Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-11-23
A RIGID INSPECTION.

The inspection of companies of the Ma
tional Guard, directed by the Adjutant- G en-
eral, began in this city last night, and is to
extend throughout the State, until every
company has been inspected. It was by 10
means an ordinary inspection, but was or
dered to ascertain exactly how much property
the State has in the custody of the COM
panies TO ascertain if the arms charged to
each company are on hand; to find out
what is their condition, how they are stored
and cared for, how the safety of the arms
are secured, what body arms are on
hand, uniforms, company and body
accouterments, etc. to ascertain
how the company accounts are
kept, how the minute books, rosters,
reports of assemblages, etc.. are written up !;
care given to them, how the companies are
accommodated, ETC., etc. The inspection
here last evening proved to be the most RIGID
ever experienced by the guardsmen. The in
spection was made by Adjutant- General
Backus and his Assistant, Major Turner,
aided by Brigadier- General Sheehan and
staff. The companies were required to place
all company property in sight, to unlock all
desks, drawers and lockers, to expose all
books, papers, uniforms, accouterments and
arms, and to account for all goods of the
State charged against them. The commands,
Companies A, G, Band the Governors Guard,
were mustered in the upper hall of the Pa
yilion at s o'clock in presence of large con
course and were inspected, Company A by
Major Houghton, Company G by Major Hub
bard, Company by Major Harvey, and the
Governors Guard by Major Weaver. There
were present also during the inspection Major
Berkey and the staff of Colonel Raymond.
Among the interested lookers-on were Lieut..
Fred Hebron of the Hussars. and many
members of the Hussars and Zouaves. As
each company was inspected, an accurate ac-
count was taken of every arm and the uni
forms and the accouterments in possession OF
the men, and these were set down as called
off, and note made of the condition Of the
same. The Adjutant- General and staff,
General Sheehan and staff and the appointed
inspectors then visited each armory, opened
and examined every locker, examined all
arms and fittings in the armories, inventoried
them, and noted down their condition; over
hauled all the books and made note of the
systems of bookkeeping in use, and where
changes for the better can be made;
examined all the property of the State
in each armory, and the condition of
knapsacks, canteens, cartridge-b boxes,
belts, buckles, bayonets, extra arms,
swords, pistols, etc. The inspection conclud-
ed at about 10 o'clock. So far as the inspec-
ton of the companies was concerned it was
understood to be satisfactory but not so as
to all the armories The Governors Guard
was found to be allotted miserable dingy
room, where it is impossible to keep the States
property in decent condition; room dismal
enough to dash the ardor of the most ardent
cadet. Company AS armory was found to
be too small, and, while fairly fitted with
lockers, to be damp and not calculated to en-
courage the men to keep the property to the
best advantage. Company G's armory was
worse than A's-in fact wholly inadequate to
the needs of the company, and so small that
the entire company cannot at one time
be squeezed into it. In such quar-
tiers the desirable military neatness and
order is out of the question. Company b,
on the contrary, was found to have very
large and handsome armory. Its assembly
chamber is as cozy as lodge-room, hand
somely decorated and so fitted up that there
is a place for everything, and roomy enough
to have everything in its place. The saddle.
room was found to be sufficiently large and
we'll arranged. The gun-room now takes in
the whole lower floor of the Pavilion, and
thereon the battery was found placed with
military precision and order. The unanimous
Sudgmeut of the inspectors aud the officers
supervising was plainly manifest that Com
panies A, G and the Governors Guard are
entitled to and should have better quarters,
and that in proper armories they would dem
onstrate their capacity to make everything
bear the true military air OF precision. neat
ness and order