previous fight,
in which he whipped his man. Rogers
is a miner by trade.
_ ANDREW
STEELE is a native of New-
castle on-Tyne, Northumberland county,
which is the northeast corner of Eng-
land, and adjacent to Durham, the birth-
place of his opponent. He is 33 years
old, and fought at 136 1/2 lbs. He ia an old
Californian, having been here seven years in
the state. He is light complexioned,
sharp-featured, with a most determined
cast of countenance. He is somewhat
taller than Rogers, and of a handsomer
but not so tough build. His past
record in the prize ring is a good one.
His first fight was in England, with one
Shay, for L10 a side, which Steele won
after a hard fought battle of 47 rounds,
time 2 hours. He also fought and van-
quished a well-known middle-weight
"The Gipsy." In June, 1869, at Mt. Diab-
lo, Contra Costa Co., he was matched
against Louis Evans, for $150 a side.
Steele won in 17 rounds, time 1 hour and
15 minutes. Four months afterward, he
had another fight, with a Welshman, in
which he was again victorious. He is
a quick, resolute, active man, and means
business when he lets out.
THE START
_ Although,
as we have said, everybody
knew there was to be a fight, and
most people were aware that yesterday,
July 25th, was the day set, still nobody
knew the precise hour or locality, except
a favored few, who when interviewed on
the subject, vaguely replied "O. go
early - Down the Forest Springs road,"
This "go early" was not understood by
some parties. Many thought that the
fight was not to come off until between
5 and 6 o'clock P.M., while others imag-
ined that between 2 and 3 was the hour.
Doubtless some were thus disappointed;
but their company might not have been
disirable, and it is all right now. Cups
of coffee were swallowed hastily, and at
about 7 our sporting reporter was told
that his barouche was at the door. In
company with another distinguished
quill-driver, a large bottle of Cutter's very
best, and an ample cold chicken lunch,
we made a start, and given our highly-
mettled steeds, (better known as Byrne's
horse for reporters,) the rein, soon
dashed out
ON THE ROAD
_ Profanity
not being allowed in these
columns, and being unable to do justice
to the subject if it was, we refrain from
attempting to describe the dust. The
philosophical idea of impenetrability is
a humbug. It sifted itself through
clothing, hats, and boots, begrimed the
skin, and so ground itself into garments
as to dye them a permenent ochre. It
was at least two feet deep, and nearly as
light as air. Vision was impossible, and
we whirled along in a suffocating cloud
not knowing what was before, and
fearing every instant the punch of a car-
riage pole from behind. When, on as-
cending some hill, the slower rate of
speed would permit a little dust to set-
tle, a crowd of crazy horsemen would
rush by at break-neck speed, our spirited
team would chafe at not being allowed
to strike a 2.20 gait, and the dense del-
uge of dust would be more disagreeable
than ever. This was going down, on
the Forest Springs road. A ride of an
hour and a half, and we reached
THE GROUND.
_ An
enclosure 70 feet square and about
12 feet high, of rough boards, had been
built on a marshy spot on Turner's
Ranch, about two miles from Forest
Springs and six from Grass Valley. A
worse place could hardly been selected.
It was in the center of a little amphithea-
tre of hills, which excluded every breath
of air. The vertical rays of the intemper-
ate sun poured down with intense vigor,
and the heat even seemed to run down
the hill-sides like water, and make a
fiery furnace of the oven in which we
were penned. The only redeeming
quality was that, being boggy, it was a
good place to fall upon, if a little groggy.
On the ground we found a large number
of the old heavy citizens and men of
wealth of the county, reporters for the
Sacramento and Marysville press, and a
large number of sporting men from vari-
ous localities. There were two bars on
the outside grounds and one inside of the
enclosure, but the best of order and good
nature prevailed. Ticket selling pro-
gressed in a lively manner, there being
positively no deadheads. Contrary
to invariable precedent, even the report-
ers for the press had to pungle their
little old $2 apeice.
THE RING
was 24 feet square, a post on each corner,
one in the middle of each side, with two
ropes wove through so as to make an en-
closure. A single row of backless seats
surrounded the ring, but through the
kindness of an intelligent gentleman
who always sympathizes with reporters,
the press representatives were fixed as
comfortably as possible.
THE PRELIMINARIES
were arranged with some slight delay.
Steele tossed his castor into the ring.
Rogers' tile followed immediately. Both
men then entered and were received
with hearty cheers. Rogers' colors were
a blue English birds-eye: Steele's white,
with a blue border, and a blue star in
the center. Steele's colors were very
similar to Heenan's the difference being
that the latter had an eagle, instead of a
star in the center. Both sets of colors
were tied loosely about one of the center
posts. A half dollar was tossed up for
choice of corners. Steele won, and se-
lected the southwest, where he could
have his back to the sun. Rogers of
course took the opposite. M. Tracy and
M. Troy, Steele's seconds, made all prep-
arations for taking care of their man,
while J. B. Churchill and W. Adams got
ready to handle Rogers. George Tracy
held the bottle for Steele, and Henry
Dunn preformed the same office for
Rogers. The latter chose Billy Dwyer
for his umpire, and James Bucklund was
selected by the former. George A.
Faylor, of Sacramento, was agreed upon
to fill the important place of referee.
Mr. Faylor made a brief speech, very
positively declaring that the fight should
be a fair one, according to rules, and
that any attempt at interference by out-
siders, or breach of rule by the contes-
tants, would make him give the fight
to the aggrieved party. Mr. Faylor's
remarks were listened to with great sat-
isfaction. Mr. Adams then read the
rules, for the benefit of the principals
and seconds. The men had peeled down
to an undershirt during all this delay,
and were leisurely sauntering around
the ring, with overcoats thrown lightly
over their heads and shoulders. Rogers
bet $40 on himself with Steele in the
ring. The ticket sellers now came in,
each bearing a purse containing $273.25,
being half the net receipts, after pay-
ing all expenses. Not less than 325
men were in the pen, when at 10:35, the
referee ordered "all ready." The men
speedily shed their overcoats and under
shirts, and were
PEELED.
_ It
would be difficult to tell which man
stripped the best. Both had clear,
healthy looking hides, well developed
chests, hard, large muscles, and bore
confident expressions. Rogers has the
shortest neck, head best set on, a shorter
body, stouter pins, and, we should
judge, the hardest and biggest mauleys,
but they had little time to look at each
other or we at them. Principals, seconds,
and umpires shook hands across each
other, and at precisely 10:40, time was
called for
THE FIGHT.
_ Round
1. The men took position in good
style, did not waste a second in sparring,
but rushed in for a close. A pass or two
as quick as lightning, was exchanged;
neither hurt; both fell, Rogers with a broad
grin on his mug.
_ 2.
Both men came up eagerly. Steele
seemed inclined to force the fighting,
and Rogers willing that he should. Af-
ter sawing half an instant, they sailed in
again like a couple of game-cocks, and in
the flurry Steele stopped a right-hander
from Rogers and countered heavily with
his left on the latter's chest, knocking him
clean off his pins. Rogers fell on the
softest part of his anatomy, was not winded
an atom, and was borne smiling to his cor-
ner.
_ 3.
Steele having gained the first knock-
down, he and his friends were confident,
and he briskly advanced to the scratch, his
left hand low, well extended, with his right
back for immediate use. They rushed at
each other fiercely. Wild and rapid ex-
changes followed, Steele getting in another
left-handed body blow. Rogers fell.
_ 4.
A brisk rally, even exchanges. Rog-
ers gets in a facer, and draws first blood.
Steel attempted a terrific counter, but
Rogers dodged and went to mother earth
with a complacent air.
_ 5.
It is now 15 minutes of 11. Four
rounds have fought in five minutes, an
average of only forty-five seconds, exclu-
sive of the thirty seconds time after each
round. Both came up prompt at the call of
time, swapped a few punches, and both
went to the grass.
_ 6.
This was the heaviest round, except
the last, in the fight. Both came up in
good order, Rogers smiling, and Steele
looking very ugly, as if he meant mischief,
Rogers did not have a scratch on him;
Steele was bleeding a little on the forehead.
They met in the center, had a lively rally
for about five seconds, when, in the melee,
Steele got Rogers' head in chancery, and
some very heavy hitting was exchanged.
While Steele was slowly pulling in his op-
ponents head, to hug it to his breast and
prevent him from falling, while he pounded
him. Rogers got in some short diffs with his
left, and reaching over with his right, gave
Steele a tremendous downward cut over his
left eye, which like Moses smiting the rock
brought out a copious flood. Steele did not
care about holding Rogers any longer, and
let him go down.
_ 7.
The last affected Steele severely. He
puffed heavily, but was as game as ever,
and came up to the mark with an evident
determination to do his best, and win if
possible. he bled profusely, and Rogers
showed the ruby a trifle on his neck and
shoulder.
_ 8.
From this to the 11th, exclusive, the
rounds were short, and not remarkable.
Rapid exchanges, Rogers down.
_ 11.
Time now 9 1/2 minutes. Steele
was evidently groggy a little, but had lots
of fight in him apparently, and his indomit-
able courage kept him up. This was as
lively a round as any, although not nearly
as heavy as the 6th. A few lively ex-
changes, and Rogers went down.
_ 12.
Neither of the men at all badly
bruised, although Steele's left peeper bled
like a stuck pig. Rogers attempted to
open the ball but Steele rushed in for a
clinch. Some close hitting took place,
when Rogers delivered a soggy body blow
with the left, instantly following with a
tremendous sockdologer with his right,
hitting Steele under the ear, on the left
side of the cheek. Steele involuntarily ut-
tered a "huh," and staggered back into his
seconds' arms, evidently gone in.
_ 13.
On time being called, Rogers prompt-
ly responded, but the game Steele, who was
sitting, all collapsed, with his chin on his
breast, attempted in vain to arise, and,
fainting away, fell on his face on the grass.
His seconds threw up the sponge, and the
Referee declared Rogers the conquerer -
time, 12 minutes.
COMMENTS
_ As
soon as the results was announced,
the winner leaped out of the ring, fol-
lowed by his trainer, Churchill, and both
darted out of the enclosure and ran up
the hill, as active as kids. A physician
who was present declared that Steele
could fight no more at that time. He
soon came to, and walked up to Turner's
house. The fight was a very quick, rat-
tling mill, and was undoubtedly on the
square. Both men did their best. The
seconds and referee understood their
business, and everything passed off with
as much decorum and good-feeling as
were ever seen at any prize fight any-
where. Space forbids or relating how
we took another road home, eat our
lunch, wet our wistles at the North
Star, and finally reached our sanctum.
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