The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-10-21
Defeating Last Years Trophy Win
ners, Company D, Virginia City,
by One Point
The Contest Develops a Number
of Good Shots Who Are
Rated High.
Corporal Cain, of Roxeman, tho Only One
who Gets the Distinction Of
ShArpshooter.

The second annual rifle contest of the
Montana state militia closed in Helena
Yesterday altar four days of close and ex-
citing work. During all the time the men
were on the range a strong vino blew, but
lowered somewhat yesterday. But for this
circumstance the marksmen believe she
scores would have been much better. BUS as
IL Ia the officers and men are satisnea' u
company, of Virginia City. last years trophy
winners, lost yesterday, being defeated by
one point by Fl company, OF Bozeman. Inc
latter company also gained the distinction
OF having in its team the only marksman
who attained the rank of shnrpshooter. He
ia Corporal Cain, who made a record OF
eighty out of 100. He told his captain be-
fore leaving Bohemian that hc wanted to get
into the sharpshooter class and would 40 10.
Nh result OF the contest has developed a
great rivalry among the teams and shose
who did not come out ahead express the
determination to take the trophy away
from Bozeman next year. The range 9TH
GERS expressed themselves as we'll pleased
with the work of the Butte companies, and
said they did remarkably we'll whom 1t Is
considered that their opportunities FOR tar
Get practice at home are very limited.
Lieut.. Col. Shoemaker believes that the
annual contests should be open to all the
members of the companies instead OF to
teams of five men representing each COM
pany. 1t would entail a greater expense TO
the state, but he believes that it would re-
suit in a highly efficient and well disci-
plined body of state militia. The rifle con-
tests are about the only form of competition
in which the mllitiamen meet. On these
occasions the men are or their mettle. but
under existing conditions it is only con-
fined to a few ana has a tendency to create
a spirit of indifference among those who
are not permitted to take part. The officers
were much impressed with the soldierly
bearing and conduct of the team of Young
men from the college of Montana at Deer
Lodge, under the command of Lieut.. Geo.
r. Ahern. q. s. A.. the military instructor
at the college. Their team work was pro-
n%ounced excellent and they are looked upon
as very formidable competitors for the
trophy next year. Many of the militia
men made good individual records. as
shown in the table below. ;.
The trophy has been designed and will
be manufactured by a Helena firm. 1t will
be a silver cup, sixteen inches high. with a
large bowl, ornamented with military en-
blems. Upon an oval at one side of the
bowl are the figures Of two riiemen in
shooting position upon a range. Another
oval ia to contain the name of the winning
team and date of contest. 1t will become
the property of the team winning it three
times, not necessarily con%secutively.
On the first days shoot the score OF COM
pany d was reduced four points on &C
count of a shot fred accidentally by Pri-
vate McNulty, and which should have been
scored a miss, and for which he was erron-
eously allowed another shot. But for this
circumstance the Virginia City team would
have won. If the shot had only struck the
target, counting two, the team would have
won by n point.
The individual company scores made yes
terday were: