The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-05-23
OUR INDEPENDENCE DAY.
HOW THE MECKLENBURG DECLA-
RATION WAS CELEBRATED.
The Wilmington Light Infantry Had
Its Annua Target shoot Yesterday
at Carolina Beach-The Naval Re-
serves Also Had Their shoot. u
Competitive Drill and n Banquet.

Il tompetttISe DrtII anu nah1uri.
| Yesterday being the 10Th of May was
the I27th anniversary Of the Mecklen-
burg Declaration of Independence. and
was in a measure observed in Whining
| ton as a holiday. The custom house,
the rooms of the chamber of
and all the banks were closed. and the
postoffice observed holiday rules.
ANNUAL TARGET SHOOT.
AS has been customary with the
company for many years. the Whining
ton Light Infantry honored the day by
celebrating it's 47th anniversary and hav
ing its annual target shoot at Carolina
Beach. On account of this event the
steamer Wilmington ran an excursion
to the beach, making four trips down
n -four back. the last trip being made
from the beach pier at 10 p. m. The
company went down in full force and 4
large crowd went to the beach on the
different trips of the steamer.
During the day the company had it's
target practice on a regulation 200
yards range at a target containing the
life size head and shoulders of a man.
Major C. H. White, inspector of small
arms practice, was judge of the target
practice. Out of a possible %. the men,
bers of the company made the following
scores: A. P. Adrian. O: n. E. Chilean,
9; w. L. Bissinger. Is: Paul Cantwell. 3;
Alex. Mcclure. o; Eugene Virgins, u;
E. P. Willard. 10: E. A. Nets, 5: Allen
Higgins. 16: H. G.. Whitney, 5; ]. Il.
Cooper. 8: J.. McRee Hatch. 2: r. n.
Nash. s: George Davis. 8; Fred Bolles,
2; l.. B.. Primer. o: l.. j. Primer. 10; Nor
wood Giles. Z: Lynch. 5; Meredith. 0:
j. B. Under. Z; l.. Hatch o.
The following members of the Reserve
corps made scores as follows: Captain
T. c. James. 10: Captain ]. c.. Morrison.
5: Major c. III. White, 8; Eugene Wood
ward, 10: Swift NJ. Boatwright, %.
Corporal Allen Higgins having made
the largest score for any Of the active
members. was awarded the company
medal. 1t is a handsome gold breast
medal and is held by the winner until
1t is won away from MIN on some an
nual shoot. 1t generally changes hands
every year. The winner on the Goth of
May last year was the late private
Keith Calder. who made a score of 10.
The day at the beach was delightful
and large numbers disported themselves
In the surf. The Sedgeley hall club was
headquarters for the company and all
who went to the beach, and Senior John
Franchises Italian band furnished mu-
a. rf0- 10 osn~ T. H. -~1
up to 10 o'clock when the last boat left,
the floor was full of dancers n they.
had a most enjoyable time. The big
gest part of the crowd staid over and
came back on the steamers last trip
which was made by moonlight.
THE NAVAL RESERVES.
Wilmington Division, North Carolina
Naval Brigade also honored the
versary OF the division At 2:30 p m,
Lieutenant H. M. Chase with a team Of
the reserves tool the Wilmington sea-
coast Railroad train and went to
Wrightsville and marched up the beach
to Sumner Rest where the annual tar
get sn0Ot took place. 1t was on the
regulation range and the target was
also OF the regulation pattern. The re-
serves who went down were as follows:
Lieutenant H. NJ. Chase, A. A. Hergen-
rother, J. w. Blake. w. j. Bradshaw.
Oscar A. Bagwell, E. E. Fulcher. R. S.
Haddock. G. F. Herring, Fred B. Her
ring and John c. Meier. Lee rifles
were used in the target shoot, and the
division gold medal was awarded to A.
A. TTergenrother who made a score Of
81 out of a possible %. The medal be-
the property of the winner as the
division offers a new one each rear.
The reserves returned to the city on
the 6:15 p. m, train. and last night con-
their celebration with a competi-
tive drill in the manual of arms. The
division has 40 members and 26 of them
entered the contest. Lieutenant Chase
drilled them and as they made errors
the men were dropped out at each
round until the contest narrowed down
to Walter Morris. A. A. Hergenrother.
Bunting and j. d. Barnes. After
drilling the four. Lieutenant Chase said
they made such an equal showing that
he would have to give some trap"
Finally Messrs. Bunting
and Barnes were dropped out, and in
the contest between Messrs. Morris and
the former won. He was
the winner of the medal last year. 1t
Is a medal and goes to who
ever makes the best showing at the an
nual drill contests. Mr.. Hergenrother
won a handsome silver medal which
Colonel F. w. Foster offered as a sec
ond prize.
Colonel Foster who Is a Jealous friend
Of the reserves, was present as a guest
and before the contest began authorized
Chase to offer the silver
as second prize. Colonel Foster
also presented Lieutenant Chase a
check for s25 for the division. On the
back of the check he endorsed 1t to
2 (NhorA or1 Gl1n6 ont tho q
naming space with a humorous ref
erence to the part the reserves took in
the recent war with Spain. The re-
serves are very proud to have such a
friend as Colonel Foster, and
he entered the armory before the
drill began and before they were aware
of his donation Of a check and medal,
they greeted him with applause.
After the drill the reserves a a
and had q few invited guests |