The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-01-25
PRAISES THE MILITIA
Governor Werts Recommends
Important Improvements
a. Sea Girt.

a The members of the Fourth Regiment
who visited Sea Grit shortly after the week
of camp to indulge in rifle practice, will be
pleased to learn that their excellent work on
the range is appreciated by Governor Werts,
who makes especial mention of it in his an
nual message. The message also contains
much of interest to National Guardsmen.
Among other things the Governor says
''The National Guard maintains
its high reputation. Despite dis
advantages, it has improved in discipline
and workmanship, and preserved its general
morale. One serious obstacle to its efficient
development has been, and is, the lack of
adequate accommodations for drilling and
the practice of military maneuvres. This
difficulty is in the way of being removed by
the erection of long-projected armorlas in
different cities. The first of such buildings
is in course of erection III Jersey City.
Other armories, to meet the reasonable re-
quirements of the guard, should be con-
structed as rapidly as the finances of the
State will warrant.
SEA GIRT CAMP GROUND.
"The State camp ground at Sea Grit is,
without doubt, as to location and topo-
graphical features, the finest in the country.
1t possesses ideal advantages for the school
of the soldier and has already proved of
great benefit to the National Guard. Form
erly leased, it is now owned by the State,
and could readily be sold for considerably
more than it cost. The mess halls, with one
exception, and other structures pertaining to
what is now a permanent camp ground, are
mere temporary affairs intended for re-
moval and placed Upon the grounds when
held under yearly lease. Besides being i'll
I4-+o <a 81 ,,cac iv,Eaplnd fI,nu hnyra hn
come dilapidated and a constant source of
expense for repairs. As a matter of econ
omy, they should be replaced by others of
the proper kind.
"As before stated, it was proposed to re-
place the old building now on the camp
ground, and serving as a dwelling for the
superintendent and family, offices for the
transaction of business and quarters for
officers, by the Jersey building from the
Chicago Exposition. That idea was aban-
doned, because of the expense involved. The
old building in its present condition is unfit
for the purposes to which it is necessarily de-
voted, 1t is besides, .decayed, damp and
unhealthy. IT should be repaired and en-
larged, or a new and suitable building cost
ing not more than repairs and additions to
the old one) substituted.
NEW ID
Gin the building thus enlarged or newly
constructed, the furniture from the Jersey
Building and probably the sea coast ex-
hibit, could be placed and preserved.
"The changes and improvements thus in
Dictated are, it seems to me, such as good
Judgment dictates in the management of a
valuable property, and |, therefore, suggest
for your consideration the propriety of
placing the sum of $4,000 at the disposal of
the State Military Board for the purposes
proposed. In this convention it is proper to
refer to the fact that the uniformity
and contour of the camp ground
is broken, and it's availability impaired by
an adjacent tract of land covered with I'M
dergrowth and brushwood, bounded east by
the ocean, west by the camp ground, and
north by the Public Road running along the
northerly edge of the camp ground, and
continuing along the tract mentioned to the
ocean. This tract of land, thus situated,
projects itself into the camp ground and
cuts off most of the ocean front. For some
probably good reason then existing,
it was not included when title to
the camp ground was originally
been, / am advised it no longer exists. The
tract omitted is essential to the State and
will have to be acquired sooner or later, and
the sooner the more cheaply. With the camp
ground extended it's full width to the ocean,
as it would be by the acquisition of the tract
in question, a proper site could be provided
for the location of a coast sea battery, for
the State, by the United States Government,
and which has been deferred hitherto for
lack of such site. I recommend that this
matter receive the attention, jointly or
separately, of the committees o N militia of
your respective bodies, and that steps be
taken looking to the acquisition of the tract
of land referred to-"