206 FOREST AND STREAM. [March 7, 1896. 
W. G. Sergeant, secretary of the Joplin, Mo., Gun Club, under whose 
auspices a 3-days' shoot will be held April 28-30, sends us the follow- 
ing communication: "We do not think that it is fully understood yet 
just the kind of a sboot we intend to give in April, and for the pur- 
pose of setting matters right we desire to make the following state- 
ment: With the exception of one event, our shoot will be open to all 
comers. This exception will be the Owl Shoot, consisting of one 
event only, and which is a contest between teams of three from 
any club in either Missouri or Kansas. We ask you to make this 
statement for us in order that there may be no misunderstanding as 
to the bind of a tournament we will give, We desire to emphasize the 
fact, that thi« tournament wil) be wide open (except as above stated), 
and that no one will be barred, and that we add $1,275 in cash.' 1 
The West Newburgh Gun and Rifle Association, of Newburgh, N. Y., 
had a small live-tird shoot on Washington's Birthday. The chief 
feature of the day's shoot, aside from the regulation dinner at Jake 
Gidney's, was a friendly race at 50 live birds per man, the contestants 
being Jas. S. Taylor and Capt. George Taggart, both members of the 
club. Tavlor won easily, scoring 42 to 36. The wind was blowing a 
gale, which accounts for boim of the birds getting away. Jack Hal- 
stead and M. Perry, of Peekskill, N. Y, were among the visitors. A 
couple of $2 miss and outs were shot; the first was divided between 
Taylor and Taggart, Taylor and Halstead dividing the second. 
C. H. Calhoun, of Weir City, Kan., has challenged E. W. Hoffman, of 
Galena, Kan., the present holder of the Kansas live-bird champion- 
ship trophy, to shoot a match for the saine, under the conditions that 
govern the contests. Hoffman has accepted, and has named March 
12 as the date, and Galena as the place where the contest shall be 
held. It will be remembered that Hoffman won the trophy from W. 
W. Mcllhany, at Weir City, last December. 
An amusing story is going the rounds about a shooter who made a 
big record on 50 live birdB while shooting shells which he believed 
were loaded with a powder he wanted to try. After having cracked 
up the powder as just exactly what he was looking for, he opened 
one or two of the shells only to discover that he had been using the 
powder that he always shoots 1 We understand it took more than one 
bottle to settle it. 
At the Eureka Gun Club's Washington's Birthday shoot, an account 
of which is given in these columns, the single-trigger gun shot by 
F. P. Stannard attracted much attention, and was closely examined 
by all the shooters. This gun was made for the firm of Montgomery 
Ward & Co. , which firm Mr. Stannard represents, after a model fur- 
nished by Mr. Stannard, whose ideas were embodied in the model. 
The second monthly meeting of the New Jersey Trap-Shooters' 
League will be held on Thursday, March 12, on the Climax Gun Club's 
grounds near Fanwood station on the line of the Central Railroad of 
New Jersey. A special programme will be gotten up for the occasion. 
The Elizabeth, N. J., Gun Club announces that it will hold a 100-tar- 
get handicap race, $5 entrance, targets extra, on Tuesday, March 17. 
An optional sweepstake will be shot on each series of 25 targets. The 
time for the shoot to commence Is 11 A. M. prompt. Other events 
will be shot if time permits. 
The officers of the Huntington, Pa., Gun Club are: President. J. A 
Fleming; Vice-President. John McOahan, Sr.; Secretary, R K. Foster; 
Assistant Secretary, H. V. Johnston; Treasurer, L, R. Leister; Captain, 
ft. S. Williams. The club is one of the live organizations of Western 
Pennsylvania, having been reorganized on April 5, 1895. 
Rollo Heikes has been doing some record work in the way of rapid 
smashing of targets. His last record of 100 targets out of 120 in 4 min- 
utes and 20 seconds is au eye-opener, and will take some beating. 
Tom Callander says that the Nashville Gun Club will get in line 
this season. It intends to give a 3 day j' target tournament some time 
n September, and will add 81,200 to the purses. 
We understand that in future an entrance fee will be charged at 
Willard Park. Paterson, N. J., whenever there is any shoot in 
progress. 
March 3. 
Edward Banks. 
Repeating Shotguns and Balks. 
The following case has been stated-to us for the purpose of obtaining 
our views upon it: 
A shooter enters in a live-bird event and uses a Winchester repeat- 
ing shotgun ; he fires bis first cartridge, but is prevented from firing 
his second cartridge by the brass head of the first cartridge breaking 
away from the paper, lodging in the mechanism, and thus causiag a 
non-ejectment of the paper case. The bird escapes over the boundary. 
What should the referee decide in such a case? 
Our answer is: Were we referee, and should such a case occur, we 
would allow another bird, as provided in all cases where a missfire has 
ocourred in the second barrel of a double gun, or where a shooter has 
been balked when using any gun. 
Being informed that the Interstate Association might be asked to 
make a ruling on the above point prior to the commencement of the 
Grand American Handicap, on the ground that such a case might 
actually arise during the meeting at Elkwood Park to be held under 
its auspices, March 24-26, we wrote to Mr. John S. Hoey and Mr. Elmer 
E. Shaner, manager of the Association, stating the case, and asking 
them to favor us with their ideas on the point in volved . Mr. Hoey will 
act as one of the referees in the Grand American Handicap, and is, 
without doubt, one of the ablest referees in this or any other country. 
Mr. Shaner has had great experience as a live-bird shooter and as a 
referee, and while his opinion would not be official, his really national 
reputation in trap-shooting circles would add much weight to that 
opinion. 
Mr. Hoey's answer to our letter is dated Feb. 26, and runs as follows: 
"As to that pump gun decision: In the first place, I don't think any 
man ought to use such a gun, for he is always or rather sometimes 
liable to have it not work properly. I have seen it happen at clay-bird 
shooting. However, it is not for me to condemn any gun. Pumps 
will be used, though I think a man who uses one handicaps himself. 
Chaeun a son gout. 
"As to a pump gun catching in its mechanism through a defective 
cartridge after the first cartridge has been fired at a live bird, which 
was not killed, I should say: The shooter should have another bird, 
with powder only in the first shell (if the referee was confident that 
the bird was not hit with the first barrel). A shooter should be pro- 
tected. I am not thoroughly posted on the A. S. A. rules, but the 
generally accepted rule of all gun clubs I go to is as I have quoted 
touching the case in point. No man should be penalized for defective 
ammunition. Anyway, in view of so many pump guns being used, a 
definite decision should be arrived at anent the case in point." 
Mr. Hoey's letter, the main part of which is given above, and which 
was written while he was slowly recovering from a very serious at- 
tack of the grip, closes with the following postscript: "There may be 
something in the claim that a defect in the gun is the shooter's loss, 
but my head is too weak to reason it out just now. However, it 
seems to me that every man should have an equal chance — and if one 
man can only fire one shell at a bird, where is his equal chance r' 
In the second paragraph quoted from Mr. Hoey's letter we have 
italicized a sentence that was placed in brackets by the writer. We 
made use of the italics to mark what we take to be a very important 
point indeed ; not so much as relating to the case in question, but to 
all guns, double or repeating. As we interpret Mr. Hoey's meaning, 
the sentence implies that if the referee was confident that the bird 
had been hit with the first barrel, he would then allow, incase of a 
missfire with the second, another bird and give the shooter the benefit 
of using two good shells. We think such a decision would be news to 
most of our readers, but there is just that amount of equity in it that 
characterizes all Mr. Hoey's rulings on similar points— "A shooter 
should be protected." 
We thus have Mr. Hoey's opinion to back up our own. Mr. Shaner's 
letter was a complete surprise to us; we stated the case to him in 
almost precisely the same terms we did to Mr. Hoey, being perhaps a 
trifle more explicit in our communication to Mr. Shaner. As will be 
seen by a perusal of the following letter, he takes directly the oppo- 
site view of the cage to that which is held by Mr. Hoey and by our- 
selves: (For the sake of ready reference later, while considering Mr. 
Shaner s arguments, we have designated each paragraph by a letter 
of the alphabet.) 
(a) "Referring to the pump gun decision: 'I'm ferninst ye.' Old 
Hosb says: 'Me too.' According to my way of reasoning, I don't 
know of a set of live-bird rules that would allow a contestant another 
bird in a case of that kind. I'll admit that much can be said in favor 
of the decision for the pump gun, but we should not forget that the 
rules as framed at the present time are for double guns, and until 
they are changed to cover the point you raise, and others, my ruling 
would be, 'Lost bird.' To go back to the point in question: The 
shooter s gun, or rather shell, does not miss fire, in fact, the gun was 
not loaded at all to fire the second time. Would a contestant using a 
double gun be allowed, another bird if he went to the score with but 
one shell in his gun? Never in the world ! A contestant by using a 
pump gun handicaps himself by choice, and takes the risk of being 
able to do with a single gun what another contestant does with a 
double gun. 
(b) "You say: 'Our claim is that the missflre is the fault of the 
ammunition. * * * No man will use shells that burst at the rim if 
he run help it, as it handicaps bim too much' (italics are mine). Can*t 
be help u ? Will the ammunition companies sustain bim in this? Why 
did the shell burst? Was it not because he was using more powder 
than the shell would stand? Or was the shell really weak? Will the 
ammunition companies say that their shells are faulty? Never in the 
woridl They will say: 'These shells will stand a certain amount of 
powder, and if you use more than that it will be at your own risk.' 
Therefore, caDnot the shooter hf»lp it by using a stronger shell or less 
powder? Another case: If the Bhooter using a double gun has a shell 
burst at the rim, or where the paper joins the brass, and he does no* 
shoot the second barrel, failing to kill with the first, will he be allowed 
another bird? If not, why not, according to your reasoning? The - 
ammunition was just as faulty in the double gun as in the single. 
(c) "Coming down to solid fact— is it really the shell's fault or the 
gun's fault through the chambers being a little larger than the shell? 
Would a shooter using a pump gun be allowed another bird in the fol- 
lowing cases: If a shell got wet and got swollen, or if large wads 
were used, making a shell bulge so that it could not be fed properly? 
If the shells were poorly crimped, leaving a frayed edged, so that they 
would go into the chamber of the gun from the magazine? Or, if the 
extractor failed to grasp the head of the shell and did not extract the 
same? This same point in question came up at Grand Rapids, Mich., 
May 30, 1894, while I was refereeing, and Capt. Bartlett was at the 
score shooting doubles. His gun failed to extract a shell from some 
cause or other, and the first time it acted that way I allowed him 
another pair of targets: he shot and broke them. I then and there 
said that I would not allow another pair under the same conditions, as 
upon thinking it over I considered it wrong to do so. So you see this 
decision of mine is not made upon the spur of the moment, but has 
been talked over many a time. You will, of course, understand that 
the foregoing is my personal opinion, and does not come from the In- 
terstate Association. I don't know what ruling it will make." 
As a postscript to the above letter, Mr. Shaner adds: "Upon reading 
your letter over again, and my reply to it as well. I honestly believe 
that the very best that a Bhooter could hope to get in a case of the 
kind mentioned would be to allow him another bird the first time it 
happened, on account of a defect in the gun, not ammunition; but 
should he continue to UBe the same gun another bird should not be al- 
lowed, as he kDew his gun was defective and he should remedy it. 
Understand me though— were I the referee, it would be lost bird all 
the time.'''' 
Replying to Mr. Shaner's arguments categorically, let us first con- 
sider what he advances in the paragraph marked a: "* * * We 
should not forget that the rules as framed at the present time are for 
double guns * * *." A. S. A. rules, revised 1893, certaiDly do not 
specify any style of gun, single or double; they merely say: "Rule 16. 
No guD of larger caliber than a 10-bore shall be used, and the weight, 
of all guns shall be unlimited." Thus Mr. Shaner's statement in this 
connection is personal assumption not borne out by the rules. 
The use of the terms "first barrel" and "second barrel" should often 
more correctly read "first cartridge" and "second cartridge." For 
example: "Rule 20. If a missflre occur with the second barrel, the 
shooter shall have another bird, using only a full charge of powder in 
the first barrel." Construing "barrel" as cartridge, a common sense 
construction as It seems to us, the present set of rules can be made to 
apply to repeating shotguns equally with double guns. Proceeding: 
"To go back to the point in question: The shooter's gun, or rather 
shell, does not missflre; in fact, th« gun was not loaded at all to fire the 
second barrel." While it does not actually missfire, the occurrence is 
of the same nature as one, in that it is a balk. The only importance 
of a missfire is that it balks the shooter. The loading of a gun is com- 
plete when the shells are in their proper place, whether it be chamber 
or magazine. Mr. Shaner makes a great mistake when he says that 
the gun was "not loaded at all to fire the second barrel;" he might as 
well contend that a double gun was not loaded because a shooter can- 
not fire the second barrel owing to the safety bolt having jarred safe 
when the first shell wa3 fired. 
Mr. Shaner's query as to the man with the double gun and only one 
shell in it is a matter entirely irrelevant to the point at issue. The 
closing sentence of paragraph a would be scarcely worth noting were 
it not for the fact that he wrongly terms a repeating shotgun a "single 
gun." A. repeater is no more a single gun than a Maxim, Nordenfelt 
or a revolver is a single rifle. In shooting a double gun the cartridges 
are shot one at a time, each cartridge having its own barrel; but in a 
magazine gun the cartridges are shot successively through the same 
barrel. Everyone knows the difference between a single gun and a 
repeater. A conclusion based on the assumption that a gun is a 
single gun because it has a single barrel, even though a multiplicity of 
shots can be fired through it more rapidly than is possible in a double 
gun, is not warranted by the facts and partakes of the nature of a 
quibble. 
In paragraph b Mr. Shaner quotes from our letter to him. If we are 
correctly quoted, the two words "or balk" should have been written 
after the word "missflre." Mr. Shaner then puts into italics the 
words "if he can help it." We are glad that he has done so, as it 
emphasizes a very strong point. No man is going to use faulty am- 
munition if he knows it, simply because if he gets a missflre, or balk, 
through such faulty ammunition ,he is severely handicapped by hav- 
ing to use a blank cartridge in the first barrel. No man is likely to 
use shells that are liable to missfire or blow the brass head off unless 
he wants to drop a bird or two for financial reasons without laying 
himself open to the charge of dropping for place. Such an act, how- 
ever, would come under the head of misconduct, not balk, and Is 
therefore an outside matter. Mr. Shaner is well aware that shells of 
good make do sometimes missfire or blow the head off in double guns 
as well as in repeaters. His query as to what should be done to a 
man who has a shell go to pieces in his first barrel, and who does not 
fire his second barrel, is decidedly funny. We fall to see that the 
question has any weight, as the shooter could not possibly claim a 
balk, missflre, or water on the brain, not having been prevented from 
pulling the trigger by the mishap to the shell in the first barrel. What 
a shooter voluntarily does is foreign to the issue, and a shooter could 
not tell that a shell had gone to pieces in his first barrel until he 
opened his gun. What the ammunition companies would say is not 
to the point either, but we don't think that any of them will deny that 
shells do missfire or part where the brass head joins the paper case, 
whether the gun be single, double or a repeater. 
In paragraph c Mr, Shaner gets down to "solid fact." For his in- 
formation we will state that the chambers in Winchester repeating 
shotguns (the gun in question) are standard size. As for Mr. Shaner's 
next few queries in regard to decisions where shells swollen by mois- 
ture, bulged by wads, or poorly crimped, were used by a shooter, such 
queries are totally irrelevant and altogether so much outside the 
question that we are surprised at his quoting them. The question at 
issue is whether the brass head of the shell separating from the paper 
case and lodging in the mechanism of a repeating shotgun, so as to 
prevent a shooter from using his second shell, constitutes a balk in the 
same degree that a snap of a primer in a double gun causes one. The 
cases quoted by Mr, Shaner in paragraph c are plainly instances 
where the shooter and not his ammunition is at fault. 
Mr. Shaner's first decision in the Bartlett case was, in our opinion,cor- 
rect. If, upon examination, the referee in a similar case found that the 
fault lay with the gun and not with the shell— in fact, that the extract- 
or was faulty— andif the shooter continued to use the gun, such referee 
would be bound to call "lost bird" if the case occurred again. This 
decision, however, would only be based upon a common sense con- 
struction of any of the trap-shooting rules now in the hands of the 
shooters, there being no rule that actually covots the point. The fact 
that Mr. Shaner's opinion, as expressed in his letter to us, is his per- 
sonal and not his official opinion must not be overlooked. The Inter- 
state Association has its own set of rules, under which the Grand 
American Handicap and other live-bird events at Elkwood Park will 
be shot during the last week of March. It will be well for the associa- 
tion to consider the point raised, since it is possible that the referees 
in the various events may have a case of the kind to adjudicate upon. 
The postscript to Mr. Shaner's letter is very much on the same 
order as the inevitable postscript to a young lady's letter which is said 
to contain more meat than all the rest of the communication. In it 
Mr. Shaner says positively that were he "the referee it would be lost 
bird all the time;" he also states that another bird could only he 
allowed for "a defect in the gun— not ammunition." That's the very 
point: Which is defective in this case, the gun or the ammunition? Can 
a gun be said to be defective when it workB satisfactorily as long as 
the shells hold together? Is a missflre always the result of a faulty 
primer? 
The Interstate Association rules (Hurlingham rules, revised 1894), as 
stated above, govern the referees' decisions during the Grand Ameri- 
can Handicap week. These rules say: 
Rule 6. A missflre if no shot under any circumstauces. 
Rule 8. If the missfire occur with the second barrel— the shooter 
having failed to kill with his first— he shall have another bird, but 
must shoot an ordinary charge of powder without shot in the first 
barrel, firing in the direction of the bird, which must be on the wing. 
Rule 9. The shooter's feet shall be behind the shootiug mark until 
after the gun is discharged. If in the opinion of the referee the shooter 
is balked in any way, he may allow him another bird. 
Rule 25. The standard bore of the gun is No. 12, and no guns larger 
than 12-bore, or over 81bs. in weight, shall be allowed; lj^oz, of shot is 
the maximum charge. 
American Association rules, revised 1893, Rule 23 says: "If a contest- 
ant is balked or interfered with, or there is other similar reason why it 
should be done, the referee may allow another bird." 
In target-shooting rules the Interstate Association rules provide: 
"Rule 22. If the shooter fails to shoot after calling 'Pull,' the target 
shall be scored 'Lost,' unless the target fails to fly at the proper time, 
the gun shall be found at fault, or the shell properly loaded fails to go 
off when the primer is hit by the firing pin. The gun is not considered 
at fault when a hammerless gun is loaded and not cocked," 
Rule 19 of the A. S. A. rules, revised 1893, says: "Section 1. The 
shooter shall be allowed another target for the following reasons: (a) 
For a target broken by the trap, (b) For any defect in the gun or 
load, causing a missflre. (c) If the contestant is interfered with, or 
balked, or there is other similar reason why it should be done, the ref- 
eree may allow another target." A note is added to the above rule, as 
follows: "When a shooter, hi breaking his gun to put in the shells, 
fails to break it far enough to cock the gun, it is considered his own 
carelessness, and not sufficient excuse for the allowance of another 
target." 
We have purposely quoted the rules that can be construed as bear- 
ing on the case, in order that the public may see on what grounds we 
base our claim of another bird in the point at issue. "When doctors 
differ," eta, and we have shown above that they do differ, some final 
decision must be arrived at, as the cise may come up in some impor- 
tant match, and a referee should have some precedent to go upon. We 
believe that a referee has decided in a match shot witbin the past year 
that a bird lost under the conditions stated was a "lost bird," the bird 
so lost having probably cost the man phooting the repeater the match. 
We are also aware that in the recent Elliotl-Morfey match Elliott shot 
the race under protest, in case the point came up for decision (which 
did not happen), the referee agreed upon not being willing to say that 
he would give another bird under the circumstances. ■*"*" J " 
Although under Rule 19 (target rules) of the A. S. A., quoted above, 
a referee may allow another target "for any defect in the gun or load, 
causing a missflre," in the case under consideration it is immaterial 
whether the fault is that of the gun or ammunition. The question 
really is, Was it a balk? Discussions as to the merits of ammunition, 
chambers of guns, etc., are really foreign to the issue. No matter 
whose make of ammunition is used, there will sooner or later be a 
missflre or some other defect in the shell, causing a balk, and it is in 
this connection that the matter is under discussion. No man can tell 
whether a shell will missflre or blow ttfe head off until be has used it. 
Such occurrences, as stated above, happen in double guns as well as 
in repeaters. To penalize a shooter, therefore, for something he can- 
not know nor avoid, is an absurdity and contrary to all the principles 
of equity. Of course, if it can be shown that a shooter willfully 
uses swollen or bulged cartridges, or cartridges that are otherwise 
manifestly defective, then he should be punished. But that is another 
matter. 
Further, in regard to Mr. Shaner's argument that the present rules 
were drawn up solely with a view to double guns: It can be assumed 
that the framers of the rules had in mind a common equity to all guns 
and all shooters. To assume that the framers of the rules had in 
mind in the matter of balks only such aB could happen to double 
guns is to assume discrimination in favor of a class of guns and a 
class of shooters. The mechanical construction of a repeater and its 
use may induce some happenings impossible to a double gun. If the 
repeater is a factor in trap-shooting and the rules do not recognize it, 
aB Mr. Shaner claims, it would seem to be the proper move to revise 
the rules at once to meet the conditions. The rules should treat all 
guns and all shooters impartially alike. If, as Mr. Shaner says, a con- 
testant handicaps himself by using a repeater, there is nothing inher- 
ent in the sport that compels him to do so. Any legislation which 
imposes a handicap in the matter of balks for which the shooter is 
blameless is class legislation. It is arbitrary ruling, not a ruling on 
the equity and necessities of the competition. 
Hollo Heikes's New Records. 
The great shooting done by Rollo O. Heikes. of Dayton, O , on Feb" 
22 and 26, has been the subject of much comment among trap shooters- 
We have been asked many timas since he mad 4 his record in Louis- 
ville, Ky., on Feb. 22, just how many guns housed in accomplishing 
hs task of breaking 100 targets out of 111 in 5 minutes and 35 seconds, 
bis record on that occasion. Since that date, he has on the 26th, on 
the grounds of (he Limited Gun Club a r Indianapolis, Jiid., made a 
far better record as far as speed is concerned, scoring 100 out of 120 
targets in 4 minutes and 20 seconds 
Mr. Heikes uses in these exhibitions six Winchester repeating 
shotguns ; each gun carries one sh di in the chamber and 5 in the maga- 
zine. Wh le the exhibition is in progress, these guns are loaded hy 
assistants and placed on a table where Mr. Heikes can take hold of 
them readily. The incesamt crack of the gun may be imagined 
from the fact that t he 120 shots at Indianapolis were fired at the rate 
of a fraction over 87 to th* minutel 
Thai fancy shooting does not spoil Rollo's form for unknown 
angka is shown by the fact that at Louisville, though barred from 
taking part in the division of the purses, he shot along with the boys 
and broke 99 out of 100. At Indianapolis, he, Ralph Trimble the 
champion of the Bine Grass State, and Ed. Rike, Heikes's fellow towns- 
man from Dayton, O., gave an exhibition 100-target race, unknown 
angles Some idea ef the form these three men were in may be 
gathered from the following scores: Heikes 99, Trimble 99, Rike 981 
Staten Island Trap-Shooters. 
GKRMANIA rod and gun club. 
Feb 85.— The Germania Rod and Gun Club held its regular monthly 
shoot to-day at New Dorp Grove, Staten Island. The scores made 
were as follows: 
Club shoot, 15 targets per man. handicap rise: William Glander (IS) 
14, G. H. Becker (16) 13. J Knoebel (10) 12, C. L. Meyers (18) 11, 0. A, 
Qurlech (16) 11, A. O Srhmitt (18) 10, H. J. Wolfkine (18) 12, R. V, 
Wagner (16) 10, W. H. Schneider (16) 9, J. O. Brehm (16) 6, J. H. 
Dreuss (16) 4, T. L. Murphy (16) 3. 
CLINTON ROD AND GUN CLUB. 
Feb 26.— The regular shoot of the Clinton Rod "and Gun Club was 
held to-day at New Dorp Grove, Stat-n Island. The club sboot is at 
7 live birds, handicap rise; in thii event George J. Kingsland scored 
his 7 birds straight, being the only man that accomplished this feat. 
The scores were: 
G. J. Kingsland (26) 7. Dr' Emil Schraeder (28) 6. H. J. Williamson 
(27) 5, T. P. L^ngrief (26) 3. E. W. Schraeder (26) 3, L. G. Wilson (26) 3, 
S. G. Porter (27) 3, R. 8. Williamson (27) 2, J. O. Henderson (26) 2, 
A. W. Barton (27) 1, D. J. Sch neider (26)2, T. P. Lee (26) 2, R. D. 
Morgan (26) 2, W. H. Smith (26) 8. 
The E. C. Tournament. 
Wk have received the following communication from tbe American 
E. C. Powder Company, relative to its tournament next May: 
"The E. C. Powder tournament which will be held at Guttenberg 
Race Track duriDg first week in May promises to be an immense 
affair. Inquiries from all over the country are being received con- 
cerning it. 
"Four sets of traps will be run continuously during the whole tour- 
nament: two sets o* bluerock targets and traps and two sets of empire 
targets and traps. Guttenburg Race Track is an absolutely ideal place 
to hold a shoot. There is plenty of accommodation, while Elmer 
Shaner and Jack Parker, who will look after the running of the shoot, 
are prepared to manage any crowd, no matter how big it may be 
"Eastern shooters have invariably received such a lot of hospitality 
and had such a pleasant time socially at the numerous large tourna- 
ments held in the South and West that it is hoped that all New York 
sportsmen wiil join together as much as it is possible and aid the E, 
C. Powder Co. in making visiting shooters from a distance have as 
pleasant a time during the first week In May as possible. The folio w- 
representative New York sportsmen have been requested by the E. 
C. Powder Co. to serve on an entertainment committee: T. H. Keller, 
New Utrecht Gun Ciub; Col. Heber Breintnall, South Side Gun Club; 
Col. Chas. Lenoue, Passaic Gun Club; Louis H. Schortemeier, Emer- 
ald Gun Club; H. Folaom, Elizabeth Gun Club; H. Thurman, Keystone 
Shooting League; W.N. Drake, Maplewood Gun Club; E. D. Miller, 
Union Gun Club; Chas. Smith, Climax Gun Club; August Schmitt, N. 
Y. German Gun Club.'_| 
Grand American Handicap. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
The Interstate Association is in receipt of numerous communi- 
cations from sportsmen who represent firms other than those who 
are members of the association, inquiring as to whether they would 
be permitted to take part in the Grand American Tournament. For 
the benefit of all concerned, we desire to announce that all sports- 
men are cordially invited to participate no matter what firm they 
may represent. A hearty w r elcome is assured, and every consideration 
consistent with fairness and equity will be shown them. 
While on this subject it might be well to state that at the present 
writing every indication points to the complete""success of the Grand 
American Handicap for 1896. The new method of dividing the purse 
has grown in popular favor so rapidly that it is highly probable this 
year's handicap will prove to be the greatest shooting event ever held 
in America, if not in the world. Elmer. E. Shaner, Manager. 
Pittsburg, Pa. 
Joplin Gun Club. 
Joplin, Mo., Feb. 22. —At tbe last shoot of the Joplin Gun Club six 
20-target events were shot, unknown angles, the scores made being as 
given in the table below: 
Events: 1 3 3 4. 5 6 Events; 13 3 4 5 6 
Huntley, 19 16 20 18 19 20 Frye 18 18 39 20 17 19 
Thurman 17 19 18 1 9 20 17 Cragau 19 20 19 17 19 20 
Malloy 18 20 16 19 18 20 Sergeant 16 17 la 19 20 18 
C W Green 20 19 12 19 20 17 Wilson 15 17 IS 14 19 18 
E D Porter 19 15 20 17 20 17 A Dixon 19 17 IS 19 20 17 
G Stevenson 20 18 19 20 19 18 O Dixon 20 19 16 20 18 16 
Davidson 16 19 17 20 18 18 WE Morgan .. .. hi 16 17 19 18 19 
W. G. Sergeant, Sec'y. 
