Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-26
.COMPETIAg3A |! 6RDWAY
Annual Rifle Matches of Dis
triot National Guard
STRONG WIND BLOWING
= an :
UNIFORMED MEN STRIVING TO
WIN ATTRACTIVE PRIZES.
Contests in Order Today-Army Teams
and Officers and Marylanders
Will Shoot

Special From a star Correspondent.

results is again being demonstrated. Com
petent authorities agree that rife practice
is one of the most important details,
If not the most Important one. Of
the training of a soldier. Although he
may be perfect in drill and in other work
that falls to the lot OF a follower of Mars
in this enlightened age of modern fire.
arms and ammunition soldier Is consider
ed unfit to shoulder a magazine rifle I'M
less he understands its workings and has
been educated to use it effectively.
The value of rifle practice has long been
recognized by District militia headquarters,
and District National Guardsmen have al
ways given a good account of themselves
in work before the targets, especially so
when competing with the guardsmen of
other states, first at the creedmore range,
and for the past eight or ten years at Sea
Grit, N. j.. s.7.-...s
The results of the past year of practice
are being evidenced here in competition to-
day, this being the opening session of the
annual rifle meeting of the Rational Guard
of the District Of Columbia, the National
Rifle Association of the District CT Column
bia and the Washington Revolver Asso-
citation.
The meeting will continue tomorrow,
Wednesday and Thursday. These annual
events are incre 4sng in scope year by year,
and the present one promises to be far
more successful than any heretofore held.
The scenes witnessed at the Jersey range
during the early part of each September
are now being duplicated here on smaller
scale. Uniformed men are seriously en-
gagged before the targets, striving to win
the costly and attractive prizes presented
by a number of the merchants and others
of Washington's public-sprited citizens.
A Strong Wind Blowing.
Cool. bracing weather, typical of tie Ord
y.1yS. no lyy of
the meet. A strong wind is blowing, how
ever making good holding difficult. The
attendance is larger than ever. before, and
the same applies to the number of entries
in the several competitions. 1t is noticeable
that there are more new men competing
than has been the rule IN the past, and that
the crack shots-the brigade team members
and others who hold Sea Grit records-are
by no means numerous ~
The guardsmen were astr at an early
hour this morning. About half the num-
Der now here started from the intersection
of 9th street and PENNSYLVANIA avenue
aboard special electric railway cars at S05
o'clock and rode to a point this side of
Kenilworth, marching the remainder of the
way. .,i
The others Travelled direct to the range
by railroad train, departing from the 9th
street passenger station at 8 O'clock. Both
detachments arrived about the same time.
No time was lost IN getting to work. Mai
practice. d, c. militia, the. executive ohcer
OF the meeting; Capt. Thomas S. King, SUI
perintendent of the range, and Superfn-'
tendent William A. Duvall of the National
Guard Armory, being as busy the pro-
verbal bee throughout the day. In order to
accomplish as much as possible it was de-
cided to keep the shooting in progress cof-
stantly, with no stops except a brief one in
the middle of the day for luncheon. 1t was
remarked that the meeting is being con-
Quoted much more satisfactorily and sys-
tematically than any of Its predecessors.
The program for today comprises the .mer-
chants match, the company team match,
the battalion team match, the regimental
team match, the beginners match, the
tyro team match, the novice match and the
Washington match.
Matches in Progress Today.
The merchants match, a .squadded conf
petition, was open to all enlisted men of
the District National Guard who had never
! performed duty with the brigade rife team,
| either principals or alternates Distance,
| 200 yard; ten rounds per man. The prizes
are a number of valuable articles presented
| by merchants of the District of Columbia.
| The competitor making the highest score is
| entitled to first choice of prize, and the
| other competitors in regular order. accord
| ing to the scores. until the whole number of
| prizes is exhausted.
The company team match was open to
| teams of five from any company In the
IudTO DlStdHCc, SvU ydTuSp ten
per man. The prize is a suitable trophy,
| which becomes the property OF the com
| rany winning it, and S in cash; second
! prize, s.; third prize, s.
The battalion team match was open to
teams of six from any battalion in the
| Guard. Each company of the battalion
| had to be represented On the team. Dis
| tance, $500 yards; ten rounds per man. The
| Prize Is a suitable trophy, which becomes
| the property of the battalion winning it,
and $ in cash; second prize, s.; third
prize, 81.
The regimental team match was open to
teams of six from any regimental or sep
aIate battalion organization in the Guard.
| Each battalion had to be represented on
| the team. Distances, 800 and 500 yards;
| ten rounds per man at each distance. The
| prize is q suitable trophy, which becomes
! the property of the organization winning it,
| and SO in cash.
| The beginners match a squadded compe-
tition. was open to all enlisted men of the
| Guard who are serving first enlistment,
| who have not previously won the match,
| and who have never shot in any match at
Sea Grit N. J. Five shots at 200 and five
| shots at 300 yards. First prize, 81: second
prize, s.; third prize. 81: fourth prize. 81, all
| contributed by Major GIendie y. Young.
| The tyro team match was open to teams
| of three from any company in,tthe Guard
| 1t was stipulated that members Of the team
| to compete in this match must have never
shot on any team winning first. second or
| third place. Distances, 200 and 800 yards;
| fVe shots at each distance A trophy Will
| be given the team making 1.-THE highest
| score: second prize, IS; third prize So.
| The novice match was open to all OFF,
| GERS and enlisted men sof the National
| Guard of the District OF Columbia who
| have completed their official score for the
year 1903 excepting those who have quail
| fed sharpshooter forEIthe same period
| Distances, 200 and 300 YARDS shots at
| each distance. First prize9$5; second prize.
So; third prize, 81. and twelve prizes of 81
| each. 70 s-t@
| The Washington matchSa sqiladded COM
| petition, was open to all officers and en-
listed men of the National Guard of the
| District of Columbia whoi1have never won
an individual medal or trophy in any mill
| tary rifle competition on an outdoor range
/ Distances, 200 and 500 yards; five rounds at
each distance First prize a gold medal
| presented by Mr.. John H. Magruder; sec
| ond prize. So; three prizes On 81, and nine
| prizes of ST.
Those assigned to act as range officers
! today are Capt. Grove, Capt. Taite, Lieut.
| Heidenreich. Lieut.. Commander Brum-
nett, Lieut.. Cookson, Lieut. Britain, Capt
| Ferree, Lieut. Hollifeld and Lieut.. Nc
| Anally.
In order to save time it was decided to
| shoot the merchants match and the 200
| rdS "a oxira match at the