The Washington times., 1895-02-03

government Springfield arms on their way 10
Southern arsenals.
..One hundred and fifty thousand were sent
South during the last year Of Floyd's seere-
taryship. In the month OF October 1868,
25 900 rified Springfield muskets were
turned out by the 900 workmen employed
there under military snperintendence, and 10
succeeding months the output was increased
to 30000.'
DRILL ROOMS COMPARED.
In connection with the new armory the
question OF drill hall is OF interest. Con-
yention Hail is to be used for this purpose
when It is not otherwise engaged. 1t may be
interesting to- compare the drill shed Just
erected at Newport with this hail. IL is the
main feature of the armory and Is ezcelleDtly
adapted for he purpose, with an unobstructed
floor space OF II0x55 feet. The side walls are
OF cement spread directly upon the stone
work and blocked OF. The roof is supported
by steel trusses. spruce rafters with boarding,
all pIanet aud oiled. II is heated by eighteen
radiators aSout the sides and all necessary
arrangements for ventilation
At one end OF this room there Is gallery
that will seat about Il ~ people. Under the
north side OF the drill she'd is the rifle range,
100 feet long: here the markers ara protected
by an iron screen Quilt up weighing 5000
pounds and are provided with button board
ing is two stories in height with towers on
each front corner. The entrance has broad
doors and hall to the drill shed; these are
wide enough tC admit marching columns OF
foufs. Opening out of this hallway are the
men s quarters and the company clothing
room. The officers quarters are pleasantly
fitted up. The second fiooris arranged much
the same as the first The new armOry for
the District Guard eciipses it in every way.
The interest in military drill is increasing
all over the country. The Sunday-schools
have taken it up as means OF hOlIing the
boys to the churches. There are three Ha-
tional organizations covering the field az
present as follows: Boys Brigades generally
connected with the Congregational and
Presbyterian Churches; the Baptist Boys
Brigades and the EpwOrth Guards, the lat
ter Methodist Episcopal organization. All
three are thoroughly organized and at Wo k,
and each has It's literature and distinctive
uniforms. The first in the field was the Boys
Brigade movement. and so attractive WAS the
organization that the two latter were put On
foot more from necessity than choice. Tor
wherever church in neigh0Orhood begins
the movement other churches must follow the
lead or lose their boysl
SOLDIER BOTS AT FEAsTs.
/ Monday night the Hotel BeIford was cap
/ tured by crowd Of soldier boys Troops
under command OF Capt. Harrison s. Barbour
I were the eaptors. News OF the approach Of
/ the attacking party had reached Manager
/ john Stewart and his aides. John BFanson
! and Charles Eisehenbrenner. and prepara-
/ tions were made TO receive the troopers IN
/ beiitting style. An oven was improy1sed IN
/ the backyard aud several barrels OF oysters
/ were roasted to perfection by one Of the Bel
/ ford's chefs. Tables were arranged nearby,
I wnereOn numerous kegs OF beer and several
hundred sandwiches were displayed. as the
necessary accompaniments OF the roast.
Many of the officers of the District National
Guard and several of the ieutenants from
/ Fort Myer were the guests Of the commander
OF the troop at a pleasant party inside the
/ house. The affair was enlivened by music
By an excellent orchestra
The Washington Light Infantry gave its
first battalion smoker Wednesday night, at
which the whole command, numbering go,
were present. Tables were spread In the
armory hall and platform raised at one
end. where the musicians and performers
OF the evening entertained the company
There was long programme of music. vocal
and instrumental. reading and recitations,
and acrobatics and tUmbiing work. Col.
Moore was there, with CAPT. NailOr, Major
Ross. and the majority of the staff Major
Ross is perIeeting the arrangements for the
/ Washington Birthday parade, and says he
will turn out the finest battalion in the Dis
trict.
The Light Battery held its regular meeting
I Wednesday night. Capt EOrSburg an
nouneed the following promotions: Corp.
Pierce to be sergeant OF first secuon; Corp.
Henderson, sergeant of third section: Corp.
LonSley. sergeant fourth section; Private
Will Chase. corporal OF first section; Private
Charles I. Morgan, corporal third section,
ana Private Henry G.. Strong, corporal fourth
section. Private Strong passed an examina-
tion of 100 for promotion and the others were
up in the nineties. There were five applicants
Z 3aI4 fhs.e hiatt
voted that all contributors to the souvenir
book should be made honorary members ot
the association. The battery want TO go 10
Memphis and many railroad people have al
ready offered advantageous rates. Lieut..
Marion drilleI the company for the first time.
The battery is ready 10 move at an hours no.
rice into the new armory. but don't want to
go. 1t has been at great expense in fitting
up their present quarters, and all this Will be
dead loss. The battery will have collec-
tion OF pool tables, etc, to sell cheap.
| The arrest of q young man named Dem
ming for stealing military equipments has
| brought joy to the hearts OF a number ol
quartermasters and quartermasteFs' ssrgeants
For a number of months revolvers. guns.
cavalry boots. and other articles Of military
equipment have been missed They were
being stolen from the armory of Light Battery
4. in the old Ward Dairy building. and IRON
the armOry and rifle range IN the News
building Every now and then some artieIe
| would turn up in a pawnbrokers shop and
/ quartermaster sergeants were growing gray
/ from anxiety. The arrests have shown the
fact that there has been regular gang d
these people at work. Members OF it have
enlisted in certain companies and thus beer
ahle to steal without detection. The arres
will lead to the breaking up OF this gang.
is possible that in some way the persons re
sponsihle for these supplies may be relieved