Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-07-23
The German shutzepfesr.

OPENING pAY--wHAr VI Is AND HOW CONDUCTED,
The second annual Shutzenfast- OF the Will
minBton Rifle Club commenced, yesterday, at the
Shutzen Park, formerly the old Fair Ground.
Though well attended for the first day OF the
fest the exercises were not OF that interesting
character that will distinguish them when the
visiting delegations from Baltimore, Philadelphia
and other places arrive.
The park in which the Shutzenfest is held
was purchased, couple OF years ago, from the
| New Castle County Agricultural Society, by the
Wilmington Rifle Club-a company Of sharp
shooters, composed mostly of our German oti.
zens. The grounds have been handsomely laid
out, and planted with shade trees. The main
old Agricultural Building has been handsomely
| lifted up and Is now used as a Hotel. and kept
| by Joseph Stoekel The old race course is still
preserved and used occasionally for the purpose
| for which IL was originally Intended, and the
stock stables are yet found to be very conven-
lent for accommodating visitors with horses and
carriages.
The shooting grounds are located in the
southern end OF the park, and as many Of our
citizens are not acquainted with the manner OF
/ conducting a Shutzenfest, we will endeavor,
briefly to give some idea Of how it ID carried on.
AT the west end OF the shooting ground sol
id stone wall is built to the height OF from 10 to
20 feet. aud extending in length sufficient to
catch all the stray rifle balls, which would 9th
ar@ise go whizzing across the country beyond,
much to the danger of life and limb, Within
about three rods Of this solid wall il the target
house, fixed up with a frame work along the
middle OF it, IN which are placed the targets.
/ These targets are about foot in diameter. with
| a small space III the centre, four inches in diam
| eter, called the 'Bnseye,' the whole on white
| ground, about four feet wide and six feet long.
| Each frame contains two Of these targets, hung
| ON pulleys, and when one is perforated it drops
| down and the other rises. There are twelve
| frames, each having two targets, which are kept
| continually popping up and down, regulated, Of
| course, by the number of marksmen. Between
these targets, and only few feet distant, a
| stone wall il erected, with earth thrown up be-
| hind, to protect the target attendants who are
/ placed there, one for eacn target. Each attend
| ant il provided with markers, placed on handles,
| and when the white ground work Of the target
| is perforated, black marker is put over the
| spot to show the marksman where he has hit.
IL the black surface il penetrated, "a white marker
| denotes the spot, and II the space within the
centre diameter Of four inches is struck red
| flag Ii raised to denote that the "shoOtist' has
made Bulls eye" and whenever the ball
misses the entire gronnd work, as well as the
| target the marker IL shaken back and forward
/ over the whole surface, to show that the shooter
/ has made a bad shot.
| Six hundred feet up gently inclined plane il
the shooting house, fitted up with every con.
! venience for the marksmen. For every target
| there is window in the house, numbered aud
lettered to correspond with the targets. Each
| window, or rather port hole, is supplied with q
! book and pencil IN which to keep arec0rd Of the
| shots, and tin box with which ticket il drop.
ped, denotlng the character of the shot made
| These tin boxes are all locked and are never
| opened until at the close Of the Festival, wher
then only Is 1t known who are successful and
| entitled to prizes
Wires ran from each window in the shooting
| house to its corresponding target, where a bel
| Is attached As soon IA the marksman fires he
| lays hold OF lever which rings the bell belong
Ing to the target lie fired at when the target at
| tendaut denotes the success of the shot.
In front of the shooting house. and about 10
| feet distant, frame il erected the whole length
| Of the building aud boarded up from II to Ii
| feet high. the middle of the frame being
| filled with dirt Through this wall loop huler
| are cut, about Is inches wide. Still further on
about the distance Of two rods, il another frame
work, not extending to the ground on the lowe
edge of which loop holes Also cut, probably
| inches wide, and corresponding with those IL
| the first frame. These loop holes hide every
other target but the one at which aim ia taken
Judging from the space around these holes,
large number never reach the target.
lhe marksmen load and ire as they feel in
chned, but for every shot ticket, previOusl,
purchased, must be dropped into the tin box.
The firing at times il hu brisk as to resemble
the explosion of n bunch Of fire crackers
The commencement of the exercises, yester
day, was heraded by firing of cannon, whet
every marksman rprang to his post aud com
| menced series Of quick and rapid firing, to set
Who would make the first "bulls-eye," for which
prize OF ) was to be given. Alter a few mo
ments, the red flag went up announcing tina
John Maui had won the prl1e. The shooting
was kept mp uutll o'clock, the red flag going NJ
frequently, Whenever good Slot was made.
company OF sharpshOulers from Baltimore, arri
'ed during the night, aud many more are expect
ed to-day. IL proper to say that, although
this Fest il OF German origin, aud principal,
sustained by our German citizens, yet many
our citizens of American bnth participate il
the exercises, and contribute largely TO tn,
number of balls which stick around the lool
holes, but amongst those of American birth whj
made good shots, We would especially mention
Charles Hallam.