The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-07-16
The Wonderful RiGeman.
4 FEAT THAT sURPAsSES EVERYTHING EVER
DONE IN THE SHOOTING LINE.
Now York Sun, 14thI


A FEAT THAT suRPAssEs EVERYTHING EVER
DONE IN THE SHOOTING LINE.
New York Sun, l4th.l
DR.. Carver woke up yesterday with the
greatest Job before him that was ever un.
dertaken by man. He was to attempt
to break $500 glass balls with rltie-bulets
in 500 minutes. He began bis days
work by stroling through the woods Of
Long Island in the early morning, in com
pany with Texas Jack, shooting at all the
birds they could see, those that were not hit
in the head or neck not to count. They
filled q pillow.caSe with small fry, and then
prepared for the great task.
At 11:01 A. M. the Doctor began his fusl'
lade against the glass balls in Brooklyn DrlV'
ing-Park. He was assisted in his work by
Ira Paine. Colonel Fletcher, Texas Jack, and
other crack shots, in loading, handling,
cooling, and cleaning the rifles, and toss.
ing the balls in the air. The Doctor took
his position, clad in loose, white woollen
shirt, blue pantaloons, buckskin gloves,
and a broad, ligbt-colored sombrero. He
wore none OF his championship ornaments,
as he meant business. To accomplish the
feat he would have to raise to his shoulder,
with his left arm extended to its full length,
not less than fifty-tive thousand pounds, the
recoil from each shot making at least ten
pounds to be resisted, while the shots that
missed were not to count.
The Doctor stood like statue from his
hips down, with his left foot advanced
about six inches. The upper part OF his
body moved with the ease. strength, and
uuickness OF a well-trained pugilist. He
shot with both eyes open, except when par
tially blinded with smoke and hot water
that would squirt out occasionally from the
freshly-cleaned, over-heated barrels, and
which be said burned like fire.
The time consumed in the first thousand
was one hour and seven minutes.
The time consumed in the second thou
sand was two hours and thirty-ope minutes,
many minutes being lost by the Doctor in
bathing his eyes with saltwater and LAYING
them with wet cloth.
When the Doctor began his third thou
sand it looked as il he would fail. Before
he finished it DR.. Brant, who was consulted,
said his eyes were in 4 condition OF conges-
tive Inflammation. The Indian-slayer, how
ever, kept on with wonderful fortitude, but
was unable to make fast time. Four hours
and twenty-one minutes had elapsed at the
end OF the third thousand. The Doctor
was now only eleven minutes ahead OF time,
and his eyes were in a painful condition.
Texas Jack said: "You see, in cleaning
and cooling the water goes up the stock, a
little will run into the magazine, and then
it spurts hot into the Doctors eyes," The
wind, too, was sufficient to carry the burnt
powder, after the rapid discharge, into the
Doctors face.
Before shooting at the fourth thousand
Dr. Carver left the field with DR.. Brant
The marksman's evelids were bathed with
a solution OF camphor and boraX, and he
returned to the score in half an hour, clad
in fresh blue suit and reinvigorated. He
then went to work in earnest, SCATTERING
the balls with great rapidity, amid applause.
The 5000 were broken in : hours, 81
minutes, and 80 seconds.
SHOW much time have / for the last five
hundred ?" the Doctor inquired eagerly.
"Plentv Of time; nearly fifty minutes,'
was the answer.
The Doctor again planted himself square
y, blazing away, with quick, sharp echoes
coming from the woods fronting the field,
as they had for nearly eight hours. If the
glass balls had been the eyes OF Sioux braves
after the Doctors scalp he could not have
fred more rapidly or with more unerring
aim. He shattered the 51st hundred balls,
the feathers and pieces OF glass coming
down like rain over the heads Of the eager
crowd who had now pressed around the
Doctor and enclosed the reporters, in $40,
missing s.; the sd hundred in G:20, amid
loud cheers, missing IS; the 53d hundred
in 7:55, missing 16; the 54th hundred in 8,
missing 90; and the 55th CAST hundred in
8, missing 10. The cheers were deafening
as the Doctor dropped his rifle at the finish.
DR.. Carver broke his 5,500th ball at I'll,
thus having ten minutes to spare Of the 500
Minutes - -. --.--- ----L--- -.--I.