The Indianapolis journal., 1889-06-16
SHOOTING THE BULLS EYE
A Sport That Promises to Give to the
Country a Race of fUnerring Marksmen.
The League of Target Shooters That Was Or
ganized Afterthe War-Its Many Successes
through Discouraging Circumstances.

Rifle shooting is manly sport, and it is
not at all unlikely that it would be better
for this country if more persons knew how
to use that weapon, and a score OF more
thousands were less handy with the re-
volyer. The Western Shooting League,
composed of men who shoot with rifles,
will meet at the Indianapolis Shooting Park
on next Wednesday, the gunpowder festi-
val continuing through the week, conclud-
ing with a business session and distribu-
ton, on next Sunday, of money, medals,
goblets and other prizes. The president of
the league is Fred Merz, of this city, an
amiable gentleman, but apt to show just
little temper when the newspa-
pers put "t' in his name. Fred
Merz was captain in the Swiss army
when the civil war in this country began.
and in 1861 came over to see the quality of
American fighting. He liked it SO we'll
that he remained and took part, receiving
disabilities in the service that rendered
him incapable of further active service.
Besides, he married in this country. and
Mrs. Merz and eight children hold the
balance of power so the Captain remains
on this side of the watcr, stanch Ameri-
can, with the button Of the q. A, K. i'll his
coat lapel.
"The beginning of organized shooting
associations.n said hein reply to the re-
pOrter's inquiry, was in May, 1864, when
the North American Shooting League was
formed at Highland. Ill; beginning with
one Thousand two hundred members in the
whole United States. The formation of
this league grew out of local meeting held
at Highland; The five men who started it
of Lafayette; Abraham Studley, of Chicago;
Mr.. KOlb, of Philadelphia. and myself.
Fielder, Studley. myself and l think Zwei-
fel were Swiss and Kolb a German. Our
shooting festival was held at Highland in
1866. 1t was success more than seven
hundred shooters being present and the
prizes amounting to more than $4,000.
THE next festival, 1866, held in Chicago.
was great triumph. being one of the finest
that ever took place. This was at Lake
View Park, and more than twelve hundred
shooters were present: At that meeting
it was decided that it was too costly
| to have the shoot annually, so the meetings
were changed to take place every two years.
| The next festival was held In 1868. in JOnes's
Wood, New York city. 1t fell into the
hands OF people who stripped the league of
prizes were stolen. That meeting put the
first nail in the coffin of that bund or
league. After that failure it was difficult
| to get any place to take our biennial meet
ing. Cincinnati finally spoke for it, and
was not very profitable meeting. There
was too much speculation among certain
Cincinnati people, who wanted to
make money Sss;a.G eat Of it. At At that hat
tournament go back to the starting
| place at Highland and see if its former
| prestige and success could not be restored.
| The prospect for a profitable festival was
ing in 1872. but the ram fell, and for six days
| we did not have minute of good weather.
| The result was that we came out with def
| icit of $4,000.
~ e
body cared to try to continue to keep it on
| its legs. 1t lay dead for two years. when
| Chicago and Milwaukee people, with few
| others, started the Northwestern Shooting
| York experience that it would not be ad-
| yisable to have any more meetings In the
| East, and in the constitution formed
| by the new league. it was ex-
shooters of the East could join. the league
and have equal privileges with all other
| members; no meeting could ever be held on
| the other side of the Allegheny mountains.
This new league was organized in 1916.
Ohio and other States did not like the word
| 'Nothwestern,' they thought Western was
| enough. So four years ago, at the meeting
held in Indianapolis the north part of the
the festival was held at Chicago, three
cities wanted the meeting of 1889, but it
was voted to Indianapolis"
The rifles to be used at the shoot in this
city will be the Martini Henri, Swiss patent.
| the Ballard and the Remington these and
| no other They vary in weight from nine
| and a half to thirteen pounds and the cali
bers vary from 81 to 040-nothing larger than
| 40 being allowed. The range is CPS feet, and
| the firing is off-hand, no rest being toll
Grated. Hair triggers are to be used on
| thirty-twO targets, and there Will be two
extra targets for triggers requiring three
| pound pull. The prizes to be shot for are
hafx nd Thar 10
| an honorary target, the prizes for which
| are contributed by citizens of Indianapolis.
| This is for the special good of visitors, and
no one is allowed to shoot more than three
| Other targets are furnished by the league.
In Switzerland" said Captain Merz.
sometimes as much as million francs
| (S25O,OOO) are placed upon the union
| the Cantons follow with liberal prizes.
| Switzerland has population of less than
| 3,0O0OOO. but that brave little land has l.130
| shooting associations, with q membership
| of la. 900. Yes. and every one can hit the
mark, and don't you forget 1t. SwitZer-
land. with her ready. clear-eyed ri6emen,
needs no standing army to preserve her
| liberty against neighbOring mOnarchs. All
Europe knows the Swiss can shoot. We
ought, in this great country Of America, to
| have organized shooting associations to
number at least 100000 men. We have no
stanulnS army, out Wltn tncse ready rlne-
| men, in case of need, our country would be
| truly formidable. and what a nucleus for
| q volunteer army it would be! The
government could we'll afford to give few
| thousand dollars to encourage a sport like
| this which makes good marksmen. Our
organization is now composed of twenty
| three different associations OF minor
leagues, with a membership of about 1900
all men, for there are no boys in our
league and of these minor leagues twenty
will send members here, We think from
letters received by George Ryer, who is
secretary. by others and by myself, that
there will be 700 shooters here. and that the
festival will be a great success"
A Very OfficiOus Officer.