Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-07-28
rHE euARps ARsENAL.
History of the Structure and Its Pro-
posed ImprOvement-The Bill Before
She legislature.

History of the Structure and Its Pro-
Dosed Improvement-The Bill Before
the Legislature.
The bill before the Legislature granting
To the Savannah Volunteer Guards Bat
TALON full title to the property now occu-
pied by them on Whitaker street, for the
erection OF a new arsenal, has been favor
ably reported, and, no doubt, viii be pass
ed without opposition.
The lot upon which the present arsenal
now stands was conveyed TO the Governor
OF the State BY the Mayor and Aldermen
Of Savannah by deed dated April =, 1879.
The State afterwards erected the arsenal
building. Some years after the close
of the war. when the property
was in possession Of the Federals,
Colonel W. ;. Basinger. at that time in
command of the Battalion, OBJ
tanned an executive order from Gov
ernOr Smith and recovered possession OF
the property. In the transaction Colonel
Basinger became the unpaid agent oil the
state in managing and caring Tor the
arsenal. and the State became liable for
its repairs. agreeing that the Battalion
should occupy il as an armory and drill
room. Since that time, when the struc-
ture was in a dilapidated condition, 1t
has been extensively repaired, yet II Is
still inadequate for the purposes Of the
corps.
!. By the terms of the original deed it was
understood that the lot conveyed by the
city should not be appropriated for any
other purpose than the erection OF an
arsenal and on its being converted to any
other use il should revert TO the city. 50
without the consent of the Mayor and Al
dermen the State could only sell at most
the old bricks and material Of the build
ing, the land in this event reYerlng at
once TO the city.
The history of the Battalion dates back
to 1902 when it was organized. 1t was
chartered in 1851 and is now the oldest in
fantry corps in the State. 1t owned an
armOrV on the southwest corner OF Bull
and York streets before the war. which,
during the Federal occupation Of the city,
was burned. After the war, when the Bat
talon was reOrganiZed, it possessed only
the site of its former armOry and two half
lots on the outskirts of the city. A heavy
debt was incurred in recognizing, for
the payment of which il encountered Its
property. With great eXertion and under
adverse circumstances II has diminished
this debt to some extent.
The present scheme is to sell the present
property Of the corps and pay its DEBT.
and after this is done surplus will be
left wFhiicc which can he put into the improve
ment of the present arsenal property. In
order to do this it is asked that the State
! convey 10 the corps all its title and inter
/ est i'm the same. 1t is understood
that after selling the property
| of the Battalion and paying
all encumbrances, there VIII remain at
! least 8. 900 to be put into the Improvement
of the present structure. In event OF
/ this action being taken the new building
] would be known as 1.-The Arsenal" and
Z no ri oh n
| emergency. to use the same for any mill
| tary purposes, and to store therein at any
| time all arms and munitions of Wharf.-The
/ property of the State-nOt held by any
! other military organization.
The plan suggested for the new build
| ing is to have several stores to rent on
| the ground floor with large cOmpart-
ment with fire proof walls in the rear for
| storage purposes. with drill room sixty
| 10 ninety feet covering the entire second
floor and on the third floor rooms for
corps PURPOSES. In times of emergency
the state could quarter troops IN every
room in the building. The occupation by
the State. however, TO be consistent with
/ that BY the Guards. The revenues de-
rived from the stores and from the occa-
siOnal renting of the drill room would be
! considerable and would be applied eXclu-
Siyely TO corps purposes.
In carrying out the proposed plans 1t
might be necessary to borrow several
/ thousand dollars over the $4,000 provided
for. which it has been learned can be done
at very low rate of interest by mortgage
on the building as security. The corps
has now about 81, 900 worth of State prop
ertv in its charge, which il keeps insured
against loss or damage by fire, and IN
event that it is permitted to carry out the
present scheme it will agree TO keep the
new Arsenal and State property used by
it fully insured against nre, both ior It's
own and the States protection.
The CITY Council on the 4th instant, IN
view of the purposes expressed by the
Battalion. passed a resolution elect
ing a release and quit claim TO
ali rights of reYersiOn or revestment,
provided the corps sell off its present
property. and provided the state retain
right Of arsenal in the proposed new
structure. An examination of the
building has been made by a competent
builder, who states that the value OF the
brick when taken out would not more
than pay for the work OF re-
moval. The ediice, as 1t now
stands. Is therefore of but little
value. In the passage of the bill, and the
carving out of the proposed plans, the
state and the corps will have the use OF
handsome and cOmmOdious arsenal, ade-
quate for all military purposes, and an
ornament TO the city.