The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-01-12
BETTER RIFLE RANGE
OBJECT OF COL. CANN's CONFER
ENCE WITH GOV. TERRELL.
GOV. FAVORS APPROPRIATION.
EXCESS FUND TO BE DIVIDED BE-
TWEEN SAVANNAH AND MACON.

Amount Left Over from Macon shoot
Will he Used in ReimbursinE Mill
tary for Expenditures Incident to
Preparation of Ranges for state
shOOt-GOv. Terrell May Make
HequIsitiOn for New Apparatus
for AvOndOIe Range-WiI Make 1t
One of the Best in the Country.
General Government Considering
Plan to Assist In the Maintenance
of the Ranges of the state.
Col. George T. Cam, Inspector Gen
eral of Rifle Practice, returned yester-
day from Atlanta, where he went to
confer with Gov. Terrell relative to
several matters of importance to the
military and rifemen of the state, and
more. particularly to Savannahians.
The result of the visit was most salts
factory, and Col. Cam is much graft
fed by the assurances which he re-
ceived from the Governor.
The most important matter discuss
ed was relative to requisition on the
general government by the Governor
for new and additional equipment for
the Avondale Range. If the Governor
consents to make the requisition, as
there is little doubt he will, the result
will be that the range in Savannah
will be the best equipped in the South,
and will not suffer by comparison with
the best ranges in the country.
The general government appropri-
ates an amount, commensurate with
the representation of troops, in the
several states, to be used in equipping
the military forces and for the fur
therance of rifle shooting, which
amount is drawn upon by order of the
Governor, from time to time. The
property purchased with the amount
so appropriated. is bought from the
general government, but becomes, by
the purchase, the property of the state.
Georgia's allowance for these purposes
is $1,000.
Needs of the Range.
Avondale Range, one of the best, if
not the best in the state, is in need OF
certain paraphernalia to make it COM
plete in arrangement. The targets
marking discs, target frames and other
requisites to a first-class range, are
in bad condition. These articles are
more expensive than their appearance
would indicate. and the re-equipment
could not be undertaken by the local
rifiemen without mourning considera-
BILE expense. Col. Cam laid before the
Governor these facts, and impressed
upon him the urgency of the need.
Another matter which was taken up,
and decided. pertained to the division
of $500, an amount outside of the APP
preparation made by the state for the
Macon camp for instruction. This
amount was saved out of an appropr1a-
ton of So 900, by the observance of the
strictest economy in the conduct of the
shoot. Col. Cam submitted to the
Governor that, since considerable ex-
pense had been incurred by the mill
tary at Macon and Savannah in put
ting their respective ranges in proper
condition for the state shoots, he
thought 1t but fair that the amount
left over from the state shoot at Ma
con should be divided between the mill
itary in the two cities.
Governor FavOrs 1t.
This disbursement of the fund met
the favor of the Governor. He said
that he was looking forward with
pleasure to his trip to Savannah on
Feb. %, on the occasion of the battle
exercises of the First Regiment. He
will be accompanied by other promi-
nent military men. On that day the
Guards will hold their annual shoot
at the range, as it is probable that the
Governor will visit the range while the
contest is being held.
The outlook has never been brighter
for rifiemen than it is at present. Be
sides the appropriation which will
probably be made out of the fund of
the general government for the i'm
provement of the range, it is likely that
in the near future the range will be as
thoroughly equipped as any in the
| country and will offer advantages
which cannot be discounted anywhere.
Col. Cam has received a letter,
which was sent out in circular form
to the inspector generals of rifle prac-
tice in the several states, from a board
appointed to revise fire arm regula-
tions, etc, which was written under
instructions from the Secretary of War,
in which many questions relative TO
ranges and rifle practice in this state,
are asked. The object of the inquiry,
| the communication explains, looks to
| eminent with the several states in the
maintenance of the ranges.
For Joint Use of Troops.
The government now intends to ap-
propriate a certain amount to this end,
the range so maintained to be used
jointly by the state troops and the
United States troops in that locality.
The proposal has the Endorsement OF
many of the military men of the city,
who think that should the offer be
made it should be embraced by the
state authorities. The government sell
dom sparing in it's appropriations,
would, they think, contribute a neat
sum, which would insure the improve
ment and maintenance of the ranges
in the state.
In making his reply to the letter of
inquiry Col. Cam informed the board
that there were in this state twenty
rife ranges. 1t is doubtful if any
other state in the South has as many.
Most of these ranges have been con-
structed during the time that Col Cam
has served as Inspector General. The
number has increased largely within
the past year, the influence disseminat-
ed by the recent interstate shoot in
Savannah having been responsible for
the existence of several of these. Near
ly every company in the Fourth Regi-
ment has a rifle range.