The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-05-23
VIII Be of More Than Usual In
terest on Account of the
War in Europe.

WASHINGTON. May 2a.-Plans-fo
the national shooting competition for
1915 are Undertaking. Under the
present state Of the public mind and
the almost universal demand for bet
ter national defense and some
form OF training of our cit
liens. this years shooting COM
ual interest Attention has been called
in the public press to the lack OF
proper training with the service rife
IN this country. Records have shown
that not more than forty per cent OF
the national guard was taken 10 tbs
rife range during the year 1914. Con
gress established the national matches
solely with view OF Increasing rife
training among Uncle Sans services.
Owing 10 the unusual condition of at
fairs this year, undoubtedly the
matches will be more generally at
tended than ever before as states are
portance of this training. 1t IS prob
able that there will not be a state n
the union It1at will no. beTepresen1ed
in the 1915 matches. Even West Vir-
Slnia. whose appropriation. for the
maintenance of the nationa! guard
was omitted this year, has declared
its intention OF finding some way of
sending team to Florida where these
national matches arc 10 be held Con-
SresS at the last session still further
gave its approval and assistance to
rife teams by appropriatins s5o.Ooo
to assist states which have to send
teams for long distances in paving
transportation charges so that such
states as Washington. oregon and
Maine will not be handicapped this
year in the sending of rifle teams to
Florida.
Second Largest Range.
The range in Florida. where the
matches of 1915 are 10 be shot, is the
second largest in the United States in
point of target facilities. it being out
ranked only by the Camp Perry, Ohio.
range. and it is second IN point of at
tractiveness and sa1ubrious location,
being led only by the famous Sea Grit.
~ J.. range which is located on the
Atlantic seaboard. The Florida range
is only eight miles from Jacksonville
with which it has direct conlmunica-
ton by both railroad and steamboat
services on the ST Johns river. Rail
roads serving the Florida shoot have
announced special rate which VII
also be OF great help towards a large
attendance This is the first time n
Aye years that special rates haze
been granted.
The executive officer for the matches
is Col. Richard ". Blatchford. com
mandant OF the army school OF mus
kerry at Fort Sill. Okla. The teams
to represent the cavalry and infantry
Of the United States army have not
yet been organized nor have the cap
fatns been appointed 1t is runored
that the infantry team Will be cap
tanned by Major George c. Shaw, who
Is now on mis- way back from the
Philippines. A team representing the
naval academy viii be sent to the ma
tsonaI matches again this year and
efforts Will be made to
Overcome the Prejudice
OF the officials of the military acad-
envy at West Po:nf to again be repre-
.sented by rifle team. Only in one
national match has a team from the
military academy participated AS is
customary. the organization and CON
troll of the matches, as well as those
OF the National Rife Association OF
Americawhich will precede the nation
( n matches will be n the hands OF