FORE ST AND "STREAM. 
reward a medal worth but fa or HO. The true sportsman may 
eotiijjete fdr glory only, but if a money consideration be added it 
should be worth speaking of or it is less than worthless. 
Inanimate Target Tournaments for 1899. 
The status quo is very much the same as existed at the close 
of the seasons of 1890 and 1897. The increase in the number 
Of applications for tournaments is still highly stimulating, as- 
suring us of continued interest and prosperity. The phenom- 
enal growth of interest alluded to in my last report is unabated, 
but I deem it advisable to supplement and encourage it, as a 
prosperous organization like ours sets up no frontier to the limits 
of its operations. The phenomenal progress of the past should be 
an incentive to further effort rather than, a surfeit prescribing a 
boundary. 
Minor Details. 
Respecting the duties of my office, I do not deem a review- 
necessary. They have caused a large correspondence, as usual, 
but it is not of interest to the Association at large. 
I am still unable to see any necessity for changing the rule 
allowing clubs to select such handicap, manner or system of 
division of purses as they may consider most advantageous in 
their environment, and therefore counsel a continuance of the 
The properties, of the Association are stored in Pittsburg, fully 
protected by insurance. - 
Conclusion. 
The several sportsmen's journals, honorary members of our 
Association, have continued their good work, and are entitled 
to the highest praise for the faithfulness shown in reporting 
scores in all our tournaments, as well as publishing matters of 
general and particular interest in this connection. 
In conclusion, 1 wish to express thanks to our subscribers 
for the manner in which they have treated me in all our epistolary 
intercourse, and in this connection I wish to include the members 
of the various committees, whose aid, advice and gentlemanly 
treatment I appreciate at full value, and hope that their efforts 
will be crowned by full fruition. , 
Very respectfully submitted, 
Elmer E. Shaner, Manager. 
The Handicap and High Guns. 
A review of the issue between those who advocate high guns 
and those who advocate class shooting, to govern in the division 
of the moneys at the next Grand American Handicap, may prove 
interesting to our readers. We touch on it as an abstract proposi- 
tion,- with the further purpose, however, of showing that the high 
gun system is sound and that the class shooting system is falla- 
cious as it concerns this event. No argument is necessary to 
prove that high guns would be a success; some argument is 
necessary to prove that class shooting is worthy of consideration. 
The movement for class shooting was based on the failure of 
those who killed 23 or less at the last Handicap to win any of the 
money. The sums of money to be won were large, it is true, but 
they were large under the high gun system in use. High guns 
were a success; a change was unnecessary. The Association 
had assumed all the responsibilities, financial, managerial, etc., 
and had given it a prestige and importance under its own policy 
which no other shooting event of America possessed. 
The solicitude of the weaker shooters for the welfare of the Hand- 
icap seemed to be coincident with the fruits which it bore in the 
way of the large sums of money to be won. 
The shooter of average ability, more or less, was in favor of class 
shooting, to govern the division of the moneys in the Handicap. 
It is in accord with average human nature that the average shooter 
— or better or worse in .skill — should discover that the Handicap 
would be the real thing if the conditions were so adjusted as to 
fit his personal interests. Of course, the Association was to as- 
sume all responsibilities for the future, the same as in times past, if 
it adopted the average shooter's personal suggestions. The average 
shooter pointed out, in good faith, that the number of entries 
would be greatly increased if class shooting were adopted, and 
thereby it would be so much the more a success. It is to be noted 
that, while the reasons for the adoption of class shooting were 
such as theoretically would benefit the Handicap, they were prac- 
tically such as were best suited to the skill and interests of the 
average shooter. 
A policy, which would increase the number of entries, at first 
thought appears to be sound reasoning. But when we consider 
that the increase in numbers, on a basis which cheapens the shoot, 
lowers its grade of skill, evolving a cumbersome, wearisome com- 
petition to the contestants and uninteresting to the public, the 
matter then assumes a different aspect. Reasoning by analogy 
from other handicaps and tournaments, the more entries there are 
in any tournament, the greater is its success; but reasoning from 
matters of tournaments to matters of the Grand American Handi- 
cap is in many ways fallacious. 
Let us consider that, first of all, numbers never made the success 
of the Handicap. Its success was in its distinct unlikeness to other 
events. It was a success in 1897, when the numbers were less than 
in 1898. It was a success in 1896, when the numbers were less 
than in 1897. It was a greater success in 1898 than it ever was 
before, but it grew into the greater success and its successes were 
under the system of high guns. 
Nothing has been offered as showing why there would not be 
more entries in the next Handicap than it ever has had before, 
though, as already remarked, the numbers are not what made its 
success. As further proving this point, it may be mentioned that 
three or four years ago there were many shooting events which 
had a larger number of entries than did the then Grand American 
Handicap. Who can tell what they were? Who even remember? 
them? Yet there is no one interested in shooting who does not 
remember the Grand American Handicap. And why? Because 
it is and was the best shooting event of America. The public 
accepted it as such, for it was under auspices which were a guar- 
antee that the money and all else were all that were represented; 
that it was a sterling competition in all its details, and that the 
contestants vere tried cut to a finish. The standards were such 
that only the very best could compete with any show of success. 
Let us briefly consider the competition in other sports which have 
had a greater degree of evolution than has trap competition. 
In horse racing, what brings at times 10,000 or 40,000 people 
within the gates to witness the sport? Why do all the great dailies 
have telegraph service at the race tracks and have column after 
column, describing minutely the racing, published at the first pos- 
sible moment? First of all, the auspices under which such is held 
is a guarantee that the racing is genuine. Second, it is the best 
of its kind. There may be but two or three horses in a race, and 
yet it may be of national interest. It is the quality of the racing 
and what it represents, for each horse may have beaten hundreds 
of others, and therefore is not a horse in the sense that all horses 
are horses, but each is a horse which is racing with records and 
laurels and high ability associated with him. 
Let us suppose now that some truckmen, several thousand 
strong, were to come forward to the racing management and 
petition them that the game was too hard for them as it is 
conducted at present, and that therefore they would like to have 
the conditions "so cheapened that they also could come in with a 
reasonable chance of winning the money; in return they were sure 
that they could fill the track with draft horses from all parts 
of the country \ fill it from the wire to the half-mile post m 
lull of horses that it would be the greatest success of its kind 
that the world ever saw. The management might be disposed to re- 
mark that the petitioners did not have quite the correct theory of 
what constituted horse racing. 
There is one principle which is basic alike to all sports which 
have a view to lasting public approval and esteem — they must be 
the best of their kind. So it is with football, billiards, athletic 
sports of all kinds. Only the highest quality of competition is 
what wins the esteem of the public and engages its permanent 
interest. Mere matters of numbers may be worthy of considera- 
tion to the contestants, but they are of no public importance 
so long as there is enough to make competition. Whether there 
are five or twenty-five, or more or less, in a race, the matter of 
quality is what governs, if it is to have public approval, public 
appreciation, and a lasting place in the records. 
Surely the stockholders of the Interstate Association are to be 
commended for their wisdom and firmness in persisting in a policy 
which insures an event of the first importance in the shooting 
world, rather than one which is of importance merely to the con- 
testants who participate in it. 
The shooting interests of America are in a transitional stage. 
The interests of the Grand' American Handicap are not to be 
measured by the old standards. Its interests are not after the 
watermelon system, which admits every passer-by to cut off a slice 
if he but have any kind of an old knife. _ 
The Association in its wisdom threw open the doors to the high- 
est competition that America could produce. There are no re- 
strictions as to make of guns, powders, shells, etc. The winner 
is he who wins on his merit, and when he so wins he is tried out 
to a finish. No ether kind of winner would be esteemed as a real 
winner if he won in any other manner. The plaint of the shooter 
who shot and lost is no part of the event. A plaint is merely an 
idiosyncrasy, not a principle. 
No doubt, judging from the records of the past, and the greater 
present fame of the Association, the Grand American Handicap of 
1899 would be favored with a greater number of entries if it had 
held to high guns with the old number of the divisions of the 
moneys. No doubt there will be a still greater number of entries 
in consequence of the greater number of divisions of the moneys. 
The great prestige of the Association, however, will not be affected 
by this slight cheapening of the event, though it would lose its high 
place as the greatest test of real skill if the cheapening process were 
persisted in. 
As the event has grown to such magnitude, the true policy of 
the future is to make the conditions much harder instead of easier, 
about two guns in fifteen, or else an important increase in the 
entrance fee so as to make it an event worthy of the nerve and 
skill of those who are the real gladiators of the gun. 
1898. 
In its general features, the year now closing has been one of 
gratifying activity in the trap-shooting world. Some tournaments 
have been but partial successes, a few have been failures; but suc- 
cess and failure now and then are incidental to all other forms 
of sport, and indeed to all institutions. 
Trap-shooting seems to be in a transitional stage, comparing 
the old order of things with the new, which may in a manner ex- 
plain its diversity of systems and its fluctuations as to support — 
the tentative trying for something more equitable and satisfactory 
to the masses of shooters than what is offered at present. 
The popularity and the permanency of the sport are beyond ques- 
tion. Equally gratifying is it that the trend of trap-shooting is so 
beyond question. Alarmists, who interpret failure here and there 
as forecasts of its decay, and the changing of systems as being the 
expedients and allurements of the moment, should consider that' 
changes are a necessity in matters of evolution; that in stepping 
upward and onward in the march of improvement many old ideas 
must be abandoned and left by the wayside. It is broadening and 
moving on new lines of policy, the very opposite of decay. 
The Grand American Handicap, in itself, may be taken as an 
index of the trap-shooting support in America. It too may teach 
some useful lessons as to what inducements will bring out the 
shooters in competition. While there are great numbers of them 
in this great land, tournament managers have had great diffi- 
culty at times in inducing them to compete. Even the multiplicity 
of systems, which have proved so attractive in the past as to theory 
and so delusive in practice when tested by those who seem to trust 
to some vague mystic property of systems instead of to skill in 
shooting systems now in active use, have apparently lost their 
charms. No system of dividing the moneys will be of any advan- 
tage to the shooters who have less than the needed skill. This 
seems to be gradually understood by them. 
The competition is gradually becoming harder, as shots here 
and there graduate into the expert ranks. "Systems, therefore, are 
less valuable. » 
Successful as has been the last season under the many conditions 
affecting it adversely, it, considering the number of shooters in 
America and their enthusiasm, was far short of its possibilities. 
No doubt but what the fact that, under the systems in use, the 85 
per cent, man is most of the time in the frazzle ends of the 
money, and that a shooter of less skill, is not in it at all to any 
appreciable extent, has some bearing on the situation. Experts 
in all parts of the land have so multiplied in numbers that, 
wherever a tournament is held, there are enough of them present 
to take the bulk of the money, whichever of the systems in vogue 
may be in use. Taught by many experiences, the weaker shooters 
do what men of sense might be expected to do when their chances 
of success are too remote to be worthy of consideration; that is to 
say, they refrain from entering. A proper handicap would restore 
the equity of the shooting and the interest of the shooters. 
Many important matches, most of which were for trophies repre- 
senting one style or other of championship at live birds, have been 
shot during the year. They excited the liveliest interest among 
sportsmen. Some of the more important were the contests for the 
cast iron medal, the first of which was between Heikes and Grimm 
in early January, at Dayton, O., the former winning by a score 
of 93 to 90. The second, also at Dayton, was between Heikes 
and Budd, on Feb. 22; the former again won; score 91 to 82. On 
Oct. 22 Heikes defended the medal successfully against Elliston, at 
Nashville, Tenn., by a score of S6 to 94, a very closely and well 
contested race. This bauble can hardly be said to have any great 
championship significance. The Du Font trophy has been several 
times well contested for, the first time this year being in Brook- 
lyn, L. I., Jan. 15, between Gilbert and Elliott, the former win- 
ning by a score of 96 to 91. April 14, Gilbert and Parmalee con- 
tested for it at Watson's Park, Chicago, the former winning by a 
score of 86 to 82, Sept, 24, Gilbert and Elliott again contested for 
it at Watson's Park, the former scoring 97 to 94. The Star cup 
was a matter of competition several times, Elliott defeating Gilbert 
for it at Watson's, April 26, by a score of 90 to 86. On May 6 El- 
liott held it in a contest with Heikes by a score of 94 to 93, and won 
it finally in open competition at the Kansas City shoot on May 
19. Gilbert won the Sportsman's Review trophy, at Cincinnati, 
Nov. 4, Elliott capturing it from him on Dec, 12, by a score of 
95 to 92. The E. C. cup was contested for on Aug, 13 at Watson's 
by Heikes and Gilbert, at 150 targets, the former winning by a 
score of 140 to 137. Heikes again won it in open 'competition at 
Dayton, Oct. 14. The Montgomery Ward & Co. handicap dia- 
mond badge has been warmly competed for in Chicago, ag have 
been the Chicago challenge trophy. The Schmelzer trophy was 
won by Budd, Sept. 9, at Kansas City, in warm competition. Many 
matches have been shot between famous individuals. As to 
tournaments, there is no doubt but what the little tiff between 
Uncle Sam and Spain limited their numbers and their success. 
Nevertheless, many of them, great and small, have been held 
north and south, east and west, during the year and most of 
them were successful. 
Live-bird shooting is showing a renewed strength and activity, 
in measure due no doubt to the general impetus given that branch 
of the sport by the Grand American Handicap and the great live- 
bird contests for the trophies. 
There is every indication of a successful year forthcoming. 
ON LONG ISLAND. 
1 % 
New Utrecht Gun Club. 
Woodlawn, L. I., Dec. 17. — Harrison's shooting was a particular 
bright feature this afternoon with the conditions he had to contend 
with, a heavy rain beating right into the faces of the shooters. 
This shoot ends the club's contests for the yearly prizes at targets. 
Annual meeting of club will be held Dec. 28, 1898, at Robt. Sup- 
per's Avon Beach Hotel, Bath Beach. An elegant dinner will 
lollow meeting. 
Club shoot: 
L Harrison 1111111111111011110011111-22 
T B Rider 1111911000111110111011000—16 
F A Thompson 0101100110111100011101110—15 
J Gaughen 1001111100111111001010000—14 
W H Thompson 0011101001100100011111100—13 
E G Frost 1100100101000101010110100—11 
Gun shoot: 
L Harrison 1111011110111101111101101—20 
W H Thompson 0001101111111110101111111—19 
F A Thompson 0011111110001110111010001—15 
P E George 0111010110001101101111001—15 
T B Rider 0101011001001110110111100—14 
J Gaughen 0111101100101111001000010—13 
E G Frost 1001101000100101010010001—10 
Sweeps: 
Events: 1 2 3 4 5 6 Events: 12 3 4 6 6 
Targets: 10 15 10 10 10 10 Targets: 10 15 10 10 10 10 
L Harrison.... 8 10 7 George 4 10 
Gaughen 7 7 6 5 3 5 Rider ..10 7 6 4 6 
F Thompson 7 4 7 6 5 6 Frost 5 .. .. .. .. 
W Thompson.. 4 13 9 .. .. 7 
E. G. Frost, Sec'y- 
Rocfcaway Point Rod and Gun Club. 
Rockaway Point, L. I., Dec. 12. — Following are the scores made 
to-day, unknown angles, Sergeant system: 
Dudley 1111010110110111111101111—20 
Bill 0110110101001011111010101—15 
No. 2: 
Dudley ., 
Bill 
111110011111101—12 
110111001010111— 10 
Shields 101101100011111—10 
No. 3: 
Bill OOlllOlllOTttlll-lO 
Lancy 111110111101111—13 
Mul 00010001000000— 3 
Dudley 111001011111111—12 
Shields 001110011101010— S 
Charles 001110100100111— 8 
O'Brien 000101011001011— 7 
B Stoney 001010101111000— 7 
No. 4: 
Dudley 
Bill 
Lancy , , 
Mul 
Coleman 
Charles > 
Jones 
Sweepstakes: 
Events: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 
Targets: 10 10 10 10 10 7 8 
6 8 6 9 6 5 8 
4 3.. 7 .. 4 .. 
4 6 6 .. 10 .. .. 
Dudley 110111101110111—12 
Bill 110100011111111—11 
Mul 011000100001000— 4 
Shields 100101111000011— 8 
Lancy 110101001110011— 9 
Charles 011101011110010— 9 
O'Brien 111110101011011— 11 
Coleman ,111101110011100—10 
. 1111011111110011010111111—20 
.1010010011110110101100110—14 
. 1111101110110111111101111—21 
, 0110011101001111010011000—13 
. 0010001110100001101011101—12 
. 0 UllUOlOOlOlllOlOlOOOlO— 14 
. 1111111011011011101000011—17 
Dudley 
Coleman 
Lancy 
Bill 3 6 10 10 7 
Events: 1 2 3 4 5 
Targets: 10 10 10 10 10 
Shields 6 8 6.. 
Mul 3 .. 6 
O'Brien 8 6 
Stoney . 
Johnny Jones. 
IN NEW JERSEY. 
Hacfcensacfc River Gun Club. 
Hoboken, N. J., Dec. 22.— The H. R. G. C. held a live-bird shoot 
Dec. 20 on its ground at Heflich's Hotel; 10 birds, 28yds. rise. 
It was won by Frank Hall, he being the only one with a clean 
score: 
A heavy fog prevailed and required some quick work with the 
second barrel if it was to be used at all, The scores: 
F Hall 1211121222-10 H Heflich 1111122011— 9 
G Englebrecht 0120011201— 6 H Hutchison 1002022211— 7 
G Van Thaden 213)011210—7 L Stelzle 10122*0011—6 
P Schmidt 000211*210— 5 J Outwater 0100021210— 5 
H Harms 1112021111— 9 T Chartrand 2111*11012— 8 
H Pape 2112020010— 6 J Farley 0010200121- 5 
This was followed by a match between R, Aschbach and H. 
Thourot for a supper for the entire party of shooters and the 
price of the birds. This was won by Aschbach, as these scores 
show : 
R Aschbach ....222102002012— S H Thourot 201021020022—7 
Darkness then prevented any more shooting. 
John L. Chartrand, Sec'y. 
University of Pennsylvania Gun Qub. 
Fernwood, Pa., Dec. 17.— The following events were shot at 
unknown angles: 
Team match. 
Swain, captain ....,1111111010— 8 Steel, captain .....0100110111—6 
Parish 1110110111— 8 Freed 1110110010— 6 
Neilson 1111001010— 6 Singer 1110010011— 6 
Weaver 0011010011— 5 Baldwin 1010111111— 8 
No. 3, 25-cent sweep, two moneys: 
Freed 0111110101— 7 Weaver 1011011100— 6 
Singer 0110111101— 7 Steel 1111111111-10 
Swain 1011111101— 8 Baldwin 0111011011— 7 
Parish 1101111110— 8 
Monthly club shoot for cup: 
Baldwin 011001110101111010100111101011—19 
Freed . ..010010111111111010110111111100— 21 
Neilson 111110010110101111110101111101—22 
Steel 011110100010111111111111111010—22 
Singer OOOOOlllOOOlOlOOOlOlllllllllll— 17 
Swain . 011011001111111111011111100010—21 
Parish 111111111110111010101111111011— 25 
Weaver lllllOOHOlllOOOlOlOllOlllOUl— 20 
W. M. Swain was scorer. 
Under date of Dec. 20 Mr. H. P. Collins, General Agent of the 
Du Pont Powder Co., Baltimore, Md., writes us: "I beg to 
advise you of a loss which I sustained on Saturday evening last 
of my titanic steel barrel Parker gun, No. 89651, which occurred 
some time or somewhere between the hours of 5 o'clock, when 
I left the Riverton Gun Club grounds, and my reaching Baltimore 
at 10 o'clock the same evening. The gun and a Powers cleaning 
rod being removed from the case and bricks and stones substi- 
tuted therefor to make up the weight. Will you kindly make 
announcement of my loss in your next issue and very greatly 
oblige," 
