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Silas B. Adams to Horace Kephart, May 24, 1898

  • wcu_kephart-2209.jpg
  • In this letter of May 24, 1898, Silas B. Adams writes Horace Kephart from Portland, Maine where he is helping to start a similar organization to that of Kephart’s Sharpshooters, which Adams read about in the publication “Shooting and Fishing.” He is wondering if Kephart could send him his organization's Constitution and By-Laws as he has been tasked with creating these for his newly formed organization.
  • ADAM P. LEIGHTON, President. Established 1850. SILAS B. ADAMS, Treasurer. 285,287 and 289 Fore St. 3,5,7,9,11 and 13 Deer St. P.O.Box 413. Portland, Me. May 24, 1898 Horace Kephart, Esq., Merc. Library, St. Louis, Mo. Dear sir:- I have noticed in the recent numbers of Shooting and Fishing, that you were one of the Officers of the Sharp-shooters Corps, now being formed in your city. We have just started a similar organization in this city, and the undersigned, is one of the Committee to draw up the Constitution and By-Laws, and in case your Company have a printed Constitution and By-Laws, we would appreciate a copy very much, believ- ing that it would be of great assistance to us in preparing ours. We, like yourselves, propose to make as one of the primary qualifications to membership, a certain degree of proficiency at 200 yards, offhand, with some standard military arm, and the writer is urging the sane qualifications as your Company has adopted. Anything with which you may furnish us in line with the foregoing, will be highly appreciated by all our members, and particularly by the writer. Permit me to state in this connection that I have thoroughly enjoyed your several contributions to the columns of Shooting and Fishing, particularly, that bearing upon the early history of the rifle. Awaiting your esteemed reply, I am, Very truly yours, Silas B. Adams