The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-05-14

ed a gay appearance yesterday with its
large red streamers out in all directions.
These streamers meant danger, and thew
was lots of danger up on the hills back of
the long trench where the targets are and
the richochets. You see the richochets
are the meaneSt things in the world-de-
ceptive in tone, extremely. They strike
the ground a glancing blow after going
through the target and then rise In the
air sideways and make a curious noise,
between a whistle and a screech. You
want to keep clear out Of the way of a
ricochet, if you go up to the fort, for II
one of them strike you-there you are, cut
literally in two.
Some five hundred men of Uncle. Sam
marched out on the 2O0-yard range yes
terday morning and took station by COM
panies from right to left in alphabetical
order. Very soon the targets rose from
the pit as if by magic, the little red hags
We're lowered, which meant shoot! ana
then the boys began, two at time In
each company, to pop away with the new
Krag-Jorgenson rifle. The officers eau
single-loader, which was strictly obeyed
by each member of the regiment, the
magazines remaining empty during the
!. entire day.
1t was along toward o'clock when the
Herald man arrived on the field awheel
! by way of the boulevard, the Penrose
drive, route. The field of action present.
ed martial array of intenSely-intereSted
officers and soldiers, who We're busy pop
ping away a the rapidly disappearing
targets. Looking around to see what II
was that was absent from a scene of this
kind one soon realized that it was smoke
The new ammunition is charged with
smokelesS powder, and when shoI is
fired you Immediately turn your head in
that direction and you are too late 10 see
what little smoke there is from the muz-
zle. The recoil from the new gun is very
slight. The scores made yesterday were
fully UP to the average OF preliminary
shooting with the Springfield rifle, ana
many were the words of praise heard on
all sides for the new weapon. A notice
able feature of the marking was the great
number of shots to the left of the Dull s.
eye, the drift of the strong riding having
been purposely arranged to counteract
the trigger-pull. There is no wind gauge
on the rear sight, which, however; did not
seem to make any difference at all to the
prised everybody by making sharpshoot-
ers' scores-SO per cent. or over
Sergeant Davis. a distinguished shot,
has charge of the range, and keeps every
thing in perfect order.
The renowned worlds champion with
the old Springfield rifle, Sergeant Gun
sling Davidson, was on hand ana MADE
some excellent scores.
Captain w. V. Richards. the giant of
the regiment, and commander OF Com
pany G., was an interested observer and
instructor at the firing point.
Lieutenant-Colonel Coates, mounted on
his black charger, was the general officer
who directed the affairs of war.
The firing will continue each day, ex-
cept Saturdays and Sundays. during May.
The practice being largely experimental,
no record will be kept for marksmen or
SharpshooterS.
Companies F, C and Ct made the best
scores yesterday.
Lieutenants Carey, Preston and Tyler
are promising shots
There is some talk of a regimental COM
petition on the Fort Douglas range in
June. but nothing definite could be
learned about it. o. L.