m 



FOREST AND STREAM: 



[September 22, 188l 



among the brushwood something that was not brush, and 

 soon distinguished the antlers of a buck which was crossing 

 the second bay. Forgetting my resolution of a few minutes 

 previous, we both did our best in making the old canoe spin 

 through the water, and by a very narrow majority got with- 

 in shot of the deer and added it to our stock of venison. On 

 reaching camp we found the parly in from the other lake 

 with another deer. 



This was our last clay in Camp. We had thirteen deer of 

 various ages, but all in splendid condition, and a nicer lot of 

 venison it would be difficult to find. All had enough and to 

 spare for numerous friends. Besides these our party killed 

 three deer for other parties. One of these is said to have 

 given an exciting cbase. One of the other party was on 

 watch near where the deer took the water. It nearly 

 succeeded in getting across the bay, but he managed to bead 

 it off, and fired a couple of shots and missed" Loading 

 again he followed the deer, fired both barrels and again 

 missed. The deer in the meantime was rapidly ncaring the 

 shore where it had entered. Two of our men in a canoe at 

 some distance hastened up, but did not get within fair shot, 

 although firing twice. Story, who was in another direction, 

 also hurried to the scene, but before he got near the deer was 

 out of the water, and making for the woods. Two or three 

 jumps more and he was safe. Story, at the last moment, 

 stopped paddling, seized his rifle and dropped the deer. The 

 distance was estimated at 120 yards, and the shot is spoken 

 of by those who saw it as something almost marvellous under 

 the circumstances. 



Our sport was not confined to deer hunting. Partridges 

 were plenty, and some of the party made considerable havoc 

 among them. Ducks also there were, but not numerous or 

 generally of good quality, being mostly of what are called 

 the " fishy " kinds. Whitetish and mountain trout, both de- 

 licious, were taken with the troll, as many as we could use. 

 A night's fishing by jack-light was very enjoyable, but did 

 not add much to our larder.' And the mere strolling on the 

 fine autumn afternoons through the boundless woods, un- 

 touched by the hand of man, or paddling by the bright moon- 

 light among the islands and bays, was quite enjoyment 

 enough for one of the party. 



Our evenings were spent very quietly. We rose, and 

 were glad to retire, early. It was, in some respects, a model 

 camp. There was no Sunday hunting, no guzzling of liquor, 

 no ribaldry or profatity, and no bickerings or 'jealousies. 

 All went on smoothly and pleasantly, and the only regret 

 was that a longer stay had not been arranged, and even this 

 was removed betore we reached home. 



The morning of our departure was the finest of all. So 

 fine was it that, had not teams been engaged to meet us on 

 that day, we would have been tempted to remain a while 

 longer. Fortunate it was that we had not done so, for that; 

 afternoon the snow fell heavily, and the nest morning was 

 thirteen inches aud tto following night two feet deep. 



We were astir early. To breakfast, get everything packed 

 up, carried down to the beach and loaded in canoes and 

 punts, paddle to the landing aud wait for and load up the 

 wagons, took up considerably more than half the day, and 

 then followed a march of thirteen milt r, part of it through a 

 piece of snow storm. To me, entirely unused to such walks, 

 and not very sound of foot, it was a serious affair. By the 

 time Stor}' passed me, a couple of miles from the end of the 

 walk, fresh as if just started, and relieved me of my gun, 

 it had so increased in weight that seventy-five pounds would 

 have been a moderate estimate. An excellent supper, a solid 

 roof and a "real bed" were never more enjoyable. 



So began and ended my first deer hunt. Shall it be the 

 la?t ? The Great Disposer of events only knows. I fear I 

 have "fallen" irrevocably, and that, should the temptation 

 again come in my way, there would not be much resistance, 

 health and business permitting. I would, however, like to 

 make some stipulations — one, that less time be given to solid 

 hunting and more to enjoyment of the scene and season ; 

 another, that the deer so conduct themselves as to make 

 some considerable exertion necessary to get them, and not 

 come right in the way, as my first one did. I should also 

 like to be secured against very long watchings, and more par- 

 ticularly against any more disagreeable "mulls." And above 

 all would J like as agreeable company to share in the sport. 



Nemo. 



" Unsolved, That a committee, consisting of the chairman 

 of this meeting and Messrs. William Wildey, Roswell Burup, 

 Newall W. Ackerman and Hiram Barnum, lie appointed wit h 

 full power to procure subscriptions for a fund to be applied 

 to the purpose of preventing, by all proper means, the manu- 

 facture or storage of dangerous explosives, or the erection of 

 buildings therefor within the vicinity of Binghamton, aud to 

 apply the moneys so obtained to the prosecution of the ob- 

 ject of this meeting — the repression of the manufacture of 

 explosives within limits dangerous to the safety of the lives 

 and property of the citizens W this vicinity ; and that such 

 committee be and it is invested with full power to employ a 

 collector to receive the funds on such subscription and pay 

 him a reasonable compensation, also to employ such attor- 

 neys and counsel as it shall be advised. 



" Tlewhed, That a copy of these resolutions be addressed 

 to the Dittmar Powder Company, or their representatives, 

 immediately." 



The committee set to work at once and indictments have 

 been found by the Grand Jury here against Carl Dittmar, 

 Wni. Haldame and A. J. Parker. The mat t.er is now pro- 

 gressing well in the courts under able counsel. 



This united and public effort to rid BingbanUon of this in- 

 cubus is not the only one in progress, Many private suits 

 have been opened, and after a test, case has been made it is 

 expected that they will be rapidly disposed of. 



We mean business and that business just at present is to 

 get Mr. Carl Dittmar to seek another site for his manufacto- 

 ry. We will not be content with a proffer of pamphlets to 

 show that the stuff may, can, must and should not explode. 

 We. are willing to grant every one of the many good quali- 

 ties he used to claim for his other deceptive-looking product; 

 we will swallow his honeyed tale that the front of his shop in 

 New York city was blown out by the slamming to of the 

 back door; we will share his belief that the guns which 

 burst here and there over the country with his white powder 

 charges were rotten old blunderbusses in the hands of pot- 

 hunters; we will sign his application to have the powder 

 he makes given treely to the untutored Los on our Western 

 frontier ; we will do a great many things— but we ask in re- 

 turn only one favor, that Mr. Carl Dittmar will give us his 

 room rather than hi3 Company. Bino. 



DITTMAR INDICTED. 



BraonAMTON, N. Y., Sept. 19. 

 Editor Forest and Stream : 



Your readers will remember the facts of the terrific explo- 

 Bion of Diltniar's blasting powder mill, which startled this city 

 on the 21st day of last April. Despite Dittmar's endeavor 

 to make it appear that it was somebody else's powder that 

 caused all the damage, the residents of the city were roused 

 by the explosion to a sense of the peril to life and property 

 ever imminent so long as the Dittmar blasting powder facto- 

 ry should be tolerated here. The powder mill is right in a 

 position to do immense damage should it "go off" again, a 

 little harder than it did the last time, and the people are 

 alive to the importance of taking precautions before the arri- 

 val of the impending earthquake. 



We are a law-abiding folk, however, and are proceeding to 

 remove this nuisance according to legal forms. The feeling 

 of the populace was shown at a recent meeting held to show 

 this corporation that there were rights which even they may 

 be compelled to respect. All classes are up in a state 6f pro- 

 test against the further continuance in our midst of an insti- 

 tution having its only purpose in destruction. The meeting 

 was largely attended and the unanimous vote of those pres- 

 ent in favor of the following resolutions was but an expres- 

 sion of a popular determination to be rid of this nuisance and 

 that too in a short space of time. The resolutions read : 



" Whereas, An explosion at the Dittmar Powder Compa- 

 ny's works, situated adjoining the city of Binghamton, in the 

 town of Bingtjamton, in the State of New York, on the 2Lst 

 day of April last, was the direct cause of hastening death and 

 the permanent loss of health in many cases, besides the dam- 

 age done property to the extent of probably $20,000 ; also 

 causing the depreciation of the value of real estate in the vi- 

 cinity of said powder works to an alarming extent ; and, 



" Whereat, The said Dittmar Powder Company have re- 

 built and are from time to time making not only powder, but 

 more dangerous explosives known as iiitro-sugar, or dyna- 

 mite, and various other high explosives ; therefore, be it 



" Resolved, That we, the inhabitants, citizens of the city 

 and town of Binghamton, express our determination to pro- 

 hibit the further manufacture of powder or any other high 

 explosive at or nwr the location of its present works by the 

 said Ditmar Powder Company or any other person or persons 

 cr company, and be it further 



with us, and my wife gained the honor of landing the second 

 largest trout taken in the day's fishing. 



By the way, I saw in the paper two or three numbers back 

 some one asking what shooting can be had about Lindsay 

 and the country about there. Lindsay is only about, twenty- 

 seven miles from us here, so 1 can speak with certainty of 

 sporting facilities. There are a few grouse in the fall, 



I only a few, There are plenty of clucks in the fall, but 

 Rice and Bcngpj* lakes arc too near, and the birds keep to 

 the open water, not coming into the rice until after night. 

 From the first day the season opens they are unceasingly per- 

 secuted by gunni rs night aud day, and the consequence is 

 that in a week's shooting you can scarcely get a dozen ducks, 

 and these are mostly blue-winged teal. There are no deer 

 without, going a long and toilsome journey north of Lindsay; 

 then tie y are not plenty. There are no quail in any part of 

 Ontario east of Toronto, and only very few between that 

 place and the city of London. The fishing about Lindsay or 

 any place on Lake Scugog is only fair, but in Rice Lake the 

 bass fishing is splendid, and the maskalonge fishing first-class 

 in some seasons of the year. Ar Sat'beb. 



Mississipw Game Notes— Sardis, Miss.— Editor Forest 

 and Stream : Quail shooting was tolerably good here last 

 winter, considering the poor opportunities the birds have in 

 this part; of Mississippi to "scratch" a subsistence out of the 

 cotton aud sedge fields. I have beeu living here nearly two 

 years, and have never yet seen but one or two wheat or stub- 

 ble fields of any consequence, and very few corn fields — only 

 those that are fo near the farmer's residence that the birds 

 dare not come into them for fear of being "pot-hunted." 

 Even souse of our best sportsmen (?) take advantage of every 

 opportunity to shoot them on the ground: I don't think a 

 person is worthy the name of sportsman who will shoot birds 

 on the ground, catch them in nets or traps, seine or trap fish. 

 All such sport, (as some call it) is not only a shame and dis- 

 grace to the perpetrator, but is really, in my opinion, cruel and 

 barbarous, to say nothing of the disgust and contempt a true 

 sportsman should feel i'or them. I learned, recently, that 

 the deer, panther, bear and smaller game was hunted very 

 little in the bottoms around Pican aud South lakes last sea- 

 son, on account of the frequent high waters, which prevented 

 hunters from going into the cane around the lakes. Imme- 

 diately surrounding these lakes the land is so high the water 

 has to get unusually high to overflow it, and all kinds of 

 game collect, there for safety, and the hunter must take the 

 chances of filling a " watery grave " in swimming his horse 

 to them, which is the only way fo get there, as a canoe can- 

 uot get through the cane where the water would not swim a 

 horse. Some few, in past years, have ridden through the 

 low bottom between the hills and high land around the lakes, 

 but one trip thoroughly satisfies all who attempt it. But 

 woe. be unto the game (all kinds) that resort to the hills for 

 safety from high water, for it is death from hounds to nearly 

 all the game.— Davy. 



Revolvers ast) Mtjzzi.s Loadebs. — Philadelphia, Fa., 

 Sept. 15, '81. — An Arkansas correspondent, writing the other 

 day in a sportsman's paper, denies that "revolvers" are older 

 than (about) 1820. He says : "I guess those have beeu made 

 (moulded) in recent years, like the spurious relics now sold 

 on the field of Waterloo.'' He writes from Becker, Ark., 

 and is referring to specimens in the Tower of London. He 

 is very much in error ; the revolver, in principle, is old. A 

 revolving-chambered gun, made in 1500, is now in a museum 

 in Nuremburg: and teores of specimens on this principle, 

 made in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, are to-day 

 in. Continental museums. Iu like manner, in 1408, Leipzig 

 had tho germ of the rijle, and in 1520 Ko;ter (or Kutter) 

 of Nuremburg, was celebrated for his "star-grooved barrels," 

 in which the grooves had a spiral form. I regret to see that 

 the genial Major Merrill, earnestly and at length, sings the 

 praises of the " m. 1. rifle." But, atdbono? 1 grant that it 

 is a noble weapon— one not easy to give up. But, really, 

 this muzzle loading weapon, for war or the chase, has now 

 "no show" at, all for "comingto theirqnt*," it is at the rear, 

 just where it deserves to he. The, "bieech" loading arm, 

 'all things considered, is abundantly the belter weapon. 



W. MoK. H. 



TnE Scarcity of Bay Smva— Editor Forest and Stream: 

 I notice in the last number of your paper a complaint by 

 L. of the scarcity of bay snipe on Long Islaud. and asking if 

 it is not so all along our coast, I can say that my expe- 

 rience, from the middle of August, up to last, Monday, con- 

 firms this undoubtedly on Barnegat Bay. Many of the small 

 sandpipers were seen and a few yellow legs ; but, the larger 

 birds, like willets, curlew, telltales, plover, calico-backs, 

 robin snipe and dowitchers, fire extremely scarce. This can 

 better be attributed to the long-continued drougut, which has 

 lasted for three weeks, than anything else, as it is well 

 known they never come until after a good storm. On the 

 10th and 11th of this month a heavy rain brought a few, and 

 there wilt he more in two or three days later. The rail 

 shooting has not been spoiled very much by the hot weather 

 aroundBhiladelphia, but the reed birds are scarce and not in 

 good condition.— Colin. 



Pennsylvania Notes.— Media, Sept. 15. — Squirrels have 

 been shot in large numbers since I wrote you. Black bass 

 fishing has been good. One gentleman, who takes your pa- 

 per, went out with another person, and caught six black bass 

 weighing eighteen pounds and three quarters. Another, a 

 physician of Wysdusing, caught one of four pounds aud four- 

 teen ounces weight. As I was passing up the street this even- 

 ing 1 saw a woodcock right by a house, as though ho was 

 looking for food. The gentlemen living in this county have 

 a pack of hounds, also horses for riding, and they hunt on 

 the English style. On the Wino. 



The editor of the Oreensburg, Pa., Press is a good shot. 

 He writes that grouse and quail are plenty ihere this year. 



Tun Kilo's Lake CT.tm,— Of the King's Lake Club, whose 

 camp was described in our issue of Aug. 30, the author of 

 that article writes : Last fall cold weather caught us : aud 

 the night I went up snow was four inches deep, and next 

 morning coMei'n blue blazes. "Allee same'' though, we 

 went, the regular rounds, two day's spoils being some 550 

 fish, and sundry dozen mallards, etc. The club are now 

 preparing for this rail's campaign, and will be on time; to 

 my regret, business will prevent my bcbig with them but a 

 few days, but these few I'll put, in for all they're worth, and 

 I had four more nearly the same size, while the rest, ran from j u g0 doing will remember the many ideas gathered from 

 one-fourth to one-half pound. Both of us took on* wives j vour columns. Old Hiokobt. 



SPOTS IN GUN BARRELS. 



Editor Forest and Stream : Bostok, Sept. 15. 



There is a vexed question that is worry i tig the souls of a 

 number of sportsmen, and still remains unanswered. We 

 wish you would air the subject iu your columns. 



What !b the true cause of the spots that form in gun bar- 

 rels ? Ihave had three breech-loaders in succession afflicted 

 with the "gun measles," all under such circumstances that I 

 am puzzled to account for it. Dampness, of course, sug- 

 gests itself at once, but this solution seems incorrect in face 

 of facts. My guns and those of my friends, when in use, 

 are always cleaned, dried and oiled every night and morn- 

 ing with great care, and therefore rust could not get into 

 them and stay long enough to eat such awhil holes as now 

 present themselves. Further, on damp days the above clean- 

 ing process is performed half a dozen times and sometimes 

 more. 



Now for erosion, caused by chemicals in powder, or es- 

 pecially cheap moist powder. This assumption causes dis- 

 agreement ; some say it is possible and probable, and others 

 say the reverse : the writer does not know. 



Wheu a man comes down to the marsh with a new<gun, 

 cleans it, etc., and takes extra pains with it, and is rewardeel 

 in two days by seeing the interior of his gun speckled and 

 freckled consumedly, he wishes to know what did it and 

 what should be done to avoid it, It has been advanced that 

 cheap powder is the trouble, but the writer has used the 

 most expensive powder, and the old story has been repeated. 



Let the vast talent at the command of the Forest and 

 Stkeam be exercised and commanded to explain these fear- 

 ful mysteries, but do not, for heaven's sake, or rather men's 

 sake, mention anything in the rust preventive line. All, all 

 have been tried, and alas!— but let us stop. F. S. 



[We can only account for the trouble referred to by Ihe 

 supposition that the cleaning was not thorough, although we 

 presume that this will be resented by our corresponden t. We 

 have seen scores of guns marred by rust spots, and have al- 

 ways explained it satisfactorily to ourselves by the fact that 

 without the most thorough care after the. gun is cleaned line 

 particles of the residum may still bo left, in the barrels, and 

 it is from these that the rust spots start,] 



ONTARIO SHOOTING NOTES. 



Bowmanville, Ont, Sept. 13. 



OUR summer has come and gone again, and once more 

 the season for using our guns has arrived, but so far 

 the prospect is not very inviting. There are a few— a very 

 few— grouse left, a stray pieeon or two, a frightened rabbit, or 

 so and plenty of rails. These constitute our bi'l of game at 

 present. The ducks have not begun to come in yet, and we 

 scarcely expect them before the heavy winds and rain-storms 

 of October drive them from the great lakes, and the breeding- 

 grounds of the North. Our sole shooting now, that can be 

 called shooting, is the sora rail. These little beggars are in 

 all the marshes and rice beds here in innumerable numbers. 

 A good shot would have no difficulty in getting 300 of them 

 in a day. They are counted small game here, and no one 

 seems to think them worth shooting. 1 and Will Piggolt 

 went to the marsh after them last week, and in two hours' 

 shooting we secured three dozen, punting for each other in 

 turn. It is not out of the way to say there were thousands 

 of them. Every shove of the canoe put them up iu all di- 

 rections, and I loaded and fired the muzzle-loader I was 

 using faster, I think, than I ever did before in my life. V ery 

 few ever shoot them, and fewer eat them, as they do not 

 count them worth the trouble of cleaning, but they give good 

 sport for an hour or two, after that it is unnecessary cruelty 

 and waste of life to shoot tliem, as enough can be secured in 

 that time to feed a dozen sportsmen, and I never believe in 

 fishing or shooting to make a count. 



All sport for trout ends here on the 15th of this month. I 

 and W. Piggott went out after them a month ago, driving 

 about sixteen miles to a small creek. We fished for four 

 hours, and succeeded in gathering in between six and seven 

 dozen of as fine trout as any one would want to catch, my 

 largest one measuring sixteen aud one-half inches in length, 

 and weighing eighteen ounces the morning alter being caught, 



