The morning times., 1896-11-29
ICE ROUTED THE GUARD
Were Going to Drill but Changed
Their Minds.
1T WAS TOO WET OUTSIDE
Second Separate Company and the
Engineer Corps Were Out, But
They Did Not Drill-Rumors of an
Assault on the Hall Proved to Be
False Alarm.

The Ice Palace last night again froze
out the District National Guard and the
citizen soldiers who should have drillet.
there did nothing of the kind. 1t was re-
ported early in the evening that the guards
men We're going to drill, skating rink
or not.
II it was their intention, however, they
did not carry it into effect. and while
others skatcd and made merry they con-
tented themselves by going through the
practice OF tic manual in a listlcss sort
of way in their own company rooms.
1t was drill night for the Second Sep
arate Company, Miles Cycle Corps. under
command of Capt. WiGgn, and the Engi-
neer Corps, under the leadership OF Major
Thompson. The soldiers read the custom
AIRY notice on the bulletin board as they
entered the arinory. 1t merely stated that
the drill hail would not be ready for use.
HALL WAS NOT READY.
~ went to Capt Walsh said Capt
Wiggin, land asked him If WE could drill
i'll the hail. He said that it was not ready
and we could not. That was all there was
to it. OF course we all understood why.
We did not consider it necessary to make
sport of ourselves by entering and drilling
over the ice or Of taking forcible entry.
In fact, the latter thought never once
entered our minds.'
Prior to posting the notice Capt. Walsh
had made formal application to the pro-
prietors of Convention Hall for its use. OF
course he expected to be told that there
was ice on the floor and that it was not in
a fit condition for graceful drilling eXer-
cises, he said afterwards. His eNpecta-
tions were realized and he posted the notice.
1t is believed that next week will see the
case in the courts and a settlement of the
difficultiaS hptyypen the mlrEpt o.l N "
and the District National Guard will be
pushed us rapidly as follows:
However it ends" said an officer in the
guard last night, lit will be detrimental
to the militia. think il probable that the
guardsmen will bring suit dgainst the COM
pany for the enforcement of their contract
In event they carry it the management of
the ice palace will have to surrender the
hall about three evenings week and place
u floor over the ice.
WHERE THE RUB COMES.
''As is generally known, the owners of
the hall are desirous Of having the lease
annulled, for the skating rink is u source OF
much greater income to them than the
miltia's rentai. If the guard carries its
ease a nd the hall is secured men will drop
out because they do not care to drill over
the ice.
''lf the contract is annu!lcd the guard
would have to give up tsarmory and move
to the quarters down over the Center
Market, which is owned by The same com
pany, or drill in the streets entirely, an.
other impossibility.
II am fearful for the practical dissolu.
ton OF the guard unless a settlement is
reached in the near future. The only
plausible way out OF the difficulty as it
appears at present is to give up both
armories and halls and erect flew one
under the auspices of the National Guard.
1t is about the only thing that will save
the organization from a mere memory" :"
There is widespread. discomfort among
the militiamen over the present state Of
affairs. 1t is complained that since the
skating rink has started the light and heat