New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-03
THE SEA GIRT TOURNAMENT.
EXPERT RIFLEMEN WILL SHOOT FOR
PRIZES.
AN INTERESTING SERIES OF CONTESTS ARRANGED
By THE NEw-JERsEY RIFLE ASSOCIATION


BY THE NEw-JERsEY RIFLE ASSOCIATION
ENCOURAGING REVIVAL OF INTEREST.
Sea Girt, n. j.. Sept. (SpeciaD.-The meeting
Of the New-Jersey Rifle Association IN conJuhJ
ton with the National Rifle Association, winch
will begin here tomorrow and Will last uhtii
Saturday, promises 10 bring out some OF the most
holly contested matches that have Deen seen -,
this country IN many years Through the Npeini
policy Of the New-Jersey Association the WaNinS
interest in rife shooting has been revived, anu
teams from five States and the Disulct VI ~ ~
lumbia have been induced TO take part III ''e
matches .,. ..oa
At Creedmoor rifle shooting of anything more more
than local character died OF dry rot. lne e
General Whitlock decided that 1t would be for the
best interests OF the National Guard or New oIh
State TO freeze the National Rifle Association '
out entirely and there was no longer an! ~
centiye for teams from other States 10 VISIT tNe
Long Island range Whether this will be the be-
ginning Of a new era of this important part OF
military mans training or only hash III NV
pan depends to considerable extent upon 'he
success or failure of this meeting. III Is the inos'
ordinary kind of truism that success WIN
rifle depends upon the possession u sea- go
nerves To have the latter one must nave quar-
tiers which are comfortable, so that the men can
sleep well, at least THIS does not mean mar
mattresses, spring beds. downy pillows ana soa' ;
feecy blankets but it does mean warmth ana
a reasonably comfortable cot IN tent WIN d
bare board floor.
Tn writer well remembers being a member
of a team from the interior Of New-fork state
when Creedmoor was in the height OF It's popu-
larity and glory. 1t In the fall, ana the
breezes which blow over Long Island in OCTOBER
nights are damp and cold. The thing which Is
most strongly impressed on his mind is the mis-
cradle night which he spent scarcely sleeping
wink although all his extra clothing was put
where II would do the most good. Nor was his
experience different from that OF other members
OF his and other teams Two blankets were the
allowance, and could get any more with
out a pull" The next day several members
OF the team went to farmer and secured
load of straw. which was spread on the tent
floors. and the remainder or the time they slept
in comparative comfort
1t was common thing in those days to have
blankets stolen although at the end OK the season
nearly all the blankets which were issued would
be turned in from some one. showing that they
were not taken for the purpose OF carrying
away, but simply for the comfort or the petty
thieves while the ground.
Those who had had experience at Creedmoor
took extra blankets with them. 1t Is a we'll
known fact that the members OF the team from
Bnghamton, who held the State trophy SO long,
carried good deal OF camp eQuipaSe with them
every year to Crsedmoor and enjoyed compare
tive comfort. But at each meeting II the Ma
tional Guard OF the different States is well Yep
resented 1t necessarily follows that there VIII DE
a good many men present who have never oeeh
there before. They do not come prepared LOT the
conditions which existed at Creedmoor at that
time, and 1t would be extremely involvement
for them to bring from long distances the arll-
Giles which would make them comfortanle' even
If they knew all about the state OF anairs.
The writer Is not prepared TO say that THESE
little grievances caused the downfall OF Creed
moor. but they undoubtedly mad an hnPoItan'
effect in discouragng teams from distance
This fact Is certain: For a time Creedmoor Wit
messed big matches by representative teams rom
all over the country. Suddenly some apparently
unknown cause lessened Its popularity ms
fact is most significant when 1t Is remembered
that the National Guard all over the country
was making great forward strides all this tme'
and continually taking keener Interest IN every
thing pertaining to military life: When within
the last few years. while the forces OF citizen
soldiers have been in better condition than they
ever were before in the history Of the country.
the managers OF Creedmoor dep!ored the lack
of National interest in rife shooting there seems
to have been something wrong, more than ap
reared on the surface. This fact is again strong
iy emphasized by the ready response which the
young association in New-Jersey has received 10
its Invitation to competitors in the different