Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-09-10
OUR MARKsMEN at CREEpMooR
Sharp Shooters OF the District National
Guard at the Range.


Guard at the Range.
srRsSatRs N A STRANGE I.SD-vtIcoxrp NJ
NUsorIroEs-A NIGHT ALARM-aoop sHoor-
ISo OF WASHINGTON Bors-USrAIR DIscRrMIxA-
TON AGAINST SPRINGFIELD RIFLEa
Stat corrosponiencc Of The EvrSrso sr.R
CREEDMooR, Ii, Sept q
Two horses dragged slowly. along q some
what sandy road, a large wagon which wac
filed to its utmost capacity with men and guns
aud baggage. Behind the wagon half dozen
militiamon tramped merrily. the silence OF
Long Island night being broken only BY the
barking OF a dog disturbed by the passing
cavalcade and the rcsounding thumps and
siaps of the musquito-bitten human beings
who. strangers in a strange land. were journey
ing from Queens station 20 n carsvansary in the
more immediate vicinity Of the American VIM
bledon-Creedmoor. The travellers we're those
members OF the District National Guard who
had been detailed 10 represent the nations
capital IN the rIfle-shoo;ing competitions which
annually take place on the range OF the National
kihe Association. Some OF them had been
there before, many time" but they
were in the minority. The other members ot
the team looked curiously at much Of the
landscape rs was visible al . 7. m, and longed
for the daylight that should show them
the range on which they were to compete with
some OF the best shots IN the country.
OF THE MUsorIroEs
but little need be SAID except that for confirm
ously persistent taci;urnity they break the
record. Not a sound did they utter; time was
flectinG and any vocal eNertion could only de-
tract from their efficiency as generators Of
the human cuticle. The CreodmOor Hotel wns
the haven OF refuge for the wandering sharp
shooters and but few of the callinippers ven
tured very far into the territory of Landlord
Llmburger. There are some places INTO which
even a reckless mosquito does not care 10 risk
life and liberty. even when IN full pursuit Of
carnai happiness. Capt Limburger Was very
hearty In hls greeting and did has utmost 10
make the BOYS comfortable lie housed them
In an annex 20 the main building an annex
that WAS IN existence the better part of a CEN
fury before the hotel made its appcarance-and
although things were in decidedly crowded
condition the crowd managed TO make itself COM
Portable, after a fashion. Railways we're uti,-
lied and made the most OF. contracted as they
were. One of the smallest apartments was al
lottcd 10 Capt. Bell and all night long that
valuable officer and humane gentleman struc-
Glcd with I. rec desire 10 have m his possess
sion a common cat. SO that he might satisfy
himself whether or not II would Ice possible to
swing the feline without taking some OF the
l7f6 plaster OF the walls and ceiling OF his
boudolr.
BREAKDOWN.
The soiourn at Capt Limburger's commenced
ominousy. No sooner had Capt o'Brien
whisted taps than a crash shook the entire
structure Every man sprang to his gun
at once. supposlng that some more than
ordinary hcrcuiean mosquito had burst down
the front door TO reach hls prey. Then the
voices of Mai. Pollard and Capt. Cash we're
raised and party went down stairs 20 their
rescue for that couple occupied large room
ON the lower floor. Willing hands dragged
Capt Cash from the ruins of the bedstead ON
which he had attempted 20 lie down. The
damages were repaired and the perturbed and
slightly bruised captain ough. to have been al
lowed TO eumber. He wasn't however for a
night shirt brigade wearing white helmets and
belts and armed with rifles marched down from
the upper story and did an exhibition drill that
chased siumocr from every eyeiid Tor Rt least
an hour
The night was spent in snoring and entomo-
logical research. but when morning made its
appearance everybody seemed TO bo right side
up. good breakfast made things even more
satisfactory, and when the last man had con-
clUded hls meal there was brief business
meeting: then everybody went down 10 the
range OH a tour OF observation.
GENERAL DESIRE TO SHOOT
was at once made manifest and several Of the
men invested in strings Of pool tickets. These
tickets. for the benefit of the uninitiated be IL
stated. are sold in strings Of twelve, and the
price Of each string lis Il. Each ticket is good
! tor one shot on any target not being used IN q
match and IL the msrksnan happens 20 make Q
/ bulls-eye he Ii given bull s-eye ticket" At
night a financial officer adds up the receipts
| from the sale of pool tickets. deducts one-half
! for expenses and then makes pro rata d.
| vision of the balance AMONG the holders OF
| ''l.uiI s-eye" tickets. Pool tickets are used
! Principally to experiment upon. and every man
who enters match puts IN one or two pool
| shots to secure the correct elevation and wind
! before he commences 10 shOt sfOr kaaps {"
THERE WE'RE BUr TWO MATCHES
in which the WashinStonians were Interested
the Judd and the governors. The former is
2OO-yard match, seven shots. and there was q
good deal of steady shooting being done for it
| by New Workers. Major Pollard and Sergt.
Stewart are tied in that contest at 3d. while
! Lieut.. Graham has 81 points TO his credit. The
match Will be open tomorrow. and several
! others OF the District team will put in scores
before it closes. Those who are playing .
waiting game are men who want TO feel pre-
cisely like shooting before they do il. and they
are hoping for more favorable conditions be-
| fore tomorrow night Capt Bell was getting
| III good score nj 200 yards in the Judd match
when the marker gave HIM four instead Of FIVE
| Several onlOokers, who were watching the tar
| get through telescopes. saw the bullet strike
the bulls-eye. but they aid not tell the captain
| soon enough for hIm TO enter a protest
IN THE GovERSoR's MATCH.
/ which calls Tor seven shots at JUO yards. the
/ aggregate o: three scores to count for prizes,
there was some clean work done by the ID. C. Nc.
/ Cp to the present time Lieut.. Geo. H. Harries
| leads with a score OF 100 out of possible lO5.
/ The man who wins il will have TO do better
than that. though. Capt Cash put in three
scores in the same competition with total OF
| 96. eight successive shots being bulrs-eyes.
! Capt Bell also got in a remarkable string OF
seven successive bulls-eyes. Sergeant stewart
has two scores completed in the governors and
| secured 81 aud 50. The latter would in-
! dubitably have been a 81 had not the shifting
OF q marker caused Stewart TO move TO another
| target
Lieut.. tombstone did cleverly in pool shoot
ing, capturing five bulseye tickets IN six shots
/ A VERY ANNOYING FEATUPE OF THE CoMPErIrIos
| is the discrimination which is being made
against the military rifle-the Springfield. The
New York men shoot in military matches with
| Remington "quick-twist' gun that is in many
respects more desirable than the Springfield.
| This Remington is given points whenever IL 10
| in n contest with the Springfield. The dis
| elimination is less marked IN that particular
than in contests where special rifles are al
| lowed TO enter into competition with the United
States Springfield. These specials" have YER
nier sights. fitted with spirit levels and all the
appliances which go far toward absolute and
answering accuracy. and yet IN the governors
match the Springfield is allowed but one point
/ handicap in three scores. IL the truly military
mon and guns win anything here 1t will be by