davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1915-02-14

to arms" have given heart to those
who, year in and year out. have been
advocating the. wider diffusion or
knowledge of the shooting game
among Americans. They see in them
promise of help to instill in Americans
better knowledge of shooting.
Among these advocates, and now
foremost among them, is an old asso-
ciate and a friend CT President Wilson,
Lieut.. Col. William Libbey. New Jer-
sey National Guard. otherwise Prof.
Libbey, professor of physical geogra-
ply at Princeton University and di-
rector since 1888 of the university
museum of geology and archelogy.
elected president of the National Rife
Association. and already he is busy
on the associations manifold activities
in fostering in America an interest in
rifle shooting.
In science Prof. Libbey has a world
wide reputation. He is an officer of the
French academy, member Of many
French and British and American
learned societies and the author Of sew
eral works on the archelogy Of the
Jordan valley.
In rife shooting Col. Libbey has an
equally wide reputation. He was the
adjutant of the American rifle team
which went to the Olympic games at
Stockholm in 1912, and shot rings
around the worlds most expert mill
tary rifle teams, winning again for
America the worlds military rifle cham
pionship. which first had been won by
the American team at the Olympic
games in London in 1908.
-
The fact is that while rifle shooting
in the United States has not nearly
the popularity that Col. Libbey wishes
it had, the country has produced
among the limited number Of men who
follow the sport, an extraordinary
number Of very high class shots. In
other words, few experts have been
produced, rather than having "citi-
zenry trained and accustomed to arms.
Under the presidency of Col. Libbey
1t is expected that the National Rife
Association will develop the policy il
initiated several years ago of attain
ing the latter-and larger-end.
Col Libbey became interested in thu
military defenses Of the country &
number Of years ago. A governor o.
the Society Of the Colonial Wars ant
a member Of other patriotic societies
he always had an academic interest ir
the subject. In 1900 he organized
among the students at Princeton Com
pany L Of the "a Infantry. New Jerse,
National Guard. and became it's captain
1t grew into strong shooting com
pany. In 1906 he was made assistant
inspector of small arms practice of the
state, with the rank of Lieutenant
colonel, and has since held that posi-
tion.
The whole end and purpose of thu
National Rifle Association. which WA
organized in 1872. Is to accuston
Evening star., 1915-02-14

after having traced or trailed those
records to their cell or tomb.
The metes and bounds and the names
of the farms which covered the site OF
the old city Of Washington at the time
the conclusion was arrived at to locate
the permanent seat Of government here
are we'll known, and the Rambler has
lately presented a number of facts on
this subject, obtained from a View of
the City of Washington in 1892 and
1911." prepared by the geological sur
vey, and from researches made by the
late Hugh Taggart, as we'll as from the
recently issued first volume of vii.
helmus B. Bryan's work, History of
the National Capital from It's Founda-
ton Through the Period OF the Adop-
tion Of the Organic Act" These men.
as well as other local historians and
antiquaries. have brought together
quite a sum Of interesting matter con-
cerning the farm owners of the site of
Washington in 1890. 1891. 1899 and 1898.
1t is in the matter Of the farms, the farm
names, the farm owners and the fami-
lies on the site OF Washington from
the time that white settlers made their
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called Adventure" and the eastern
and smaller was called by the unpoetic
name of "Hogpen Enlarged"
Some Of the facts set forth in Mr.. At
lees plot were obtained from a drawing
entitled "A Plan Of a Part of the City
Of Washington in the Vicinity Of the
Eastern Branch Ferry" which was
made, probably, in 1893. and it shows
the situation of the buildings and three
small graveyarda on the property Of
the Widow Wheeler. THE Widow
Wheeler" was Elizabeth Young, daugh-
ter of William Young. owner of much
of the land on which Washington is
built. and Elizabeth received this East
ern branch property from her father In
March. 177S. probably at the time OF
her marriage to Aquilla Wheeler.
The At1ee view of the Eastern branch
farm shows the Commissioners wharf
on the Wheeler land. The wharf is
plotted at the foot of 14th street, and
its south end touches the present north
bulkhead line of the Anacostia ri> err
Improvement project. This wharf.
which extends to the ship channel
Of the Eastern branch, occupies the site
of the Wheeler ferry, which crossed
from the Wheeler property to the Mat
thew Wigfield property, on the south
side. Leading northwest is a road
Evening star., 1915-02-14

Mason. Author of the Bill of Rights and
the First Constitution of Virginia,
1726-1792"
The Rambler knew Gunston Hall
when it was almost ruinous. Several
years after the civil war. while it was
in state of great dilapidation. it was
acquired by Col Edward Daniels, who
partially restored it. Col Daniels came
to Virginia from the north. at one time
edited the Richmond Journal and was
an intimate friend of President Grant.
He aspired to the Senate from Virginia.
and at one time ran for the House of
Representatives against Eppa Hunton.
Col Daniels lost. He was a republican.
From Col Daniels Gunston Hall
passed to Joseph Specht of st. Louis,
who did much to rehabilitate the place.
Mr.. Specht died in 1902. or 1903. and
Gunston remained in possession of his
heirs for a few years. Then it was
bought by Paul Kester, who at one
time also owned Woodlawn, the home
of Nellie Custis after she became the
wife of Lawrence Lewis. the son of
Betty Washington. Not long ago
Evening star., 1915-02-14

down as Cerne Able Manor. When the
District. north Of the Potomac river.
was transferred to the federal govern
ment by the state of Maryland. Cerne
Able Manor was the name of the Car
roll farm, on which the Capitol. Senate
and House Office buildings and the
Union station stand. Its eastern boun-
dairy was generally along the line OF
I'd street east. But here is an old plat
which gives the name Cerne Abbe
Manor to the Wheeler farm, on the
Eastern branch, showing that that
farm was carved out Of Cerne Abbe
Manor. and that. therefore, at a date
much earlier than the decision to re-
move the seat of government here
Cerne Able Manor covered much
larger part of the site of Washington
than it did In 1890. This part of Cerne
Able Manor had evidently been sepa-
rated from the parent tract for some
time, as inclosed in it are two tracts
that had been surveyed and had ac-
quired names. and. no doubt. had
passed through the possession OF a
number of holders. The western and
the larger of these Wheeler tracts was
Evening star., 1915-02-14
S(5HE RAMBLER7etIf|!

called the Ferry road" 1t passes
through deep cut. through what later
became square south l04S. CROSSES NJ
street between 18th and lath streets
southeast and passes into square 1ols,
which was part of the tract called Hop
Yard, which then appears under the
ownership of one William Baily.
The Wheeler house was built OF logs
and frame. and was a small and unpre-
tentious house. This house, which was
surrounded by a small garden. stood a
few yards back from the east side OF
the Ferry road, at what would now be
the southwest corner of Isth and NJ
streets southeast A small burial lot.
containing. according to the drawing.
three graves. is shown in the middle
Of 18th street, a few yards north of NJ
street. The drawing also shows three
graves on the Wheeler grounds. at
what is now the southeast corner OF
18th and L streets southeast. and an
other burial plot. marked as containing
six graves. is shown IN lot 1925, Just
west of the west building line of 18th
street. midway between n street and
Virginia avenue southeast
A rough and incomplete sketch o. the
land to the east of the Wheele. prop
erty Is shown. The circle at the Nash
tngton end of the Pennsylvania Avenue
bridge, where a number of streets and
avenues meet. is shown on William
Baily's farm. Hop Yard" and Nine.
Young's mansion" a house 90 by
3S feet. but whether of brick or frame
is not shown, stands in square
11O6. which land is now covered with
the graves of Congressional cemetery.
Mr.. Atlee has made a copy of the plot
of Hop Yard" surveyed by George
Fenwick. November 4. 1893, Hop Yard"
being then owned by William Baily. He
says that this property was not called
Hop Yard" or The Hop Yard because
hops were grown on the land. but that
the name WAS probably corrupted from
Houp, the name of an earlier owner
With the aid of some old surveys Mr.
Atlee has plotted the house of Abraham
Young in square 1854, at d street, Ken
lucky avenue and 14th street east
George Walkers mansion" in square
S62. at 9Th street east and ID street
north, and Mrs. Prout's mansion" IN
square 907, between L and NJ. eth and
8th streets southeast. The Prout house
was a large one, being AZ by 43 feet
The navy yard stands on what was
Prout land.
Evening star., 1915-02-14

Treasurer of National Rifle Association.
appointment of a committee to investi-
gate the matter of securing ranges near
cities throughout the country. and to
act with the assistant secretary of war
in endeavoring ito increase the appro-
priation for the use of the national
board for the promotion of rife prac-
tice in promoting the training of the
citizenry in the use of arms"
kE
Then, in accord with the new spirit
that President Wilson's words has in
fused into the rifle shooting fraternity.
the board further determined that, for
the first time. teams representing the
universities, colleges and military
schools will be admitted to the national
matches of this year.
These national matches are the great
event in American rifedom. To them
lead up all minor rife events. Hereto
fore teams were admitted only from
the regular army infantry, the reg
ular army cavalry. the navy. the Ma
rine Corps. the Military Academy, the
Naval Academy and the National Guard
Of the several states and territories.
West Point sent a team only one year.
Evening star., 1915-02-14

yards, or at any other distance. Train
ing of this sort is something that we
ought, either by national legislation or
state Legislation to bring out"
Representative Cooper's statement as
to the lack of rifle practice in the Or
ganized militia is borne out by War
Department reports. Lieut.. Townsend
Whelen, L. S. A, reporting to the gen.
eral staff. finds that the number of the
organized militia last year who
reached that state of excellence with
the rife as to be judged fit for battle
purposes was only 33.43 per cent OF
the whole force"
Even if the entire 1900 of militia,
instead of only one-third of IT. was
trained somewhat in the use of the
rifle, that number. added to the maxi
mum of 141, 900 in the sea and land per-
mament armed forces. makes total OF
only $4,000 men.
AS opposed to this, all students of the
situation agree that the very least the
United States would need of land forces
-ouie aside from the navy-to defend
it's soil in event of invasion would DC
100000.
Now, as to statistics on civilians In.
structed in the use of the rine. The
great shooting organization of the coun.
try is the National Rifle Association
At the annual meeting of the board OF
directors Of that organization. held IN
Washington January 13 last. Lieut.. AL.
bert >. Jones, tNc SeCi cetli y ~ ~
that of the civilian rifle clubs amliatee
with the association there are now 21O
with a total membership of 1O,017. Rlht
clubs in universities and colleges ami.
lated with the association nave 1.T!
more. and school clubs. also amnateo
about 4,ss3, or a total civilian force o.
17,721, which, added to the 252,V.0
makes a total of 269,731.
Naturally, everybody who knows how
to shoot a rifle Is not a member of on'
of these affiliated clubs But the ten
dency of the average American who Ii
good in some form of sport is to join {
club devoted to that sport. Some
the clubs affiliated with the Nationa
Rifle Association are in the newest ant
widest parts of the country.
Hence it is that students OF the sltua
tion. having these statistics In thei
possession, doubt that there are NOR
than 100000 Americans. in and out o
the military service. at the outside
who, without an extended course
training after the need came, can shoo
for nuts" as the English put IL, AM
by shooting is meant the intelligent us
of the army rifle.
To put it otherwise. only one man u
every fifty-three in the available TO-
100000 males of military age can be se
down as in any remote degree trained
Thus President Wilson's earnes
words on the matter Of the necessit!
foz"a citizenry trained and accustomed
Evening star., 1915-02-14
Man Each of the 100000 Americans Eligible
for ShtnWhat Government National
Doing the "Cnzn Trained and
Wilson Nations Dependence
Modern Rifle More Complicated and
WeaponT Thant It EverW

American manhood to the use of the
rifle. Hence it's promotion of the or
ganiZation of rifle clubs and its ef-
forts to enlarge interest in rifle com
petitions This association now has
affiliated with it 27O civilian rifle clubs,
forty-nine university and college clubs.
ninety three school clubs. twenty-five
state associations, eighty regiments
and fifty companies.
Eighty-six of the civilian clubs join
ed since last April, when new law
went into effect permitting such clubs
to draw from the government arsenals
Krag rifles-the former army weapon.
of which the government has some
100000 in stock-and ammunition In
limited quantities for the same. Last
year the civilian clubs drew 22S rifles
and 252,9S0 rounds of ammunition. The
resulting practice developed 304 civil
ians who qualified as expert rifiemen,
the highest classification of military
shots: 1913 as sharpshooters and Isl as
marksmen.
Most of the college clubs, unlike the
civilian clubs proper, do not work on
the long ranges, but do most of their
shooting on the shorter ranges and in
indoor galleries. Nevertheless they pro-
duced forty-fi -fiv eeXperts, sixty six sharp
shooters and sixty-six marksmen. At
the four military camps held for col
lege students under the auspices of the
War Department last summer thirty
one experts, ia sharpshooters and 219
marksmen were qualified.
Rifle shooting among schools Is a
comparatively new activity in the
association. Twenty-Five new clubs
were added last year to the roll.
Eighty per cent of these clubs are in
the public schools, where, naturally.
the important primary instruction is
impaired.
The delicate position of the nation
owing to the European war has had an
effect, regarded only as temporary, to
check civilian clubs. The War Depart
ment has ceased the issue of krag rifles
to civilian clubs, no doubt for diplo-
matte reasons
But there are other ways of promot-
ing rifle practice, and the association Is
earnest in working on those. The ma
tion-wide character of the organlzation
Is indicated from the list of officers
chosen at the election, January 13, as
follows:
President. Lieut.. Col. William Libbey.
New Jersey; first vice president, Brig.
Gen. Fred b. Wood, adjutant general of
Minnesota; second vice president Brig.
Gen. Louis w. Stotesbury, adjutant
general of New York: third vice presi-
dent. J. Van Holt Nash of Atlanta,
Ga: treasurer, Lieut.. Col. Glendie b.
Young. District of Columbia National
Guard secretary, Lieut.. Albert S. Jones,
Washington, D. c.
Additional members of the executive
committee; Brig. Gen. Charles II. Cole,
Evening star., 1915-02-14

If there be one within an hours jour-
ney of the city, and there are few such
ranges in the vicinity of the principal
cities of the country.
In presenting this subject, Lieut.
Townsend Whelen set forth the facts
as follows:
I'VE have at present a large number
OF ranges at maneuver grounds, etc,
at which field firing can be had while
troops are in camp. What is badly
needed is large number of ranges. to
which any one can go for an afternoon 8
practice-for Lieut.. Whelen wants
civilians to practice as well as militia
men.
THE skill in craftsmanship demanded
of individuals for battle purposes" he
went on, can be acquired as well by a
gallery course and firing at 200 yards
with service charges as at the longer
ranges"
Evening star., 1915-02-14

Lexington. He has then walked down
to the dilapidated wharf at Gunston
landing, missed the boat and walked
back to Lorton, to miss the last train.
and then walked on to the cars at
Mount Vernon. That walk, unincum-
bered. might be picnic to a tough and
seasoned wanderluster, but. burdened
with a camera. box of plates and other
impedimenta, the Rambler has found it
some stroll" The Rambler and his
friend and ellowhistorian, James
Croggan. are not walking as far and
as fast as they used to. 1t is not that
they are SO much older, but because
they are so much wiser.
Evening star., 1915-02-14

photo by Clinedinst.)
there is approximately Ill 900 militia
in the United States who are supposed
to be fitting themselves should the
country call on them to help defend it,
OF that number. $4,000 did not appear
on the rife ranges for target practice
last year.
Now, it was once truly and forceful-
ly said by a very distinguished Ameri-
can that i'm war the only shots that
count are those that hit england
today is training her militia to shoot.
1 have seen pictures recently, repro
ductions photographs. showing how
Lord Kitchener has. if / may use the
expression, the green militia and vol
unteers out in England trying to teach
them in this time of great stress, of
possible dire emergency. how to shoot.
Thousands of them had never before
had rifle in their hands. did not know
no to load it. did not know how to
sight it, did not know anything about
how to elevate or depress the muzzIe
of gun to hit an enemy at 300 to 500
Evening star., 1915-02-14

Annapolis long has been represented
with a strong shooting team. Nearly
thirty Of the states usually send teams.
Far-off Hawaii for a number of years
past has sent a National Guard team
of high excellence.
The national matches were shot at
Seagirt, N J.. in 1908. 1905 and 1906: al
Fort Riley, Kan, in 1904, and at Camp
Perry, Ohio, in 1907. 1908. 1909. 1910.
1911 and 1913.
Last year no national matches were
held. Much of the army was assembled
on the Texas border. and. moreover,
lacking appropriations. the states in all
but two divisions made no provision
Hence the only divisional matches were
at Seagirt and Jacksonville
1t has been urged in the past that
these national matches do not, after
all, really promote widespread target
practice, but work out to develop a
few very high-class men in different
this criticism and to provide an incen-
tive to all riflemen to try for the high
honors. the board has changed the
rules.
Here is the new rule:
LAT least six Of the shooting mem
bers of each team in the national
team match shall be men who have
never heretofore shot as members of
team in a national team match or a
national divisional team match. Pro-
vided. however, that the principals and
aiternates Of each team of the organ
lied militia participating in the ma
tional team match must have been Sc
lected by competition open to all off,
GERS and men of the organized militia
of such state; and not less than so per
cent of the principals belonging to
teams participating in. such national
team match shall be enlisted men"
The board also determined to hold
the national matches this year for the
first time on the south Atlantic coast,
believing that such selection would
hela, in arousing rifle shooting en-
thusiasm in the southeastern part OF
the country. The range selected is the
splendid new range which the state
of Florida has erected on 1,o7s-acre
reservation eight miles from Jackson
vile, on the west bank of the St.
Johns river. There the matches will
begin October Is next. when weather
conditions promise to be ideal
x*
Several thousand of the country's
best rifiemen will assemble. State
teams will be transported to and from
Jacksonville at Uncle Sans expense,
an appropriation of $4,000 for the pur-
pose having been included in this
years army appropriation bill
The ranges on the Jacksonville
grounds are three in number-200, see
and 1000 yards-each equipped with
fifty targets. Thus $50 men can fire at
the same time.
So, while it cannot be said that Pres
ident Wilson's ideal of "a citizenry
trained and accustomed to arms" has
yet been attained. 1t will be seen from
the foregoing that the military
thorities, Congress. the states. the
devoted to the encourage
ment of rife shooting and the individ-
ual rif1emen of the country have not
been idle.
They are laboring, slowly perhaps,
to bring the citisenry up to that stand
ard Of proficiency in shooting that
the Swiss. a nation OF
ASHMCN BROWN.
Evening star., 1915-02-14

way along the Eastern branch and
Rock creek up to the time of the selec-
ton of this locality as an appropriate
site for the National Capital that facts
are scanty.
A man who has contributed great
deal to knowledge concerning the site
of Washington Is a civil engineer. whose
name is Walter Atlee. He has spent a
large measure of time among the rec
ords at Marlborough and at Annapolis
which have a bearing on the lands and
the people of this locality before its
dedication by Maryland to the United
States, and he has rummaged among
the record treasures relating to embryo
Washington, which are in possession Of
the Office Of public buildings and
grounds.
+
One of the results Of Mr.. Atlee's work.
which he has shown to the Rambler. Is
a plot of the Widow wheelers prop
erty. along the north side of the East
ern branch. which he has reconstructed
from old plats, surveys and other data.
The name of this tract, which extended
along the Eastern branch from about
the site of the Anacostia bridge to the
Pennsylvania Avenue bridge, is set
Evening star., 1915-02-14
Facts About Washington's Site.

TT HE history of the lands on which
u Washington is built and the his
tory of the 1ple and the families
owning tho. 4ds is a subject that
has appealed to the imagination of a
great many persons, but has engaged
the industry of an exceedingly small
number. 1t is a quest that requires
time patience and somewhat of an in
clination to delve among musty records
Evening star., 1915-02-14

We must depend in every time OF national peru.
in the future as in the past. not upon standing
army nor vet upon a reserve army, but upon
cItizenry trained and accustomed to arms:-Pres-
iIent Woodrow Wilson In his annual address 10
Congress December s, 1914.
Evening star., 1915-02-14

)TE the words, "a citizenry
trained and accustomed to
arms" About the definition of
that term there has been much