^76 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Apeil 2, 1898. 
Trap Around Reading, 
Reading, Pa., March 16.— One of the closest contested shooting 
matches ever held around this part of the State was shot here 
to-day over the traps of the Independent Gun Club at Shilling- 
ton Park. The principals were Brooke Harrison, who has be- 
come quite prominent the last few years at the trap, and Harry 
J4 Goldren, champion live-bird shot of Berks county. A match had 
beeh made in which Coldren was to stake $200 to Harrison's $100, 
but^ report was circulated that it would be a "fake" match, when 
on the last minute the first match was declared off and a new 
match made for $100 a side, each man to shoot at 100 live birds, 
28yd's. rise, 50yds. boundary, ^ , . 
mie match had been arranged to start at' 2 P. M., but it was 
3 I". M. when Coldren fired the first shot, opening the match. 
Fully 500 persons journeyed to the shooting park to witness the 
match and were well paid for their trouble. The grounds are 
jhst.Veceiving the finishing touches for the State shoot, to be held 
Match 29, and present a fine appearance. Mr. Charles W. 
Bechtel w-as selected as referee; Mr. Edward Yeager, president 
of the Independent Gun Club, was trap-puller, and John Shaaber, 
Mr. .Moyer and the correspondent of Fokest and Stream were 
cltQsen as official scorers. 
The birds were a fine lot of strong, healthy pigeons, and no 
hard wind blew across the traps. Coldren made a run of 18, which 
was his best of the match, while Harrison's highest run was 22, 
Nine times throughout the match were the shooters tied. Mr. 
Ben Fleishman handled Coldren and Kuersten coached Harrison. 
Over $4,000 changed hands on the result, and another match is 
being arranged between the two men. It was rumored after the 
match that Isaac Eckert and Robert Welsh, of the Riverton Gun 
Cliib, Philadelphia, and Harrison and Coldren would shoot a 
teabi race, 100 birds per man, $200 a side per team. Forfeits have 
be^n posted and arrangements are to be made at once for the date 
and place. 
The score: 
Coldren 121112111121222121*211112—24 
21*21211*122221201202*212—20 
2222202121212*21221111002—21 
22222120110222221*0222220—20—85 
Harrison 1 22221111 2111121212212022—24 
2122012221202222221222222—23 
2212*220122022*1*12220*22—18 
• . . 2220102112221222102222022-21—86 
Dead but of bounds: Coldren 6, Harrison 4. 
Reading, Pa., March 16. — This afternoon while the Coldren- 
Harrison match was being shot, Mr. Bob Welch, of Philadelphia, 
the guest of Mr. Isaac Eckert, and his host, Mr. Eckert, met in 
private live-bird shooting match at Spring Valley shooting 
grounds. Mr. Geo. I. Bechtel acted as referee. The result at 
the finish showed Welch killed 86, missed 14, to Mr. Eckert's 
87 killed and 13 missed. As soon as the result of the Harrison- 
Coldren match was learned Mr. Eckert immediately issued a chal- 
lenge to shoot a team race, 100 birds per man, for $200 a side, 
Mr. Eckert choosing Mr. Welch as his partner to shoot against 
Coldren and Harrison. 
Pottstown, Pa., March 16. — number of interesting target 
matches were shot on the gi'ounds of the Shuler Shooting Asso- 
ciation between teams composed of W. G. Guest, W. I. Grubb 
and L. G. Davis on one side, and W. L. Stone, Livingstone Say- 
lor and Thos. Cole on the other. 
First event, 25 targets per man, known angles; two unknown 
angles, while the fourth was at 6 doubles. The first mentioned 
won each of the three matches with the scores of 49 to 48, 51 to 49, 
18 to 15, 19 to 12. 
Bally, Pa., March 16. — ^A live-bird and target tournament was held 
here to-day and attracted a large number of sportsmen from Potts- 
town, Rpyersford, Reading. Phoenixyille, Spring City and other 
places. In the first event at 7 live-birds, $5 entrance, Trumbauer, 
of Pottstown, won first monei' on a straight score. Gross, Btick- 
walter and Geary divided second money with 6 kills each. T?he 
second event was at 7 birds, $5 entratice. Trumbauer, Schefley 
and Brey each had 6 kills and divided first monej'. Gross 
and Buckwalter with 5 kills divided second money. There were 
fifteen entries in each of the above events. 
Norristown, Pa., March 16. — There was a live-bird shoot at King 
of Prussia, near here. The first event was for a purse of $25 or 
a SOOlbs. hog, The conditions of the match were 3 birds to a man, 
28yds. rise, 50yds. boundary. The following scores were made : 
Gaylor, Newton, Dull, Jenkins, 3; Hoy, Pedrick, Derr, Upden- 
grove, Hobbs, Dick, Boucot, 2; Marsden, 1. In the shoot-off for 
first money Dull killed 6 and Newton 5. Gaylor and Jenkins 
missed their first birds. 
Weissport, Pa., March 17. — Sportsmen from all parts of the 
coal region saw John F. Weiler, of Allentown, defeat P. F. Mur- 
phy, of Mauch Chunk, at a live-bird shoot for $50 a side. The shoot 
was at 10 birds, and each man killed 4. In the shoot-off Weiler 
killed 2 birds straight, while Murphy missed 1 and lost the 
wiatch. Arthur A. Fink. 
THE GRAND AMERICAN HANDICAP, 
The sixth annual Grand American Handicap tonrnament of the 
Interstate Association was fixed to be contested on March 22, 23 
and 24, but the last gun which announced the winner was not fired 
till well toward noon of the 25th. The tournament was held at 
Elkwood Park, which is a few minutes' ride from Long Branch, 
N. J. The Central Railroad of New Jersey and the Pennsyl- 
vania Railroad, near to which Elkwood Park is situated, arranged 
their schedules so that several trains made stops at the gates of 
the Park in each of the three days fixed for the event, thus 
materially aiding the convenience of all who were in attendance. 
Tbe entries this year numbered 207, of which 6 were post 
entries. Of the 207, 10 forfeited, so that the actual number of 
contestants was 197,- a number still far in excess of any entry 
. E. D. FULFORD, UTICA, N. Y. 
Winner of Grand American Handicap, 1898. 
preceding it. Last year the entries to the Handicap numbered 
146, of which 11 forfeited, leaving 135 contestants, a record breaker 
at that time. I» that contest the Hon. T. A. Marshall, of Keiths- 
burg, HI., was the winner. 
In comparison the beginning in 1893 was humble, the entries 
that year numbering 21, and the victor was Mr. R. A. Welch, 
of Philadelphia. In 1894 there were 54 entries, and that year Mr. 
T, W. Morfey, of Paterson, N. J., took first honors. The two 
first events were shot off in a Brooklyn park. 
Sixty-one entries in 1895 was a gain over all predecessors, and 
in the contest of that year at Willard Park, near Paterson, N. 
J., Mr. J. G. Messner, of Pittsburg, proved to be the winner. 
The entries of 1896 were a great gain over those of previous years, 
there being 109, and 105 who competed. Tbat year Mr. O. K. 
Dickey was the winder. / , , . 11 „ tt,,* 
Excellent portraits of the previous winners, as well as that 
of the last winner, are given in these columns, thus linking the 
honors of the' present, year hy year, to those of the beginning of 
the greatest trap-shooting event in America, and in point pt the 
number of entries, without doubt, the greatest in the world. 
As each recurring Handicap exceeded its predecess6rsv there 
was the greatest difficulty ' in the practical - management o,f it up 
to two years ago, owing to thte insufficient equipment of grounds 
for .itB peculiar needs; The Marge . entry of JL896 made necessary 
th« running of extra sets of traps, wllLcb m turn jnatje necessary 
j» *fstem of BGorinf to tjieej: f-Jie Rew requirements, and 
further suggested the need of quicker trapping and retrieving, all 
of which were so nicely perfected that the opportunities to shoot 
in the last two Handicaps kept nearly an even pace with the re- 
quirements of the shooters at the score. 
To accomplish all this so perfectly every important part of the 
management of the slioot was in a high degree specialized. The 
Interstate Association engaged only the best trained talent for 
every working department of the tournament, with the result 
that it Tvas conducted from start to finish without any inaterial 
break. 
Elsewhere in our columns are portraits of the President, Vice- 
President and Secretary of the Interstate Association respect- 
ively, Mr. J. A. H. Dressel, of Union Metallic Cartridge Co.; 
Mr. Irby Bennett, of Winchester Repeating Arms Co.; and Mr. 
John L. Lequin, of Hazard Powder Co. These gentlemen, with 
Capt. A. W. Money, of American E. C. & Schultze Powder Co., 
Limited; Mr. A. W. Higgins, of Laflin & Rand Powder Co., and 
Mr. Edw. S. Lentilhon, representing E. I. du Pont de Nemours 
& Co., composed the Board of Directors. 
The Tournament Committee were Messrs. Irby Bennett, Chair- 
man; A. W. Higgins, Charles Tatham, John L. Leq.uin and E. 
S. Lentilhon. 
THE HANDICAP COMMITTEE. 
As originally arranged the Handicapping Committee consisted 
of Mr. Jacof) Pentz, of Shooting and J?ishing; Mr. Edward 
Banks, at that time of Fokest and Stream; Mr. Will K. Park, 
of Sporting Life; and Mr. Elmer E. Shaner. Mr. Banks subse- 
quentlv accepted the office of secretary with the American E. C. 
S- Schultze Powder Co., and thereupon withdrew from the com- 
mittee. The handicapping was done by the remaining members 
°^ THE MANAGER. 
As mentioned hereinbefore, the different special parts of the - 
tournament were in the charge of expert men. The trapping, the ^ 
scoring, the squad hustling, the cashier's department, etc., were • 
duties set apart from all other duties. The manner of working 
all the departments to produce a harmonious whole was no less 
im.portant , than the perfect working of every subdivision, and 
had its own peculiar requirements and interest in the great 
tournament. , x^, t^, 
The general management was in charge of Mr. Elmer E. hhancr, 
of Pittsburg, and the mention of his name is quite enough to 
tell that it was managed with perfect skill and unflai/crmsr at- 
tention from start to finish. The organizing and conduct of the 
tournament was a standard to aspire to as being a model. 
Mr. Shaner's portrait is published elsewhere m these column.s. 
THE REFEREES AND SCORERS. 
At No. 1 set of traps was the veteran in trap matters, Mr.^ Jacob 
Pentz, who made the official declaration of "lost" and "dead," 
and passed on all other points appertaining to the office of ref- 
eree. The scorer at No. 1 was Mr. J. von Emmons. 
No. 2 set of traps was in like manner refereed by Mr. Harold - 
Wallack, and the scoring was done thereat by Mr. George W. 
Squier. • 
No. 3 set was arbitrated by Mr. Edward Taylor, tlie ballistic 
expert of the Laflin & Raltd Powder Co.; and Mr. H. Taylor, 
his son, did the scoring. 
The duties of the referees and scorers were most exacting, 
the most constant attention being necessary to observe every 
detail and avoid error. 
THE CASHIER'S OFFICE. 
Messrs. B. H. Norton and A. Meyerhoff, both of New York, 
and both expert men in such matters, had charge of the finan- 
cial end of the tournament, and they managed with skill and 
expedition the receiving and paying out of moneys appertaining 
*° COMPILER OF SCORES. . 
This important office was in charge of Mr. Edward Banks, 
Secretary of the American E. C. & Schultze Powder Co., and 
he was assisted by Messrs. John D. Regan, of Brooklyn, and 
T K. Starr, of Philadelphia. In this department was an excep- 
tionally high degree of talent necessary, inasmuch as to conduct 
it properly a thorough knowledge of every detail of the whole 
tournament was neces.sary. The utmost accuracy and expedition 
were indispensable conditions in keeping the scores fully com- 
plete and correct, so that the tournament might proceed without 
interruption, as a hr.lt in the office of compiler of scores would 
bring the whole affair to a standstill. In addition an official 
record of the tournament was kept, and a number of manifold 
copies made for the use of the press, both daily and weekly. 
The shooting was done in squads of twenty-five men. Ihe 
three scorers at the traps had the same list, and after the last 
of the twentv-five had shot the three scores were hurried to the 
compiler of ' scores, who copied them onto a complete sheet, 
on which the misses were written with a coarse blue pencil mark, 
so that all the misses could be seen at a glance. The moment- 
that a squad list was received by the compiler of scores a new 
squad list, already made up- was immediately sent out to" the 
.scorers, and the shooting continued with hardly a break in it. . 
To avoid unnecessary loss of time to the competition and un 
necessary expense to the contestants, one condition m the dif- 
ferent events was that a contestant should retire after he had 
lost a certain number of birds, there then being hardly a possi- 
bility at such juncture that he could win. Ihis also the com 
Pliers kept check on, and after a contestant had missed the 
speciSed number of birds his name was crossed from the' list 
■sent out to the scorers, and thus his name not being on the list- 
such contestant was not called up again. A close scrutiny of every 
squad list was necessary when it was returned, to note whether 
aliy one had missed the disqualifying number. 
With three sets of traps working, there was hardly an unoc- 
cupied moment for any one in the office of the compiler of scores. 
With the system used, a very close tab could be kept on the 
^''so^^perfectly was the office of compiler of scores conducted 
that but a few minutes Avere required to settle up each evetit 
after it was finished. Rebates were made out for birds not shot 
at as the men dropped out of the competition, and orders on the 
cashier for the prize money were ready for the winners soon 
after an event was ended. 
Mr. Banks was also the press agent. 
THE SQUAD HUSTLER. 
This important duty was performed by Mr. W. J. McCrickart. 
a duty by no means similar to a saunter through flower-he- 
spangled fields on a June morning. On him devolved the re- 
sponsibility of keepinc the men in readiness, so that there would 
always be a man ready to start in at No. 1 trap the moment the 
shooter had fired and left it. The shooters were numbered from 
1 to 207, each one bearing a placard his back on which was 
his number in large figures which could be easily distinguished 
even by those who were watching from the windows; and also 
in smaller figures was painted the contestant's handicap in yarcBs, 
the latter being of special service to the referees as it enabled 
them to see at a glance the handicap of each shooter as he 
walked to the score, thus avoiding all chances of error in th^t 
resptet The numbers on the shooters' backs corresponded to 
the numbers placed before their names on the score sheets, thus 
materially assisting the scorers in identifying each shooter who 
shot out of turn;" and the programmes, sold on the grounds, also 
r-ontained a list of the shooters, their numbers and handicaps, 
making the whole easilv understood by the spectators. On see- 
ing the number of a shooter the spectator had but to turn to ttee 
programme, find the number in the list, and there was the name 
and address followed the number. At No. 1 trap Mr. Elmer 
E. Shaner, the manager, stationed himself most of the time, 
aiid his clear, resonant voice could be heard calhng off the 
numbers of the shooters who were to shoot or get reidy, while 
the answering calls of McCrickart within the buildmg, calling 
the same numbers, denoted that it was a most exacting ta^k 
to keep the wheels moving. 
■THE RETRIEVERS. ' 
There were nine dogs provided to retrieve the birds, three to 
each set of traps. Most were setters. Some of the dogs per- 
formed first-rate, but they became greatly fatigued in the after- 
noon of each day, and then they would work -in a slovenly w^y 
or quit Then it was necessary to have the birds gathered by 
boys, and at such times there was a perceptible slowing up in 
the progress of tlxe tournament. Retrieving is very labono&s 
work for a dog, and when it is considered that several thousaW 
birds were klHed in the three days, and that each bird denotes 
a run for'a retriever, minus a few hundred gathered in by boys, 
it is no eause for wonder that the dogs at times lost interest _4n 
the- work or refused to do it. They demonstrated m a Cdnclusfcye 
manper that thev are invaluable as assistants in speedily conduct- 
ing 'a tourname'nt, and enough of them to do the retrieving 
throughout the tournament would make a material difference -tn 
the time consumed in running it. Several of the dogs showed 
a most finished schooling in the accomplishment, bringing in the 
birds promptly, tenderly and to hand, delivering fhern m a cor, 
rect and finished manner. 
TH5; GROUNDS, 
shown by the plan of the grounds, the s.ets .of traps wltH 
their 50yd, _ boundary were set in the clover-leaf style, a plan of 
whi^h is given elsewhere. The reader should bear in mind 'that 
the little circles are 100yds. across, and that all parts of the plan 
are on a corresponding scale. Roomy platforms surround the 
club house, making good footing whether the weather is wet or 
dry. The club house itself is a two-story building with a wing 
at each end, which were set apart specially for the use of the 
shooters; from one, the east room, the shooters walked out to 
No. 1 set of traps, and when they completed the round of the 
traps, shooting each three shots, "they could walk straight into 
the wing opposite No. 3 set of traps. 
The glass sides of the wings, facing as they did the traps at 
Nos. 1 and 2, afforded every opportunity to witness the shooting 
comfortably from under cover besides being a convenient gun 
room and waiting place Tor the shooters until their turn came 
to shoot. The main building is two stories, the first floor having 
places set apart for the compiler* of scores, the cashier's office, 
and the daUy press, direct wires to any part of the country being 
available to the latter. The upper floor during the noon hours was 
TO 
/ j,f,,,jf 
. B 
PLAN OF GROUNDS. 
used a.s a restaurant, meals being served for 50 cents. At other 
times it was at the service of tlie visitors, and as it had windows- 
facing on all three sets of traps it was well occupied much of the 
time, the bird's-eye view being better than any other. 
THE BIRDS AND THE TRAPPING. 
The birds were an excellent lot, and were furnished by Mr. 
Louis C. Kistner, of Baltimore, Md. Messrs. Daly & Chanfrau 
secured 7,000 from him in one lot, and on them the Grand 
American Handicap was shot. 
An underground passage ran from No. 1 trap to No. 5 at each 
set of traps, with an ample passageway at each end for the 
passing in of full crates and the removal of the empty ones. 
The trapper remained in the underground passage. He filled 
the empty traps from below, only an instant of time being needed 
to place the bird in the trap; thus they were refilled in the next 
moment after the gun was fired. 
The number of birds shot each djiy, etc.,, will be found m the 
notes appended to this report. 
The force provided at each trap by Messrs. Daly and Chan- 
frau was one trap-puller; one trapper, the latter being in evidence 
but little, as he was in the underground passage under the traps 
mo.st of the time; one ball boy, whose duty it was to bowl wooden 
balls toward such birds as refused to fly; one bird boy, who took 
charge of the birds after they were retrieved, smoothed them out 
and laid them out on wire racks to cool out, preparatory to mar- 
keting them; and last, but not lea.st, a man who had charge 
of the retrievers, three of which were provided at each trap. 
Thus equipped, the trap was pulled instantly when the shooter 
called pull: the trap was refilled the moment the shooter had 
shot; the dead bird was retrieved quickly by the retrievers; and 
the bird boy did the rest. In this respect it may be mentioned 
that the retrievers from overwork quit several times, and boys 
were used instead, at which times there was a perceptible slow- 
ins: up in the progress of the tournament. 
The absence of wind was against the safety of the birds. Iney 
flew too steady and true. Arrayed against such skill as faced the 
traps at Elkwood, it was exceedingly difficult for a bird to get 
hard, however strong or swift it might be, as most of the birds 
were killed very close to the traps. 
FROM DISTANT PARTS. 
By far the greatest number which came in a body were the 
Western visitors, who numbered forty-nine in all, and came by 
way of Niagara Falls in two special cars. All enjoyed the grand 
scenery of the trip. A quartet of musicians added much to the 
entertainment of the party en route. Most of the rnembers of_the 
Western party, not all, wore sweaters with the legend Western 
biK letters on' the breast, so that they were quite distinguishable 
from the other shooters present. Among them were some ex- 
cellent shots, and at the end of the third day it looked very 
much as if the Western party could nearly call the cup theirs. 
In the party were shooters from Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota. Wis- 
consin Nebraska, Arkansas, Indiana and South Dakota. More 
ijenerally speaking, 132 were from the East, 51 from the West. 
16 from the South, and 2 from Canada. Among the_ ladies present 
were Mesdames H. P. Collins, E. S. Rice, C. P. Richards, G W. 
Carson, L. Shaw, W. B. Kibbey, M F.. Lmds ey (Wanda), W. P. 
Shattuck, and others whose names I did not learn Ihe Chicago 
party stayed at the Norwood, at Branchport, and the other shoot- 
?rs were quartered in the hotels at Long Branch or at Elkwood 
Inn, at Elkwood Park. 
TUESDAY, THE FIRST DAY. 
The weather was raw as to temperature, with a cold, drizzling 
rain falling and a touch of fog in the air, which, with a sky 
darkly overcast, made unfavorable conditions. There also was 
a very poor light. In the midday hours there were a few weak 
signs of clearing up, but they soon disappeared, and in its closing 
hours of the afternoon a slow, steady rain fell till 'near night- 
fall. Nevertheless some very good shooting was done, as tne 
scores appended herewith will show. . „ . .^.^ 
The birds were very reluctant to take wing, most of thetn 
preferring to sit still till the rolhng ball frightened them and 
forced them to fly. A stiffish wind was blowing, though not 
strong enough to add materially to the difficulties of the shoot- 
ing. 
THE ELKWOOD PARK INTRODUCTORY AND NITRO 
POWDER HANDICAP. 
There were two events shot on this day, the conditions of 
which were as follows: r, , • j »r- ^ 
The Elkwood Park Inlaoductory was at . birds, $5 entrance, 
birds ex^ra handicaps 25 to 33yds The division was 50 30 and 20- 
h gh guns-i-not class shooting. Ties in this event did not shoot 
off, but divided. There were 35 ties, which divided $445, each 
""^^^tw^i Powder Handicap was at 15 birds, $10 entrance, 
birds extra, handicaps 25 to 33yds. The number of moneys into 
which the purse was divided was determined by the number of 
entries received, and the i30 entries came under the following 
orovision: 91 to 100 entries and over, 20 moneys, 14, 12,. 9, 8, 7%, 
fiiT fi 5 n 4 3 3 3 2 2 2, 2, 2, 2, 2 per cent., the provision con- 
templating two' places' for each 10 entries or fraction thereof up 
to WO? in 15-bird events. Of the 1.30 entries, 24 ki led straight, di- 
viding $1,300, which was $54.15 to each The shooting began at 10 
o'clock The first event was finished shortly before noon, and 
The second was begun soon thereafter. 
Thrscores are given below in double column, and the reader 
can thereby see at a glance what each contestant did m both 
THE SCORES. 
Elkwood Park Handi- Nitro Powder 
Introductory. cap. Handicap. 
■Halln^.pii 201 -2 28.. 222212202220 —10 
^rtVv^r 202 -2 32.. 222222222222*22— 14 
E s Rice 120 -2 25. .012022 -4 
V>r Williamson ' ' 222?2* -5 30 . . 221222222222222-15 
Mrs Shattuck .022 -2 25. .113122120111222-14 
Revnolds 220 -2 26. .202222202 -7 
ofckson : 2112112-7 27.. 221*01 ^4 
Geo Roll 2222222-7 29.. 202202 —6 
Wasner ■ X^^^IVll-l 27. .-221112022111 -12 
GWriav 22222'^S— 7 26 .. 222222223322222-5 B 
H \ Colvin ■ 023 -2 25. .22120* - 4 
Gilbert . . -m -2 %i..'m%mm ~io 
