The St. Louis Republic., 1904-03-20
TALK ABOUT THE BASEBALL PIlAYERS--SHOOTNG NOTES. S

dry box or elsewhere. so that damp can
not strike il until it is used again.
Fresh water does comparatively little
injury to the silk If it is dried out at
the end of the day. A good line so treated
will stand for month of angling, though
II be soaked for hours every day. Some
Will last even longer.
Much depends upon the man who uses
II. Some men are naturally hard upon
lines. though they exercise every care;
they are hard upon lines just as they are
hard upon clothing or shoes.
All dealers carry SILK line which has
been oiled at the factory. II Is called
waterproof line. and is waterproof for
little while. As son as there is wear OF
and rot begins. since this line is much
harder to dry once it is wet than the line
OF plain. undefended silk.
II is hard casting line, running out
stifiy coming in stifhy. and 1t is Sc
we're upon the thumbs. This is true also
OF the many kinds of hard wound lines,
which are supposed to be wound over a
solid core. They last well. but they do
not run out well: and they take the skin
from the right thumb in a little while.
Probably the best device for the pro-
lection of line of plain silk belongs by
patent royal TO an old angler of the West,
who has used it for wears. He has always
in his tackle boxe a bit OF flannel rag,
saturated with reel oil.
When his line has been dried and he
tween the thumb and first two fingers of
his left hand. The line thus passes through
the rag as it goes upon the spindle, and
every inch of il is creased.
The rag is not so full of oil that the
liquid can be squeezed from it. 1t is just
thoroughly creased. Particles of the oil
go all through the silk and the line when
used next day will stay dry for long
time.
1t does not get stiff and hard. and casts
as well when it came from the shop.
1t does not wear and fraZzle against the
guide rings. The water is unable TO soak
it as quickly and thoroughly as if 1t were
not oiled. II Will last much longer
Announcement made by Secretary J. B.
Crabtree of the United States Revolver
Association, that both the pistol and re-
volver indoor championship would likely
come to St. Louis this year, speaks well
for the results of constant practice by the
local experts.
Sears has always been good shot. He
was accustomed to take frequent runs
down to Arkansas and always possessed
considerable ability with the revolver, al
though the rifle was his favorite weapon
He had grown somewhat rusty in the use
of the smaller arm after few seasons on
the police force, but the regular practice
soon put him on edge.
Although he inquired in the shoot with
Chicago Two years ago, he did little worthy
of note in tnat event. His Improvement
practically dates from that time, constant
practice and steady testing OF loads until
he has found just the right proportion OF
powder and bullet, has made MIN not only
one of the best shots in this city, but IN
the entire United States.
His record for the revolver championship
is many points higher than any score
which has yet won the cup. OF course,
some man at San Francisco from which
place the official scores have not yet been
forwarded may make higher total, but
this is regarded as unlikely. 1t Is thought
that he has the revolver title assured,
while Doctor Kessler is credited with best
chance for the pistol title.
This development OF one man shows
what may be expected from the other
members of the force in due time. Drill
master Roemer has said that the local po.
lice number some of the steadiest shots
he has ever seen among their number, and
that mis- sole regret is the fact that they
have not range at each station TO ehaple
the men to practice constantly.
Men in the outlying districts have no
chance TO work up their skill with the
arm They have to make lengthy trip
TO the little station at First and Chestnut
streets and sometimes attend pracuce
after long hours OF duty. Good scores 9n-
der these conditions are sometimes lmPos-
sible, regardless OF the ability of the men.
The range at the Chestnut street Sta-
ton is a simple and inexpensive analr,
and 1t could readily be duplicated In all
stations possessing drill hall. The BACK
being suspended on iron hooks a lew
inches from the face of the target. Heavy
canvas is hung behind each target. The
bullets pass directly through borh target
and canvas, splatter to pieces against the
iron plate, but are kept from sending
fragments flying about by by ,,snes the heThs Az
cloth Is generally shot full OF holes by
the end Of each days work, but another
piece Is substituted Immediately.
In case any fragments manage TO ny
back through the hole in the cloth by
which they entered, they have so little
force as not to reach more than a rev
is. arranged for, the men and is moved
forward or backward according to the
range at which they desire to compete.
Electric lights in this box enable them 70
as they desire. The targets have shaded
electric lights overhanging them.
The entire cost Of the appIanGes ,o.as was
that some such innovation would be OF
benefit in all the stations.
Hugh McGilligan, who played in the
Butte team of the Pacific Coast League
last season, and who is TO play on the
Binghampton team of New York the
coming summer. has just returned from
a short trip to Mississippi. He was accom-
panied part of the way by Harry Morris,
who ia well known to local sportsmen.
McGiliigan states that the smaller game
of Mississippi abounds in regions where
the larger tracts of land are owned by
the planter element. but that the effect of
the negro gunner IS everywhere apparent
in the more thickly settled regions.
Plenty Of snipe, ducks and quail could
be found on all tracts where big areas
were under cultivation" he said. ''and
the land. But one thing which strikes a
hunter of this State most forcibly is the
immense number Of negroes who abound
in the thickly settled regions, and who all
seem TO carry guns in and out of season.
THE favorite weapon seems to be an
Old muZZle loader of the vintage of 1866 or
thereabouts. which can be loaded with
anything from small shot TO marbles. 1t
is about the only kind of gun the negroes
can get. l reckon. But IL Is Just as dead
" as the finest breechloaders, 50 far as
the game is concerned.
"All along the roads. near towns where
negroes are plentiful, the darkies can be
seen with these old muzZle-loaders over
their shoulders and mangy.looktng
seem to have hounds, and they take the
dogs along whether they are hunting
quail. ducks or squirrel. The unfitness of
the pups don't cut any figure with the
o:gner. He seems lonesome unless he has
a string of them tagging along behind.
Anything goes as game with these ne
groes. Song birds. squirrel. chipmunks or
anything of the sort are fired at. And
they are eaten, too. One gentleman met
down there told me that those pretty
yellow birds known as yellowhammers
that the darkies found they were good TO
eat and promptly exterminated them.
What is needed in those. Southern
States is some coed: drastic ste law Law which which
noticed that the influence of the big
planters is noticeable in regions largely
controlled by themselves. and the game
conditions are much better But wherever
the land is split up into small farms. with
the negro Astounding. game has decreased
rapidly.