The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-02-02
STATE MILITIA.
General Donnelly's Annual
Report Shows Tt Is In
Good Condition.
READY FOR ANY EMERGENCY
Improvements at Sea Girt
Suggested Cost of the
National Guard
Especial to .rhe Jersey city News."l

Especial to 1.-THE Jersey City News.'1
TRENTON, Feb. 2, 19O0-General Rich
ard A. Donnelly's report as Quarter
master of the State for the year 1899 is
just from the hands of the printer.
Among other things the report says
.sThe uniformed militia force as now
constituted consists of four regiments of
infantry two troops of cavalry, two gat-
ling gun companies, and a hospital and
ambulance corps. Additional legislation
will be necessary to provide for the re-
organization of the gatling gun COM
panies into field batteries.
1.-THE uniforming, arming and equipment
of this force has been practically COM
pleted since the date of my last report,
and the National Guard is now in good
condition for any need that might arise
to require it's services within the borders
of the State.
Give installments of war claims, ag-
gregating s346, 1852, have been filed with
the auditor for the War Department at
Washington for examination and settle
ment. Items amounting to $15,371.H have
been allowed on these claims, for which
drafts have been received and turned over
to the comptroller of the treasury.
s62, $40 have been loaned by the general
government to the State of New Jersey
and charged up to the account of above
claims, leaving net amount of above
claims, leaving the net amount unsettled
claims at $26S, ,144.15.
"a large proportion of the items charg-
ed in the claims against the government
are for ordnance and ordnance stores,
camp and garrison equipage, taken from
the National Guard supplies and used in
the equipment OF New Jerseys quota of
volunteers, mobilized at Camp Voorhees,,
Sea Girt under the several calls of the
President. 1t has been decided that the
cost of such stores will not be repaid
in cash, but will probably be passed to
the credit of New Jersey on account of
annual quota for arming and equipping
the militia of the several States and Ter
ritories and replaced by issues in kind,
upon acquisitions of the Governor, pur-
suant to the act of Congress. Such items
of pay, clothing, subsistence, transporter
tion clerical services, labor, as far as
favorably passed upon by the auditor,
rill be paid for by cash drafts to the
order of the Governor.
'.There was no encampment at Sea Girt
during the summer, the active work of
the National Guard at the camp rounds
being devoted to rifle practice, by Or
ganizations, from July to September 16,
1899
.sThe long occupation of the grounds
by the volunteer troops during the sum-
mer of 1893 has made necessary much ex-
pense of labor and material In the work
of regarding, draining and generally inn
proving the sanitary condition of the en-
tire ground. Old mess halls, costing a
great deal OF money annually to keep in a
condition fit for use collapsed during the
severe winter of lS9S-s9, necessitating the
building of new store houses and wagon
sheds for storing and protecting the prop
erty of the State.
ST think it in the line of my duty 10 sug-
gest few improvements. The commis-
sary and quartermaSter' s. storehouseS now
adjacent to the main line of the New
York and Long Branch railroad, along the
western boundary of the camp grounds,
should be moved to place more conv en-
ient-in the centre and rear of the camp
grounds on the south This would involve
the laying of additional tracks. / have
communicated with the Pennsylvania
Railroad authorities, and they have made
surveys and estimates. The entire cost of
the extension of the siding, estimated at
$500, would have to be borne by the
State.
THE low or meadow ground, lying along
Stockton lake on the south, should be
filled in, graded and laid out in trees,
forming an attractive little park, and
greatly enhancing The general appearance
of the grounds along the road The lake
should be cleaned out and the soil tsken
therefrom could be used In the filling up
of the low grounds.
"In the event of division encampment
provisions will have to be made for more
stable room. A system of jetties for the
protection of the seashore from the