Birmingham age-herald., 1895-09-05
CONTEST AT SEAGlRT
Washington and Savannah the Only Teams
 That Were RealIyin It
AND THE CHANCES WERE ABOUT EVEN
Georgian Kissed the Ladies Without the Little Formality of an
 Introduction.

Seasirt, N. J., Sept. 4.-The south was victorious over the north today in one of the most important matches held yet at Seagirt It was the third programme of the New Jersey Rifle association, and the event was the interstate military match. The trophy shot for was a large bronze 'Soldier Marathon" presented by the commander-in-chief on behalf of the state of New York to be shot for an- nually, and to be held during the year by the adjutant-general of the state, whose team wins it. Now it is at the state house at Trenton, it having been won last year by the New Jersey marksmen. When the Savannah sharpshooters start for home they will take this trophy along with them, and each contestant or the team will wear a medal to show what he did toward maintaining the reputation of the south
 The wind was blowing about six miles an hour when the match commenced at 9:30 a. m. The guardsmen set their wind guages accordingly. As the day wore on the wind increa sed, but at no time was 1t as strong as yesterday. Five teams entered the interstate military match as follows: Georgia, District of Columbia, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylva- mia. Each state selected twelve of it's best marksmen.
 At 200 yards the position was standing and at 800 yards prone.
 Georgia led the Washingtons at the 200 yard mark but they were afraid of the Capital City marksmen on the lon ger range. Captain Cam, one of the Georgia marksmen. said after the 200 yard scores were finished that he doubt ed very much if the southerners would carry away the trophy. The Washing ton marksmen had made unusually good scores in the 300 yard range and the captain based his predictions on that fact.
 Little attention was paid to either New York, Pennsylvania or New Jersey, as they were practically out of the race, although the New York boys put up a fairly good score on the long range. but the low score of 473 gave them littlel chance of winning. The excitement be-' tween the District of Columbia and the Georgia teams was at fever heat. Cap tain Williamson of the last named stood by his men and coached them, When Private Pollard, who is over 60 years of age, and as spry and agile as man 70 years his junior, missed the target at the seventh round on the 800 yard range the Georgia boys were jubilant, but their joy was short lived. Carleton made score of 49 out of a possible 90. This dampened the enthusiasm of the south ernerS.
 Up to that time the highest score was AS, made by F. c. Wilson of Georgia. It was anybody's match until the last shot was fired. When the scores on the two ranges were added it was found that the Georgians had made 1043 points to the District of Coumbia's 1037 differ ence of only six. Then a cheer went up that drowned the noise of the shooting.
 Captain Williamson was the happiest man on the grounds He shook the hand of every one of his men and congratu- lated them on the good showing they had made.
 No feeling of hostility was among the gathering of national marksmen; no feeling of envy existed. 1t was one na- ton bound together by a fraternal bond of friendship. The Washington guards men sent up cheer and the Georgia boys followed with three cheers and a tiger for their opponent.
 Herman Meyers, mayor of Savannah, by coincident, appeared on the grounds just as the result was announced, and joined in the celebration. MT. Meyers Is in the north on a visit and is making his temporary headquarters in New York.
 Captain Williamson telegraphed the good news to Savannah, and an hour later a congrat tulatory telegram came from Col. William Gerard of the First battalion infantry, Georgia volunteers. Private Richmond was so elated at the success of the Georgia marksmen that he went around kissing the ladies with out the formality of asking even an in troducton. To use q slang expression, he said it was case of "everything goes" F. c. Wilson was the least dis concerted of any of the southerners.