New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-09-02
A DULL DAY At CREEDMOOR.
FEW MARKSMEN AT THE RIFLE RANGE.
BEGINNING THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE
NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION.
The nineteenth annual fall meeting OF the National
Rife Association ut CreedmOor opened yester-
day. but there nothing about the grounds To do
note the fact There were few shooters there than
there are on many ordinary practice days, and no
spectators at all. The shooting for the Wimbledon
cup the match that attracted such crowds, was
done so quietly and aroused little interest that
many OF those the grounds didn't know IL had been
shot Off until it was over. For some years the In
erest in the matches has been declining but the way
this years meeting opened is the dulest OF them all
10 is hoped that t0-day's shooting will be better at
tended There are many inducements 10 visitors.
There il always good and often excellent mHrksman-
ship, the range delightfully."- stunted. and 1t is hand
some place ITSELF and excellent meals are served ana
all convenences are offered at the large clubhouse by
T. ]. Scully who has fed the hungry miiitiamen Tor
years with alarming effect on their girths.
That long distance rife shooting is losing favor
steadily was shown BY the fact that only four men
entered the great match for the Wimbledon cup, which
was presented to the National Rife Association OF
America by the National Rife Association OF Great
Britain. 1t is held by the winner for year, until
the next fall meeting when it is again sbot for. Inc
cup which is valued at $500, remains the property OF
the association The distance is LOCO yards, and each
competitor has thirty shots The restrictions as to
the arm to used the load, etc. not so severe as
those in matches at lesser distances, and the COM
peors are at liberty to choose among great variety
of rifles.
The target used at the 1,OO0ysd range is 6x12 feet
I'm SIZE and the bulseye is thrtysx inches in diameter
The position used by all the contestants yesterday was
to lie on the back. with the head slightly ele-
vacd the rife barrel being steeded and held firmly be-
tween the legs The conditions yesterday were not SO
favorable as they might have been. The light was
apparently good being steady and neither too onght
nor too dull but the condition OF the atmosphere caused
a mirage similar to hot waves of air trembling on the
ground which ars sometimes sultry days This
made the targets appear unsteady The wind was good
being % light that onehalf point OF Wlnudse ano"-
ance proved sufficient.
The four contestants were c. H. Geus, G. Il. Tayntor.
p. Finnegan and J. McNevin. The match was won by
c. H. Gaus who won the cup in 1850 and In 1870.
but he scored only 1872 this year. while IN ls9o no
made 141. The scores made were not remarkaoie
although occasionally Tayntor or Gaus would make
splendid uninterrupted record OF bulIseyes The ighs
WIS really between these two men, and the shooting
NJ each mproved toward the end. Cans, who used his
grange Remington rife, made seven bullseyes IN
succession in the last round Of ten Shots but tnen
broke and scored only three followed by two further
buIlseves. TayntOr with his sharpes rne, scoNh
five buseyes in succession in the last round and then
made an unfortunate and apparently unaccoubtaoiS
clean miss lie had been pushing his rival closely,
hit carly in the day had missed the target twice, and
th,t nut him behind. His was 40. The misses
h made were apparently owing 10 defects In the am
munitiOn. The score Of Finnegan was OF and that
OF j. McNevin 3d. the will be held for another
year By c. H. Gaus
None OF the other matches was decided yesterday
several viii be finished to-day, among them being the
Judd match which is fred at 200 yards 4. J. Dolan
s ahead so far and will probably win, with "a points.
The canvas targets which are used at this distance
now require better and finer shooting than the Od ron
targets as the bullets splashed the later, thus
covering more space and often enabling shooter 10
score bullseye where The ball really struck outside
Of IT, ,, -. A., - .h
The other matches TO lie continued today are tho
Governors Steward, Tiffany, aud the allcomerS nlil,
t4ry matches. The Barney Wather team match, OPEN
10 teams of FIVE from any military organization or
ANYTHING can enliven r'ucs at CreedmOor thi, match
viii d. H. and some - eh Otug may be looked for
Mr. Walther has solemn announced his intention u
Ill his leam al auction 4Iey get beaten.
The revolver match gl viii be exciting ~ 700
will probably be 1hot o. ~ Thursday