Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-08
THE NATIONAL GUARD
Interest in the Coming Trio Of Inter-
state Drills.
ORGANIZATIONS THAT MAY PARTICIPATE
Business Laid Out for the Fifth
Battalion This Winter.
WHAT MAJOR SUESS SAYS

| During the past week the subject Of the
proposed military drills to be held in this
| vicinity-one at the National Base Ball
| Park under the auspices of the Corcoran
Cadet Corps. another at Alexander Island
in conf ection with the fair and exposition
of the Grange Camp Association of North
ern Virginia and the third at Richmond at
the exposition Of the Virginia State Agri-
cultural and Mechanical Society-has caus-
ed great stir among the local soldiers,
and activity to an unusual and marked
| degree is apparent nightly at the Center
| Market Armory.
| Owing to an uncertainty to the sched-
ule of the new professional foot ball league
the Corcoran Cadet Corps has not been able
to settle upon date for its drill. The af-
| fair, however, will not occur until October
| 10. or later. The entries will close about
two days before the drill, which is to take
| place in the afternoon, between the hours
| Of and O'Clock. A band of music will
be In attendance to enliven the occasion.
| Committees Announced.
Capt Edwards has announced the follow
ing committees: Music, Sergt. c. b. Mat
thews. chairman; Prvates Cooper, Schroe-
der and McCathran; program, Private Jos.
II. GInnell, chairman; Privates De Mol,
Nelson and Dodge; drill program, Capt. E.
Z. Edwards. chairman; Corporal Smith and
Privates Wisginton and Bluner; printing,
Sergt. Logan Prosise, chairman; Privates
Rochold. Parker and Hoist; advertising,
Stoddard. Lowe ana Wilson; grounds and
| privileges. Sergt. w. 4. Thompson, chair
man; Privates Lockhead, McQueeney and
Hazard; reception. Corporal F. E. Gibson,
| chairman; Corporal Giusta and Privates
Hunnicutt, koib, Wakefield, Orr, Powell
| Taylor and Il ittain. The chairmen of the
apo'e committees compose the executive
| committee.
| At Alexander Island
The drill at Alexander Island promises to
be a most successful affair, and although
there have been no official entries, Secre-
tary Wedderburn is in correspondence with
over 100 organizations relative to their
participating In the same. The rules of
this drill prescribe that not. less than 80
per cent OF company, as carried the
rolls. should appear. and the company hav-
ing the largest per cent will have an ad-
vantage In this respect, except companies
within ten miles of the fair grounds The
program will consist of the school of the
company In close order, with such omissions
as the judges may at the time make While
good wear and tear of equipments will be
allowed, the care that has been taken of
them will count more than new ones that
nave had less care. The entries will prob
ably not close until the day before the drill
Secretary Wedder burn is not Informed as to
whether the drill will include an inspection
be handed to the commanding officers of
companies these matters having been left
entirely with the board of judges.
Barred Out at Richmond.
Considerable surprise will be occasioned
by the fact that rule No. l, relating to the
Richmond drill, states that the contest will
be open to all white volunteer companies in
the states Of Virginia and North Carolina
which are regularly organized under the
laws of their states. 1t would seem from
the foregoing that the District companies
are barred from entry, but ii is reasona BILE |
to suppose that the exposition authorities
were CT the opinion that Washington would |
not desire to be represented in the compe-
ution, and therefore failed to include the |
District of Columbia in the rules. From
certain correspondence received from Rich |
mond 1t is safe to conclude that no objec- |
ton will be made to the entry of any |
Washington organization.
In the Richmond drill each company |
must consist of not less than thirty-two |
men, exclusive of guides and file closers. |
The drill is to occur on October D next. |
All companies intending to take part must |
notify the secretary on or before October 1. |
The contest will consist of inspection of the |
company, manual of erms and school of |
the company in close order The Judges |
will be three army officers, and the follow |
ing prizes offered First, $500; second, |
500, and third, 500. All officers and men |
taking part in the drill will be admitted |
to the grounds free, when in uniform, at |
any time during the exposition of 1894. The |
secretary of the society is William G.. /
Owens, Richmond, Va.
What Companies VIII Enter.
The question now occupying attention is |
as to what organizations will enter the |
drill at National Park and the one at |
Alexander Island. A large number of the |
National Fencibes are heartily in favor of |
participating in the trio of drills not merely |
Of victory to the already large number on |
the company flag. The boys do not en- |
terrain the slightest doubt but that they |
would easily take first place in each drill. |
There is another element in the company. |
however which is of the opinion that it |
would be beneath the dignity of the cham |
pion military organization of the United |
States to engage in drills held on such a |
small scale. The matter will be decided at |
a meeting on Tuesday evening next.
Capt. Walsh has called a meeting of the |
Emmett Guard for tomorrow afternoon ct |
4 o'clock, when the question of taking part |
in the drills will be discussed. The captain |
requests every member of the company to
be present, as important business relating |
to the recent Little Rock trip is to be set |
tied.
The Morton Cadets have entered into the |
drill idea heart and soul. Capt. Shilling |
has had a full drill team of forty men in |
the hall each night since Tuesday last, and |
already the youngsters are maneuvering in |
ton which beats them out must be indeed |
well-drlled. The Mortons will drill every |
night till the competitions occur.
The CorcOran Cadet Corps is also holding |
nightly drills in anticipation Of the Rich |
mond contest. The Corcorans have about |
decided not to participate in the drill at |
Alexander Island.
The other companies mentioned last week |
have not as yet concluded to participate |
in the drills, but number of them are ex-
pected to fall into line within the next few |
days. 1t is hoped that both the Fencibles |
and the Emmett Guard will finally conclude |
to enter the local drills i'm order that the |
people of Washington may have an oppor- |
tunity to witness the work of each A great |
curiosity in this respect has existed since |
the victories at Little Rock.
The Fifth battalion.
It woGld seem that the members of the |
fifth battalion will! necessarily be very wide |
awake during the coming winter, as Major |
Otto L. Suess intends that his command |
shall be as near perfect, in a military sense, |
as 1t can be made The major today made |
the following statement to The Star man:
Il think that when Congress passed the |
act of March I. 1889. creating the District |
uYai mi rifl,