Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-09-20
National Guard Will Soon
Begin Indoor Practice.
Liquor Wholesalers Case Comes
Al Portland in October.
Governor May Decide in October
Regarding Special Elections.
STATE HOUSE CALENDAR.
Next Meeting of Governor and Council
Wednesday, Oct. 6, at 10 A. M.

The season for outdoor range work
bv the National Guard of the State is
now drawing to close and but few
weeks remain in which the men can
practice, but just as soon as the out
door season closes the work of indoor
practice will be resumed at the differ
ont armories, nearly every armory in
the state having a range for this pur-
nose In speaking of the indoor prac-
tice Col. Dooley of Portland, chief of
ordnance, said few days ago:
"A Springfield rifle of the same make
and pattern as that employed on the
outdoor ranges, filed with a % calibre
shell is put into play" Continued Col.
Dooley, "Ihis is used as a magazine
rife, the 20 calibre shells being placed
in a steel adapter, which is of the same
shape as regular 30 calibre shell.
In this way the men get rapid fire and
skirmish work in their armories. Each
company is allowed an issue of gal
derry ammunition and monthly reports
are forwarded to the ordnance depart
ment
1T has been only within few years
that gallery practice has been installed
In the armorieS. 1t costs one sixteenth
as much to shoot indoors as it does out
of doors, because indoors the men use a
20 calibre shell which is very light
load and used at SO feet, aiming at q
bullscye where the five ring is but two
thirds of an inch. Out of doors at 200
yards the bullseye is eight inches in
diameter. This gives the men the same
work that they have out of doors. In
other words, it is just as difficult to
make a bullseye on the gallary range
as it is on the field range.
zone reason why this indoor work
develops good shots much quicker than
the outdoor work is the fact that the
officers and men in the National Guard
go to the outdoor ranges at different
times and it is impossible for the Of
fcers to be on the outdoor ranges and
instruct every man in their command
whereas in the armOry on drill nights
and other nights set apart for shooting
The officers have the opportunity of
instructing every man in the COM
pany.
Now in this sport as in all other
sports some men become good shots
quicker than others and the officers OBJ
serving the work can readily see the
men who need the instruction. At the
same time the men become familiar
with the mechanism of the rifle which
of course means that they know the
gun better. Every armory in the State
is supplied with an instruction chart or
the Springfield in order that the men
may learn the names of every part Of
the rifle
The attorney generals department is
busy at present getting in readiness for
the suit which has been brought
against the 16 Maine sheriffs of the
State by Boston wholesale liquor deal
ers to restrain the sheriffs from SELF
ing liquor under the pure food law.
The pleadings will be filed in the United
States court at Portland by Oct. 6. and
the hearing will probably be held the
latter part of October or the first of
November in the circuit branch of the
federal court.
The plaintiffs in the bill are Fl. w.
Hugeley & Co., the Charles S. Cove Co.,
John r. Callahan & Co. Shortell Il
Timmons. Peter C. Crowley & Co, and
the Terminal Wine Co, all of Boston.
The plaintiffs claim that the sheriffs
when seizing liquor are taking upon
themselves a work which should only
be done by federal officers under the
provisions of the pure food law. w.
NJ. Hough and A. B. Hayes of Wash
ington, d. c., are the counsel for the
plaintiff while Judge Benedict F.
Maher of the Augusta municipal court
is associated with the attorney gem