Evening star., 1896-11-14
THE NATIONAL GUARD
Current Gossip in Regard to the
Armory Building.
DISCUSSING A POSSIBLE CHANGE
What is Talked About in the Vari-
GUS Company Quarters.
y o T E S OF l n 7 E r f S Il

The presence at the District building
during the past week of Mr.. Stilson Hutch
ins. MIR. Lee Hutchins and Mr.. David Tow
ers, representing the interests of the Ma
uional Guard Armory and Convention Hall.
and also Gen. William Birney Of the Center
Market Company, has given rise to all
sorts of rumors. not the least interesting
being the possibility that the brigade.
the greater portion of It, may vacate the
quarters at 4i6 l. street and return to its
old love. the rooms above the Center mar
ket.
The drill hall question. which, has been IN
such vaciliatins state for a year past,
again becomes the center of interest be-
cause of the rapid approach of the date
when it is desired to reopen the ice skat-
ing rink in Convention Hail. Since October
l the Guard has had the use of Convention
Hall on the evenings specified in the con-
tract-Mondays, Tuesdays and Saturdays.
Now, il is understood. the management of
the ice palace desires that the rink, at the
start at least. shall be open to the public
every night in the week. and not on We'd
resdays. Thursdays and Fridays only. and
to that end communicated with General
OrdWay, with the intention of p2rfecting.
if possible, such an arrangement. 1t
may he stated on the very best authority
thar General Grdway. iii his reply, said
that the management of Convention Hall
has already made use OF the entire num-
her OF evenings that might be at it's dis
l.0sal. under the contract. up to February
/ next. Further it is believed ,ha, Gen
eral crdway announced that the Guard
ernphatically means to use The hall Mon
day. Tuesday ana Saturday evenings. until
;h2 date ,nentionei, if the contract con-
tinues in force. From the same authority
il is learned that in the event that the
management cf the hall should attempt to
viO!Gt" the terms Of the contract. Sentries
would be POSTED and only guards-nen per-
mitted to enter the drill inclosure during
the periods il is assigned to the Guard.
Something Definite Desired.
The stand taken by the commanding gem
eral, il is believed. has resulted in the
management Of the ice palace reaching the
conclusion that arrangements for the re-
opening of the rink should be suspended
until definite understanding concerning
the use of the hall by the Guard is reached
Hence, tire appearance of those Interested
in the hall and the ice palace during the
past few days before the Commissioners
It is generally understood that Auditor
Petty has repeatedly recommended that the
contract for the use of Convention Hall by
the Guard for drill purposes ne abroga ed
icr the heSt interests of the Guard. Then
IL - repOT ted, Mr. HutchinS, at the hearing
the other day. intinlated pretty clearly that
any movement n the direction of ar an
nulnlent OF the lease would be met with
but little opposition On his part Ii is con-
cct;ed that financially the nlanasement of
the hall would fare far better if the exist
ing agreement with the Guard should be
terminated 1t IS easy to believe, say those
Interested, that the close of the season
the reverue derived from, the ice palace
open regularly every evening in the week
WoCld be greater than that resulting from
the ice palace open three evenings each
week augmented By the rental for the other
he rG
without taking into consideration the ex-
penSe OF laying and raising the board floor
ing over the ice surface AZ all events the
commissioners promised to give careful
consideration 10 the subject. and announce
Their decision within a few days.
1t is claimed that the Comm. .s=i oners are
absolutely without power to act in the mat
ter, and that the recent hearings before
them are Of no force or consequence what
ever. This contention is based on section -,
Of the act of Congress approved March l.
lS>a', providing for the oreaniZat ton of the
National Guard of the District Of Columbia
The section sets f0rth-''That the quarter
master general of the militia shall provide
by rental or otherwise, such armoriess for
the National Guard as may be allowed and
directed by the commanding general
Who Has the Authority
The suggestion has been made that the
section quoted was repealed by the stipula-
tons of the last District appropriation bill,
which, il has been said, placed the expend-
iture of the appropriation for the Guard in
the hands of the Commissioners 1t is
argued that such is not the case The ex-
perftures provided shall he made by au-
thority" of the Commissioners and such
has been the case since the orsanza ton of
the brigade. Section ~ of the act of March
l. lSS!l. is certainly not ambiguous. and it
therefore seems reasonable to believe that
Cen Ordway and not the Commissioners
possesses the sole authority 10 act in the
matter of the Convention Hall lease
iii view of the experience of last winter
and of the undisputed fact that the rank
and tile of the Guard. whether justified or
net. certainly object most streHuously TO
drill over the ice. it is thought that the