The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-06-20
AT. CAMP DIMOND.
Rifle, Practice in Real
Earnest.
a.: FINE, RANGE ARRANGED.
~Guard-Mounting and Drills Are
= -. :, Attractive Features.
CONTESTS FOR THE BIG TROPHY.
Some Interesting Social Events Are
..:::= = J: Among the Festivities of
the Future.
FOR THE BIG TROPHY.

DlmGn1 Inc privilege of the first trial al
the new open ranges was accorded TO
companies c and G, and not a man of
either organization failed to avail himself
.01 t1lsr opportunity for target-hitting.
AS rule range work has not formed a
feature at the California militia encamp-
ments for number of years This has
not always been the result of Indifference
on the part of citizen soldiers. The princ-
pal obstacles in the way of practice rife
hiring have generally been the scarcity of
desirable localities for a range, and the
time and labor necessary in the construc-
ton of IT. Occasionally enthusiastic rifle
practice inspectors have overcome these
difficulties, notably at the encampment of
'BaTTy's Third Infantry at Ukiah about
year ago. There an excellent range was
established under the direction Of Lieuten-
ant OFT. and an extraordinary amount of
enthusiasm was awakened among the
marksmeD of the regiment. The results
were eminently satisfactory. and it is safe
30 assume that the Third will always look
carefully to the facilities for practice
craftsmanship at every regimental gather
Ing IN future.
Lieutenant Barrere. the inspector of
rife practice of the First, is the officer to
whom credit is due for the establishment
of a range. or rather three ranges. at
Dimond. BRrrere is a sharpshooter of
wide reputation and was one of the cele-
brated team that captured the thickest
laurelS for California in the interstate
competition at Creedmoor, \. Y, in 1878.
His continued interest in the development
Of the rife-fring science among the marks
men of the State has done much to make 1t
4 Ng,.,l
Infantry.
Barrere's ranges at Camp Dimond have
Seen admirably constructed and afford
every advantage the ground would permit.
The 200-yard targets have been set up
against the wooded bluff which skirts the
rear and left of the camp. They are of the
Blunt elliptical pattern. Directly beneath
each one pit has been dug for the accom-
mediation of the men who handle the disks
Rpd indicate the spot where the bullet per-
~torate The marksmen experience a cer-
tain novelty in the firing, for the reason
that the range IS an open one and very
: unlike that at Shell Mound, where the
firing station is covered and high fences
bteEk the wind that might interfere with
the direction. of the bullet.
=: The company drills this morning were
'et the in teresting Haneuvers were exc
{cuted with an alacrity and a precision
which reflect creditably upon the educat-
ing proficiency of captains. lieutenants and
their cheYroned subordnates. The
guardsmen appear to take kindly to
the. battle exercises. and the weeks prac-
tiee will undoubtedly make them skillful
Ito annihilate an enemy precisely as the
#drfl1-books direct.
-: Guard-mounting still possesses a suffi-
Gent charm to attract the very guardsmen
who might be supposed to have long since
tired of attending such affairs except
when obliged TO do so. Whatever be the
reason, there is always q gathering of
militiamen about when the old and new
. guard details change places. Perhaps it is
in generous sympathy for those doomed to
solitary ttamping for the next tWenty-four
hours or in congTatulation to those whose
solitary tramping has been concluded.
However this may be, the morning cere.
mony of guard-mounting has a peculiar
power of attraction.
aforementioned Bush was on the
field after the guard-mOuntiDg directing
the eVolutions Of the regiment during the
operations OF the battalions under Burdick
and Jansen. The troops drilled in close
order formation at this time and amply
testified to the efficiency which has made
the First crack regiment. The drills in
the schools of the battalion and regiment
are not as lOng-o or as varied as those in
which the formations are in extended
= order, but they are quite as interesting
and more familiar. They are suggestive
of the lower end of Van Ness avenue On
First Infantry drill nights.
Anxious inquiries are being made by
those most interested about the standing
Of the companies in the general efficiency
competition for the cup presented by
Mai General Dmond. Non.coms anu
prfyaEes cast longing chances at the beau
tifUl silver trophy every time they have
occasion TO pass the entrance to the bead
: quarters tent. The rivalry is becoming
:: more noticeable as the men settle down to
camp life. Captain Cook of Company 3
: Is making an effort to tie string to the
cup. Captain Woodruff OF G would like to
: have it, Captain Subtitle Of G thinks it
would look better out in the Ellis-street
aTm0ry than elsewhere, but there is con-
siderable doubt about this in the minds of
Mango and the men of +. Rumor has it
that the High School Cadets, Company k,
are dark horses. Captain Marshall of A
has been seen to wink the other eye when
:: the talk turned on trophy matters, and
:. Captains Eseu of H and Baker of d are
'suSpiciously non-committal. Meanwhile
Judge Cunningham and Judge Holly
,. smile serenely and pencil awful things In
=: little notebooks. There is no telling yet
how the land lies for Cunningham and
Holly are spbinX-ike.
=. Lieuten ant Cluff, quartermaster and nail
driver extraordinary. left camp this morn
ing On a business trip 10 San Francisco.
He will return on Thursday.
=: First Lieutenant T. Perpetual Robinson
of the colonePs staff has arrived and is
entering enthusiastically into the routine
OF tee camp. The lieutenant is adjutant
of Major Jansen's battalion and wears
boots and rides horse.
The SnOlligOsters will parade 10 costume
on a night in the latter part of the week.
The NATIONALS announce a reception for
Friday night The only social affair in
Santa Cruz during the week Will be a
:. military ball at the Pacific Ocean House
ON Thursday evening.
= Every tent in camp is wide open to-