The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-07-18
THE RIFLE.
FIRST coxrETrrIoN roR THE sEL1cT1oN or
THE AMERICAN NATIONAL RIFLE TRAM

FIRST COMPETITION roR THE sEL1cT1oN or
STORMY INTERRUPTION.
Tho first competition for places on tho American
national rifle team OF 1877 commenced yesterday at
Crocdmoor Contrary to expectation tho number
OF entries was small being only twcntysoven
1t thought that would have had 4
good representation from the rIaemen Of tho Wes
and the South, but thus lar no ono hm
came forward from those sections to claim the right
OF shooting. Chicago well represented last year
but sends this to dispute the palm with
our, Eastern marksmen It was believed that the
Cresc ent City Rifle Club would have sent on Mr.
Dudley sclph. whose great the envy
and the admiration OF oil amateur marksmen We
have however, faces and strange names from
Massachusetts and Connecticut bringing fresh com.
pettors for Of participating the approach
ing great rife contest Milwaukee might have sent
MS a couple of practical experts, but unfortunately
the 'native rule 'which bars foreign born cItizens
from becoming members Of the team that
is about to be organized excludes their
chosen men from shooting In illustration Of
how this narrow and partial rule Works, it may DO
stated that Mr. Geiger who carried off the "bull's
eye badgon from all corners At Orecdmoor, and Mr.
Madison, who has achieved excellent records were
shooting on practice target the left OF tho line,
ton because OF the accident OF thor birth
THE SHOOTING.
Ten FIRST class targets provided for the compe
titon Eight OF these occupied by aspirants Tor
places on the team and the remaining two, at the e
OF the line occupied by tho "ineiigblcs' and
half dozen members Of the Amateur Rifle Club, who
tried to persuade themselves that they were shooting
for places the team which 10 TO represent
the amateurs in their coming match with the Cana
dians. This pretcxt furnished excellent means TO
keep the negiblcs and ambitious beginners pioased
with the situation. As Is usual on such occasions, the
the competitors drew lots Tor positions before tho
lucky mon drew tho same choice targets
on the right Of the line. Any position west Of
one anu any place before these three butts Is worth
from three to live points the score at each Of the
could make elsewhere along the centre or left Of tho
line There reasons Tor this-one Is tue mv0r-
aboncss OF tho ground on the right with regard TO
evelness; and tho other that the limo Of flags In
tended 10 correct errors ON the wlnu diSt
are placed on the right OF tho ranges. The c0nse
qusncc .hoEo who arc near the iags can better
see their fluctuations and correct dial errors In wind
age tnun those away ON Tue eft. poruon OF TINS
Inconvenience not TO say injustice, to mon who orc
Obliged to shoot tho west sids OF tho ranges
may BIO removed ny placing q limo OF nags IN the
have an equal chance OF ptonling by their tell tale
warnings as those on tho right Of tho line
anu not TOO stiff breeze blow from "siS''
at tho 500 Yards distance was favorable enough.
Shooting began at eleven O'CLOCK, and shortly alter
ward smart rain shower from the southwest passed
over leaving wind ut sonth thcast and little
difficult 10 manage. AT hafpast twelve O'Clock shoot
ing At tho nrst range finished, with tho following
THE SCORES AT 800 YARDS.
l. Allen, bro3Kiyn "a
L. =: Hepburn, iiion' ~ ~
L. Weber, Brooklyn ~
I. s. Dakin, Brooklyn. ~
G. +. Blydenburgh, brooklyn. 90
W. NJ. Farrow Bridgeport, Conn., ..e.............. ~
A. Hiobard, Boston. %
A. Y Canleld Jr Baltimore. .................... es
q. W. Gale, Hartford, Conn N
r. q. Coleman, Goshen, n. Y................... 81
H. s. Jewell, ........... 81
4. j. RaDboth Boston 81
W. II. Jackson, Boston 20
Henry Fulton, New York. ...................... 80
Wallace Gum, bridgeport, Conn 90
II. Fisher, New York. 10
\. D. Hodgman, Yonkers.. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. "a
James Wemyss, Boston, "a
/. q. Bruce, New York 63
Thomas Lamb New York ..................... az
Henry White, HoIyoks 81
j. Scott Batnore. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. So
n. WaSnourn Hartford ....................... o.
George W. llcnIson Hoiyoke. Observation-Disclosures. 90
SEyxRE STORM. i'
At half-past one O'Clock storm Of wind and RAIN
accompanied by vivid flashes OF lightning and loud
poals OF thunder broke the ranges aud drove the
rlcmen for shelter undor somo sheds that arc near
the 1000 yards firing points, This place of refuge was
leaky and hc men who sought shelter under Thorn
drenched The sunshades under which tho marxs
men had been shooting blown violently down.
OK the flags were stripped from tho poles and
ranges were for while in dagger OF being inundated
The lightning struck the reireshmont Sued that Ia
near the short ranges tearing boards and shngloa
away from tho corner Of It. 1t also rent into
spInters tho lag the corner Of tho epaui
mcnt. The nuld must then have passed into the
covered way occupied ny the markers. ROBBERS Mol
10y and Louis Rose were thrown down, stunned
and bruised by the lightning A little before
three O'Clock the storm cleared up aud the
men took their places At the butts but before moro
than three Jour shots fred the rain down
again heavily, and at four agreed 10 postpone
practice until O'Clock to-day. Tho whole party
returned Hunters Point by tho seventeen minutes
past four O'Clock p. ~ tram from Croedmoor.