The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-01-10
NM srArr ApJrrANT's REPORT.


TnE STATE ADJuTAST's REPORT,
II may be interesting to the good citizens
OF this state TO know what force stands
ready for the protection oil the lite and
property Of the people In case emergencies
houd arise requiring greater strength and
moro arms than the ordinary county OIL
Gals can muster. Communities'Rrs always
more or less subject 90 tue upr.sing OF the
rougher and more dissatisfied classes. and
threat ened by mobs and riots, and In our
southern states still more open 10 troubles
from possible race disturbances. Indeed,
while the occasions aud occurrences are not
many when the ordinary civil Authorities
are unable to keep the peace aud protect TIE
people. such occasions are liable TO arise ~
any time, and it Is quite = source OF salts
faction to feel that there IS fully equipped
and efficient force OF state troops In reserve
! 10 meet all emergencies.
We have just received tho state adiusant'
generals report for the year 1883, and whlle
| It's figures and recommendations may DO
familiar 10 many, many again, even oil our
older citizens, may not know lust what the
reserve military force OF the state Is al pres
eut. how organized and what the provision
for calling It into active service In times Of
trouble. The whole number OF on listed
militia in the state reaches $50 men, l9
of whom are comm issioned officers. This
force is divided into 81 companies, or reg
iments of infantry and ! OF cav
airy, comprising two brlgades, together
with a colored regiment unattached. These
thirty-seysn companies are well scattered
throughout the state, forming tho citizen
soldiery" of the various large towns and
cities. When not acting under the gov
ernor's call in the suppression Of riots and
uprisings OF course this force is oil no cost 10
Texas, but an annual appropriation OF
81 900 Is made to deiray the expenses o.
companies and meet emergencies, II the
militia or a portion thereof should have 10
DO called upon suddenly, or when the leg
islatu-e was not in session. The adjutant
gsperhl declares in his report that TINS
Citizen soldieryn is & splendid and gallant
body OF men and ready at any time to -
spond to the calls OF the executive.
Ia addition to these ,565 militia, so con-
stltuted and held as above, the state keeps
actively employed six companies, 10 men
all told, of rangers known as the "irontier
battalion" for whose pay and support an
annual appropriation OF SIS 900 is made.
This force is in the nature OF mount d
state police, only differing in their author
ity and duties from the county guardians
such as sheriifs, in that the rangers are not
confined in their operations by county
lines During the year 1888 this force tray
eled an aggregate OF 60 1886 miles, made SO2
arrests, 416 scouts, As escorts, attended upon
IS courts, operated as jail guards 20 times,
and returned to owners over 500 horses
and cattle that had been stolen.
ADJUTAsT-GESE KING proceeds to
show that out Of $40 ,225 on hands in his
department on the 1st OF March, 1888,
some s25,6S4 still remsins after paying all
;, > expenses OF the department up TO the be-
, ginning of the last quarter of the past
year, OF the $4,000 appropriated by the
last legislature for the purpose OF prosecut
ing the states claim against the Federal
government for expenses incurred in front
Ter ueleIbe, - tL1o Iclhhih oh hoHaS oSSViH
ing to this report, some progress having
been made in collecting and presenting the
accounts and vouchers in the direction in
dictated.
Tnese facts and figures comprise the re
port except such general remarks as the ad
jutant general INDUCES with reference Il
the race troubles and scares and fencs-cut
ting difficulties Of last year. 1t Is crafty
, ing to note that our reserve military fore
) is so we'll organized and ready for action il
} an emergency as well as to note the activ
ity and efficiency Of our famous frontie
battalion. Money appropriated 'or ex
pended in reasonable amounts by our leg
islature and in improving and maintainin
such reserve and active military and polio
: establishments as mentioned is money wei
expended aud only serves to render the pee
pie and property ofthe state more secur
against possible riots and uprisings tina
! may be expected In even the best regulates
communities at all times.