The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-22
Kansas Batteries Surrender
Their Brooch Loading Cannon.
Costs Too Much to Take Care Of
Them.
no USE TOY WEAPONS.
They viii Be on Iron Wheels
Two Feet High.
The Two Kansas Battery Organ
iZatiOns Are Consolidated.

Under a plan of reorganization adopt
ed last night by the military board Of
the state, the four modern breech-Ioad-
ing guns issued to the Wichita and To-
peka batteries viii be stored in the base
ment OF the state house, and toy cannon
viii be issued in their stead, which will
be used by the Kansas artinerymen for
drill purposes.
-Four of the toy guns, complete with
caissOns, have been made under the di-
rection of Captain Pattison of Battery
A, Topeka. and are already being used
Tor drill purposes at Metropolitan hall
armory. Each of the guns is made of
wood, on iron wheels, and stands about
two feet high. Instead of being drawn
about by horses. the member of the
battery who acts as driver drags the
piece about the hail. and the other mem
bers of the battery go through the mo-
tiOns of serving the gun as though in
actual battle array.
Until the toy guns for the Wichita bat
terry can be made ready for use, the
members of that organization viii have
TO fasten a couple of chairs together to
represent the gun and its caisson, and
drag them about their drill hall
This radical departure from the old
system of battery practice with big guns
IS due to the desire of the state to save
money. The military funds are running
low, and the government has notified
the state that on the present curtailed
allowance, the two Kansas batteries are
not in form for service, and can not
participate in the distribution OF gov
eminent military funds.
At present it costs about $500 a year
for each battery to properly store its
guns. This is $1,000 for the two bat
teries. The government not only
wanted the state to continue this APP
preparation, but to make provision for
regular target practice with shot and
shell. This would have involved the
construction of two gun ranges, and
the expenditure of large sums for am
munition The state feels that it can
not afford to indulge in such luXuries,
in view of the size of the legislative
appropriation.
Onicers Lose. Their Jobs.
To still further curtaiI expenses, the
board decided to consolidate the Wien
tia and Topeka batteries, which now
constitute the artillery DattaIlon OF me
national guard. and dispense with the
services of all the battalion officers,
and half OF the officers now in COM
mand of the two batteries.
The company officers who are rank
ing officers in order of seniority, Will
command the consolidated compa ny
This arrangement will make the new
list Of artillery officers as follows;
Captain, William A. Patuson, To-
pella.
First lieutenant, Captain Geo. p.
Downing, of the Wichita battery.
Second lieutenant, Lieutenant Fred
DOdds of the Topeka battery
If Captain Downing consents to be
reduced in rank under this proposed
change, he will remain in charge OF the
Wichita squad which viii continue IN
service, drilling with the toy guns
First Lieutenant Perry S. Leland OF
Hornecker Of Wichita and Second Lieu
tenant Byron w. Long of Topeka Will
al lose their commissions.
All of the artillery battalion officers
will be mustered out of service. They
are as follows:
VIM w. Mennick. major, Wichita.
Frederick A. Beach, first lieutenant
and adjutant, Wichita.
Geo. N. Minney, captain and assistant
surgeon, Topeka.
Charles A Baker. first lieutenant and
battalion quartermaster, Wichita.
Frank L. Travis, first lieutenant ana
ordnance officer. lola.
It was also decided to muster out the
signal corps which has been attached
TO the guard at lola, in order to save
the expense of maintenance. 1t was de-
cided, however, to allow the members
of the lola signal corps to re-enter the
service as a company of infantry to re-
place one Of the companies Of the First
regiment which is to be mustered out.
Date for Encampment Fixed.
The board decided that the annual en-
campment and target practice will be
held next July between the 10th and
3Oth provided the government does not
make provision for the participation OF
the National guard in the government
maneuvers at Fort Riley. If the state
is allowed to participate in those ma
neuvers the state encampment viii moi
be held.
The place for holding the encamp-
nent was not selected.
Colonel p. NJ IIoisington of the Sec
ond regiment said today in discussing
the changes:
Some years ago, the artillery sec
ton of the National guard in this STATE
was organized as one CONF any, with
squad at Topeka and another at Wich
tia 1t was decided to reOrganize thi
branch Of the service as a battalion
with the Wichita and Topeka batterie
separated. = The battalion organization
of artillery is an anomaly; it does no
exist in the regular army, and we hav
decided to do away with it in the guard
into one battery of four guns, but al
the guns viii be stored where they ca
have proper care. This viii save
large sum for armOry rental. The gun
can not be properly taken care c
when stored in barns, livery stables
etc.
1.-THE use of the small dummy gun.
which have been devised by Capital
Pattison promises to be a very inger
ious and useful idea. The small gun
can be dragged about by hand. and 70
low orders by bugle in the usual man
ner."