Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-02-08

tempt to prevent landings by the bluejac!l-
cts of the United States navy and naval
miltias.
The forces will consist Of the several ma
tlonal guard organizations in the vicinity of
New York city and the regular army from
nearby forts. The heavy artillery from
massachusetts and New York will also
compose part of the land forces The trip
If taken will be the most instructive in the
history Of the local battalion and Lieut..
Comdr Hopkins is DESTROYS of making an
excellent showing in this connection. The
enlistment of strong, able-bodied men and
eX-seamen Is now in progress
Lively Time in Rifle Gallery.
Rife practice, both official and voluntary,
has been suspended since last Monday
evening because of the confagration in
the gallery at the Center Market armory
early Tuesday morning. Although the dam
age was comparatively slight and the
flames were confined practically to one
room-the office of Capt. King, the super
1ntendent of the galery-affairs We're quite
lively for while. The 9TH Battalion was
In the gallery for ordered practice Monday
evening. Lieut.. Dennison, the battalion's
inspector of rife practice, closed up about
il o'clock. The Waterman of the market
building passed the door Of the gallery at
2 o'clock. All was serene at that hour 1t
was shortly before $50 o'clock when the
Waterman heard fuSllade of shots He
iIdSlelitu OUT Oh lIle DullUlnS DIV 9TH street
exit and, glancing up noticed flames in the
office OF the superintendent of the gallery
The Waterman turned in an alarm. and by
the time the fire department arrived on the
scene had unlocked and opened the doors
of the gallery and turned on the electric
light.
The fremen made short work of the
blaze but furniture, rifles, ammunition.
valuable binoculars. a typewriter and other
articles in Capt. Kings room We're COM
pletely destroyed. When an examination
was conducted Tuesday morning it was,
found that the desk used bv Ma Tor Bell
and locatd in the room had been forced
open and mallet and a hammer belonging
In the armorers workshop were on the
desk. 1t is not known who forced open the
desk or what was the object in doing SO
The origin of the fire remains a mystery,
and 1t is believed that had the watchman's
attention not been attracted by the eX-
ploding cartridges the entire market struc-
ture might have been destroyed.
Board of Officers Investigatinr.
special order was issued from militia
headquarters Tuesday Immediately after
report of the fire had been received there
appointing a board of officers, consisting
Of Major Anton Stephan, 4th Battalion:
Capt. VIM. S. Hodges, Company D, 4th
Battalion, and First Lieut.. Charles F. Rob
erts. adjutant, 4th Battalion, to investl-
gate and fix the responsibility for the fire
Major Bell, Capt. King, Lieut.. Dennison
and others have appeared before the board
Its report has not yet been submitted.
krag-JOrgenSen Rifles Are Here
Brand-new -Jorgensen rifles, with
spick and span accouterments, to the num-
Der Of 1,40O, have been received and are
now stored in the drill hall of the Center
Market armory. Within a week or so the
entire local brigade will be equipped In a
thoroughly modern manner. it being the
owl
country to be provided with the new arm.
The intention is, as heretofore stated, to
issue to each company only the number of
krags actually required for the use Of
such command. A company which parades
an average Of thirty-five men, for instance,
will receive no more than thirty-fve rifles
The plan to govern the exchange Of the
old Springfield rifles for the new arm has
not yet been decided on.
Major Bell, inspector general Of rifle
practice will recommend that about fifty
of the Krags be placed in the rifle gallery
for general service. The idea is that the
several companies shall not use the new
rifles except for outdoor rifle practice and
for the purposes of drill. When ordered to
practice in the gallery the companies, IL
this suggestion is adopted, will be loaned
the rifles kept there for that purpose, the
arms to be thoroughly cleaned before being
restored to the racks after use.
These Officers Will BE Missed,
Of its expert military rifle shots through
the departure from the city of First Lieut.
A. M. Allison Company c, 1st Battalion.
Lieut.. Allison is going to Manila to accept
a lucrative position in the printing office
to be established there by the government
He made an enviable record for himself be-
fore the targets at Sea Girt last September
and has also done much to increase inter-
est in work with the rifle throughout the
LIST Battalion.
The valuable services Of another officer
will be lost to the guard when First Lieut.
Charles G. Mortimer is commissioned In
the regular army. The signing of his COM
mission is only matter Of a few DAVIS
for Lieut.. Mortimer has passed the re-
quired examination with flying colors He
Is natural-born quartermaster, having
served as quartermaster sergeant Of the
LIST District Regiment during the war with
Spain and since the muster out as assist
ant to the quartermaster general of the
militia. 1t Is believed that ultimately he
will be transferred from the line to the
quartermasters department of the army.
Notes.
Privates Theodore Block and Thomas l..
Perkins. both Of Company B. I'd Battalion,