The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-11-29
Building Should Be Made
Large Enough to Be Used
for cFunctions, Such
as Inauguration Balls.
COST OF STRUCTURE
ESTIMATED AT $1,5OO,000
First annual Report Of
Small Arms Practice Made
by Major BelI-Farewell
Feast to Second Cavalry.

Feast to Second Cavalry !
II Gen. Geoge IT. Harries' plans are
carried out. there is q fair prospect Of
the National Guardsmen OF the District |
az Columbia having new armory and |
drill han within the next two years.
IL is estimated that about 81. 500. 600 viii |
be needed 20 carry out General Harries'
idea CT "a model armOry. AT first this
would seem large sum 10 pay for q |
bah 10 be used exclusively foi the |
GuarGsneu. but the general gives two |
fold reason why that amount should be /
eNrCnded. When new armory for the /
District militia is built. il can be used. |
and there is every reason 10 believe |
It win be used. as hall in which to |
hold the Inaugural balls and other ma |
tiCnal functions held In Washington
Even the v -hite House has on many oc-
casi0us bee found 20 be too small and
wanting IN many ways when it came TO
accommodating large assemblies. There |
never has been a suitable place in the
city IN which 90 hold the inauguration
ball
The Pension Office has been dismantled
year in and wear out Business has been
suspended at that Office for days at a
AiAAAN Alt tl Af'A 40 -tA the III q Ale4l az
order FOR the function This has caused
the Government thousands md thou
sands of dollars. besides delaying bust
ness, ana. to top il all. the Pension
Office never was made Tor a ballroom.
does not look the part and has not
given satisfaction. All these things
have been pointed out I'm order that
those In authority might see the need
Tor a large han 70 be used for such
functions.
Cons itutes a Public Need.
In calling attention to the need for
this hall il is pointed out that Il is not
sufficiently great TO warrant the ex-
penditure II million dollars or more
for a place which would be lIesd about
Elk times a year or less 1t =. there
fore, argued that an appropriation for
the erection OF a new armOry, which
could be used for national functions.
is just what the National Guard OF the
District OF Columbia needs and must
have now or later. as Wen as something
of which the Government has felt the
need for many years
Those who arc endeavoring TO further
the project wish the armory to be much
larger and better equipped than that
over Center Market. and now used by
the citizens soldiers. The present drill
hail is comparatively small and it is
with great crowding and jostling that
the two regiments. not including the
separate organizations, can get in the
place and participate in a brigade ex-
ercise. When these brigade functions
arc held the men cannot be moved for
fear Of causing "A jam or panic as well
as disrupt the military formation. The
new nall would be about 800 feet in
length and 100 or I'D feet wide. ana the
brigade, composed Of the First and
Second Regiments. Ambulance Corps.
Signal Corps, Engineer corps 0o be or
ganized this winter. Naval Battalion.
and the First Separate Battalion could
Dc drilled there ira extended order.
Not Enough Company Rooms.
There are not enough company rooms
e. the present home OF the Guard 10
accommodate al the organizations. The
Washington Light Iafantry Armorv.
Fifteenth azd + Streets northwest. is
used BY the First Regiment The bat
terry u artillery has no home. The
FIRST Separate Battalion Is chartered
near Seventh and O Streets. The Naval
battalion boys have 10 hold their meet
iHgs ana drills aboard ship. The gen
eral stan has no rooms in the Center
-larket Armcry. The Engineers viii
also need quarters. ia the literal sense
OF The words. the District militia il
seastered 90 the four winds.
wen regulated and conducted military
organizations are 1901 segregated In fbfs
fashion, ANA IL IS argued that the Ell
c-etcy el The Guard would be enhanced
u they al got together under one roof.
ia short. tae welfare and continued sue
cess ~ The National Cuard. as well az
the inaugural balls and other national
functions Al Pc. fr4f4-~r ~. go. a.
th-s movement which has been started
and VIII be- agitated TO the limit.
RepSrt on Small Arms Practice.
Major James T. Bell. inspector general
or rifle practice of the Guard. has for
~ardeo o. Major Gilfoyle Inspector Of
r1e practice OF the United States Army.
TIE first annual report come und
the first annual report OF the small arm
praeiice ~ the Guard This is the first
Hear the report has been PREPARED Th..
practice and the report come under what
Major Bell terms Section G." OF chs.
revised regulations governing small arm
practice iu the United States Army Tn.
rerisions were made last winter when
the board " army officers. chosen by
the War Department officials sent ont
requests ID all the army posts. ana the
National Guards asking FOR the rules
Having this Information IN hand the
board then went 70 work and made the
rsvisions which have been noticed. The
reports are also called for under the re-
visions
In the report Major Bell shows there
are l5sS men in the various companies
and commands Or the Guard and 75z
OF them INDUCED in rife practice
throughout the year % 1903 This Is
more than 90 per cent. In some OF the
companies there are sixty men. In
cases whaTe only eight OF those men
shot the ngure OF merit OF the entire
command b. brought far down. Be
cause OF the number or men VINO did
not shoot Ia the First Regiment. the
ngure OF merit FOR that organization is
set at 267s. The Second Regiment Is
accredited with s4.49 per cent The fig-
ure Of merit OF the brigade. OF the en-
tire GUaro, Is 24.zS per cent
Ldvice to yirginians.
60 q -.