95^ 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Dec. 15, 1906. 
The Interstate Association’s Annua 
Meeting. 
The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Inter¬ 
state Association was held at Oakland, N. J., Dec. 6, at 
10 A. M. The meeting was duly adjourned, t.o meet the 
same date at 2 P. M., at the Grand Hotel, New York 
city. 
The adjourned annual meeting was called to order at 
2 P..M., with President J. A. Haskell in the chair. 
The roll call showed the following members present: 
Tatham & Bros., by Charles Tatham; Union Metallic 
Cartridge Co., by A. C. Barrell; Winchester Repeating 
Arms Co., by S. G. Lewis; Parker Bros., by W. F. 
Parker; E. I. duPont Co., by J. T. Skelly; Laflin & 
Rand Powder Co., by J. A. Haskell; Remington Arms 
Co., by E. E. Drake; the Marlin Fire Arms Co., by J. 
Howard Marlin; Hunter Arms Co., by John Hunter; the 
Peters Cartridge Co., by T. H. Keller; Chamberlin 
Cartridge & Target Co., by. Paul North; American 
Powder Mills, by' Murray Ballou, and the Dickey Bird 
Target and Trap Co., by G. H. Teft. The Austin Car¬ 
tridge Co. was represented by J. T. Skelly, by proxy, 
and the Lefever Arms Co., by E. E. Shaner, by proxy. 
E. C. Stark, of Sporting Life; H. S. Rosenthal and 
L. Werk, of Sportsmen’s Review, and John Taylor 
Humphrey, of Shooting and Fishing, honorary members 
of the Association, were also present, as was Elmer E. 
Shaner, secretary-manager of the Association. J. R. 
Wettstein, secretary of the United Lead Co., and L. C. 
Parker, of Parker Bros., were present by invitation. 
The minutes of the meeting held March 2, and those of 
a mail vote 'taken under date of May 4, were read and 
approved. 
Mr. A. C. Barrell, treasurer, and the secretary-manager 
presented their reports for the year ending this date. 
Approved and filed. 
A. H. Fox Gun Co., of Philadelphia, was elected to 
membership, and the resignation of the Hoyt Metal Co. 
was accepted. 
The Indianapolis Gun Club presented an application 
for the Grand American Handicap to be permanently 
located in Indianapolis, and held annually on the 
grounds of the Indianapolis Gun Club. The application 
stated that should the Interstate Association not decide 
on a permanent location, the Indianapolis Gun Club 
was not an applicant for the Grand American Handicap 
of 1907, and to the city and club that are successful in 
securing the G. A. H. the Indianapolis Gun Club gives 
its earnest support.. The Association, by resolution, de¬ 
cided it would be unwise to settle on a permanent loca¬ 
tion for this great event. 
Applications for the Grand American Handicap were 
then read, the applicants being Chicago and Columbus. 
By invitation Messrs. F'red H. l'eeple and John Smith 
addressed the meeting in behalf of Chicago and Colum¬ 
bus, respectively. It was decided that the Grand Ameri¬ 
can Handicap of 1907 would be held in Chicago on the 
new grounds of the Chicago Associated Gun Club. 
By resolution it was decided that future applications 
for the Grand American Handicap must be made in 
writing only, and to be considered they must be in the 
secretary’s hands thirty days prior to the time of the 
Association’s annual meeting. It was also decided that 
the Grand American Handicap not be held in the same 
city or under the auspices of the same club in successive 
years. 
By resolution it was decided that the Southern Handi¬ 
cap he held at Richmond, \ a., under the auspices of the 
Deep Run Hunt Club, and the second Western Handi¬ 
cap at Denver. Arms and the Man was elected an 
honorary member. 
Messrs. Haskell, Parker, Barrell, Keller, Durston, 
Tatham and Skelly were elected directors, and the board 
of directors elected the following officers for the ensuing 
year: President, J. A. Haskell; vice-president, W. F. 
Parker; treasurer, A. C. Barrell; secretary-manager, 
Elmer E. Shaner. 
The directors appointed the following committees: 
Tournament committee—Paul North, chairman; S. G. 
Lewis, A. C. Barrell, T. FI. Keller, A. H. Durston, J. 
T. Skelly and H. McMurchy. Handicap committee— 
Elmer E. Shaner, chairman; B. Waters, C. M. Powers, 
W. D. Townsend and Dr. E. F. Gleason. Trophy com¬ 
mittee—A. W. Higgins, chairman, and Edward S. Lentil- 
hon. 
A meeting of the tournament committee was. held at 
10 A. M., Dec. 7. Bjt resolution it was decided that 
professionals shall be barred from' competing for the 
money or trophies in all events at the Grand American 
Handicap tournament, with the exception of the Grand 
American Handicap proper and the professional cham¬ 
pionship events. Professionals may take part in the 
Preliminary Handicap at the G. A. H. tournament, shoot¬ 
ing for targets only from handicap distances as allotted 
by the handicap committee. 
By resolution it was decided that at the subsidiary 
handicaps given by the association professionals shall 
be barred from competing for the money or trophies in 
all events, but may shoot for targets only, the handicap 
events to be shot from handicap distances as allotted by 
the handicap committee. 
By resolution it was decided that the number of targets 
in the amateur and professional championship events at 
the Grand American Handicap tournament shall be in¬ 
creased to 200 targets each, in place of 150 targets, as 
formerly, the entrance money to be $20 for each event. 
By resolution it was decided that the handicap dis¬ 
tances at all tournaments given by the Association, the 
Grand American Handicap included, shall be from 16 
to 23 yards. 
The adjourned meeting of the stockholders was called 
to order Dec. 7. The action of the tournament com¬ 
mittee on the different matters taken up by it was duly 
approved. 
Mr. Irby Bennett, in view of his long and efficient con¬ 
nection with the Association, was unanimously elected an 
honorary member. 
Secretary-Manager's Report. 
The season of 19C6'has been perhaps the most successful 
in the history of the Association. That there is more 
trapshooting to-day than ever before is proven by the 
records of this office. I also believe the records of our 
individual members will verify this assertion. There 
seems to be a pronounced boom in the sport in all parts 
of the country, and I can see no reason why it should 
not continue to boom, with the aid of the Interstate 
Association. 
At our last annual meeting the Association decided To 
change its policy, and instead of giving a number of 
small tournaments, as in past years, decided to give 
four new handicaps, similar in the main to the Grand 
American Handicap, in 1906. The results fully justify 
the wisdom of this departure. In fact, much of the in¬ 
creased interest in the sport is due to the Association’s 
change of policy, and it is gratifying to the Association 
that it has won the praise which it spared no effort 
nor expense to obtain. , 
The first Southern Handicap tournament was held in 
Nashville, Tenn., May 15-17, under the auspices of the 
Cumberland Park Gun Club. Many experts pronounced 
the tournament the best ever held in Nashville, and some 
went further, classing it the best ever held in the South. 
Ninety-five contestants made entry for one or more 
events, many of them being high class amateurs. In 
fact, this class of shooters has been rarely equaled in 
number at tournaments held in any section of the Union. 
The Cumberland Park Gun Club, recently reorganized, 
and one of the best in the country, had everything in 
shape requisite for comfort and success. The attendance 
to witness the Southern Handicap, the great event of the 
tournament, was much larger than expected. As to en¬ 
tries the inauguration of the Southern Handicap only 
fell five short of the first Grand American Handicap, in 
1900, there being 74 entries in the latter, and 69 in the 
Southern. Total purse, with the added money, $757. 
Mr. Charles G- Spencer, a professional, took first honor 
by breaking 88 out of the 100 shot at. He was handi¬ 
capped at 20yds. 
The seventh Grand American Handicap, held in In¬ 
dianapolis, Ind., under the auspices of the Indianapolis 
Gun Club, June 19-22, was a success. The exact dove¬ 
tailing of all parts to be played, depended on the manage¬ 
ment providing beforehand for any possible exigency 
that might arise, and engaging expert talent to manage 
subordinate parts. This is expensive, but it always pays. 
Members of the Indianapolis Gun Club, particularly the 
secretary, Mr. William Armstrong, exerted their efforts 
to make visitors comfortable. There were. 290 entries this 
year, as against 352 last year. Regarding the falling off 
of entries from last year, it is fully explained by the 
fact of the subsidiary handicaps, which drew many con¬ 
testants from the Indianapolis event, and the further 
fact that by the adoption in 1905 of the rule that every 
contestant should formally declare his amateur standing, 
or, in default, be declared a professional. . Some shoot¬ 
ers did not wish to sign a certificate of amateur stand¬ 
ing'under such portentous conditions. For the general 
good of the sport, however, such abstinence is un¬ 
doubtedly beneficial. 
The handicaps gave unusual satisfaction. No one was 
placed closer than 16yds., and none back of 21. It was 
generally agreed that a contestant whose want of skill 
makes him unequal to those distances should have no 
place in' a tournament of the importance of the Grand 
American Handicap. 
The great day of the tournament was June 21, when 
the Grand American Handicap was contested. The 
weather was about as vile as it could be. It was even 
difficult to guess the probable winner until the fourth 
round, when Mr. F. E. Rogers, of St. Louis, came to 
the front and won out with a score of 94. 
The first Eastern Handicap tournament was held under 
the auspices of the Florists’ Gun Club at Philadelphia, 
July 17-19. Including Monday afternoon, practice day, 
76,605 targets were thrown in the three and a half days. 
There were 101 entries in the Eastern Handicap, and it 
was won by Mr. Harvey McMurchy, a professional, with 
a score of 93.. 
The first Western Handicap tournament, held at 
Denver, Colo., Aug. 21-23* under the auspices of the 
Denver Trap Club, goes into history as the greatest 
shooting tournament of the year, and with 311 entries 
in one of the preliminary events it was within 41 entries 
of the greatest target tournament ever given—the Grand 
American Handicap- of 1905. The principal cause of this 
remarkable exhibit is the fondness of the Western man 
for the gun, though the $3,000 added money doubtless 
had full effect. The Western Handicap was begun 
promptly at noon on Aug. 24, with 228 entries.- Though 
the weather was in general fine, a variable wind all after¬ 
noon cut into good scores at intervals, and some of the 
best men were the victims. In the first squad Mr. W. R. 
Crosby, a professional, finished with 97 from the ex¬ 
treme handicap of 21yds. It looked as though the re¬ 
mainder were up against' a forlorn hope; but ere the 
contest was half finished two amateurs. Mr. 1^. Thomp¬ 
son, of Missouri, and Mr. George C. Pickett, of Denver, 
had tied it, and 5 o’clock the race was ended with these 
three men at the top. A few ipinutes later the three 
men came to the firing points for the shoot-off at 20 
targets each from th-eir original handicaps. Not a breath 
of air stirred, and an intensely interested crowd awaited 
the result. Mr. Crosby broke IS, Mr. Pickett 17 and 
Mr. Thompson 16. 
San Francisco was not in the running this year for 
the second Pacific Coast Handicap, so Los Angeles, Cal., 
was chosen instead, and proved an excellent substitute 
for the Ingleside grounds of San Francisco. The handi¬ 
cap was started at noon on the third day, and there were 
60 entries, of which number 15 were professionals, who 
shot for targets only. The contest -excited keen interest, 
and was won by Mr. F: B. Mills, of Santa Ana, Cal., 
with a score of 89. 
There is no reason why trapshooting should not con¬ 
tinue to grow in popularity in the future as in the past, 
or at an increasing ratio, so long as it is conducted on 
the same clean lines as at present. It is a sine qua non 
that it be controlled by some governing body, and the 
Interstate Association is recognized as its logical parent. 
Money expended by our members through the Associa¬ 
tion is money well spent. No other form of advertising 
brings equal results to our individual members. 
The question oi locality relative to next year’s Grand 
American Handicap (1907), should be carefully consid¬ 
ered. Application has been made for it by., several cities. 
It has been urged, by many that the Interstate ■ Asso¬ 
ciation should provide a permanent abiding place for the 
Grand American Handicap. The argument is buttressed 
by the statement that it would abolish the strife among 
the different gun clubs for the honor of holding this 
great event, and that the local club in the city where 
this annual event would be held would be justified in 
the expense of making permanent arrangements as to 
equipment, transportation, hotel accommodations and all 
that goes to secure comfort of contestants. It is further 
held that the four new handicaps cover the entire field 
which was formerly the itinerary mission of the Grand 
American Handicap itself, the subsidiary handicaps 
■eliminating that feature. All these reasons are cogent 
and give the Association foundation for careful con¬ 
sideration of the proposition. 
Many contestants think the Association should add 
more than $1,000 at the Grand American Handicap tour¬ 
nament, but I do not agree with this. The Grand 
American Handicap is a very costly tournament, costing 
several thousand dollars each year to handle, and the 
added expense, if there be any, should be in the way 
of bettering arrangements in th-e matter of up-to-date 
methods for conducting the tournament, equipment, etc. 
While on the subject, I may. say that I think $1,000 is 
enough to add at any tournament. When more is added 
a bad precedent is established, and gun clubs that follow 
in giving tournaments must add a like amount or have 
their tournaments suffer by comparison, and the attend¬ 
ance fall off. In addition, when $2,000 to $3,000 is added 
many shooters are attracted, each of whom thinks he is 
sure to be a winner by reason of the large amount of 
added money; they overlook the fact that many more 
think similarly, arid the consequence is that there are 
three times the number of shooters present to compete 
than at an ordinary tournament, and the purses pay 
about the same as they do at a tournament with $1,000 
added money The gist of the matter is that a large 
amount of added money draws a larger attendance, but 
it also draws a consequent number of better shooters, 
who win the major portion of the purse. 
During the season just closing, to many scores of 100 
to 300 or more, straight breaks have been recorded that 
many in touch with the situation opine that the time is 
ripe fot increasing the standard distance from 16 to 
18yds. rise. Guns and ammunition have been so per¬ 
fected, and trapshooters generally have become so expert, 
and mastered the 16yds. rise to such an extent that it is no 
longer a question of how many targets they will break 
out of 100, but how many they will break before a miss 
is recorded. It may be well for the Association to give 
this rnatter careful thought, and, if deemed advisable, 
change the rule and make the standard rise 18yds. 
At each of the new handicaps this year that were open 
to all, the main event was won by a professional, caus¬ 
ing much adverse comment among the amateur class. 
This class is of the opinion that these events should be 
o|ien to amateurs only, and many others who closely fol¬ 
low the sport are, of the same opinion. While I think it 
would be well to- give this matter careful consideration, 
I would not include the Grand American Handicap, as 
that particular event should, in my opinion, be open to 
all, the same as heretofore. 
I would also respectfully suggest that the Association 
consider the advisability of increasing the number of 
targets in the amateur and professional championship 
events at the Grand American Handicap tournament 
from 150 to 200. By so doing tile element of luck would 
be almost entirely eliminated and a full day’s programme 
would be nicely rounded out. 
Elmer E. Shaner, Sec’y-Mgr. 
Crescent Athletic Club. 
Brooklyn, N. Y., Dec. 8. —Several famous trapshooters 
took part in the weekly shoot of this club at the Bay 
Ridge grounds to-day, and in a 15-target event got up for 
th-eir benefit, W. H. Heer broke 15 straight. L. C. Hop¬ 
kins won the second leg in the December cup contest, 
and Stephenson and Grinnell, Jr., won the team match. 
The scores follow: 
December cup, 25 targets: 
H. 
T. 
H. 
T. 
L C Hopkins.... 
. 3 
23 
H 
B 
Vanderveer. 
.... 4 
20 
T II Ernst. 
. 5 
22 
C 
A 
Lockwood. 
.... 3 
20 
W C Damron... 
. 4 
22 
O 
C 
Grinnell, Jr. 
.... 1 
IS 
F B Stephenson.. 
. 0 
20 
s 
P 
Hopkins.... 
.... 4 
18 
D C Bennett. 
. 2 
20 
w 
w 
Marshall... 
.... 5 
17 
Team shoot, 25 
tnrp'F+s: 
F B Stephenson.. 
0 
23 
w 
c 
Damron.... 
4 16 
O Grinnell, Jr... 
1 
21—44 
c 
A 
Lockwood.. 
3 24—40 
Event 3, open to al.,-15 targets: 
W IT Heer.15 T II Ernst .11 
1. S German . 
.13 
D C Bennett. 
.10 
W C Damron. 
.13 
I, C Hopkins. 
.19 
E II Lott.-... 
.12 
O C Grinnell, Tr _ 
.10 
F B Stephenson.... 
.12 
W W Marshall. 
. 9 
C A Lockwood.... 
.12 
A E Hendrickson... 
. 9 
A R Allen. 
.12 
C W Hickling. 
. 8 
T Banning . 
.11 
II B Vanderveer.... 
. 8 
Tom Marshall . 
.11 
P Garner . 
. 6 
Tronhv event, 25 
tar"-e' r : 
F B Stephenson_ 
.. 0 15 
H B Vanderveer.. 
2 
11 
W C Damron . 
.. 2 14 
W W Marshall. 
.. 3 
11 
T. C Hopkins. 
..2 13 
O C Grinnell, Tr... 
.. 0 
9 
S P Hopkins. 
.. 2 12 
L R Bowden. 
.. 5 
8 
Trophy event, 25 
targets: 
W C Damron. 
.. 2 15 
F B Stephenson.... 
.. n 
12 
C W IHckling. 
.. 3 14 
I. C Hopkins. 
.. 2 
12 
tv W Marshall.... 
.. 3 14 
O C Grinnell, Tr... 
.. 0 
10 
FT B Vanderveer.. 
.. 2 13 
L.R Bowden. 
.. 5 
7 
Trophy event. 25 
targets: 
F B Stephenson.... 
.. 0 15 
O C Grinnell, Tr,.. 
.. 0 
12 
C A Lockwood.. •• 
.. 1 15 
C\V Hickling . 
.. 3 
12 
L C Hopkins. 
.. 2 13 
\V C Damron. 
.. 2 
10 
W W Marshall. 
..3 13 
Shoot-off: Step 1 *' 
ens.n. 12; 
Lockwood 11. 
Trophv event. 25 
tn- 0 ' - • 
O C Grinnell, Tr.., 
... 0 14 
W C Damron. 
.. 2 
11 
W W Marshall. 
...3 13 
C A Lockwood. 
.. 1 
11 
F B Stephenson.., 
... 0 12 
C W Hickling. 
.. 3 
8 
A E Hendrickson. 
...2 12 
L C Hopkins. 
.. 2 
7 
