The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-04-11
SOME INTERESTING FACTS
In Relation to an Armory I'm the City OF
Providence for the Militia.

built in the city OF Providence, 1t may be
we'll TO review the previous attempts TO
forward this movement which has been
TOO long deferred.
In 1868 joint special committee con-
sisting of Quartermaster General Flagg
and several Others appointed by the Cen
eral Assembly, made "A report upon State
Armory, recommending that the lot and
building on Benefit street, now armory OF
Battery A, be sold and an arsenal adapted
TO the service be built upon the cove lands
or elsewhere, stating that the present site
and building were unsuitable.
In January session, 1869, the COMMITTEES
was renewed, with Lysander Flagg, quar-
termaster-general; l.. Ii. Smith OF the
Senate, ana Olney Arnold; Lycurgus
Sayles and Jabez w. Mowry OF the House,
To take into consideration and make in
quiry as To the expediency and possibility
OF removing the armory on Benefit street,
Providence, To some more suitable loca-
tiOn and report terms.
This committee reported in 1870: "That
the State arsenal (now Battery armory)
is wholly unfit for the uses for which 1T is
required and does not meet the wants OF
the State or company, either as To loca-
ton, size, accommodation or in any re-
spect. That il Is an estate OF value Tor
private purposes and can be sold TO good
advantage. That, in our opinion, there
Will be no trouble In making the necessary
OF Artillery to sell the property as soon
as they are provided with suitable
quarters. We have consulted with the
committee appointed by the company and
they are desirous of change on account
of inadequacy of room, not only for drill,
but for the purpose of taking proper care
of the property entrusted with them by
the State, and that in the judgment OF
your committee the public interest will be
promoted by the sale OF said property and
the erection of a suitable building for an
armory and arsenal in more desirable
and convenient location" The following
resolution was then passed by the General
Assembly;
Voted and Resolved, That Lysander Flagg Quar-
termaster General, and Mr.. Butler OF the Senate,
Messrs, Freeman, Perkins and Bliss on part OF
the House be committee TO se!ecta suitable iot OF
land for the erection of State Arsenal TO be
occupied jointly with the Providence Marine Corp
Artillery, and report the terms on which the same
be procured at the present session OF the
General Assembly, and also 10 ascertain aud re-
port the probable cost OF erecting SAID Arsenal, i,
and the price for which the State Arsenal In Proyi-
dence can be sold.
This committee was continued and au-
thorized to prepare plans and estimates
for building suitable for the purposes
of en- armory and to sit during the COM
ing vacation and to report at the session
OF the General Assembly in May 1870:
This committee visited the old West
of its being taken for an armory, etc. III
they made any report TO the Assembly 1T
does not appear in print and 1t seems to
have expired by limitation as their recon-
mendations were not acted upon, though
decidedly favored by the members OF the
General Assembly.
In January 1887, joint special commit
tee was appointed by the General Assem-
bly, for the purpose of reporting upon the
expediency, etc, of erecting State Ar
mory in Providence with a suitable drill
hall for the development and training OF
the militia and proper store house for
the quartermaster-g generals department.
Also TO report a proper location for the
same with any further recommendations
for the benefit of the militia.
This committee was T. w. Chace, Mel
vile Bull and r.. w. Bucxlin of the Sem
ate; L.. b. Goff, VIM. >. Hayward, II. w.
Hayes and Geo. Il. Cranston of the House,
with Adjutant General T.. Dyer and Quar-
termaster General &. X. Dennis. This
committee visited several armories in
other states, principally among which
were the 9TH, the Sth, the 18th, 23d and
list of New York, all of them large regi-
mental armories costing from 100000 to
$500, 900 each.
They reported to the General Assembly
and were continued. In February, 1888, the
committee met at the City Hall, Provi-
dence, with committee appointed by the
Board of Aldermen and Common Council
consisting OF Aldermen Lowe
and Burrows, with Councilmen Wat
son, Batcheldor and Kendrick, with
vew of securing that part OF the West
Burying ground now known as Hayward
Park. The committee was unanimous in
the selection ana urgent addresses 10 the
city committee were made by General
Chace, General Dyer, General Dennis, Hon.
III. w. Hayes, Hon. ). Il. Cranston and
Hon. w. II. Wood, calling attention to
the responsibility of the city, the needs of
the militia and the uneXcelled and
central site for such a building.
a movement by some of the City Coun-
Gil or Board of Aldermen to at once locate
a park there delayed action until the OPP
portunity to secure it for an armory was
lost.
This committee expired by limitation
and were much disappointed IN not being
able to get the cooperation OF the city, as
the members OF the Council individually
expressed their approval of the project.
Many of the States have taken up the
movement TO supply proper armories for
the militia, but the foremost are New
York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New
Jersey, Ohio and Illinois. There are two
armories in Boston, recently erected, each
arranged for II companies or more, with
drill sheds 800 feet long. Armories have
been erected in Worcester, Lowell,
Lawrence, Fitchburg, Lynn, etc.,
of splendid proportions and ar
rangements. New York exccls in this
direction having State armories in up
wards OF 20 cities and towns. The last
one erected and just finished in New York
city for the 7lst Regiment on 3ith street,
cost $4,000, and the land si25,000. The
new Armory building in Brooklyn for the
23d Regiment is to excel them all with
drill shed $40 feet by 2i0 feet clear and the
front building four stories, and to cost
without the land about s600,000
The committees OF this State are at work
doing the best they can with the appro-
priation, having secured a site at Bristol
but awaiting transfer of deeds etc. one at
Newport, the plans for building being in
the hands of architects for proposals to
build; and that at Pawtucket fully con-
tracted for and the work OF excavating
and putting in foundation well under way.
Providence needs two substantial ar
mories, one for the artillery, the Machine
Gun Battery, cavalry and quartermaster-
generals stores, and one with ample room
for n 12-company regiment, with drill hall
of ample size for n battalian in line and
width enough for n change OF position,
Ali fs...x.