The morning times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1897, 1896-09-06
DISTRICT SOLDIER BOTS
One Weeks News and Gossip
Around Local Armaries.

or course, nothing Ia talked of in Guard
circles except the matches at Sea Git
and the possible change OF tine armofy.
The shooting done by the District repre-
sentatives at the New Jersey range has
filled the stay-at homes with satisfaction
and the boys are ready to give the marks
men warm welcome upon their return.
Everyone feels that the teams have done
themselves credit and no one wishes to
detract. In the least, from the victory.
Yet there has been n good deal OF quiet
satisfaction expressed at the protest filed
by W. H. Meyer, late adjutant and cap
tain OF the SecoDd Regiment. Capt. Meyer
has come in for a large share OF criticism
because he made the protest, but other
wise the protest, in the minds VI
many OF the Guards, seems to have been
well taken. Capt. Meyer shot on the team
himself at Sea Grit last year, when he
was q citizen nf Pennsylvania. Just as he
claims three members OF the present team
are II Is this fact upon which some Of
the men base their criticism.
SOME ARE DISCONTINUED.
Back Of all this. though, the Feeling which
shows up now is to the effect that the
brigade team is a ciCse corporation. Leav-
ing merits out OF the question entirely that
feeling Is largely felt by all the Guard.
The men hold that they have no chance
to do anything for themselves, and If they
should happen to show up well In rifle
practice they would still have no chance
OF going on the team. KicksSwih come In
the National Guard as well az in anything
else, and they are chronicied In this column
simply as happenings. 49, -
The department OF rifle practice has the
greatest trouble in getting tie fiien TO ccin-
pete. In the competition, for the, company
teams to 20 to Sea Grit. outlOf ten COM
panies which promised TO send men to
the range only five responded In all the
companies the interest in Individual work
has died out and IT is-next thing to driving
the men to get them out, II is said that
years ago this was not the case
One man stated his ease to The Times.
representative during the week. He said
he was fired with an ambition last year to
get sharpshooter's cross. He went TO
the range, and on the 200 and 500-y yard
ranges made a score sufficient to entitle
him to a cross II he missed every. sh OF at
the 6OO-yard target. He wentto the range
six afternoons In succession and was never
able to get chance to shoot The team
men had IL and would not give way. In
disgust he gave up and has paid no atten-
ton to it since. He says that the intention
of the department is to pash everything in
favor OF the team and no. to make good
shots Of the men. The editor OF this col
urnn thinks the guardsman is wrong, but
that is the wa be feels.
ONE OFFICERS STORY.
The commander OF one of the companies
OF the Guard says that he started out to
qualify all of his men, But they became
dscourag ed and now he can't get them
to do much OF anything He has tried
to get the range for certain days, but has
been unsuccessful. His men could not
get a chance to shoot when They went to
Ordway for voluntary practice, and if they
did get the chance there was no one there
to coach them. Sothe feeling goesthrough-
out the entire Guard, and that is why the
men feel sore They are glad to see their
win. but they would like to have
chance themselves to learn to b. good
shots.
On the question of the guns used by the
District men at Sea Grit there seems to be
but one feeling, and that is that Capt
Movers protest was well taken. 1t is re-
called that Major Harries at the last
shoot at Creelmore made a most vigorous
protest against the guns used by the New
York team He further protested against
the ammunition because it was not that
ISIS ued by the service. 1t is said that the
two protests are very similar indeed.
The story Of the guns used by the District
boys 1T Sea Grit has been told in the columns
of The Times. They are part OF the forty
guns Gen. Sheridan had made several years
ago for the use of the Army team The
regulars were beaten at every match and
Gen. Sheridan grew tired of it. They are
6-groove guns and the regulars did win as
soon as they got hold Of them. Afterwards
they were lost. but diligent search showed
that they were slowed away at tie Spring
field. Mass. arsenal. In the next issue
of guns to the District National Guard
twenty of these rifles were included. SO
the guns We're issued in the
regular way and technically there can be
no complaint. Yet the District boys are
better armed than the guard of other States
to the extent of twenty guns.
THE ARMoRY LEASE.
The fact that the lease of Convention
Itdlis dS URN iOoiii. oc Is
greeted with joy by all the men,. II the
armory should be given up and all could
go back to the old quarters on Pennsylvania
avenue the joy would still be greater.
Since the Guard moved into the new ar
mory there has been a series OF unfortunate
events, which have sadly dampened the
interest of the men. When the first move
was made the walls were damp. Then
the heating apparatus did not work.
Then came the light question. Even now
he full quota of lights is not in the building.
Last OF all came the trouble over Con-
ventioa Hail IL it was settled that a
SIMILAR trouble would not occur this winter
Ill might be well, but it is understood
that the ice palace people intend to open
Up Thanksgiving day and take up the first
twenty nights OF the Guard. That would
mean there would be no drills, except in
he halls and on the streets, until along
n January. Company officers find it
lard enough now to get small number of
heir men men out and it will he still
iartler, they think, with such a prospect
before them.
The armory is almost deserted these days.
Zone OF the men drop in as they used to.
When the armory was over the market
he boys could drop in without any trouble.
Vow it niea rs a special trip to get to the
lrmory. II the change should be made
t viii be most popular one. 1t is