Evening star., 1904-03-19
REGARDED AS UNSAFE
MR.. sCoFIELD,s VIEW OF oRDwAY
RIFLE RANGE.
Practice There, He Says, Cannot Be
Permitted Comment by
Major Bell.

Arthur Scofield of Tuy edo Prince Georges
county, Nd, in a communication to The
Star. referring, to an article published the
Sth instant, in regard to a bill before the
Maryland legislature intended to abolish
the Ordway rifle range, conducted by the
National Rifle Association of the District
of Columbia and used by the troops of the
District National Guard, the regulars and
the marines, declares that shooting on the
range will have to be stopped. He insists
that the danger resulting therefrom Is real
and not fancied. Mr. Scofield further says:
I'VE want to disclaim any motive of Ill
will against sany member of the District
National Guard. We believe them to be
honorable men and acknowledge the neces-
sity for target practice in the making OF
good soldiers but we cannot allow rifle
practice to go on at Ordway. knowing that
at any time some of us are liable to be
shot sitting in our. own homes. We know
that the ranges is not and never has been
maze safea and He are satisfied that 1t can
not be made so.iyThere are no heavy timber
abutmentasas cjaimed. and 1t would be i'm
possible toRxpfode shell without damag-
ing the dwellings near the range. After
was statEa that extra abutments were
erected to prevent stray bullets from going
past the rHngeTYI know that such was not
done. In q fact this serious accident did
new and hisheR abutmept. = ,s.a Ssssa.5.
Queries Propounded. So -
= Mr. ScokeId. asks why. Il. e the range is
safe. the we1iafs in questions was shot wisiae
on her oxh prefhlses:: r Why many Houses In
Columbia Pafksare damaged by stray bull
lets; wh&peopie susing the country road
hear bullets 6uoking the iedces about their
heads; ;awh0. assietachment Of marines were
give immediate. relief by taking their SOL
diers away. and-the District guard officers
persist in using the range knowing the
danger tfiatis- caused thereby? Mr.. Sce-
field concludes: We do not know the ex-
act parties who are urging this bill in the
Maryland legislature, but we have all been
working for it, The range is not only
menace to our lives, but Is running the real
which the people can hardly be expected
to stand."- - M
a-3ee Views Of Major Bell. =. ~
When asked this afternoon regarding the
charge that the Ordway range is danger
Gus, Major James e. Bell, inspector gen.
eral Of rife practice, District of Columbia
militia, said: 5si.-.s-.
Every rifle range is more or less dan
gerous, but mo one has been killed at or
near the Ordway range by a bullet. How
ever. two men. one a marine and the other
a cavalryman. were killed at the railroad
station adjoining the range by being run
over. We might as well say that the trains
should not run because they are dangerous
and kill people, as to say that the ranges
should be closed because a poor unfortu-
nate woman was wounded while 1000 yards
back of the range. This depiorable acct
dent was due to a bail, fired by a United
States cayalryman, which richocheted over
a high hill. The range will be placed in
condition which will reduce the liability of
such an accident before it is again used"