760 
FOREST AND STREAM 
Dec. 14. 1912 
Interstate Association’s Annual Meeting 
The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Inter¬ 
state Association for the Encouragement of Trapshooting 
was held at the Association’s office with the Corporation 
Trust Company, 15 Exchange Place, Jersey City, N. J., 
on Thursday, Dec. 5, at 2 P. M. 
The roll call showed the following members repre¬ 
sented in person: Remington Arms-Union Metallic 
Cartridge Co., by A. F. Hebard, F. P>. Clark and T. A. 
Marshall; E. I. du Pont de Nemours Powder Co., by 
J. T. Skelly, T. E. Doremus and L. J. Squier; Win¬ 
chester Repeating Arms Co., by F. G. Drew; Parker 
Bros., by W F. Parker; The Peters Cartridge Co., by 
W. E. Keplinger and T. PI. Keller; The Chamberlin 
Cartridge & Target Co., by Paul North; the Western 
Cartridge Co., by F. W. Olin; the United Lead Co., by 
P. D. Beresford, and the American Powder Mills, by 
Murray Ballou. 
W. B. Stadtfeld. of the Selby, Smelting & Lead 
Co.; C. A Haight, of E. I. du Pont de Nemours Powder 
Co.; T. IT. Keller. Jr., of the Hunter Arms Co., and 
H. E. Winans, of the Western Cartridge Co., were 
present by invitation. T. S. Dando and E. C. Stark, 
of Sporting Life; IT. S. Rosenthal, of Sportsmen’s Re¬ 
view; Chas. Otis. W. J. Gallagher and W. G. Beecrott, 
of Forest and Stream, honorary members of the As¬ 
sociation, were also present, as were John R. Turner, 
resident director, and Elmer E. Shaner, secretary-treas¬ 
urer of the Association 
The secretary presented and read a copy of the notice 
of the meeting, together with proof of the due mailing 
thereof to each stockholder of the Association at least 
two weeks before the meeting, as required by the By- 
Laws. 
The transfer book and stock book of the Association 
were produced and remained during the meeting open 
to inspection. 
Upon motion, duly made and seconded, the minutes 
of the last meeting were approved. 
Messrs. Henry S. Rosenthal and Edward C. Stark 
(neither of them being a candidate for the office of 
director) were appointed inspectors of election and duly 
sworn. The meeting then proceeded to the election of 
the directors by ballot, in accordance with the By-Laws. 
The report of the president for the past year was 
presented, read and ordered to be filed. [This appears in 
another column.— Ed.] 
The financial report of the secretary-treasurer for the 
past year was presented and ordered to be received and 
filed. ’ The financial report of the secretary-treasurer cov¬ 
ering the registered tournament fund was then presented. 
Summarized, this report showed that 230 tournaments 
were registered during the vear, of which number 201 
vere conducted under the Squier money-back system; 
that $20,000 was contributed by the Association to gun 
clubs, state associations and leagues of gun chibs; that 
$23,003.62 was paid back to amateurs to cover their losses, 
and that $25,680.63 in average money was_ divided among 
amateurs after all of said losses were paid back. 
The annual report of the secretary-treasurer, giving a 
resume of the year’s work, was also presented and 
ordered filed. [This appears in another column.— Ed.] 
The polls having remained opened the period pre¬ 
scribed by statute, were ordered closed and the inspectors 
presented their report in writing, showing tile following 
persons, stockholders of the Association, had received 
the greatest number of votes: J R. Wettstein and P. D. 
Beresford. of the L T nited Lead Co.; A. F. Hebard, F. B. 
Clark and T. A. Marshall, of Remington Arms-Union 
Metallic Cartridge Co.: J. T. Skelly, T. E. Doremus and 
L. J. Squier. of the E. I. du Pont de Nemours Powder 
Co.'; John Hunter, of the Hunter Arms Co.; F. G. 
Drew, V® R. Clark and IT. S. Leonard, of the Winchester 
Repeating Arms Co.; W. F. Parker, of Parker Bros.; 
W. E. Keplinger and T. II. Keller, of the Peters Cart¬ 
ridge Co.; Paul North and J. H. Webster, of the Cham¬ 
berlin Cartridge & Target Co.; A. H. Durston. of the 
Lefever Arms Co.: Murray Ballou and E. B. Drake, 
of American Powder Mills: G. S. Lewis, of the J. 
Stevens Arms & Tool Co.; F. W. Olin and A. J. Nor- 
com, of the Western Cartridge Co.; C. H. Dimick and 
O. R. Dickey, of the LTnited Stales Cartridge Co.; John 
R. Turner and Elmer E. Shaner. The chairman there¬ 
upon declared that the above-named persons were duly 
elected directors of the Association. 
Upon motion, duly made and seconded, the secre¬ 
tary was directed to file with the records of the Associa¬ 
tion for the purposes of reference, the following papers: 
1. List of stockholders entitled to vote at this 
meeting. 
2. Proxies presented at the meeting. 
3. Notice of meeting and proof of mailing thereof. 
4. Inspectors’ oath and report. 
5. President’s report. 
6. Secretary-treasurer’s financial report of assess¬ 
ment fund. 
7. Secretary-treasurer’s financial report of registered 
tournament fund. 
8. Secretary-treasurer’s annual report. 
Upon motion, duly made and seconded, a meeting of 
the new Board of Directors for the election of officers, 
etc., was directed to be held immediately after the close 
of the stockholders’ meeting. 
No further business coming before the meeting, upon 
motion, duly made and seconded, the same adjourned. 
THE DIRECTORS’ MEETING. 
A meeting of the Board of Directors was held im¬ 
mediately after the close of the stockholders’ meeting. 
The meeting was called to order with J. T. Skelly acting 
as chairman and T. E. Doremus acting as secretary. The 
following officers were elected to serve during the ensuing 
year: President, T. T. Skelly; Vice-President. F. G. 
Drew; Treasurer. Elmer E. Shaner; Secretary, E. Reed 
Shaner. The officers elected thanked the directors for 
the honor conferred upon them. 
The minutes of the Directors’ meetings, held Dec. 7-8, 
1911, and the several mail votes taken during the year 
were duly approved. 
By resolution, the Selby Smelting & Lead Co., of 
San Francisco, and the Hercules Powder Co., of Wil¬ 
mington, Del., were elected members of the Association. 
The resignation of the J. Stevens Arms & Tool Co. 
was presented, and cn motion accepted. 
By resolution. Breeder and Sportsman, of San Fran¬ 
cisco, was elected an honorary press member. 
By resolution, it was decided to present trophies to 
the winners of the high amateur and high professional 
averages of 1912. 
The next matter taken up was in respect to the future 
policy of the Association. This was discussed at great 
length, but no action thereon was taken at this time. 
Upon motion, duly made and seconded, the Directors 
meeting adjourned at 5 P. M., to meet the following 
day at 9:30 A. M. 
The adjourned meeting of the Directors was called 
to order at 9:55 A. M., Dec. 6, with President Skelly 
in the chair. New business was at once taken up where 
left off. 
By resolution, it was decided to discontinue the Post- 
Season tournament. 
By resolution, it was decided to establish a new event 
to be known as “The Interstate Association’s South¬ 
western Handicap Tournament.’’ 
By resolution, it was decided to guarantee the winners 
of first, second and third places in the 1913 Grand 
American Handicap, $600, $500. and $400 respectively. 
The matter of employing a paid force of gun club 
organizers was next taken up, discussed and by resolu¬ 
tion, rejected. 
By resolution, it was decided to invite the President 
or some duly accredited representative of the several 
State Associations to deliberate with the Association at 
its annual meeting of 1913, and give it the benefit of their 
views on trapshooting. 
A plan covering a change in policy of the Associa¬ 
tion was next presented, discussed at great length, and 
by resolution rejected. 
By resolution, it was decided to continue in 1913 the 
policy that governed in 1911 and 1912, but granting gun 
clubs the privilege of using any system of money 
division they wished. 
By resolution, it was decided to recommend to gun 
clubs holding registered tournaments that their pro¬ 
grams shall consist of not less than 150 targets nor more 
than 200 targets per day. 
By resolution, it was decided that the yearly aver¬ 
ages of 1913. for both amateurs and professionals, shall 
he computed on 2,000 or more single targets shot from_ 
the standard distance fixed by the Interstate Association 
(the distance at this time being 16yds.), and this only 
at registered tournaments and the tournaments directly 
given by the Interstate Association. 
The next matter taken up was the report of the com¬ 
mittee appointed at the annual meeting of 1911 to con¬ 
fer with Elmer E. Shaner with an object in view of 
having him continue with the Association. Said com¬ 
mittee reported that it would be agreeable to Mr. 
Shaner to continue with the Association in the nature 
of a minor official, but not as the active, responsible head 
of the organization. Mr. Shaner was thereupon made 
treasurer of the Association and manager of those tour¬ 
naments directly given by it. 
By resolution, a vote of thanks was tendered to C. 
II. Newcomb, of Philadelphia, for the active interest 
taken by him in the promotion of trapshooting, as well 
as in the welfare of the Interstate Association. 
By resolution, it was decided to make a contribution 
to the Indian tournament of 1913, now that said tourna¬ 
ment will be given for the benefit of amateurs only. 
The next matter taken up was a petition from the 
San Jose Blue Rock Club, of San Jose, Cal., requesting 
that O. N. Ford be made eligible to compete at the 
Interstate Association tournament. By resolution, unan¬ 
imously carried, the President being recorded as not 
voting, the Secretary was directed to write the San Jose 
Blue Rock Club, stating that it is not agreeable to the 
Interstate Association to permit Mr. Ford to compete at 
the tournaments directly given by it, the right to refuse 
any entry without giving reason therefor being reserved 
in all programs issued by it. 
By resolution, it was decided to permit manufacturers’ 
representatives to shoot for “targets only” in the Pro¬ 
fessional Championship at the Grand American Handi¬ 
cap tournament. 
The next matter taken up was the recommendations 
offered by President Skelly in his annual report. 
By resolution, it was decided to restore the Prelim¬ 
inary Handicap to the programs of all subsidiary handi¬ 
cap tournaments given by the Association. 
By resolution it was decided to continue the standard 
distance for trapshooting at 16yds. The other sugges¬ 
tions offered by President Skelly were previously cov¬ 
ered by resolution or otherwise. 
LTpon motion, duly made and seconded, the following 
resolution was adopted: “Any club that has held a two- 
ciay registered tournament in 1911 or 1912 at which the 
attendance did not reach 25 or more entries the second 
day, shall not be granted registration for more than a 
one-day tournament, unless said club shows increased 
strength and is able to assure the Association of pros¬ 
pective success.” 
By resolution, it was decided that in 1913 the Grand 
American Handicap tournament shall be given at Day- 
ton. O.; the Southwestern Handicap tournament at San 
Antonio, Tex.: the Southern Handicap tournament at 
Montgomery, Ala.; the Eastern Handicap tournament at 
Wilmington, Del., and the Western Handicap tournament 
at Omaha. Neb. The place for holding the Pacifio Coast 
Handicap tournament will be decided later. 
By resolution, it was decided to refer the appoint¬ 
ment of a committee to allot handicaps at the Grand 
American Handicap tournament to the Association’s 
Tournament Committee. 
The following committees were appointed to serve 
during the year 1913: Tournament Committee: Paul 
North, chairman; F. G. Drew, F. B. Clark, T. H. Keller, 
W. B. Stadtfeld, T. E. Doremus and H. McMurchy. 
Trophy Committee: Elmer E. Shaner. 'Gun Club Or¬ 
ganization Committee: F. G. Drew, chairman, T. H. 
Keller and F. B. Clark. 
After reading several letters and discussing matters 
of no particular interest to the general public, the 
Directors’ meeting adjourned at 4:20 P. M., to meet at 
Dayton, O., during the week of the Grand American 
Handicap tournament. 
The Interstate Association, 
E. 1<£ED Shaner, Secretary. 
Report of Mr. J. T. Skelly, President Interstate 
Association, for the Year 1912. 
To the Members of the Interstate Association: 
Gentlemen—Without going into details, I feel that 
generally, 1912 has been the most successful trapshooting 
year we have ever had. This is easily borne out by Mr. 
Shaner’s records of registered tournaments, and will, 1 
assume, be covered by his report. 
MEMBERS. 
During the year we lost the membership of the A. H. 
Fox Gun Co. and secured the U. S. Cartridge Co. Ap¬ 
plications will be presented at this meeting by the Selby 
Smelting & Lead Co., of San Francisco, Cal., and the 
Hercules Powder Co., of Wilmington, Del. There are 
several other manufacturers who have been solicited, and 
I might say have rather encouraged us, but thus far 
have not seen fit to share in our work. I am hoping 
that they will soon realize that it will be to their ad¬ 
vantage to become members. 
IN GENERAL. 
Now that we all realize the advantage of concerted 
action, it is to be hoped that our members will continue 
to view broadly the work of our Association and urge 
field representatives to look upon the Association in the 
same light. In the absence of a national organization of 
amateurs, the existence of which would, I feel, be the 
ideal condition, it behooves us to continue our substan¬ 
tial support and even to increase it on a basis com¬ 
parable with the growth of trapshooting. To this end, 
I shall made some recommendations, which I feel should 
receive your careful consideration. 
RECOMMENDATIONS. 
The class of shooters for whom the Post-Season 
tournament was inaugurated seems not to have given 
this tournament the support it deserved, and I would 
recommend that it be discontinued, but 1 hope some 
one can offer a substitute which will bring the desired 
result, i. e., a classy affair which would be recognized 
and supported by the “classy shooters.” 
I would recommend that the Preliminary handicaps 
be again included in our subsidiary tournaments, i. e., 
Southern, Eastern, Western and Pacific Coast handicap 
tournaments. 
That the regulation distance in all of our tournaments 
and in registered tournaments be made 18 instead of 
16 yards as at present. 
That for the tournaments given under our direction, 
in addition to the scorer and referee at each trap, that a 
jtdge be also appointed to insure additional and neces¬ 
sary nrotection of the contestant’s rights. 
That the winner of the Grand American Handicap 
be guaranteed $500 and the trophy, instead of $1,000 as 
heretofore, and that the next five or six places or more 
be guaranteed fixed amounts. Obviously, there has been 
too great a difference between the first and other places. 
That fixed guaranteed amounts be considered for the 
first few places in subsidiary handicaps. 
That arrangements be made, at a nominal expense, 
to secure more daily paper publicity for tournaments 
given under our auspices. 
I would strongly urge that our Association begin the 
work of organizing gun clubs; that one or several or¬ 
ganizers be employed to work under the direction of the 
Secretary-Treasurer; that these organizers also be utilized 
to manage important tournaments, such as State events, 
when requested and when the party directing them 
deems it advisable. It is to be hoped that this import¬ 
ant suggestion will be favorably received, and that pro¬ 
vision be made to care for the necessary expense. 
In order to further convince the amateurs of our 
desire to co-operate with them, and to give them an op¬ 
portunity to meet with us and participate in our discus¬ 
sion, suggest that the President, or other official or some 
one indicated by each State Association be considered 
by the Interstate Association as honorary members or 
directors without vote, thus bringing our Association 
in closer touch and enabling us to have advice from an 
outside viewpoint. By considering all angles our scope 
would be broadened and we would continue to conduct 
our organization along lines which would be productive 
of the most good for the majority. 
SUGGESTIONS. 
I have about come to the conclusion that it is only 
a question of time when sweepstake shooting will be 
eliminated, excepting of course in occasional instances, 
consequently we should look to the future and consider 
changes which would be abreast with the times. It may 
come to the point where most of the money we are now 
donating to the purses can best be used in trophies. 
In time I feel that the best good might be am- 
complished by giving to each State Association a fixed 
sum on a basis to be determined by population or in 
some other equitable manner. This sum to be devoted 
to purses and trophies. I also feel that we should con¬ 
sider limiting the purses to wich we subscribe to resi¬ 
dents of the State in which the tournament is held. 
There has been the criticism that a few of the better 
shots or expert amateurs have profited considerably in 
the division of average money under the system under 
which we are now working. 
