The morning call., 1892-08-14
THE PARENT RIFLE RANGE.
Interesting Story Of The Rise and Fall d
CrNGlIn00r.
The National Rfs Association Driven From
Its Home-A Curious Breach of Faith.
History of Military Reform.
Written for THE MORNING CALL

Written for THE MORNING CALL
The great rife range at Creedmoor, New
York. has ceased to be the place OF the
monthly and annual meetings of the Ma
tionaI Rife Association. Hereafter the
famous matches originated by the associa.
tinn will be conducted in different parts of
the country. This fall the n. IL. A. meet
ing is 10 be held in New Jersey, the birth
place of the modern system of military
target practice. Creedmoor has passed into
the possession Of the State Of New York
exclusively, and will hereafter hold the
status only OF a local range.
THE STORY OF CREEDMooR.
TIE cause of the change is of interest to
national guardSmen throughout the whole
country. The story of Creedmoor is the
story Of the rifle-shooting movement in the
United States. In spasmodic fashion the
New Jersey militia, beginning in 1869, had
demonstrated the practicability of an in-
proved system of craftsmanship, In which
the old-taS hioned small circular ring target
was discarded and large targets substituted,
with spaces. for bOllseyes, centsrs, in
neTs and cutters marked off on the surface
AS at present Instead of measurements TO
the fraction Of an inch TO indicate the value
OF a shot, points were credited TO the
shooter. With the introduction OF These
targets the range Of target-shOoting matches
was increased from go yards 10 2O0, 800 and
400 yards, the muzzle-lOadng Springfield
breechl0ader with which ali the troops OF
both the regular and militia forces were
then armed being the weapon used. The
credit of introducing this practical method
of military craftsmanship belongs TO Colo
mel III. q. Shaw, now of this city, and at
thai time captain OF Company L. Fourth
Regiment New Jersey Rifle Corps.
A POPULAR INNOVATION.
The system al once became popular, and
q year later. when Shaw was promoted
colonel of his regiment, grand
State rfie-shO0tng tournament, under his
direction, was held at Clifton, near PateT-
son, n. j.. attended by nearly 600 compel
ltOrs. The series Of contests had one good
result-they called general attention to the
need of new school of maTEsmanshiD, be-
cause of the low grade. or lack of skill,
which prevailed, 10 the almost absolute
past neglect of this important branch Of
military instruction, 10 the capabilities of
the rifle in the hands Of a good marksmaD,
ana 10 the stimulus which the new system
of practice under q simple code of rules
would give TO the citizen soldiery through
out the United States. The Army and Navy
journal called attention 10 the work accom-
pllshed In New Jersey aud pointed 10 10 as
The beginning of new era in military
training and as the promise Of greater re-
suits TO be achieved by immensely increas-
Ing the efficiency of cur armies in the field
IN case OF another war. At the same time
it berated the War Department ard the Off
GERS oil The regular army for their neglect in
falling TO teach the soldiers how 10 shoot it
being notorious fact that IL was a common
thing for regular soldier to go through a
nVe years term OF enlistment without firing
a single shot.
THE PRESS TO THE FORE.
The New York City press. notably the
Times aud World, espoused the reform and
engaged IN mercileSS Tidicuie and derisjon
OF the old methods Of target-shootiug. The
agitation bore fruit in the organization of
the National Rife Association i'm New York
City at meeting OF the principal officers Of
The National Guard. General Ambrose T..
Burnside was elected president, but lie was
only fgurehead. George II. A. Wingate
an attorney, formerly a captain in the
Iwenty-second New York Regiment. an
ardent advocate of the new school, who had
Induced his regiment to spend field dav at
Long Branch, y. j., at the new targets. was
elected secretary. Colonel Shaw re pre- senied
New Jersey on the board OF directors and
eDdeaVOred TO secure the location of the
national range in that State William c.
Church. editor of the Army and Navy Jour
nal. Was elected yice-president.
WITH AN EMPTY PURSE
The obstacle at the outset was the lack of
money. The enthusiasm in the movement
was confined TO the officers and to a few of
the directors. In their dilemma the board
applied to Boss Tweed's Legislature for an
appropriation. Corruption reigned at AL
baDy. A gnod-slZed sack was considered
prerequisite to success. The Creedmoor
appropriation, however. was secured with
out the expenditure of dollar. Wincae
drafted the bill, and he aud Shaw together
visited Albany in behalf OF the measure.
A son Of Boss Tweed held position on
Governor Hotfman's staff. He was won
over by Shaw's arguments and promised to
procure his fathers assent to the enact
ment. For days and nights the two direc-
tors OF the y. Il. a. haunted the hotels and
lobbles In pursuit of votes. The newspaper
correspondents were enlisted in the cause.
Bodwell Of the New York Sun drew in the
aid Of number Dan Lamont, then a re-
porter for the Albany Argus, and afterward
President Cleveland's private secretary,
rendered effective service capturing a num-
per of votes Tor Shaw, who was also New
ork newspaper reporter. The bill was
objected to on the ground that the National
Rifle Association was an organization itself
without funds. To meet this objection Win
gate, who never slept during the legislative
campaign, III moment OF inspiration sug-
gested an amendment while the bill was
in the hands of the Assembly Com
mttee on Military Affairs. lie inserted a
proylsO making the State appropriation OF
$40. .OOO con nllngent upon tile event whenever
II should occur, of the National X fla Asso-
citation having $4,000 in It's OWN treasury
TINS shape by majority of one in the As
sembly and two IN the Senate. Governor
Holman seriously meGitated a Veto and il
&as with some difficulty he was convinced
IL was patriotic measure and not one Of
the devices to rake the State treasury with
which the Legislature was then flooded.
RAISING THE WIND.
How TO raise the preliminary 500. 900 was
the first difficulty. Wingate's fertile brain
was equal to the problem. There was quite
a competition among different landowners
near New ork City TO secure the location
oil the range on their particular tract The
eXpedleht OF securing bonus was not then
known. A capitalist, one Poppenhausen,
was ut that time planning to build new
railroad on Long Island. The most accessible
site for the proposed rife range was on his
proposed line. Wingate convinced Poppen-
bauseD of The increased travel the range
would bring TO his new road. and persuaded
the capitalist TO deposit his check for $4,000
with the treasurer of the National Rifle
Association. This he did, and the letter. il
not the spirit, Of the law was complied with.
AS soon as the State appropriation was paid |
NlT Poppenhausen's money was paid back |
TO him. The two counties of New York and |
Kings made additional appropriations of |
$4,000 each. With these and the State ap |
proDrlation OF $4,000 about 180 acres of |
level land were bought, and the best equipped |
and hnest rifle range in America was built |
PERIOD OF APATHY.
This was In 1872. The lukewarmness of |
the National Guard of New York imperled |
the success of the experiment Winpate
worked hard. He wrote the first manual |
OF rifle practice produced in the country. |
arranged Droprammpe fnr ehoot;nU