The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-09-22
A. VALUED; &! TROPHY
Minnesota National Guardsmen Are
Impatient to Meet Illinois for
Washburn Trophy.
It Has Been in Possession of Illinois
for Eleven Years--Prospects
s .-..s Are Good.

-.Ss Are Good.
Telegraphic advices announce that the
Illinois national guard has selected a state |
team to defend the Washburn trophy |
against an expected, challenge from Min |
nesota, and publishes the names of men, |
bers of the team. This news comes as a |
surprise to those most interested In the
Minnesota national guard rifle work, as |
negotiations had been under way for some |
time to revive interest in the Military
Rifle Association of the National Guard Of |
the Northwest" but 1T was thought that |
the Illinois guardsmen were preparing to |
refuse to notice the challenge, inasmuch |
as they had held the trophy unchallenged
for eleven years. The news Of their evil |
dent interest in again defending the trophy
is received with much joy in Minnesota
Immediat ely afterecamp, Adjutant Cen
eral I,ibbey wrote to the adjutant general
Of illinois, stating that Minnesota would
select a. team this fall to compete with |
Illinois for possession Of the trophy. The |
answer was not most cordial and asked
that a copy of the rules and regulations
which governed the contest be forwarded
These it has been impossible to find. No
one seems to know whether any are In ex-
istence or not.
General I.ibbey then wrote to the adju-
tant generals of the other states inter-
ested, asking concerning the rules govern
ing the contest, and at the same time ask
ing each to prepare team to enter the
contest. All approved the plan and VIII
enter, except Wisconsin, which claims
there is no appropriation now available to
paw the expense Of a Wisconsin team.
In all probability the contest will be
arranged for next year and the other
states will enter. Minnesota already has
two platessInscribed on the trophy One
more winning and the trophy will belong
to the stat team.
The Washburn Trophy. q.
Very few OF the members Of the ma
tional guard at present are familiar with
the Washburn trophy.
1t was presented in 1887 and Is called
"The Buffalo Hunt" a beautiful work OF
art in antique silver. It was given as
prize for interstate rifle competition py
w. D. Washburn Of Minneapolis, then
United States senator. Oct 8, 1887, teams
of twelve men each from the states OF
Minnesota and Wisconsin competed for
the trophy at the Fort Smelling range.
The trophy was awarded to Minnesota py
a score of $50 to 915. Sept ~, 1885, the
Interstate competition again took place at
Fort Smelling, Iowa entering upon INVITA-
tion The result was: Wisconsin. "o4'
Iowa, 1884, and Minnesota, 984.e 4 .Iz
towing to- an unhappy rnfsund erstand1ng
between 9rAdjutant General Chapman or
Wisconsin and Adjutant General Seeley
of Minnesota, growing out Of the alleged
ineligibility Of one Of, the Minnesota team
at the 1883 competition, Wisconsin de-
clined to participate further, and conse-
ouently no interstate competition was
held in 1889, At the next meeting OF the
wisconsin National Guard Association
held in Milwaukee,, Adtutant General John
n. Mullen Of Minnesota attempted 10
straighten out the tangle ana promised ~
wipe out the old score and pegln a1ie"'
The offer was kindly and fraternally re-
ceived by the Wisconsin association any
cordially approved blythe national guard
of Minnesota.
The National Guard OF the Northwest
A meeting Of the adjutant generais-o
Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa. Indiana, 7Mlch-
ian and minnesota was held at Chicago,
Ian. H. 1890, to consult. Out of this grew
the Military Rifle Association of, the Ma
tional Guard of the Northwest. General
Vance Of Illinois was chosen as .presl-
dent: General Burchard Of Wisconsin wee
president and Colonel Gold1n OF W1scon-
sin secretary This association declded
to have an annual interstate competition
among teams of ten men each, all 10 Dc
bona f1de national guardsmen, and that
only Springfield service rifles and original
service ammunition should be used.
The first annual competition Of this as
ISOLATION was held at Camp Douglas, WIS.,
Sept. e-12, 1890. Teams from Wisconsin,
Iowa. Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota
competed. Lieutenant Colonel Reade, U.
! s. A.. then a captain, had charge: The
| battle was good naturally fought and won
! by the Minnesota team with score OF
1884; Wisconsin, 2,378; Illinois, 1856; lowe
1926; Michigan, 2,225.i No unpleasantness
Of any kind was noted.
The second annual interstate rifle COM
potion took place at Springfield, ILL.,, Sept.
7-12, 1891. That year Michigan dropped
out. The result of the competition was as
follows: Illinois, 2,677; Wisconsin, 1853;
Minnesota, 1852, and Iowa, 1888, thus CIV
ing the trophy to Illinois.
At the conclusion Of this contest there
was feeling that a combination had been
formed whereby the trophy went to Lii
nois. This feeling was brought about by
the fact that during the skirInish firing
the lowest team in the contest fired sew
eral shots upon the targets Of the winning
| team. Thus Wisconsin was beat out OF
the honors by very small margin. Thus
ended the interstate competition and II
linois has continued to hold the trophy TN
challenged for eleven years.
The last competition took place in 1891
and since then no attempt has been made
to revive interest. It is impossible to
find the rules that governed these conpe-
titiOns, but earnest endeavOr Is being
made, and no doubt Illinois will be called
on ext year to defend the trophy.
! North and South Dakota each have 8
good national guard organization now anG
they will undoubtedly seek to enter the
interstate competitions, and possibly Mon.
tana. II = ...& :-.~
Much interest in the subject is manifest
in Minnesota, and at the coming winter
meeting Of the National Guard Officers
association in st. Paul a call will also
probably be issued for the organization OF
the Minnesota National Guard Rifle asso.
citation. Enlisted men will be allowed
membership. s,.s., 49,. .>5,--. b..
Following is a list Of the members OF
the Minnesota state team which will com.
pete to recover the medal, with their
scores in competition for places on the
!, team, also in previous qualifications 70,
state decorations, in which they secured
positions on the regimental teams:
| p" State Stat
| .-. Qualification. Team
Ed g. Falk, adjutant First infantry,
Artifcer ]. H. Chant, Company ' -
B-1, Minneapolis ............... 1917 90
Musician E. E. Price, Company B-s,
Dra noA4 Major W: B: Neal, First wv ~
regiment. Lake CITY ,a.::;,...;a;;::: 1ss 10
} Corporal F. H. Britton, Company
F-3. Brainerd .................. 1856 10