The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-02-25
Hugglns Made BulIseys at
Time Of Great Emergency.
A DISASTER WAS AvERTED.
Big Load Of EXPLOSIVES Was Wrecked BY
The Bullet Before II Gould
Reach the Village.

all the iun out OF shaIPSho"aihs' ~ 'H'
what il used To be in the days when
was a member of club of crack shots
I'm PENNSYLVANIA" said an old sharp
shooter with reminiscent sigh, as he
talked over old times with "A Philadelphia
Inquirer man. THAT is why l am here
IN the city posing as a fashionable photo
grapher instead Of winning more medals
on the rifle range"
The "raotographer then told some In
teresting experiences he had when
member OF rifle club that at one time
had an international reputation. That
was Is years ago. before all the crack
shots OF the country had been Obliged to
turn to other pursuits than rifle matches
for large money prizes.
In these days there are many small
country clubs, no doubt, but they do not
boast a members such men as Higgins,
the great rife shot Of Pennsylvania, who
laid his opponents low by the score, and
retired from an international contest over
Aldershot field with every prize worth
having.
.Huggins was one OF the most observ-
ant men | ever met continued the re-
tired sharpshooter. and | don't think
there ever was just such keen pair OF
Rray-blue eyes in a mans head before.
The blue and the gray eye Is the eye OF
the sharpshooter.
''1he reason may be that there IL some
thing in the clearness OF the lens that
gives it's posscssor superior keenness of
sight over those who have the darker
brown ar perhaps black eye.
when the oil fields OF Washington
lNgf discovered
that od-fashioned town went mad II
of the old families had farming lands,
and though We did little drilling, leaving
that 10 the old and more venturesome
.fs4a.+- las- i.ilaAa- re1rnm the upper
oil country. we often found most. IL not
all. OF us were gathering in handsome in-
comes from royalties on he oil produced
on our laads.
"Tbat fact gave us time 60 look around
for some anusemcnts. ana those who did
not travel for their health or for fun
after The first swift swirl OF life as
taught us by the hardened old sinners
that came IA from Pitholc. Potrolia, and
llras ord remained AZ home and became
almost AZ Bohemian as we before had
been ehurchy
GREAT RIFLE MATCH ARRANGED
I'm the town Of Washington. famous
Tor Wash-Jcn college. Prohibition, and
several other things. were splendid rifle
shots: ana among the oil men who came
there were some as good we were.
though they had little time 10 practice.
as poker games and headaches the next
morning are not exactly conducive To
clear ewes and steady hands.
Among the strangers who came there
aud whose rames still might be recog-
nized by rife shots of the country were
tharieg Bailey, who now owns the sani-
tariun IN Cambridge. Pa and a young
fellow named johnson, now supcrintend-
ent OF a division OF the standard lines in
that state. Then. of course. there was
Iiuggins.
rour town club was practicing daily on
the range just outside the town. and we
were making scores that approached the
top notch. and. OF course. talked a great
deal about &C. The oil country crowd
heard OF our records and challenged us.
They had been somewhat nettled that we
remained aloof from them untll we learn
ed better. and Young Johnson was the
ono selected 10 carry challenge To us.
johnson expressed wonder az our
shooting. and said IL was pity we
weren't champions Of Washington county
at least especially when we had shot
with several other clubs the country over
and had won. told him i'm patronizing
way that We We're the picked shots from q
lot OF sharpshooters. and that there were
johnson didn't seem TO be much Inn.
pressed and made a bluff that he could
pick out seven men among the oil crowd
that would beat MS on our own range
Now. that's a pretty dangerous PROPOSE
tion-to meet men who have shot over a
certain range for years--and before
knew il each of us had posted $500 on a
match between the town and the oil
men.
II suggested that the oil men could
have our splendid range for practit&, but
no said we needn't bother. but could prac-
tice there ourselves. Besides that. tho oil
men were busy bringing in "A 600 or 10. .oO'
barrel well every day and he didn't think
his scrub team would have much time fol
practice.
II told him he could have two week.
for practice and we would meet the oi
men in match any time after that date
The cool young man responded that hs
hadn't seen the other six. but GUESSED
they would be ready for the shoot as soor
as we were.
"As this seemed 10 be nm unnecessary
exchange OF bluffs. I remarked that ",
would be ready tomorrow for match al
5000 a side
suits us. was all he said, aud h,
went away. no doubt 90 take a hand ln d
game OF poker that staggered the SountS
NJ that time.
JoIINsToNs AII-sTAR TEAM
when We met NJ the range the mex
afternoon I saw az once my man John
stop had kept faith. and he had not runs
in a single unknown ON as. We knew az
Of his men by sight. though not by name
Besides Johnston. who had constitute,
himself captain OF the crew. there wai
Charley Bailey. man knew loved docs
but never heard of handling n rife
Then there WAS = driller named Clark.
and quiet Nttle fellow named iilgrins
ss caught II IN q hasty introduction
iluf We knew all of the oii men 10 D..
connected with the operations then beini
carried ON in the Washington count,
field. even 10 Higgins who was a brick
layer.
''He. knew. was laying the founda
tious for the boilers that were used q
dral the wells. and altogether it WAS
crowd 20 be laughed al. - compared Will
tried shots who had prscticed for years
and besides b0asted more medals than di'
any club in q dozen states.
"As our rules were then. snd to whicl
they arGificsced With n careless Auyihin