The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-04-18
CADETS TO HAVE
A CRUCIAL TEST
league of the Cross Mem
bers in a Big Com
pstitive Drill.
Most E fcient Companies Will
Contest !or the Mont.
gomery Medal.
Only Four Can Take Part on the 20 h
Inst-Hls,ory of the Organi.

The crucial test to determine which foul
OF the twelve companies of The League o.
the Cross Cadets OF this City and Oakland
will COME in the big competitive drill al
Mechanics Pavilion on the evening OF
Thursday, the Goth inst, takes place to-
day at the Pavilion. 1t will be in the
nature of tryout to select the most com.
petent companies to contest for the
splendid Montgomery medal" a golden
emblem studded with diamonds, pre-
sented by Rev. Peter &. Yorke. and now
held by Company G, Captain Power.
Captains Marshall, E.gert and Elmer
of the First Infantry Regiment, N. G. C..
Will judge of the merits of the various
companies, and the result will not be
known until the night of the big drill in
order that all may be kept in the highest
state Of discipline until that time.
Colonel Commanding William 2. Sulli-
van Jr., who deserves m uch credit for the
high state OF efficiency into which he has
worked the cadets, will oversee to-day 8
drill.
The history of the organization is an in
teresting one. shown. as it does, what
persls tent and W ell directed effort will &C
complish.
The League of the Cross bad been or
gan:zed for some time, when, in the fall
OF 1893, the idea of forming companies of
cadets in the various branches was sug-
gested to the executive committee by one
of Its members The suggestion met with
but little opposition, and this was caused
by feeling on the part of some that it
would be an undertaking of considerable
magnitude to properly uniform and equio
sucn an organization as was proposed. VI
the propTiety OF the feature. and OF the
benefit which would result TO the League
of the Cross. and to the cause OF temper
anc. through it, no one who heard the
suggestion, had any doubt.
The Right Rev. George Montgomery,
then spiritual director of the league, con-
suited with Colonel William P. Sullivan
Jr. about the matter, and the colonel
promised him his active cooperation in
the work.
At meeting of the officers of the
junior branches, held at the cathedral in
made that cadets were 10 e organized in
the league. The Cathedral branch alone
was represented at the first meeting and
the prospect of forming cadet companies
was not very encouraging. The com mittee,
however, acting on The ADVICE OF Bishop
Montgomery and Colonel Sullivan, called
another meeting in January, 1894. In the
interim work was quietly carried on. with
what success may be concluded from he
fact that on January Z, 1894, the board OF
otfic .rs of the league was organized.
The Cathedral branch, being composed
OF the greater number of mem ers, re.
ceived the title Company A, st. Charles
branch was Designated as Company B, ST.
Patrick's Company c, Sacred Heart Com
paEy ID and st. Francis Company E.
On February 26, 1894, the first steps to-
made. Comp any A was mustered into
the First Regiment, L. c. c., by Colonel
Sullivan. Then followed the other COM
panies in rapid succession. Company B,
st. Charles Parish, March 5, 1894; Com
pany c. St Patrick's, March IL 1894;
Company e, ST. James. April 10, 1894;
Company +, st. Theresa's, May 15, 1894 |;
Company G, ST. Brigid's, June g. 1894 ;
Company II. ST. Brendan's, July II, 1898;
Company ], St. Peters, Deem Der 10,
1894; Company K. s.. Pau.'s, May II,
1895; Company L, Mission Do ores, May
81, 1895; Company NJ, st. Francis, March
q, 1896.
Company was dropped on Septem Der
10, 1896, while Company +, being unable
to make mach progress, was dropped in
the latter part OF 1894. These places were
quickly filed. Two companies were started
in Oakland, at st. Francis de Sales Church
and st. Patrick's. They were mustered III
respectively, as Company n, on October
13, 1897, and as Com pany F, on October 16,
1897. Not only has the regiment the full
complement of twelve companies but 1T
also has an average OF fifty uniformed
members in each one.
Besides the companies there is band
of forty amateur musicians. ana among
them are some of tae finest of :hat class in
this City. Their first appearance will be
on Thursday evening, April 90, 1897. upon
which occasion the cadets will hold their