The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-27
THE GUARDSMEN'S MONEY
Captains Will Ask for the
Full Legal Quarterly
Allowance.
THEY WANT 800 A MONTH.
A Combination to Test the CoIoneIs'
Agreement to Submit to a
Reduction.

Like ripples spreading from the splash
of stone, one little incident is likely to
disturb the quiet which has settled upon
the local militia, and the storm will burst
again over the City regiments.
This is the time for the captains to send
in their demands for the quarter ending
September 80. They have always made
out their demands for $780, and they see
cording to the agreement made between
the colonies and the board of location the
quarterly allowance will only be $75 a
month, or 1925 quarter, and upon this
state of affairs will start all the trouble.
The law of the State guarantees to each
company 500 month for its maintenance
This, it is claimed, cannot be cut down by
any agreement made by the colonies with
out consulting their captains, and to which
the captains did not assent, and therefore
the captains claim they are not bound by
the compromise in any way. Besides that,
no captain would ever have agreed to allow
his allowance to be cut down, for it is a
well-known fact that no City company can
be run even on 500 a month unless the
strictest economy be practiced.
What the captains are to do under the
circumstances is Just now troubling them.
If they can all stand together the plan is
to allow the money to remain in the ex-
press office, unless it be the full amount,
and so let the guard remain penniless
until the vexing question has been settled.
This will be all right should the captains
all stand together. but if only a few refuse
tc draw their money they can and will be
dealt with for characterization, and they
will not be long for the guard.
The general impression is that if the
amount appropriated will not support the
guard at its present size, it is the duty of
the board of location to adhere to its origi-
nal announcement-tha the companies
should be brought within the limit, regard
less of political fear or favor. Even those
who fought the proposed mastering out of
any City company, or tile destruction of
any of the local regiments, are beginning
to believe it would be better were some of
the local companies run together in some
more serviceable formation than these bob
tailed regiments. There is not much fear
among the officers, however, that any
more companies will go from San Fran
cisco until some of those in the interior
are dealt with. But even should the San
Francisco companies be further reduced
by one or two, it will at least give the re-
naming ones a sum sufficient to keep
them going.
What money the guard of this City now
receives almost all is devoted to armory
rent and armory expenses. The plan in
the First Regiment has been to estimate
the arm DRY expenses of every quarter, in
GLIDING rent, gas and water, and this was
divided by five, the number of companies
then in the regiment. The total for each
company generally amounted to 1910, and
this was deducted from each quarterly al
lowance before any other expense. Then
there came out of the remaining $780, SIS
a quarter, which was paid as company
dues to support headquarters. The re-
manning SIS, or S. a month, was turned
over to the company to procure ammuni-
ton, buy uniforms and repair old ones and
to repair the arms. Under these circum-
stances the company fund had often to be
encroached upon to keep the companies
above water.
In the Second Regiment the rent of each
company amounts to an average of $225 a
quarter, and then must come the gas bills
for each company-room, share of the
salaries of two armorers and the dues for
headquarters. When these are paid the
remaining dollars OF the allowance are not
many. If they be reduced to $75 month
the City companies cannot keep up unless
the State supplies armories for them.
These questions will be brought up if the
captains succeed in persuadIng each other
to let the funds alone unless they are for the
full 500 month. Should the reduced allow
will amount to an acceptance of that
amount as correct, and it is not likely that
the amount will be raised again in hurry.
The First Regiment is the one most
vitality interested in the question of reduc-
ton, for even now, with only four COM
panies in the Market-street armory, it
cannot keep up the rent. Captain Mar
ferred to the Third Regiment, is prepar-
ing to leave for the Golden Gate
avenue armory, and then the three
companies remaining will be left
to bear all the expenses them
selves. This is impossible, and means
that the old and oft-mooted question be-
tween the regiment as whole and the
Nationals will be brought up once more.
Only this time it must be settled. Either
the Nationals must go to the Market
street building or the companies there
must go to Ellis street. To both of these
solutions of the difficulty there is storm
of opposition, whenever they are brought
up. The Nationals will not leave the
armory which they own, and the other
building for there is not room.
The drill floor there Is a very small one
and is waxed for dancing, so all drills have
to be upon the street Street drills are not
in favor with any officer who values ac-
curacy. The instructor cannot see indi-
vidual mistakes, and so they go uncor-
rected. Should the Nationals successfully
fight removal, however, the other COM
panies of the regiment cannot long remain
together, and if the First goes out of ex-
istence and the Nationals are attached to
the Second or Third regiment, the old
question will again appear in the distance
to breed discord.
Altogether the present condition of the
guard in this City is like the smoldering
of volcano. Fire is likely to break forth
at any time, and when it does the Board
of Location and Organization will have to
meet again to consider militia affairs.