Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-01
.0RT0lAh AND REEDlEs
Ioothsome Additions to the
Bill of Fair.
SPORT ON THE MARSHES
RICH AND POOR, YOUNG AND OLD,
AMONG THE HUNTERS.
Ideal Weather, but Reed Birds Wary
-ortolan and Blackbirds Plentiful
Marsh Incidents.
SPORT ON THE MARSHES

| Marsh Incidents.
Reed birds on toast" was familiar adj
| dition to the bill OF fare in local restau-
rants this morning. but very few of the pro-
| prietors OF such places were able to fill the
orders of tLeir patrons. Some OF them had
| birds on toast, and they were served as
| reed BIRDS but in some instances. 1t is be-
| liey ed sparrows blackbirds were actually
| furnished and enjoyed.
| 1t was the first time In many years that
| dealers In the markets were unable to fill
| orders for reed birds early on the first day
of the cunning season There were reed
| les on the marshes this morning. and some
| few gunners were able to bag them, but
mosi of the sportsmen had to be satisfied
with blackbirds and ortolan. A few snipe
were also killed.
| The blackbirds killed were in splendid
| condition and found ready sale to take the
| place Of reed birds. There was general
complaint made by the gunners that even
when they killed reed birds and ortolan
| they were unable to get them. Many of the
blackbirds were killed by gunners who re-
manned shore and shot at the birds
driven from the marshes.
Gunners on the Marshes.
There was a big crowd on the marshes
| long before daybreak. many of the sports
men having spent the night on the branch.
Everything in the shape of a small boat had
been spoken for early. and this rendered it
| necessary for the improvideut sportsmen to
do some wading else be satisfied with
rsmping along the shore and shooting at
the birds as they were driven from point
to point. There was a splendid morning
tide and conditions could hardly have been
better for the opening of the season. The
tide was little late. and only few of the
men who Were in boats had returned ashore
before II O'Clock.
1T certainly do look like war times" re-
marked an old colored man on the Benning
dump this morning, when he saw an army
of sports on their way to the hunting
grounds. IF all of EN- kills birds 1 don't
see how many birds can be left this even
ing.
To the Hunting Grounds.
1t was long before the dawn of day that
teams of every description were seen wend-
ing their way along the road in the drec-
ton of the Eastern branch, while boats
were moving up and down the stream. The
street cars eastward bound were crowded,
and the rear of the procession was brought
UP by those who had spent all their money
for ammunition and who couldn't beg or
borrow car tickets. Modern shotguns, old
time muskets and a wonderful assortment
of other weapons were carried by the en-
thusiastic sportsmen. Dealers In antiquities
would have had a splendid chance to make
Investments along the branch this morning.
There was unusually large number of
boys on the marsh this morning, and in
several instances the police compelled the
smaller ones to surrender guns to their big
brothers or older friends. Sergeant Hart
man of the ninth precinct was on duty on
the Benning road during the morning hours
and he was careful to see that there was no
shooting near the road or the line to
endanger the lives of pedestrians or pa
irons. Despite his efforts to prevent acct
dents. youthful fisherman, who was cast
ing his line near the bridge. was struck by
several shot from a gun fired from the
shore. He complained that he had been
wounded and was consoed by one of the
gunners, who told him he should have
remained at home when he knew there
would be so much firing on the marsh.
The local Italian colony was largely rep
resented on the marshes and along the
shores, and they thoroughly enjoyed them
selves. One became a trifie impatient after
yainly endeavoring to bag few BIRDS and
shouted to his companions: The guns no
good. Then In rage, he threw stones at
some black birds that were resting in the
top of d nearby tree When two of the
birds dropped his companions shouted con-
graulations at him. Stones were thrown
at the birds by many small boys but they
were not so successful as was the gunner
who failed to get results with powder and
shot.
Incidents of the Day.
All sorts OF costumes were worn by the
gunners. Some of them had made efforts
at initiating regula ton hunting suits by
using cast-off garments: some were in
real fancy suits; some IN their working
clothes. and still others were dressed as If
on their way to a social function When
they emerged from the marsh later in the
day, however. they presented an entirely
10 mn af,1 i
to cleaning establishments. One man who
returned to the roadhouse at the bridge
after short trip along the shore showed
the effects of an impromptu dip in the
branch. He denied that he had fallen over
board, but while he was protesting two
small boys came along laughing.
Fell overheard" shouted one of the
youths, while his companion showed that
he was still enjoying the scene he had wit
messed.
own up.' suggested a companion of the
victim of the accident.
The wet sportsman owned up all right,
and told how he had fallen overheard while
trying to bag a pigeon. When the bird
came within range the sportsman thought
1t was a duck and fired He proved himself
a good shot and when he saw the feathers
fly he reached out to clutch the supposed
duck. Seeing his mistake. he Strengthened
UP in disgust, but the birds body struck
him full in the face and helped him over
board
III.
You ought to have known better"
I'm guilty" acknowledged the wet man,
land the treat is on me-
Trespass Signs Disregarded.
mo trespa ssing on this property signs
failed to attract the attention of the gum
ners who were SO much engaged in the
sport that they had no time to pay atten-
tIon to anything else. A small army of
hunters wandered across such a dead
line" and a policeman warned them they
were violating the law.
ITS mean man who would object to a
sportsman trampng over his meadow on
an occasion of this kind" one of the gum
ners remarked
And" added resident OF that section,
It's mean man and not sport who
kills a COW belonging to another man."
He explained that no objection was ever
made to the gunners tramping over the
property in question until one of them care
lessly killed a COW. 1t was found a DIFF
fieult matter to keep gunners off private
property. but not much objection was raised
by the owners of the property unless dam
age was actually caused.