Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-03
THE ILLUSTRATED BEE

barricks" have to be content with going
through the motions OF firing except dur
Ing two or three weeks OF each year. when
they are marched to some place in the
wilderness where they can FIRE and not
feel that they are putting in jeopardy the
life OF some inoffensive pillow horse or
bossy COW. After this practice, the leading
man OF each company at target practice is
assigned to attendance at the departmental
competition, from which ten are chosen to
take part in the army competition.
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Conditions of target practice are made
as nearly as possible those Of actual serv-
ice. Two days are spent In preliminary
firing, one each at known distances and
skirmishing, and then two days at each
style for the competitive record. On a
mans total for the four days depends his
standing. At known distances the firing
is at 200, 300. 500 and 500 yards. at a rect
angular target. At skirmish firing the
targets are silhouettes OF a man stand
Ing, k%neeling and reclining. This is really
the spectacular feature of the competition.
Each competitor has three of these sill
houettes before him. He Is given a certain
number of cartridges At the .bugle's sound
the line starts across the field at a run.
Another bugle note, and all drop and fire.
hboih ~ DuBltt anu the clarge Is re-
sumed. This is kept UP until the charges
have carried the competitors all but across
the range, and the time allotted for the
practice run is exhausted. The buele
sounds cease firing" and the competitors
line up. Any cartridges remaining un-
nred are counted against the soldier hav-
ing them. a certain number Of points being
deducted for each shot not fired. Hits on
the several targets count at different
values, those on the reclining figure being
highest and those on the standing the
lowest. 1t Is the desire of the men of
course to hold their fire as much as DOS
sibie In order to get a good opportunity
at short range on the reclining figure. In
this excellent judgment must be shown, for
they have no means Of knowing lust what
the range is, and are only allowed a few
SECONDS to adjust sights and fire, SO Il really
requires much skill to determine what
to do with the cartridges in order to get
ria OF them all to the best advantage. Now
and then during the run a competitor will
rise and fall out. That is a signal that
bis quota Of ammunition has been ex-
hausted. In this number is printed a mic
ture OF the rifle team which represented
the Department of the Platte In 1891. II
shows Gunsling Davidson, who became ia
nous throughout the army for his ability at
skirmish firing. His sobrlquet was gained
from the peculiar manner he had of hold
Ing his Springfield by thrusting his left
knes through the sling. He had a wonder
full faculty for rapid firing with a single
shot gun. and so would hold most of his
ammunition until he had reached short
range, when he would riddle the reclining
target. Some of the scores he made this
way were truly phenomenal. Davidson
once won the army competition, giving him
two gold medals, the second being for the
departmental championship. Other men,
bers Of the 1891 team Of the Department
OF the Platte won distinction as marks
men.
The Omaha bowling team of whom a
picture Is presented this week, have for
two years held the local championshln
having twice won It by playing through
the games scheduled by the league and
coming out with the greatest percentage Of
victories. Individually the team is strong
and as a team II is we'll nigh invincible
80 FAR as the Omaha tenpin game goes.
Scores made by this team compare very
favorably with those Of expert teams IN
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