Evening star., 1902-08-29
THIS IS JERSEY DAY
In the Shooting Matches at
Sea Girt.
WEATHER WAS IDEAL
UNUSUALLY LARGE GENERAL
REPRESENTATION.
District Rifemen Made Fairly Good
Scores in the Practice Work
Yesterday.
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.

for shooting, with a delightful breeze stir
ring on the range. The meeting promises
to be the greatest in the history of the
association. There are more states repre-
sented than ever before, including strong
team from the United States marine corps.
Today is practically Jersey day the
range, as most of the guardsmen from that
state are engaged in the Columbia trophy
| match, at 200 and 500 yards, and the New
Jersey National Guard match, at the same
distances. The contests open only to
members of the National Guard Of this
state. The 200-yard ranges occupied the
morning hours. and from o'clock until
o'clock this evening the 500 stages will be
shot.
The District boys have spent the day at
work on the different targets, preparing for
the famous Hilton match, which will be
shot next Tuesday. They continue to i'm
prove in their work, and every spare minute
is being devoted to the targets.
The teams from the regular army. which
were scheduled to participate in several of
the important matches on the range, have
not up to the present time put in an appear
ance. According to reports which have
been received by the officials of the asso-
citation, the teams are not likely to take
part in any of the events. AT the conclu-
sion of the matches which were recently
held at Fort Sheridan the men who were
to compose the army teams were ordered
to report to their respective stations
The Men Are Scattered.
The men are scattered among the differ
ent army posts, and by the time an effort
could be made to gather the teams together
again the meeting would have closed. Yes
terday kilograms were sent to the Secretary
of War, Gems Brooke and Macarthur and
several of the War Department officials in
effort to locate the teams or ascertain
what had become of them. The expected
presence of the regulars had up TO this time
created considerable interest and was consid-
cred to be feature of the meet. 1t would have
been the first time that the United States
army had ever been represented to compete
against the militia and private shots at
Sea Girt. 1t was expected that the army of
the east would be represented by in
fantry, artillery and cavalry team in addi-
tion TO teams from other departments.
The other teams represented on the
grounds, in addition to the District of CO.
lumbia, include Ohio, New Jersey, Penn
sylvania, New York, Maryland, Illinois and
the United States Marine Corps.
The teams entered by New York include
the 7th, 18th, list and 18th. 1t is expected
that Squadron a will enter a carbine and
revolver team.
The Pennsylvania team, which was here
last year for the first time in several years
past. is well represented. The teams which
are on the grounds are the state team, reg
imental teams from the LIST, I'd, 9Th and 18th
Regiments, and -carbine and revolver teams
from the Philadelphia City Troop and the
Pennsylvania Squadron.
New Jersey is, of course, well represented,
as she usually is, and will make strong
fight for the famous Hilton trophy, which
is now in possession of the District of CO.
lumba. Five regiments will be represent
ed in addition to the Essex troop, which
will send down revolver and carbine team.
The District Contingent.
The District of Columbia contingent is
located in practically the same position on
the range that it has always enjoyed. The
camp is situated but short distance from
the club house, bordering on the Manasquan
river. The main road leading to the club
house separates the camp from the river.
In the past year numerous Improvements
have been made the grounds and the
range. All of the old butts have been
pulled down and all except the 6O0-yard
butts rebuilt of concrete. The 600-yard
butts are of yellow pine and can stand the
strain. In all there are 1O5 targets, in
Guiding the targets for revolver shooting.
There are now eighty-two targets from
the 200 to 1000 yard ranges, while twenty
five new revolver targets have been built.
The new ones are ten at % yards, ten at
80 yards and five at 70 yards. A commo-
dious mazagne building has been erected
of brick, between the club house and the
ManasQuan river. Just beyond the club
house a long frame building has been put
up. 1t contains lockers shower baths, gun
rooms and the offices of the association.
Tickets for the several events can De pur-
chased at the new booth of the officer who
has charge of the telephone system connect
ed with the markers stationed in the pits.
The work of the District boys at the
targets all day yesterday was fairly good,
although 1t will take a few days for the
members Of the team to familiariZe them
selves with the conditions and elevations on
the Sea Girt range. which is very different
from the Ordway range at home The
morning devoted to work at the 200
yard range. and in the afternoon the work
was continued at the 500 and 6O0-yard
ranges. The day was perfect for shooting.
A cool breeze swept across the range
throughout the entire day. In the morn
ing heavy mist enveloped the camp and
the range and shooting was delayed until
it had cleared up. The conditions under
which the team shot yesterday the
seven shots per man at 200, 500 and 600
yards
Practice Of the District Men.
The District team at the 2o0-yard targets
was somewhat behind the Jerseymen, who
also shot in practice under the Hilton con-
dftions, but the strong point of the present
holders of the trophy is the 800 and 600-yard
stages of the game.
In the afternoon the work was resumed at
the 500 and 6OO-yard targets and the Dis
trict boys showed an Improvement in their
work. The work of the team was very sat
isfactory to Major Bell. The eyes of the
spectators were for the most part on the
District team, and it's work is being
watched with keener interest this year than
ever before. If the team continues to i'm
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