New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-02
THE DANGER OFAREGIMENT
A RECOMMENDATION TO DIsBAND THE sTH

COLONFL SCOTT SAYS.
At the meeting of the Armory Board In the Mayors
office ON Tuesday afternoon it decided to accept
the plans submitted by John b. Thomas fer an armory
tor the Sth Regiment and the I'd Battery OF the
National Guard
The coss OF the new building is not to exceed
S33OOOO and the Board passed resolution request
ing the Sinking Fund Commissioners to authorize the
issue of bonds to that amount. together with
S'1hOOO which is to cover the cost OF new armory
tor the 22d Regiment The ground for the 9Th Rcgi-
ment Armory has already been purchased by the city
at a cost OF 1851, ,547 80, which with the additional
sum required to build tue arnory necessitates an ex-
pendlture or that regiment OF lew thousand dollars
short ot S7OO,0OC. Ii learned yesterday from
person Who is in position to know that there is
already IN the hands OF Governor ill Commander-n
Chief OF the National tiuard of NewYork State the
annual report OF the Assistant Inspector General In
disbanded
The report is based the condition of the regi-
mcnt at the last annual inspection" continued the
reporters informant. II at any time in the history OF
regiment its Colonel wishes to make good showing
for his command IL is at tho annual Inspection Az
that time every edort made TO bring out the tuii
complement OF officers and men, and the numOer
present together with the regiments prohciencv III the
various mauGUvres of military tacrics, the health OF
it's members and the condition OF ITS equipments are
the points considered in the inspectors report 10 the
Governor OF the State. The inspections last fall were
made by Colonel Mc(irath, who Is the Assistant In
sDector ienerd under Inspector-General Shaeher
The inspections were not made in the daytime, when
the young men, of which the regiments are mostly
made up, naturally supposed to be employed. but
at night when they at leisure and have time TO give
to military duty This is done to allow the regiments
all possible opportunities to raise their standard as high
they in the Inspectors report. There are now
between 400 and 900 names on the various company
ros Oh 'ne on kegment and & II naav saia a. Ss;;n@
until scarcely Onehali OF the enlisted men are e|c
together any tme At the inspection last tall
the sth Regiment turned out less than 22O men, This
herf shnQ
taken by the privaes the regiment to Keep up IN
point Of numbers and efficiency makes the basis OF
Colonel McGraths report.
"Now, it does not seem right for the city to expend
such large sum of money on regiment In condition
10 be OF little or no service to the country or city III
case armed troops are needed II has been known to
the members of the Sth Regiment for the last few years
that etorts being made to procure them new
armory Still there has been no improvement 10 H. no
building up. but it has gradually dwndled III poirt OF
numbers until the most important day IN the
military year barely one-halt OF its enrolment Is
represented. The 18th Regiment when its members
learned that eiiorts beng made to procure Tor
them a armOrs began 10 pick up, ana Is now one
of the best equipped and drilled bodies OF men In tnis
city, The detection from the 9Th Regiment has not
been caused by lack OF energy IN It's oniceIs lhey
have done everything to push it along, but 1t was use
less. lou that the rolls OF any regiment thero
few names that we're there five years ago. Men are
continually coming and going, aud unless there Is a
sufficient attraction toward the regiment, no new nen
Will be found 10 taSe the places OF those who nave
served their time or have LETT the State cannot
imagine why the ArmOry Board recommended the al
ditoual expenditure of money the regiment even In
its present condition. although its members probably
knew nothing about the lnspeetor-Generals recon-
mendatOn oil disbandment.'
Colonel Scott vi the sth Regiment, was seen by
TRIBU rerorter last night. and was asked II he had
been informed OF the Inspectors report.
No" he answered, /" have not heard anything
about IT, and furthermore don't believe that there IS
q word of truth in it. don't know, OF course, who
yonr informant is but whoever he is he is not friendly
to the interess OF the 9Th Regiment. am personal
friend of Colonel McGrath, the Assistant inspector
mi rnf m
wind | am sure that would have been informed
before now To be sure. only 2l2 OF my command
turned ont at the annual inspection last tall but that
IL rv1 she h" na' wts me 500 mon
beiay so small number OF men in my command is
manly due the armorv that in. IL Ia III an
exceedingly bad neighborhood and has been con-
demned by the Inspector of Buildings Furthermore,
the Sh Regiment oldest military organization in
the State 1t has been in commission over 100 years
myself have bern with it number OF years. and u
would be great blow 10 me- t have anything oi me
kind occur General Fitzgerald Brigadier'icneral OF
the Fist Brigade. is me.nter OF the Ainory board
and present at the meeting OF the Board Yesterday
when the meeting waShel to request the Sinking Fund
Commissioners to authorize the issue OF bonds 10 rae
money Duid the armorv. Now. he Is in a position
to know whether the nspt cor-Generals ASST 'tant.
Colonel McGrath, made report unfavoraDe 10 my
command. DO YOU think he would countenance such
a proceeding il he knew the regiment was to be dls
banded If sucha report has been made IL may have
been done TO stimulate the Armory Board III ts eots
to procure new armory tor us. IL was done III me
OF OF the other regiments With that purpose In
view and the result was new aImory, ara the r's'
ment to-day i. among the best i'll the State"
Colonel Scott eXeedln sly angry that the report
had been circulated and said that 1t was an extremely
ugly thing ID just this time when success seemed
to be assured. lie iuay said that he thonght he
knew what the origin the story was In CONCLUSION
he said: have not yet received my rolls from the
Governor. whJ looks them after tile inspector
General or his as sistant comments upon them so l
cannot tel lust bow nv command stands in com
parson with the other regiments. At various times
OF one kind another started. perhaps by
personal enemies. can't to that; but they all
have disastrous effect upon the regiment"
Another military officer said think the matter
:hc of the election tor Brlgader-General;
which took place. laAt ummcr and In w'ich Colonel
Scott took prominent part He told al that time
by brother officer that he would be injured in some
way another, and that the Sth Regiment would
never have d new armOry II it could be prevented. III
fault OF Colonel Scotts that the regiment has
down. but their armory is not an attractive one
and young won't take the interest IN 1t they
should"