Garrison Target Practice Terrorizes Road
Target practice at Fort Walla Walla turns dangerous as stray rifle fire sends bullets whistling past civilians on a public road.
Flying bullets from the rifles of soldiers in target practice at Fort Walla Walla yesterday afternoon nearly caused two disastrous runaways. Mrs. William Meyer and her mother, Mrs. F. J. Myslihski, were returning from a trip near Milton when the firing squad opened up and bullets began whistling around their rig. One bullet struck the road in front of their horse, causing it to rear, and as they struggled to control the animal, another bullet sang past the horse's head. While the ladies were struggling to stop their team, a two-horse rig coming in the opposite direction also got in range and the horses bolted. Reckless shooting by the soldiers will likely be investigated by county officials. The only backstop for the bullets is a pile of cordwood, which offers little protection for those traveling on the county road with guns capable of carrying two miles.
“While the ladies were being dragged along the road at top speed a two-horse rig coming in the opposite direction got in range of the rifles and despite the efforts of the driver the frightened animals dashed down the road in a cloud of dust.”
The tension between military operations and civilian safety is a recurring theme in garrison towns. The struggle to balance public safety with training protocols echoes modern debates over infrastructure and civic oversight.
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