The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-08-23
COMPANY B.
STATE GUARD
NAME OF Celebrated BUTTE
COMPANY TO BE PERPETU-
ATED IN MILITIA.
Adjutant General of Montana Here to
Organize the Soldiers-Many APP
plications for Membership-Mili-
tary Matters From All Over
the State-Lack of Funds
to Carry on the Work.

r. Lee Mccullough of Hamilton, ad-
jutant general of the Montana state mi
litia. is in the city today. for the pur-
pose of organizing a military company
here in Butte. The call was issued for
tonight, there being 4s names signed to
the petition asking for the establishment
Of the company. The meeting is set for
s o'clock. at the armory. when all in
terested in military matters are asked to
be in attendance.
''The state militia is just now taking
shape" said Mr.. Mccullough. this morn
ing. 1.-THE breaking out Of the Spanish
American war was the temporary death
blow to the militia. All the old-estab-
ltshed organizations went out with eth
er the First Montana or the Rough
Riders, and left not even the nucleus Of
q new organization. The equipment was
scattered. some Of it going with the boys,
some of It being left where 1t could get
scattered, and all Of it without official
guardians to take care of it. There are
Springfield rifles in all stages Of preser-
walton, from a rust spot without lock,
stock or barrel, up to the weapon that
was well oiled when put away, and is
now still safe to shoot There are rags
Of uniforms that would make good scare
crows, and a lot of useless equipment
fit only to be condemned. OF course
there is some good stuff, but the larger
Quantity shows a sad lack of care.
"At present there is but one company
organized Company A, of Bozeman. That
Is made up and Differed largely by the
boys who saw service in either the Phil
ippines or in the Rough Riders.
THE company to be organized here
tonight is to be next in alpha betical or
der and will be designed as Company
B. after one of the Butte companieS in
the First Montana. There seems to be
considerable interest among the young
men, and I believe the company rolls
will be filled the first night
"A company is to be organized at Big
Timber next week. Company G. They
promise to have a good membership. Cor
respondence from Great Falls. Missoula
and some other places in the state, shows
q general revival Of military interest,
and the new regiment should be success
fully launched by the first of the year.
eff we can get 300 or more men uni
formed and under arms before the first of
the year. we shall be able to draw the S.
500 appropriation of the federal govern
ment for q state organization The law
requires at least 100 uniformed men for
each representative in congress, and we
have three men there. With the COM
panies at Bozeman, Butte and the one to
be organized at Big Timber next week.
we shall have at least 200 militia men,
and have every hope of getting enough
others In time. The appropriation is
retroactive. and If we get the required
number on the last day of the year, we
would be entitled to the money for 1901.
The state appropriation Of $500 annually
Is barely enough to cover the cost of in
surance and caring for the state proper
ty; none Of it would be available for
the maintenance of the regiment.
1--WE hope to get Krag-Jorgensen rifles
in the near future, If the regiment can
be filled out. At present we shall use
the Springfield, the weapon for the mi
Ntia the country over. Uniforming the
boys is the greatest problem before us
at present, there being no state funds
available, and most Of the old equipment
being in bad order. But from the gener-
al interest in the matter. we are hope
full Of success