The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-05-04
NATIONAL GUARD AFFAIRS
Some High Scores Made in the Re-
cent Rifle Matches.

The Contest for the Burkhart Medal
ReeimcntaI Compctition-The site
for the summer Camp Not Selected
In one of the best matches ever shot
in the history of the District National
Guard, Lieut. W. Milton Farrow last
night won the Burkhart medal, with a
total score of 1872 out of a possible 200.
The Burkhart medal is awarded the
marksman making the highest total
score at the four standard distances.
200, 300. 500 and COO yards. Ten shots
are fred at each distance.
Only those riflemen are eligible to this
contest who have made grade of more
than 30 per cent at the first match. COM
pany. battalion, or regimental, which
they shot at each stage. There were
ten contestants last night. and they
finished with the scores indicated. The
first figures given indicate the totals,
and the following the scores at the 200,
300 500, and 6OO-yard stages Iespec-
lively:
Lieut.. w Milton Farrow. 1872, 46. Az
so. 40: Lieut. II. NJ Bell, 1877. As, AZ, as,
Az. Capt. Sheridan Ferree, 1877, As AZ,
AS IS; Major L. H. Reichelderfer. 1872,
45. as 46, As; Capt F. Z. Skinner 1S2. 43,
46, 10, As: Private T. P. Heap. ISL, 43,
AZ. 46. 10; Lieut.. H. B. Hollifeld, $50, A.
AZ. AZ, AS; Sergt. Charles E. Groome,
IFS, "A, As. AZ, Al; Private John O'Con-
nell. 173, 4S. As, As, A: Lieut.. George
PaSchal III 81 A. AZ as
Lieutenant Farrow will retain possess
sion of the Burkhart medal. which is
beautiful specimen of the goldsmith's
art. for one year. when it will be again
awarded the victor of the annual
match.
At the close of the most successful
series of indoor rifle matches in the
history of the District National Guard
the Second Regiment team, although
defeated at the 600-yard stage last
Wednesday night, proved the victors of
the entire series. By a single point
their aggregate score exceeded that of
the First Regiment team. Their total
was 1,SO6, that of the First Regiment
team, 1,S05.
The figures are doubly interesting
when it is realized that of the four
matches at 200. 300, 500, and 600 the First
Regiment team won ali except that at
800 yards Here the marksmen from
the Second Regiment finished % points
10 the good and this comfortable mar
gin was what saved them from defeat
on account of the really consistently
high class Shooting by the First Regi-
ment rifiemen.
The past season has seen a wonderful
improvement in the craftsmanship of
the Guardsmen. With scarcely an ex-
ception the scores made in matches this |
year have been much higher than those
at the same distances last year. Amer |
leans have always been known as clever
marksmen, and the excellent showing
made in the series this season shows |
that the District militiamen are well |
up to and even above the standard.
The prospects for victory in the big |
national rifle competitions at Sea Girt |
next September are now exceedingly |
bright, and the rifemen who will prob
ably make up the brigade team are con-
fident that the interstate trophy won /
last year will be retained and the COW
eted Hilton trophy added to the decora-
tions of the trophy room at militia |
headquarters.
As mere instance of the improve
ment which is evident every time the
District riflemen compete at the range
it may be cited that the highest total
made by the Second Regiment team,
the winner last year, was 1.737, or sixty
Zine points less than the high score this
year The improvement is credited to
the increased interest in rife practice
by the Guardsmen The fact
that better ammunition is used this sea-
son also has something to do with it.
But after all it is the hard practice and
keen interest which tells in the long
run, and there has been more persever-
ing practice this year than ever before
That the general excellence is not con-
fined TO any one small circle of crack
shots is evident from the fact that the
total score of the Sixth Battalion, the
winner of the company matches, was
], sos. the same as the tota' score of the
First Regiment
The winners of the various matches
at the several stages, together with the
scores made, are as follows: Company
teams. 200-yard stage: Won by Com
pany a, Third Battalion, score 211: sec
ond, Company c, First Battalion, 2IO;
third. Company \, Sixth Battalion, 2Os;
fourth. Company c. Sixth Battalion.
Three hundred-yardS stage: Won by
Company C, Sixth Battalion, 23l; sec