Feb. is, igcw.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
I sis 
original primer fired. Why is it? I do not know. It is an un- 
explainable passion. I just must sit down and get out all those 
tools and go to loading, "just as Coleridge's butcher must get 
up and go a-killing." HaLf may never be used; probably will 
not be; that is neither here nor there. The only way to prevent 
the loading is to enact a law prohibiting it, and then arrest and 
jail me in advance. 
I think if you should call at my bachelor quarters I could show 
more guns, pistols, revolvers, etc., than you would see outside a 
Store, and many more than some retail stores. Why is it I waste 
all this money? Don't know. Tf you ask the question, and it 
comes prompted by the feelings of your heart, I can't explain to 
you. One who is not prompted to ask the question will under- 
stand without explanation. He is one of the few elect. A member 
of the best circle on this earth, a true nobleman or sportsman. 
I have twenty-one different styles of revolvers and^ pistols, all 
modern and thirteen rifles; beside the guns mentioned above, 
eleven old-time guns. Why, to save money, of course. Shut up! 
Don't ask any more fool questions. 
Now, as to the practice of the art referred to. I shall say 
nothing now, but may later. I wish <to finish this article with 
something that may be of value to its devotee, and of some in- 
terest to shooters in general. To satisfy ray own curiosity, T ex- 
perimented with a large number of the different makes of shells 
to test their wearing quality. I loaded each with the same load 
and fired from the same gun chamber. All were the same length. 
The new Club and Rival (old styles of each) broke off at fourth 
snot; the Leader and Smokeless at the fifth; also the Green 
Trap, Winchester. The U. M. C. Green lasted seven shots; the 
nitro Club four shots; Repeater five shots; the Ideal eight shots; 
the new Victor ten. 
The Ideal held out longer than the Trap because it has thicker 
paper. All the above shells burned off just where the metallic 
base stops on outside shell, caused, I presume by the unequal 
heating of the two materials. The secret of the long resistance of 
the Victor is the inside non-metallic support. This reaches up 
above the metal base on the outside. All these shells would 
crimp beautifully up to the third time; then began divergence 
None would take a square crimp after first firing.. 
Here, then, to the country boy, farmer and reloader of shells gen- 
erally is your combination. Buy twenty-five new shells, a box of 
primers and reloading tools, and you are fixed, if economy is your 
object. 
And this, it seems to me, might be laudably encouraged. A 
shell is undoubtedly as good second shot as at first, and almost 
at the third firing. 
The wealthy shooter and the one who apes his demeanor may 
he overlooked; the one because he can afford it; the other be- 
cause he is a fool. The paid trapshooter must of course throw 
his away, because the company wishes to destroy shells; yet 1 
think they would sell more if shooting were made cheaper, as a 
greater number will take part. Yet if you feel like saving your 
shells do so from this standpoint alone. 
I see colored boys here who save coppers until enough are 
accumulated to buy a box of black powder shells, invest with all 
the abandon of a skilled roue, throw away the empty as a Van- 
derbilt would toss the stxtmp of a Havana. So you will not at least 
be in this class. Some of these fellows who are now so lavish 
■when boys put a little shot in a peppermint bottle, some powder 
in another peppermint bottle, five or six caps in a salve box, 
spent hours hunting up old hornet nests for wadding, 'then with 
an old $3 muzzleloader, with a barrel as long as a stove poker, 
they went forth to kick and be kicked. One of the shells they 
now shoot with such apparent eclat would make a day's hunt 
then. Well, they are all good fellows; so is any one who likes 
to shoot and hunt and fool with guns and walk in the woods 
just because he likes to do so. J. F. Welch. 
Robeljne, La. 
American Shooting* 
While we are quite willing to admit that our American cousins 
arc excellent performers with the shotgun, that so far as skill in 
game shooting goes they have little to learn from us, we are 
scarcely prepared to admit that the American sporting newspapers 
are justified in pointing so exultingly to the result of the Anglo- 
American clay bird shooting contest here last summer as having 
demonstrated beyond doubt the superior skill of Americans as 
regards shotgun marksmanship. Those who witnessed the match 
at Hendon in June last were under the impression that they were 
spectators of a trial of skill with the gun between two amateur 
teams. The English team was known to be entirely an amateur 
team of sportsmen, who had gone into the contest purely as a 
sporting event that they scarcely expected to win. They expected 
to meet a team of American sportsmen solely, to the entire ex- 
clusion of the professional element, and on that footing, we 
understand, expressed or implied, the money was staked and the 
match entered into. But almost every man in the American team, 
it would now appear, was a recognized professional sbot in the 
United States. 
By the term "professional," according to the rules of the I. B. 
S. A., is meant a competitor who shoots or has shot in public 
for a livelihood. The majority of the American team were such 
professionals, we find, from the review of trapshooting in America 
for 1901, appearing in the American Sporting Life. The two names 
appearing at the top of the list, for instance, ranking first and 
second among the professional shots of the year, are Fred Gilbert 
and W. R. Crosby, both of whom shot at Hendon in the Ameri- 
can team. The team, in short, was not composed of amateurs, but 
of professional shots, who would, by our English rules, have been 
precluded from entering to compete here in any club contest. 
This, as any reader of American sporting newspapers must see, 
compels a considerable discount from their victory, and deprives 
it of the character of the result of an international struggle on fair 
terms. This is a feature of the Anglo-American, match that we 
do not think has hitherto been brought to light, and it leads us 
to deny the American claim to superiority in the skilled use of 
the shotgun. In any match of the kind that may hereafter be 
arranged, the first condition should be a stipulation for the ex- 
clusion of professional shots. — The Country Gentleman. 
[We are under the impression that some members of the English 
team were professionals, and that the members of it knew that 
they were meeting professionals.] 
WESTERN TRAPS. 
Kansas Cfty— Ho! 
Chicago, 111.. Feb. 8. — Special train for the Grand American 
Handicap. I desire to announce through the columns of your 
paper, thus early, that I have arranged for a special train to 
Kansas City, leaving Chicago, Sunday. March 30, via C, B. & Q. 
This train is due to leave the passenger station of the Burlington 
Road, Adams and Canal streets, at 8 A. M., calling at Aurora, 
9 A. M. ; Mendota, 9:55; Galva, 11:15; Galesburg, 11:55; Bushnell, 
12:35 P. M.; Quincy, 2:30, and due to arrive at Kansas City at 
9:30 P. M. 
This train will accommodate passengers from Decatur, Knoxville, 
New Boston v Tampico, Jacksonville, McHenry, Rock Island, 
Keithsburg, Neponset, Rockford. Danville, Springfield, Peoria, 111., 
and Dubuque, la. Arrangements have been made for chair carsj 
buffet and dinings cars, one fare for the round trip. 
I shall be pleased to reserve space, provide tickets and supply 
any further information required. E. L. Rice. 
Garden City Gun Club. 
Burnside Crossing, 111., Feb. 8.— At Watson's Park to-day the 
Garden City Gun Club held a club shoot, which was markedly 
well attended. The main event had a handicap allowance. Follow- 
ing are the scores: 
Roll, 0 2121221221*02222 —13 
Rust, 2 112*202112*200112—12 
Weber, J 1212212122001221 —14 
O'Brien, 0 21212201211*222 — 13 
Mack, 2 20122201111102110—13 
Alabaster, 0 220211220111122 —13 
Voting, 1 .. 222210221 020H1 2 —13 
Kleinman, 0 11202*121111011 —12 
E S Rice, 1 2120120220122022 —12 
Robertson, 2 102102IKI010101001— 8 
Sawyer, 2 11202221112110*12—14 
Oliphant. 2 01 11101001 201 1212—1 2 
Barto, 0.. 110010211220222 —11 
Lord, U : 100222ulli222]2 —la 
Gillis. 1 .1222201112202020 —12 
Miller, 0 ...1022*2211220101 —11 
Shcllenberger, 2 022O1101111201221—13 
Daly, 2 22222*22201122222 -15 
Steck, 0 2*112*122221102 —12 
Amberg, 0 £&3%22UO*iffX22 —10 
The Late Charles Parker. 
In last week's issue of Forest and Stream there was pub- 
lished a brief mention of the death of Charles Parker. Since then 
we have received a copy of the Meriden Journal of Jan. 31, which 
contains a brief biography of his career, substantially as follows: 
The funeral of ex-Mayor Charles Parker, who died at 1:15 o'clock 
Jan. 31, at the advanced age of ninety-three years will be held 
Sunday afternoon. There will be prayer at the house at 1:45, and 
the regular service at the First M. E. Church at 2:30. 
While the details of the obsequies were not fully completed this 
afternoon, it was announced that an opportunity would be given to 
all who wished to view the remains at the church at the con- 
clusion of the services. 
Notwithstanding his age, Mr. Parker had been in fairly good 
health until recently, and therefore his death was a surprise and 
shock. 
Early last evening he began to fail, and at 8 o'clock his tempera 
ture was 10S. Dr. Smith then thought he would not last an hour, 
but Mr. Parker's wonderful vitality, which on former occasions 
had pulled him through severe attacks, again manifested itself, and 
he lingered until 1:15 o'clock, when he died in the arms of his 
daughter, Mrs. W. H. Lyon. Death was attributed to nephritis, 
or inflammation of the kidneys. 
Three weeks ago he caught cold and suffered from a grip attack. 
He was gradually recovering, and had almost rallied from the ail- 
ment when stricken yesterday. 
Mr. Parker retained his full mental factulties until a few hours 
before his death. He was always of a cheerful disposition, and 
never complained or was a burden in any way to the family. His 
death will be mourned with sincere sorrow. 
All the factories of the Charles Parker Company were closed 
to-day and will remain closed until Monday, owing to the death. 
While a member of St. Elmo Commandery, Knights J 'empiar, 
the members of the commandery will not turn out in a body and 
hold Masonic services at the grave, as customary. This is at the 
request of the departed. 
The following sketch of Mr. Parker is taken from Dr. Davis' 
"History of Meriden and Wallingford'' : 
Charles Parker, son of Stephen and Rebecca Parker, was born 
in Cheshire, Conn, Jan. 2, 1809. When nine years of age he was 
placed with a farmer by the name of Porter Cook, where he re- 
mained until he was fourteen. He continued on a farm until he 
CHARLES PARKER. 
was eighteen, when he went to work in Southington, casting 
buttons for Anson Matthews. He remained there one year and 
then removed to Naugatuck, then a part of Waterbury, where he 
worked for Horace and Harry Smith about six months. 
In August, 1828, Mr. Parker came to Meriden and hired out to 
Patrick Lewis making coffee mills. In December, 1829, he went 
into business for himself with a capital of $70, taking a contract 
from Lewis & Holt for thirteen months to manufacture coffee 
mills. His shop stood nearly opposite his present residence. 
During the thirteen months Mr. Parker cleared $1,300. He then 
took in as a partner, Jared Lewis, and took another contract from 
Lewis & Holt to manufacture coffee mills, ladles and skimmers. 
In January, 1831, he sold out to Jared Lewis and bought an 
acre of ground lying west of his present residence. On this ground 
was an old brown house, and Mr. Parker paid for the house and 
ground $650. On the back of this lot he built a shop, which was 
finished in the spring of 1832, in which he manufactured coffee 
mills and waffle irons. Mr. Parker then went to market his own 
goods. 
In November, 1833, Lewis & Holt failed, thus leaving the whole 
market in Mr. Parker's hands. In 1833 he associated with his 
brother Edmund, and Heman White, and carried on business 
until 1835, when Edmund Parker was sent to Montgomery, Ala., 
with clocks and dry goods. In 1836 he returned, and Mr. White 
went to Montgomery with dry goods, which sold readily. 
In October, 1837, he made a second trip to Alabama with a 
large stock of dry goods; but the hard times came on and he 
lost heavily, much embarrassing the firm of Parker & White, who 
did not fully recover from their embarrassment for over six 
years. They were often advised by their friends to fail, but did not, 
and paid all debts in full with interest. 
During this time Edmund Parker sold out his interest to Mr. 
White, and in 1843 the partnership was dissolved, Mr. White 
going South, where he soon failed. He came hack to Meriden 
and hired out to Mr. Parker for $100 a month. 
Mr. Parker's business steadily increased, and in 1844 he added 
largely to his buildings, putting in steam power, having previously 
used horse power. He was the first to manufacture plated spoons 
and forks, and the first to plate hollow ware in Meriden. 
At the age of thirty-one Mr. Parker experienced religion, and 
after two years united with the Methodist Church. He gave 
the Methodists the lot on Broad street on which their first church 
was built, and also, gave three-quarters of what the building cost; 
and he and his brother John jointly contributed between $30,000 
and $40,000 toward the erection of the present Methodist Church. 
His liberality was great, but unostentatious, and whenever he 
conferred a favor he endeavored to conceal it from the world. Mr. 
Parker always refused to accept office, though often urged to do 
so, until Meriden was incorporated a city, when he was elected 
mayor, which office he held two years. 
Mr. Parker married on Oct. 6, 1831, Miss Abi Lewis Eddy, of 
Berlin, and had ten children. The youngest son, Dexter Wright 
Parker, was graduated at West Point in the spring of 1870. he 
being then in his twenty-first year. 
In 1877 the several industries which Mr. Parker controlled 
were to a certain extent combined and the Charles Parker Com 
pany or corporation formed, so that Mr. Parker might be relieved 
of some of the arduous duties. Beside the main Parker plant 
between Elm and High streets, other concerns in which he was 
the principal owner and which are controlled by the Parker in- 
js.a «tt, Parker Bros.; manufacturers of the celebrated Parker 
gun; the Meriden Curtain Fixture Company, the largest manu- 
facturer of. shade rollers, curtains and fringes that there is in 
the United States; the Parker Clock Company, with factory situ- 
ated about two miles west of the railroad depot. The Parker 
Company has manufactories at East Meriden for making cabinet 
locks, tea, table and basting spoons, and at Yalesville for making 
piano stools, coffee mills and packing boxes. 
For the past few years the burden of management of the diverse 
industries has rested on William IT. Lyon, Mr. Parker's son-in- 
law, under whose able direction the plant in all departments has 
been most prosperous, 
Mr. Parker became connected with Harmony Lodge, No 20 
F. and A. M., of New Britain Dec. 11, 1S48, and later 'became a 
charter member of Meridian Lodge and its first treasurer He 
was exalted in Keystone Chapter No. 27, Feb. 21, 187lj and 
knighted in St. Elmo Commandery Nov. 9, May 27 1871 
Mr, P&rkw'a Surviving cbiWren are rtexfer W, Parker and Mrs. 
W. H. Lyon. The grandchildren are Miss Elsie Lyon, Mrs. J. F. 
Allen, Alderman Wilbur F. and L. C. Parker, and Charles P. 
Breese. 
Mr. Parker's success in life was owing to strict economy and 
close application to business; he often working fifteen heurs a 
day attending to his large correspondence evenings. He was 
distinguished for good sense, great industry, method in business 
and punctuality in all his engagements. lie was the ideal busi- 
ness man in his younger days, and for many years after others 
of less energetic character would have given up all business 
affairs, he kept in thorough touch with the many lines in which 
the immense Parker company was engaged. In his death Meriden 
loses its most distinguished citizen. 
ON LONG ISLAND. 
Van Allen's Shoot. 
Interstate Park, L, I., Feb. 5.— There was a rallying from afar 
to the shoot of Mr. S. M. Van Allen, held at Interstate Park to- 
day. There were visitors from Rhode Island and Pennsylvania, 
and New Jersey was strongly represented. It was a good day for 
the birds; that is to say, it was hard shooting. There was a stiff 
7 o'clock wind, full of a sharp coldness, which accelerated the 
flight of the birds and chilled the fingers of the contestants. The 
ground was covered with snow, whose glistening white surface 
added a further difficulty to accurate work with the gun. 
The main event was well contested. The handicaps in it were 
none of the easiest, the 33yd. mark being scratch, a rather un- 
usual distance as to length, as more than 32yds. is seldom used. 
But the first price was tempting, it being no less than gold in the 
form of $75, a tempting morsel of wealth, all the more attractive 
since all the entrance moneys were divided. The conditions were 
20 live birds, $10 entrance,' birds extra, high guns, handicaps 28 
to 33yds. 
Before the main event three preliminary events were shot, 
namely: A miss-and-out at 28yds., $2 entrance; a miss-and-out at 
30yds., $3 entrance; an event at 7 birds, $5 entrance, 26 to 31yds. 
handicap, two moneys, class shooting, The scores in the prelimin- 
aries follow: 
No. 1, miss-and-out, 2Syds. : Piercy 10, D. S. D. 10, Le Roy 9, 
Van Allen 8, Hopkins 8, Schoverling 5, Morfey 1. 
No. 2, miss-and-out, 30yds.: Morfev 7, Van Allen 7, Schoverling 
7, Piercy 5, Le Roy 3, D. S. D. 1, Hopkins 0. 
>fo. 3, handicap, 7 pigeons, two moneys, class shooting: 
D S D, 29 2111111—7 Bissett, 29 2212222—7 
Morfev, 31 2222221—7 Morris. 29 2222222—7 
Piercy, 30 2222121—7 Van Allen, 31 2222012—6 
Hopkins, 29 1211222—7 Le Roy, 30 2222022—6 
Extra, miss-and-out, 30yds.: Annie Oakley 5, Bissett 4, Steffens 
!, Butch 4. Buzby 4. Kroeger 3. Schoverling 3. Morris 2, Herbert 
2, D. S. D. 1, Clark 1, Koegel 1, Dupont 1, Belloff 1, Piercy, 
Banks, Capt. Money and Fanning missed first birds. 
In the 20-bird event there were twenty-six entries, and of these, 
some shot for birds only. Besides the first price, there were six 
other prizes, which went to the high guns in order and value, as 
follows: $28.50, $19, .$14.25, $12.35, $11.40, and $9.50. Mr. F. C. Bis- 
sett annexed the golden prize on a straight score, the only one 
made in this event. Messrs. S. M. Van Allen and A. A. Schover- 
ling killed 19 each, which was a 95 per cent, gait, and a good 
performance. The scores: 
Van Allen, 33 22222202222222222222—19 
Le Roy, 32 02222220022222202222—16 
Pi er cy , 31 20202222012201112122—16 
D S D, 29 101212*0011221212222—16 
D u tch , 29 2022*122122202202202—15 
Schoverling, 28 22222202222222222222—19 
B issett, 30 22112212222222222222—20 
Morns, 31 22220202002220222222—15 
Stevens, 32 20222222222122222202—18 
Dick Swiveller, 2.8 21110011202220*OU10— 13 
Hopkins, 30 222222*220222210*112—16 
Banks, 30 22222012221*01*10222—15 
Koegel, 32 2222201222*012001222—15 
Morfey, 33 22222202222202222222—18 
Annie Oakley, 28 22021121121220122020—16 
Fanning, 33 02012222222220222201—16 
Herbert, 29 21101100212211220222—16 
Clarke, 28 22020121221201111222—17 
( apt Money, 31 202220210*1222112120—15 
Voelker, 28 022221211101102012U— 16 
Alohrman, 28 22022220122210202202—15 
O'Rourke 2S. 1222H20211112U1012— 18 
Belloff, 30 20002211212022220021—14 
Steffens, 31 21221200221111222222—18 
Glover, 33 ,. 222222222222020222*2—17 
E Leek, 30 01122122202220220210—15 
An extra event at 10 live birds, six high guns, was shot, and in it 
Messrs. S. Glover and H. Koegel were the only ones who scored 
straight. The scores: 
Capt Money 12121222*2— 9 Piercy 22002w 
Herbert 0212020210— 6 Le Roy 2222222220— 9 
Fanning 22012w Stevens 022222220w 
O'Rourke 1221220222-5 Bissett 210202w " 
Steffens 0211221**2— 7 Schoverling ...... .0222220222— 8 
Mohrman 2022022022— 7 Swiveler 122221221*— 9 
Hitchcock 2111202202— 8 Butch 2£>2022Ow 
Clarke 1120212120— S D S D 2210*12121- 8 
Buzby 2200202002— 5 Banks .2221002w 
Glover 2222222222—10 Hopkins 122*212121—9 
)' an Allen 2222202222— 9 Voelker .......... ..111*112012— 8 
Koegel 2112222222—10 
New Utrecht Gun Club. 
Interstate Park, L. L, Feb. 8.— Excellent birds and a strong 7 
0 clock wind tried out the skill of the shooters to an unusual de- 
gree. In event No. 1 J. P. Brown won, the ties of it being shot 
off in No. 2. The ties in No. 2 were shot off in No. 3, and J B 
Brown won again. Ties in No. 3 were shot off in No. 4. 
« -r, „ „ No. 1. No. 2. No. 3. No. 4. 
Y>- t ,T ea T me £> 28 2211011—6 2111221—7 121**22—5 *221212— 6 
K W tiaff, 28 l**2Ul-5 1*01221—5 1112112-7 *112212-6 
W J Lurgan, 28 1222012—6 2222222—7 2122222—7 2222222—7 
1 P. Brown, 28 122220—6 2221221—7 1112222—7 2221222—7 
l -' tV Ramapo, 28 1111210-6 2011*w 1112121-7 1122221—7 
| VanA' en, 30 2220112-6 *112221-6 1*02*22-4 
G B Ritchie, 28 121*111—6 
Shoot-off of ties in Nos. 3 and 4; Lurgan won- 
W.T Lurgan 2222222 C A Ramapo 
J P Brown 2112120 
.12220 
G B Ritchie, 28 lB>1210-6 2201012-5 N .°.'.. 7 ' 
\V J Lurgan, 28. 2222220-6 2222220-6 12222* 
v D Creamer, 28 **10121— 4 12112'' 
g 4 28 1222212-7 220*w" 
It W Ha fl 28 2112121-7 1220121-6 ; 
R Sco ". 1222120-5 
Oceanic Rod and Gun Clafa. 
Bf, 0 ^'; Pa ^- K L - L ' , Feb - 3--The competition of the Oceanic 
Kod and Gun Club was favored with pleasant weather Th P „ P vt 
shoot will be held on Feb. 16. The scores follow" 
S vent f : 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 
targets: 15 15 15 15 20 20 20 20 2 0 20 20 15 
Mathews 9 10 8 10 9 S 13 15 13 14 6 . 
Jones ' 6 11 9 6 10 7 7 8 7 9 6 , 
Hughie E 8 6 6 * !' 
Johnson 11 14 * 
Heckey , ..; , ... g 
§2*5 :: :: :: .. ^ -j -5 ;; ;; 
• 7 7 7 9 15 12 6 7 
...... 10 6 11 10 6 S 10 7 
3 4 7 9 5 10 .. .. 
Wilhardt 
Vochringer 
Herman 
Next shoot Feb. 16. 
Limited Gun Club. 
Inijiax.m-oi.is, Ind., Feb. 7.— The Limited Gun Club of Indian 
^^^^'^ Grand Central M]c *v & 
lhe first two days will be at targets, and on the last day will be 
the big pigeon race at 25 birds $25 entrance. This leaves a week 
intervening before the Grand American at Kansas City, thus al 
owing the Eastern shooters a chance to attend our shoot and to 
have a week's practice at Kansas City. 
Programmes will be forwarded in a few days. Any further in- 
formation may ubtomwj from B^rt. B AOanw, Wtoy 1 
