New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-09-14
FIRST DAY OF THE CONTEST.


yesterday began the second International match TOT inc
Centennial Trophy The rifemen and those VINO hopeu
IN witness their skill retired on the preceding ngn III
anxiety lest rain should interrupt the contest" Inc
morning dawned cloudy and COOL but the Oh
a storm had in great measure passed away ana those
accustomed 10 estimate the chances of accurate shooting
predicted large scores for the competitors
OF year forbade the expectation that
q vast crowd would assemble TO watch the first GAYS
firing In this country at least 1t has been proved tha'
however great the interest felt in the result OF re
contest comparatively small proportion OF the people
TO view its progress This is explained by the con-
alteration that 10 those not themselves participating
there is little OF supreme interest in the nature OF the
contest. The marksman takes his POSITION ana Only
puff OF smoke Is visible until the result OF the sno'
&c announced on the bulletin board the conditions winch
insure nccess or explain failure being apparent only 10
the initiated great rush OF persons from the Guy ana
surrounding towns being therefore not anticipated niue
disappointment was felt that the early trains brought 30
comparatively few persons. and that only mario" Inc
of carriages drawn up along the range AS TIE hour
appointed for the match to open approached trains De-
gan TO arrive in closer succession and with heavier
loads but yet when IL o'clock arrived not more than
25OOpersons had reached the ground
The CreedmoOr range famous for It's many advantages
OF plan and position, before so picturesque
and attractive yesterday long line OF tents de-
voted to various uses stretched almost from the entrance
70 the targets aud behind these the military encamp-
nept ranged in less regular order Flags and stream
ers OF all nations waved above the tents, and several
Of them were decorated with flowers and shrubs The
most elaborate OF these temporary dwellings is that OF
Gen Wye who yesterday received In 1t many friends,
both ladies and gentlemen Other tents conspicuous by
hcr size and pleteness less than by their popu
,rty we're those Of Judge stanton, President of the
Association and Of Gen. Dakin smaller, but doubtless
most interesting many, were the tents OF the two
teams. The arrangement Of the range proper
was more complete and better adapted to the
convenience OF both the marksmen and the public than
last year. rendered possible, perhaps by the fact that
only two teams competed where year ago five had TO
be provided for. Ropes had been stretched in semi
circle about the firing points, ard distant from them
about forty feet and within these the spectators were
not allowed TO pass. Thu, large space and free
air and light were assured to the rIfemen,
De scorers and the officers OF the day. Open
slod flies or cauopies had been stretched 10
shelter the marksmen and the scorers from the sun.
Large bullen-boards with blank spaces in which to
cord every had been erected behind the rgponis
IN full OF tic spectators and at The further end OF the
range the four newlpanted targets, two for each
team which oteveal the failure success of EACH
To Gen Wood and Adjuant, NJ Farr, had been
assigned The general conduct OF the match Col. Scott
supervised the fuug points and Capt Story whom Capt
Price assisted was tue statistical officer The police
rangemens very complete and the force on hand
commanded by Capt Mccullough adequate to the task
o. keeping the spectators in place and IN order and even
succeeded toeraby well IN checking the exhibitions OF
natural enthusiasm which multiplied the day pro-
crossed.
1t must always, OF course be difficult to estimate
curatey Of persons more or less scattered
over so large space the edof Creedmoor Yesterday
aside from the great body Of spectators crowded imme
daiey around the fling points, there many persons
in other parts Of ground strolng among the tents
gathered about the provision booths assembled
the short ranges and at the running deer target II is safe
however that at time during the day were there
more than 1000 persons on the range and even that
moderate estimate might easily be thought too high.
large majority Of the spectators men, but there
were enough bright costumes OF ladies somewhat
soften and embesh the scene. Among those present
we're many officers OF the National Guard, in
Guiding Gems. shaler Sullivan. Beebe, Wylie, and
Ylmar, Gen. McCOmb, OF California. and Naval
Commanders McCook and Cotton, and Paymaster
Saunders. Police Commissioner Nichols the
range during part Of the day, and Buffalo Bill" with
salwart Indians in his trail, staked back and
forth, behind the rihemen.
At o'clock the hour forthe contest open the sum-
which had sbone for few moments at rare intervals
during the morning, was entirely concealed by light
Clouds and blue September haze, deepening In the dis
lance to the semblance of light cloud OF smoke,
hung over the range cool breeze tempered
the atmosphere, and made even those most closely
crowded comfortable and cheerful All felt that il
favorable hour to begin the match but the inevitable de
lay occurred, aud 1t nearly hafpast eleven when
the first shot was fired by Gen. Dakin. From then
until the middle OF the afternoon the crowd grad
ually increased as did the interest OF the spec
tatOrs. The GOODNESS and accuracy Of the Amer
cans at the 500 yards range deepened the convic-
ton Of superiority which their previous practice records
had inspired and the fast succeeding bulseyes provoked
an occasional outburst OF enthusiasm. This was not,
however. frequent general to seriously annoy
the marksmen appear ungenerous to the British
team, whose Gne scoring perhaps cordially APP
plauded. when the firing at 800 yards ceased,
with the Americans ten points ahead by the
splendid OF 56S IL universally felt
that the condition TO do its best. One fea
ture OF arrangements elected very general approval
Hitherto, Whenever has been disputed point, it
has been necessary for officer ride between the fir
ingpOint and the butts thus causing delay irksome
alike to marksmen and spectators but yesterday tele
phone apparatus the east side OF the range, expedi
tously settled all doubtful points.
At the end Of the firing at 500 yards the dined,
each in its tent and interval Of more than an
hour occupied in like manner by the crowd. At
23O o'clock the shooting began again, and there
further until the OF the day. except that
eessitaed by moving back the 1000 yards range,
At which the firing began at 4:45 p. IN. 1t was
evident that unless the marksmen prompt.
tarkness would overtake them with unfinished
scores, and the American team, especially tie
four men target X shot with great rapdty.
aged by the fact that their rivals had not gained upon
them at 900 yards At Cos p. the last shot OF the
American team fred by Jewell who completed his
score with buseye, and fifteen minutes later Rigby,
OF The British team, made equally credabe ending
After few buried cheers, the thrOng separated, and
soon afterward the waiting trains were filed and the
range deserted.
DETAILS OF THE SHOOTING.
PREPARATIONS OF THB MARKsMES-THE CONTEST
ING TEAMS AT THE FIRING POINTS.
Each team held O meeting soon after arriv-