Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-03-25
THIRD REGIMENT INSPECTED.
CAPTAIN GEORGE ii. ROACH CON-
DENNIS THE ARMORY.
Says Ii Is n Disgrace to Kansas City
Believes the Citizens Should
Come to the Aid of the
Regiment.

The Third regiment armory. at Twelfth
street ana Troost avenue presented the ap-
pearance last night of having been struck
with cyclone or the overpowering forces
of some besieging enemy. Accoutrements
were scattered about III seemingly the great
est confusion. The company quarters We're
strewn with cartridge boxes belts. bayo-
nets, leggins, blouses, caps, campaign and
dress hats, guns, blankets and a score of
other equipments. Officers and privates
were scurrying about and apparently only
added to the confusion. 1t was simply an
inspection of property of the regiment. un-
der the critical eye of Captain George H.
Roach, assistant inspector general of the
state
He went through the piles of uniforms at
great rate, condemning what was unfit for
service. Here and there he administered a
lecture to an officer for permitting one of
his men to leave Il gun unoled. With the
company sergeants ne checked off all the
property of companies X. B, d. II and 1.
and the Quartermaster and ordnance stores
When he makes up his report all the cloth
ing that is worn out will be burned, and the
unserviceable arms will be shipped back to
Jefferson City.
The inspection is on 4 special order from
the new administration. He Will INSPECT
each regiment in the state and report to the
o
the exact amount of property on hand. In
round figures the whole value of the prop
erty in the possession of the National Guard
of Missouri is S2O0.000 and each dollars
worth must be accounted for.
Captain Roach worked until II o'clock
last night inspecting the property of the
spect the, other companies. the battery,
band. and Company +. of Independence
to-day. When asked by a reporter for The
regiment Is, he said:
1t is very ygood-exceptionally so. II has
good arms and equipments. and is strong
But he added emphatically, as he gaZed
about the armory, such a barn as this is
disgrace. to any city. and city that will
one as you have here. a better and more
commodiouS armory. should be compelled
10 do without the protection of regiment.
II seems TO me that the citizens of Kansas
City do not appreciate what they have in
a coed, strong regiment. If n riot should
break out here. and thousands of dollars
worth of property be DESTROYED by a mob
the insurance on that property would not
be wcrth the paper ii is written on. Some
of your merchants would do well to look
over their insurance policies and see for
themselves what ii says about their insur
. mob. If they would Investigate stilI far
ther they would see that a regiment is
mighty cheap Investment for them.
"Of course they can sue the city or
county for the amount lost in a riot but
their money will be tied up for maybe
years before they can get IT: The city
Vi lSOulS pTONiueS III an OTulHdHCt S4.pvU
year to its regiment and gives its arm
ory light and water free"
I'VE have TO pay s1.4oO a year for the
almory rent and $500 for the company
quarters, furnish our own janitor. light,
water and fuel" interrupted Colonel Gross.
One time we fell behind in our water tax
and the first thing we knew the water was
turned of. Our appropriation from the
state does not pay our armory rent When
We approach Il business man and ask him
to help us keep up the regiment he laughs
and refers to the time when he belonged
to the tin horn militia"
There is nothing that has hurt the
National Guard of the state more than
the impression that it is a body of militia, =
said Captain Roach. Every able bodied
citizen between the ages or y and A years
is member of the militia subject to
call 10 arms. while the National Guard is
on the same footing-under the new bill
as the regular army. with the exception
that the enlisted men attend their drills
ana do not receive, cent for their time
They are enlisted. subject to orders from
| their officers. and must attend regular
drills for three years. When l complete
my report the National Guard of Missouri
| will be entirely reorsarized under the pro-
| visions oflthe new law