202 



The American Anzlcr 



1895 the enormous amount of sixteen 

 millions, or over one and a quarter mil- 

 lions a month. The aggregate is stu- 

 pendous, and one cannot but wonder 

 where they all go to. This, bear in 

 mind, is the sales for a year's consump- 

 tion and not for stocking up purposes, 

 as when a rise in price is anticipated. 

 A close second to the Cleveland concern 

 is the Empire Target Company, of 

 Elizabeth, New Jersey, which com- 

 pany's plant is located at Elizabethport. 

 Here also the sales run up into the mil- 

 lions. Take these two gigantic manu- 

 factories and add to their product that 

 of the Hub Target Company, of Bos- 

 ton, Mass., the King-bird plant of Crit- 

 tenden & Curd, located at Cazenovia, 

 New York, and others of less impor- 

 tance, and the mind becomes bewil- 

 dered at the extent of the business. 

 Does the business pay ? Doubtful. 

 There has been pronounced antagon- 

 ism for a long while between manufac- 

 turers. Law suits innumerable have 

 followed one another in rapid succes- 

 sion. Patents have been fought over 

 time and time again, and so far only 

 loss has been found instead of profit. 

 It seems folly to go on in this way. So 

 few in number are the manufacturers, 

 that it would seem an easy matter to 

 arrange matters so as to benefit all ; 

 and yet at so low a price to consumers 

 as not to command outside capital for 

 new plants. The feeling, however, is 

 so bitter, one against the other, that no 

 harmony is possible, and the fight prom- 

 ises to last until the end sees, as Dar- 

 win mentions in his work, simply and 

 solely the " survival of the fittest." But 

 how much will be lost by both sides be- 

 fore the end is reached is bound to be 

 enormous. 



Reference to shooting inanimates re- 

 calls that during the Grand Ameri- 

 can Handicap shoot at Elkwood Park,. 

 New Jersey, something new was placed 

 on exhibition for the inspection of shoot- 

 ing men. This was a self-feeding, re- 

 volving trap for the throwing of inani- 

 mate targets, and designated as the- 

 maguatrap. This trap is worked by a 

 wheel, which in turn is set in motion by 

 a bicycle looking arrangement set turn- 

 ing by a rider sitting on a saddle. It 

 was shown in operation a number of 

 times, and attracted the notice of all 

 the shooting men present. Space here- 

 is too limited to give in detail the man- 

 ner of the working of this machine. 

 Suffice it to say that the targets were 

 thrown very rapidly in all directions,, 

 save incoming ones, and the universal 

 opinion was, that if it worked as well 

 in positive work as it did there in trial, 

 it was but a matter of time for it to find 

 favor with the sportsmen of the coun- 

 try, and be universally adopted by the 

 shooting clubs of the United States. 

 The maguatrap is not to be sold. The- 

 company controlling the patents pro- 

 poses to lease the machines instead of 

 selling them outright. The first year- 

 $50 will be charged for the use of the 

 trap, but this carries with it the little- 

 house which has to be erected for the 

 protection of the trapper, and the cost 

 of placing the machine in position, dig- 

 ging the well or pit to hold it ; in fact,, 

 making all in shape, so that when it is 

 left, it is all ready for use. After the 

 first year, we understand, the annual 

 charge is to be %\o. Thus, even clubs, 

 of very moderate means can supply 

 themselves with one of these bicycle: 

 traps. 



