March 28, 1896.J 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
258 
the World's Fair there was a revolving upright case, dis- 
playing a number of the handsomest light weight and 
high grade guns. Parker Bros, had in ail about eighty- 
guns exhibited, from 8-gauge to 20-erauge, from 14lbs. to 
5|lbs., from $400 to $65 — in short, all sorts and conditions 
of guns except poor guns, of which there were none at 
all. The origin of the Parker gun is shrouded in the 
haze of antiquity, but ever since the days of spoken or 
written history it has carried th°i reputation of absolute 
reliability and dependableness. Besides that, the beauty 
of some of the high grades shown, with Sir Joseph Whit- 
worth fluid steel barrels, is not surpassed by any arm of 
any country. A special quality of all the Parker barrels 
is that they are lathe-turned, therefore perfectly true and 
not wavy in line, as are those of many other makes. 
Two new things were to be seen at the Parker Bros, 
space. There was a $100 list steel barrel gun, which one 
THE PARKER GUN. 
ignorant might had thought wore a crown royal, and 
which is none the less a royal good gun. The frame is 
No. H in width, and the barrels are of the Vulcan steel, 
fit to restrain dynamite, treason, stratagem or spoil. This 
is a handsome and serviceable gun for those who wish 
the "fluid finish" to take the place of Damascus. 
Another and very interesting thing was shown in a re- 
inforced gun stock which it is a wonder no one has 
thought of before. Everybody knows that the weak 
place in a gun stock is in the grip, or neck of the stock, 
and everyone has seen brass screws, barbed wire or twine 
trying to hold together stocks broken there. In this 
Parker Btock (which was shown sawn through in sec- 
tional view) the stock is bored from the butt to the back 
of the lock platps, and a half inch hickory rod is driven 
in with glue to hold. A stock so strengthened can be 
hammered on the ground till the toe and heel are 
smashed off, but the grip will not break. This will 
enable all true sportsmen to punish a refractory dog with 
a feeling of safety and calmness. It will also increase 
the reputation of the Parker gun and Capt. Du Bray for 
indestructibility. 
The Martin Fire Arms Co. 
A handsome upright glass case, operated by a handsome 
young man (Mr. G. Harry Marlin, of the company) and 
containing a handsome display of modern rifles, attracted 
justly a great deal of attention from the throngs who 
crowded along the main aisle. The Marlin Fire Arms Co. 
had much the same exhibit at the World's Fair, where it 
and all its features created much interest. A finer and 
more artistic display of arms could hardly be made. There 
was -very little repetition or duplicating in this display, 
and the variety was noticeable, as well as the great excel- 
lence and beauty of the high-grade goods shown. Never 
has more lavish use been made of the arts of the engraver 
and worker in precious metals. Gold, silver and platinum 
THE MARLIN FIRE ARMS COMPANY. 
were etched, engraved, chased, embossed, inlaid and com- 
bined in most fairylike and bewildering fashion in the 
sixty odd rifles and revolvers shown. There were rifles 
stocked with birdseye maple, with sycamore, with curly 
maple, with Circassian walnut, with the beautiful native 
American "feathered'' walnut, the light effect of some of 
which woods made the rifles look odd to those who always 
expect to see a rifle look dull and somber of hue. To still 
further increase this surprise, there were barrels in nickel, 
in silvery finish and in oxidized silver finish — such arms 
as had not been turned out before by any firm, and hence 
a novelty of the season. These artistic guns are mostly 
in the small calibers, apd many are sold for use by ladies. 
One may easily spend a tidy sum for a little .22 if he likes. 
Mr. Marlin during the week sold to a Scotch gentleman 
visiting the Exposition two rifles, a .22 and a . 38 55, which 
cost him $243. The ornamentation on these arms was 
nothing short of exquisite. But yet more expensive was 
the purchase of a New York man, who bought a .38 55 
which cost him $160, and repeated the order in ,22jal. 
The lock plates of the former gun showed a pair of elk, in 
gold, inlaid in the rich blue steel. A more striking bit of 
gun ornamentation one has never seen. Still another 
grand gun went to a New York man at $100. 
The Marlin take-down action was shown in a number 
of actual illustrations in the case, and also the Marlin four- 
barrel rifle — this consisting of four barrels of different cali- 
bers, interchangeable upon the same action. The Marlin 
"model '95," in all the heavy calibers (.38-56, .40-65, .40-82, 
.45-70 and .45-90) was also on band. These big-game rifles 
are shown in nickel steel (for use with nitros if preferred), 
with taper barrels and in outline combining elegance and 
lightness with strength and durability. A beautiful cata- 
logue of artistic nature itself shows the patterns of many 
of the handsomest of designs used in the engravings of 
these beautiful arms. 
Winchester Repeating Arms Company. 
The Winchester Repeating Arms Company occupied a 
large space in the central portion of the Garden, but that 
space was not large enough to accommodate all those 
who wished to see what was to be seen, and to have the 
capabilities of each weapon for killing or wounding ex- 
plained to them. In his efforts to see that everybody 
went away satisfied, Mr. David Daggett, who had charge 
of the exhibit, was ably seconded by Brevet Captain 
George E. Albee, Ferd Van Dyke, Rolla Heikes and Jim 
Elliott. 
The central part of the exhibit was much the same as it 
was at the Cotton States Exposition in Atlanta, Ga., 
where the company won highest honors possible in its 
line. This portion is formed of large glass and walnut 
cases filled with fancy arms of all descriptions, most fas- 
cinating to look upon, and each one of them perfect 
specimens of what this company is capable of in the way 
of firearms. A take-down , 38 "al. repeating rifle, model 
1894, with a birdseye maple stock; repeating carbines, 
nickel plated; ,22cal. repeating rifles, model 1890; bay- 
onets, tools, etc., tastefully arranged with a large number 
of other rifles, carbines and similar weapons, all go to 
make up a very attractive centerpiece for a great exhibit. 
Around the baBe of these cases were some glass show 
everybody was the new repeating rifle (model 1895), a 
weapon that is now before the public as a -sin ode shot or 
repeating rifle of great power. It stated by the com- 
pany to be the first box magazine lever action rifle ever 
put on the market; it is light in weight and handsome in 
form, with p 3 rfectly proportioned round barrels. Ferd 
Van Dyke was hoarse long before the Exposition closed, 
his hoarseness being caused by his efforts to explain to 
the crowds that surrounded him just what the weapon 
was and what should be done with it. It is made for the 
following calibers: .236 Navy and .30 Army, 28in. barrels; 
.38-72 and .40-70 Winchester, in both round and octagon 
barrels, 26in. in length. The gun now ready for the mar- 
ket is the .30-cal. Army. 
Where a firm covers as much ground as does the Win- 
chester Repeating Arms Co. . it is no easy matter to get 
together and arrange in a tasteful and attractive manner 
an exhibit worthy of so large a field. In its exhibit for 
THE LEEEVER ARMS COMPANY. 
the Sportsmen's Exposition of 1896, the Winchester 
Repeating Arms Co. made no mistake. It was one of the 
features of the show. 
Lefever Arms Co. 
WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS COMPANY. 
cases that contained many articles of extraordinary 
interest. Of special note were the caps for muskets, 
manufactured by this firm mostly for export to South 
America. These caps are known as the four-split, six- 
split and the Spanish rib caps; the Winchester Repeating 
Arms Company is the only firm manufacturing these 
articles in the country. 
Among the experts the schuetzen rifbs exhibited by 
this firm of course were much and closely examined. 
These weapons are beautifully finished in every particu- 
lar, and are unquestionably rifles of the very best quality . 
Many was the time they were handled during the Exposi- 
tion by sharpshooters, several of whom have a national 
reputation. 
In a glass case almost abutting on the center aisle of 
the Garden, and demanding attention by the clicking of 
machinery within, were a repeating shoteun, model 1893, 
and a ,22cal. repeating rifle, model 1890. An electric 
motor showed the workings of these weapons, putting 
them through the motions of firing, ejecting and reload- 
ing with the steady regularity of clock work. Alongside 
this case was a stand against which rested some of the 
most curious looking weapons : Guns with barrels bent, 
curled, hammered and pinched — they were mere speci- 
mens showing just what sort of metal was put into the 
rolled steel barrels of the model 1893 repeating shotgun; 
these models stood every test, and not a flaw was to be 
seen. Another gun barrel showed a bulge near the muz- 
zle, but no fracture; the bulge was caused by the placing 
of a wad of wet sawdust about 4in. down the muzzle, the 
gun then being fired. The r°sult showed an even expan- 
sion without a flaw. 
Two of the most beautiful portions of this exhibit were 
the 4x9 glass show cases in which was arranged the am- 
munition display of the company. Shotgun shells, 
loaded, unloaded or sectionalized so as to show the 
method of wadding recommended by the company. 
Here were the Leader, Blue Rival, Brown Rival and 
Metal- lined shells; rifle ammunition of all calibers; bul- 
lets, patched and unpatched, soft-pointed, hollow-pointed 
or solid ; all were arranged with the aid of mirrors, so as 
to make one of the prettiest portions of a very taking ex- 
hibit. Between these two cases stood a one-pounder rapid- 
fire gun, a beautiful but cruel looking weapon, perfect in 
every detail of a death-dealing whole. Below the gun 
stood a 4in. plate, showing several perforations made by 
Winchester 61b. armor-piercing projectiles in actual tests 
for the purpose of proving ammunition. Three of the 
projectiles that have actually passed through this plate are 
shown by the company, being fastened on top of the 
plate; they show but little sign of the ordeal they have 
had to undergo. 
Something that was absolutely new in this exhibit to 
This well-known and popular firm had a full line of 
guns, from the cheaper grades, plain, strong, well made 
and useful, up to the most expensive, marvels of fine 
material and fine workmanship. Their new and improved 
ejector was an interesting feature. It was shown in a 
sectional model and in complete form. Exhibitions of its 
practical workings excited the interest of the shooters. 
In short it was a display of fine work in the art of gun- 
making, in which the L 'fever Arms Co. could have a just 
pride and which sportsmen could study with profit. They 
also had their new automatic bicycle seat on exhibition, 
a most useful adjunct to the bicycle. 
Wm. Mills & Son 
Showed an artiBtic array of things that delight the angler's 
soul at spaces 105 and 106. Prominent in the display were 
a number of the celebrated Leonard rods in every con- 
ceivable style and size and weight, from heavy salmon and 
tarpon rods down to dainty little fly-rods for small brook 
trout fishing weighing but If ~>z. — nota grain more. These 
rods were 7ft. in length, and despite their delicate construc- 
tion had a lot of backbone. There were other light rods 
in the exhibit, notably some weighing from 3Joz. to 4oz.. 
9ft. in length. These are good for most brook fishing 
with light tackle, and lines, leaders and flies are made 
especially for them. The flie3 are tied on extra light 
snells and sneck bent hooks, and the leaders are light and 
tapered. 
Leonard's new Fort Myers tarpon rod is very light and 
very stiff. It measures 7ft. in length, and has an inde- 
pendent handle provided with Mills's patent reel lock, 
which effectually locks the reel on in any position. 
In addition to the Leonard rods, a full line of Standard, 
Eclipse and Paragon rods were shown, all of which were 
graceful in outline and bore the stamp of fitness for their 
special purposes. 
A novelty in the way of reels was a ball-bearing reel, 
one of the first ever put together. Though it runs freely 
it is not likely to come into general use, partly on account 
WM. MILLS & SONS, 
of the cost of construction and partly because it has no 
especial advantage over other reels now in use. The 
Crescent and Imperial reels were well in evidence, as were 
the Imp a rial, Monarch, Standard Silk and Standard Min- 
now casting lines. 
Wm. Mills & Son are metropolitan agents for the Helical 
Tube Premier Cycles, and a part of their space was given 
up to a display of these wheels. It included a very pretty 
ladies' rational, all nickeled, weighing 211bs., and a tandem 
weighing 351 bs. Helical tubing is constructed from the 
finest Swedish, cold-rolled sheet steel, wound spirally 
into tubes and brazed along its entire length. Govern- 
ment tests show it to be from 50 per cent, to 300 per cent, 
stronger than ordinary steel tubing, 
