Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-01
Many Invade the Nearby
Marshes for First Shooting.
NO ACCIDENTS REPORTED
Reedbirds, Blackbirds and Ortolan
Common Prey Today.
ACTED AS THOUGH POSTED
Cold Storage Plant at the Market on
Hand With the Early Supply
for Eating Houses.

Automobiles motor boats. vehicles of
all kinds and hundreds Of pedestrians
were headed in the direction of the
marshes of the Eastern branch. or Ana
costa at an early hour this morning, the
attraction being the reedbirds. blackbirds
and ortolan ON the marshes. Many OF
those who went out to get the early birds
thought it was up to them to do so In
order to make good the restaurant an
nouncements "Reedbirds on toast" but
the cold-storage plant at the Center mar
ket had given out an early supply and
made it possible for dealers to get them
shortly after the market opened.
Had it not been for the cold storage
BIRDS remarked a dealer to Star re-
porter. some of the signs in the restau
rarts could not have been made effective,
Tor no reedbirds came from the gunners
early in the morning.
There was a procession of automobiles
and other vehicles on II street northeast
this morning about daybreak, while there
was good display of motor boats on
the branch. Those who walked the dis
lance from their homes to the bridge
were armed with all sorts of firearms.
There was a heavy fog hanging over the
branch about daybreak. but it lifted in
time for the gunners to be able to enjoy
fine sport before the air was literally
filled with shot, the shore hunters ap-
pearing later and sending volleys of am
munlt1on over the heads Of those who
were in the boats
oolng duty On the bridge, II o'clock
came and no report had been received Of
the accidental shooting of gunner
Precautions Against Accidents.
Anticipating a big crowd of sportsmen
on the marsh this morning Maj. Sylves-
ter gave orders to Capt. Daley to have an
extra force of men on duty along the Ben
ming road and on the bridge. The law
prohibits the discharge of weapons within
200 yards of the bridge or roadway and
the police were there to see that the gun
ners kept safe distance from the thor
oughfare. No trouble was experienced by
the police in enforcing the provisions of
the law, the gunners showing a DISPOSE
ton to exercise more than ordinary care
to prevent accidents. There was a time
when they were permitted to stand along
the road and shoot, but Maj. Sylvester
put a stop to the dangerous practice sew
eral years ago. 1t was not long after
daybreak before the gunners realized that
the reedbirds had been educated and that
they probably realized they were safe
while near the roadway, as large fockS
limit.
Many sportsmen complained that reed
birds were not plentiful as usual, but
others said they were there and were
keeping out of the way. Gunners could
hear the little birds singing high up In
the air, but they were SO high that moth
ing short Of a gatling gun could reach
them. 1t was admitted that ortOlan were
more plentiful than usual and that black
birds were on the marsh by the millions.
Sportsmen noticed that the reedbrds left
the marsh in large f1ocks and sought
cornfields and other places safe distance
from the water. Q
Most of the reedbirds that were killed
were found on the part of the marsh some
distance above the Benning bridge. the
shore hunters getting about as many as
those who were in boats. The largest
bag of reedbirds killed during the morn
ing was reported to have been brought
in, by Herbert Lewis, a resident of
Southeast Washington. He had about
five dozen of the birds, while E. w.
Thompson was able to show bag of
fOur Dozen