Kennewick's 'Preparedness' Rifle Club Reborn
Local men revive a dormant shooting club to align with federal national defense initiatives, despite past issues with stray bullets near the Highlands.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Due to a federal law authorizing the free issue of rifles and ammunition to civilian clubs, Kennewick men are reviving their local rifle association. A range previously located under the hill leading to the Highlands was abandoned years ago because high-power bullets terrified local farmers. Now, with national 'preparedness' talk gaining momentum, a new site has been selected south of town. Two-thirds of local businessmen have already expressed interest in joining, as the government offers Krag rifles and cheap ammunition to promote marksmanship training.
“At that time, however, the Highlands were beginning to become settled and the high power bullets zipping over the heads of the farmers frightened them.”
This reflects the 1916 'Preparedness Movement' as the U.S. teetered on the edge of WWI, highlighting how national defense anxieties played out in small-town zoning disputes over where it was safe to shoot.
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