The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1910-07-29
"Oh Shootw War Cry Of 1900 Men at Camp Perry
Many Medals and Trophies Hung
Up for Crack Marksmen of
America to Pull Down at Great
Annual Bullet Fest.
(By G. l.. Gilman.)


us.
Very soon you'll see the "Campl
Perry" date line over more or less
incomprehensible dispatches in the
newspapers about the team from
the Steenth infantry winning the
Bank trophy for open work hosiery
firing at nine million yards-or
words to that effect.
oh, yes, we're a nation of
marksmen, a choice collection of
crack shots, but there isn't one
man in seven hundred and forty
three who knows what all this
means-including the reporters
who send it out. The war depart
ment is thinking of issuing a guide
book, translated into words of one
syllable, for civilian use in inter-
probation of these Camp Perry
dispatches.
In the meantime
Camp Perry is rifle range, the
finest in the United States, and, in
some respects the finest in the
world. They filled in a. swamp
along the edge of Lake Erie to
make it. The reed birds in this
swamp were terribly excited about
9S years ago when they heard the
booming of cannon nine miles
away in the lake. That was Com
modore Perry handing it to the
British with one hand, while he
penned his famous, 1--WE have met
the enemy and they are ours"
message with the other.
'Perry's message is considered
the best bit of rough-and-ready,
4S-caliber summer resort report
ing ever done in those parts-so
they named the rifle range after
him.
Now, there are rifle ranges and
rifle ranges. Some are attached
to penny arcades and are full
of bell targets, revolving pipe
racks and running sheet-iron rab-
bits chasing each other endlessly
over semi-circular hill.
Camp Perry is not that sort.
It's designed for the use of some
1900 men, the best military and
civilian shooters in the United
States. Once a year they gather
to waste the sweetness of smoke
less powder on the swampy air.
When it's all over many a manly
breast heaves beneath a brand
new medal. and many a brawny
arm clasps tight a silver trophy
cup.
The big noise will be heard at
Camp Perry this year form August
Is to rs.
A stiff wind blows across the
Camp Perry range. Just back of
the wind are some 236 targets,
fol- all sorts of shooting from 25-
yard, short-range revolver work
to the newly introduced 120O-yard
course for pastmasters of our mill
tary rifle-which, by the way, is
about the last word in combined
power, range and accuracy.
This range is provided with a
net work of telephone lines by
which the scorers at the firing
points talk to the markers in
the underground pits, from whose
safe recesses. they watch the
speeding nickel-cased bullets rip
through the canvas and paper of
the targets above their heads.
There are also camping and eat
ing facilities for the 1000 or more
men who gather there either as
competitors or helpers.
Here is obtained line of the eff
ficiency with which our soldiers,
sailors and volunteers may be able
to fight should they be called upon
to face hostile army instead of a
long line of buff targets with black
bullseyes.
Orders have already been issued
to seven companies of infantry,
ont troop Of calvalry and half a.
hospital company to report at
Camp Perry to perform the me-
chanical and manual labor incl
dental to pulling off this great
sporting event.
The contests will cover every
form Of rifle and revolver shoot
ing. One OF the two great events
Is the Presidents Match--coyer-
Ing short. mid and long range
shooting. skirmish firing at man
shaped targets under battle condl-