The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-17
PICKING THE SEA eIRT TEAM.
THE CRACK SHOTS THAT WILL IN
TER THE NATIONAL MATRICES.

The Committee 10 Announce the
Team In n Day or TwO-It VIII
Leave Here Aug g5-rhe sharp
shooters Club and Its VVOrk-Great
Anxiety Among the Members as 20
the Composition of the Team-Fff-
teen VIII Go. and Twelve Men win
Compete in the Tournament.
The team committee Of the Sharpshoot-
ers' Club met last night at the office Of
AFR. C. 5. Richmond and attempted to Sc
Iect the team that viii defend the honors
Of the Savannah military at the Sea Girt
national matches IN September.
the attempt proved TOO much for one
meeting and after q session of an hour
and half the committee adjourned TO
meet again soon II is understood that
most Of the fifteen men TO be selected
have been named. but desire TO know
whether all can go OF not. and TO look
into scores. etc, compelled the committee
10 take more time.
The committee consists Of Capt ". c.
Duncan. Capt. G. T. Cam. Capt W. n
Nichols. and Aessrs. c. 5. Richmond and
T. c. Wilson They say that the enthusi-
asm is at white heat among the militia
and that the men they will send will be
the pest they have. They confidently look
for good results too from this team The
men Of the club have made good scores
and have practiced steadily all the while.
The Sea Girt. y. j., rifle tournament
Is the event Of the year for rilemen. The
Nv Is "a
and is valued al $1,000. The winners take
II home, and place it in the possession of
the state, the adjutant general being its
custodian until the next annual meet.
The contestants are allowed seven shots
each, at 200. 500 and COO yards. twenty-one
shots IN all.
The Interstate prize is a handsome
bronze group of military design In this
1t is ten shots each at 200 and 800 yards.
The interstate regimental match of six
men from each of any single regimental
organizations, viii be 200 and 900 yards
and the slSirmish range, ten shots at each.
There VIII be other matches, such as
singles and teams. The members of this
team may enter these, but that viii be
determined later.
The Savannah club will send fifteen
men. They will be the best men as TO
scores here. From the practice at Sea
Grit, twelve men will be chosen for the
competing team.
AS the cost of sending this team is about
$1,000, the members of the team are asking
aid from the military and the merchants
of Savannah. 1t is a Savannah enter
prise and the people should encourage
them they say, to win laurels for the mil
itary here.
The club members have been hard at
work for the past year getting in shape
for this tournament and stirring up the
interest Of the military and others in re-
gard to rifle shooting and the value of a
range. When the team went to the tour
nament last year it was amazed at the
system which prevailed at Sea Girt, the
unanimity of the men composing the
teams Ia their work and the successful
manner in which everything passed off
The Savannahians saw at once that to
meet these men again on anything like
equality that they must have a suitable
range, a system Of training and all the
requisites that other clubs have. In other
states this rifle tournament business Is
made a special feature, and in most of the
northern states the teams that compete
are the choicest men from all the state
militia, selected from careful tests during
the year. 1t is made business thing al
most and with the systems and mode
Of training required. the Savannah men
saw AZ once that 10 compete successfully
they must adopt the same general rules
and methods of their adversaries and try
anu improve upon them II possible.
They came back home and told of their
Impressions. Some of the military men
We're interested, but many others We're
lukewarm. The matter was talked about
and finally Mr.. A. 5. Eichberg, becom-
ing enthused over the matter. deter
mined TO see what could be done The
Sharpshooters' Club was formed and a
practical beginning was made. Mr.
Eichberg's persistence converted others,
and ia short while there was much
feeling in favor of getting range. The
Avondale sit was secured. The club had
no money to make it suitable for a range
and tit it up. Again Mr.. Eichberg came
into the bgeach, 50 those acquainted with
the history of the movement say. He
and others went to the county commits
sioners, urged upon them the necessity
for aid in this undertaking, and finally
secured the use and services of a part
OF the chain-gang. By this aid the range
was secured and the field made present
able and available. The state was then
tackled and the targets secured. All this
required persistent work, but the club
members and their friends believed in the
scheme and kept at it till it was a sue
cess.
Now the military have a fine range,
which, with the improvements going on
win be one of the best in the south. Il
has 200, 800, 500, 600 and 900 yard ranges
and a skirmish range. They can be used
separately or all at one time. This is a
great convenience.
The club is mostly composed of military
men, the active members entirely so.
There are about forty members now. Ev-
cry three months the men have to have a
certain average to keep their position, as
If they drop back a little, they will be
put in what is called the amateur rank"
This keeps up constant incentive t.
practice and be as near perfect as posi-
I,a.4
for any team that may be selected for
tournament work.
IN THE WRONG BOX.