Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-05-05

sword ana belt was pFe1euteh ~ uAill
by the corps. The corps took part ia
the sesqui-centennial celebration OF
the settlement of Savannah, during
which the handsome silk flag which
it now carries was presented to it, as
the oldest infantry command in
Georgia, by Gov Alexander II. Ste
phens, an honorary member Of the
corps
The commanding officer immedi-
ately addressed himself to the tinan-
ces Of the corps, obtaining reduc-
ton of the interest that was then be
ing paid upon the corps debt, and
conceiying the idea that the property
known as the Old State Arsenal
might be obtained from the state as
a site for an armory, obtained the
consent OF the city council of Savan-
nah to the execution of a deed of the
reversionary interest of the city in
said property, provided, an Act of
directing the sale of said property by
the State to the Ecorps, the State
merely having the right of user of
the same for arsenal purposes, and
the city holding the reversionary in
terest. To this end he prepared a
bill, and went before the Legislature
in the summer session of 1888, and,
after a great deal of labor, succeeded
in getting the same passed, and it
became law on the 21st of Septem-
Der 1888. BY this Act providing for
the sale of the western half of lot let
ter G, in Percival Ward, the Cover
nor was directed TO execute to said
military corporation "a deed, convey
ing all the right, title, interest and
estate of the State of Georgia in said
property The news of the passage
of this Act was received with great
enthusiasm by the corps, as it was
the cornerstone upon which the
magnificent structure now known as
| he Arsenal was erected. 1t should
be mentioned in passing, that upon
the death of Gov. Alexander II.
Stephens, the Savannah Volunteer
Guards sent a strong detachment OF
over 100 men, upon few hours no.
tlce, to Atlanta, under command of
Lieut. Col Garrard, which took part
in the funeral service, being accorded
the right Of the line.
An advantageous sale was made
by the corps OF its property on the
corner of York and Bull streets, the
site Of the first almory, for the sum
Of Sl6, 100, with the proceeds Of
which the debt Of the corps was paid
oil, amounting to more than half
said purchase money, and the balance
became the nucleus Of the building
fund. A building committee was
appointed, consisting of Lieut.. Col
Garrard, Capt. II. c. Cunningham,
Capt. John l.. Hammond, Capt. Il.
II. Footman, and Honorary Member
w. 5. Basinger to take charge of the
erection Of the arsenal.
Col. Garrard announced The pro-
ject of a fair, to raise money to add
to the building fund, and the corps
went to work upon the same with a
viii during the fall and winter
months of 1884 and the early part of
1885, the result of which was the
Guards fair, which opened upon the
18th day of April, 1884, and lasted
for two weeks in Catholic Library
Hall, on Drayton street, the Hon. r.
r. Lester, chairman of the fair COM
mittee, delivering the address of well
come, the battalion being present in
full uniform, with side arms. Dur
! ing the progress of this fair many in
| teresting events occurred, among
which was the visit of Gov. Henry
| d. Mcdaniel to Savannah as the
| guest of the Guards Battalion, who,
| during his stay in Savannah, re-
/ viewed the volunteer forces of the
/ city and received many attentions.
/ The fair was success financially,
/ but, after the closing of the same, it
took several months to wind up the
different schemes which Were for
/ mulated by it, and then Col. Gar
rard recommended to the corps the
purchase of more ground to add to
the western half of lot letter q, and
TO this end negotiations were opened
with the kollock family, owners of
the adjoining property, which re-
suited in the purchase of a strip of
20 feet by so feet, which, added to
the original space, gave to the corps
a site 80 feet by 40 feet for the pur-
pose of building. The building com
mittee, having with great care con-
sidered the plans of the proposed
building executed by Mr.. J. A.
Wood, of New York, architect,
adopted the same, and began the
demolition of the old arsenal build
ing in the winter of 1884 In exca-
waiting for the new building, two old
cannon were found buried beneath
the arsenal, which now appear at the
entrances on York and President
streets, mounted and jutting over
the pavement.
In Deem Der, 1854, the scheme OF
the arsenal bazaar, TO raise more funds
for said building was promulgated,
the said bazaar to be held during the
following winter The corps secured
quarters for itself in Oglethorpe Bar
racks during the building Of the
arsenal, which consumed the entire
year 1885, and a portion of 1856, the
period being about eighteen months,
in demolishing the old building,
digging out the foundation for the