The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-08-02
The National Guard

/ Rapid progress is now being made
or the foundation walls of the new
armory, and Maj. George c. Lambert
tentertains hopes that the building will
be Enclosed by JAN l. so that the COM
panies may move intotheir rooms and
take up drill Bids have been asked for
for the erection of the superstrueture
and there is lively competition. The
accepted bidder will be required to en-
ter into contract and give bond to
| have the building rooted and inclosed
by Jan. 1 and completed by March 1,
| 1904.
| Bids have also been requested for
1 the erection of the new rifle pit at
1 Camp Lakeview and will be opened to-
morrow at o'clock in the office of the
adjutant general. The new range and
pit when completed will be one of the
| best in the country. It will be $50 feet
| long and II feet deep. The bottom will
| be Is feet wide with a slope of foot
| for drainage. The top of the pit will
be on level with the firing line, with
I gradual slope back to the 20O-yard
| point.
This will be great improvement
| over the old range and will give the
| men the benefit of richolets which
| men the benefit of ricochets which they
lost on the old range. The new pit will
be 100 yards in the rear of the old one
and allow for 20 targets. This will
| permit firing at 500 yards on the main
range. The work must be completed
by Sept. SO as to allow for the use Of
the range during the state rifle camp,
which will probably open the following
week.
On Tuesday evening the national
guard organizations located here turn
ed out for the carnival parade. Maj.
Lambert communicative artillery bat
talon, consisting of BATTERY "A, com
manded by Capt. HaHgy Larson, and
the company of engiHeers, commanded
by Lieut.. Gates A. JohHson. Maj. C. T.
Spear commanded Companies C. D and
E, of the First regiment, and Company
E, of the Third regiment. The COM
panies made an excellent appearance
and received applause all along the
line. The boys We're marched into the
carnival grounds and 2hen taken back
to the armory. Each was given tickets
to return and visit the carnival, of
which general advantage was taken.
A rumor is afloat To the effect that
Lieut. j. C. Strachans Company B,
First regiment. Minneapolis, is about to
resign for business reasons. The slate
at present is to advance Second Lieut.
Pratt to the position of first neuten-
ant, and offer the second lieutenancy
to Capt. G. E. Metz, who resides in that
f; city. Capt. Metz was for nearly twenty
years identified with Company D, of
this city, and there is probably no bet
ter drill master in the state. During
the Bean regime, when Company D
gained so many honors, much of the
credit went to Capt Metz. His return
to military duties will be welcomed by
the st. Paul companies.
Wisconsin Gets Kraes.
Already the Wisconsin troops have
been issued the Krag-Jorgensen rifles,
and those of the latestaasrodel, 1902,
| shipped direct from the arsenal The
/ Wisconsin press says that very few
states will receive this latest model,
but that Wisconsin, gets hers through
the high standing attained by it's
troops during the areEsnt Inspections
conducted byf gaIa arIra5 officers.
| The Minnesota regiments, from a
standpoint of excellence: in drill and
care of company property and equip
ments will take back seat toSnene of
| the Western states and so it is. safe
Ito assume that Minnesota will re-
ceive the same gun issued to Wiscon-
sin when It's time comes. There is,
however, no reason to worry even if
the latest model is not received, for
the difference can not be observed only
| by those who are thoroughly familiar
with the complicated article.
| Its addition to the equipment of the
national guard will only be glory for
short time-as the. average militia
man found it very hard work to prop
| eriy take care Of the Springfield rifle,
and it is conceded that ere long one
Of the meanest things it will be posi-
BILE to say Of an enemy is to call him
a "Krag."
Minnesota expectsAits allotment al
most any day now. S$
Speculation is rife Dust about now
as to which compa Hy will take first
place in the annual INSPECTIONS Capt.
Dwyer is expected taanake his report
to the adjutant general soon.