The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-07-27
BULLET FEST IS
TO BEGIN SOON
Many Medals and Trophies Hung Up
for Crack Marksmen To Pull
Down at Camp Ferry.
BY c. L. GILMAN.


The big shoot Is almost upon us.
Very soon you'll see the Camp
Perry" datellneoyermoTe or less In
comprehensive dispatches in the
new spapers about the team from the
Steenth infantry winning the Bang
trophy for open work hosiery firing
at nine million yards--or words TO
that effect
oh, yes, we're a nation of marks
men, a choice collection OF csack
shots, but there isn't one man in
seven hundred and forty-three who
knows what all this means-including
the reporters who send itout. The
war department Is thinking OF issuing
guide book, translated into words
of one syllable, for civilian use in in
depreciation of these Camp Perry Dis
patches
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 swamp along the edge
of Lake Erie 10 make it, The reed
birds In this swamp were terribly ex-
cited about SO years ago when they
heard the booming OF cannon nine
miles away n-the-lake- Thai MAS
Commodore Perry handing TO the
British with one hand. while he pen-
ned his famous, I'VE have met the
enemy and they are ours" message
with the other.
so There You Are.
Perry's message Is considered the
best bit OF rough-and-ready, 4S-caliber
summer resort reporting ever done
In those parts-so they named the
rifle range after him.
Now, there are rife ranges and
rifle ranges. Some are attached to
penny arcades and are full Of bell tar
gets, revolving pipe racks and run
ming sheet-iron rabbits chasing each
other endlessly over a semi-circular
hill.
Camp Perry Is not that sort. It's
designed for the use OF some 1,50O
men, the best military and civilian
shooters in the United States. Once
year they gather 10 waste the sweet
ness of smokeless powder on the
swampy air. When it's ell over many
a manly breast heayes beneath Il
brand new medal. and many a brawny
arm clasps tight silver trophy cup.
The big noise will be heard at
Camp Perry this year from Aug. 10
to &c.
A stiff wind blows across the
Camp Perry range. Just back Of the
wind are some 236 targets, for all
sorts Of shooting from 26-yard, short
range revolver work TO the newly In
ltroduced l.200-yard course for past
masters Of our military rifle-which,
by the way, is about the last work IN
combined power, range and accuracy.
How Scores are Kept.
This range Is provided with a nei
work of telephone lines by which the
scorers st the firing points talk to the
markers in the underground pits, from
whose safe Feeesses- they watch the
speeding nickel-cased bullets rip
through the canvas and paper OF the
targets above their heads. There are
also camping and eating facilities for
the 1000 or more men who gather
there either as competitors or helpers
Here Is obtained line on the efIl
cheney with which our soldiers. sail
ors and volunteers may be able r.
fight should they be called upon &c
face hostile army instead OF a lone
line OF buff targets with black bulls
eyes.
Orders have already been issued c
seven companies OF infantry, one
troop OF cavalry and half a hospital
company TO report at Camp Perry 20