Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-08-18
EXPERT SHOTS
AT Waterville for the Annual
Interstate Shoot.
Ten Events Shot on, Wednesday,
With Very Good Scores.
Guansrs Are Present II Force and Interest
Is Unusually Geed.

tants in, the Interstate Association trap
shooting tournament. Wednesday. when
the event took place on the grounds OF
the Waterville Gun Club. a short distance
outside the city limits. When the shoot
ing commenced the clouds in the sky cut
off the strong light SO that the confess
tants were not in any way bothered on
that account
Early in the day there was a sslight
breeze, SO slight that it in NO way in
terfered with the shooting, but instead
served to make the air cool and the
shooting grounds a most delightful place
for both contestants and spectators 1t
was at this time in the day that it
looked as thOughthe Gun Club would have
clay court In the rear of the screen.
Then the birds were dropped as fast as
they rose and the cry dead" from the
judge was the most frequent to be heard
on the grounds.
AS the noon hour approached the wind
began to strengthen. Interfering more or
less with the success of the contestants.
At that time quartering wind on the
back of the men made it uncertain which
way the targets would go and the con-
testants had harder work to find the
birds.
While the wind was on the back of the
contestants part of the targets would
rise slightly above the screen anu then
receiving the full force of the wind
would duck. making it difficult for the
men to find the targets with their usual
skill.
In spite of these drawbacks unusual
scores were made and the scorer was
kept more busy making straight lines
than circles denoting that the bird had
escaped. y
The team from the local gun club COM
posed of =. T. Wyman, w. Reed S. l..
Prebble s. A. Green, and Mr.. Stobie
showed up unusually we'll in the shooting
in the morning. Mr. Wyman and Mr..
Green doing unusually good work.
Through the efforts of the Gun
Club the grounds suffered. a grand trans
formation scene. Booths had been erect
ed for the accommodation of the gunners
the contestants a TEN Mad been erected
where lunch was serveu at noon so that
the men might not be obliged to go down
town during the noon hour. Farther
away was small tent where two misses
of less than dozen years had prepared
a stand for the sale of lemonade.
In the rear of the stand for the confess
tants half a dozen agents for guns and
ammunition had arranged for the sale
and exhibition of their goods. Some went
even farther than this and displayed
chewing and smoking tobaccos of various
kinds.
The guests when down town were quar-
tered at the Elmwood hotel and here
were made to feel perfectly at home by
Landlord Judkins. During the first
evening there was but very little gun and
shooting talk In fact at that time not
all of the contestants had arrived.
With the incoming trains. yesterday
morning, the hotel register began to fill
the ground. Among the contestants who
had arrived were H. A. Collins of Balti-
more: J. r. Hull of New York; j. s.
Tanning, the champion trap sh@t of the
Pacific coast: Charles NJ. Clark of st.
Louis; r. s. Root of Providence; U. NJ. c.
Thomas of Bridgeport; A. II. Dennis and
II. D. Parsons of East Wilton. Many of
the contestants brought their wives with
them.
In the morning there were no ladies in
attendance at the grounds. In the after
noon there was a change in the crowd
and among the spectators were several
ladies, many of whom were friends of the
contestants.
Elmer f. Shaner, the manager of the
tournament, was the first to arrive, COM
ling to this city, the first OF the week.
Since his arrival he has been busy ar
ranging for the success of the affair.
Nothing that he could do that would add
to the success of the affair has been left
undone. In consequence there were no
delays when the time for the shooting to
begin arrived.
There was a general feeling of rejoicing
among the members of the Waterville
Gun Club, last evening. at the manner in
which the team from the club shot. The
local men were in the hottest company
that they can find and many Of them
stood up remarkably WE'LL several COM
ing well up into the front ranks in more
than one event.
The wind which had bothered the men
in the morning. increased in force in the
afternoon. By that time the men were
we'll onto what they might expect and did
good work, more than one taking every
single bird that made its appearance over
the screen
In the fifth event Green and Stobie of
this city, shot even better than Tanning.
the champion of the Pacific coast. What
was true in that event was true OF sew
eral others. In fact there were few times
when the men from this city fell far be-
hind those who are well known all over
the country among sportsmen.
One of the most marked 1pen of those
who stood on the platform for 1.-The con-
testants was o. r. Dickey, who has
grown old in the service. In spite of his
age. the birds begin to drop whenever he
raises his gun. He was the cause of much
admiration during the shooting.
Late in the afternoon a shower came
up but did not in any way interfere with
the success of the shooting.
In the evening. band concert was
given in front of the ElmwOod hotel,
where the guests are quartered. The
guestsf tomorrow wifi be entertained at
Great Pond.
On account Of the State tournament
that is to be held later in the week. there
were not as many of the Maine sports
men present as it was hoped there
would be.
The following is the score of today's
shooting:
Event No. 1. Is targets-Fanning. Stobie.
Green, Preble, Dickey. IA; Reed, Root.
Chase. Hunnewell, L. NJ. Norton. Davi-
son, Puck. Henderson. Grihith, 10; Col
Inns Connor, y; Hull. Stevens. Leighton.
Ashley, IL; Wyman, Dwinell, Suon. 10:
U. NJ. c. Dennis, 9; N. Norton, S.
Event No. 2. Is targets-Preble. Is: Fan
ming, Wyman. Chase. Hunnewell, Dickey.
Henderson. IA: Stobie, Hull, L. NJ. Nor
ton, Conner, Ashley, Griffith. Snow, IL;
Puck, II: Green. Reed. Root. Stevens.
Dennis. II; U. NJ. c.. Norton, 10; Dwinell.
9: Dawson, Leighton, Collins. s; Par
sons, 6.
Event No. 3. 20 targets-Dickey. 90:
Green, 10: Tanning, Hull. L. Norton, Hen
derson, IS; Preble, Stevens, Ashley, Davi-
sos, D,,ol ~. TT -ciulStar .Ilnnna.