Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-09-13
Adjutant General Thrift Advo-
Gates Long Range For Each
of Guard Regiments
APPROPRIATION BY CONGRESS
sowa's Share of the Fund, Available
July 1, Is s12,5oo AnnuaIIy-Water-
loo, Fort Dodge, Cedar Rapids and
i creston Likely Notwithstanding
( Target Practice.
Special to Times Republican.

Des Moines, Sept 13-Adjutant Cen
Gral Thrift will take up a. once the
snatter of locating a regimental rifle
range for each of the four regiments
of the Iowa National Guard. He will
purchase the land for each range and
dit them out with the necessary equip
snent in the way of targets and the
companies of each regiment will be
given an opportunity to use the ranges
rs often as they like. 1t is the inten-
aion to locate the ranges in each case
80 as to be as readily accessible as
possible to all the companies of the
regiment. The money for the purchase
of the land will come from the Iowa
proportion of the $2,000,000 appropria-
ton made by congress at its last ses-
sion.
Waterloo, Fort Dodge, Cedar RapS
ids and Creston are very likely places
to get the location of the ranges If the
proper land can be had at these places.
culiar. 1t takes q strip of land about
twenty rods wide and three quarters
of mile long, and it must be level
For this reason land among the bot
toms of rivers is sought for first. In
such a strip there would be thirty
acres of land. The congressional APP
preparation gives 100000 of the $2,-
100000 appropriation for the purpose
Of encouraging and assisting target
practice Iowa's portion is $4,000 an
nually. II the land can beg bought at
reasonable figures the sum will be suf-
ficient to buy the land and fit the
ranges out with suitable targets and
the like at once. The appropriation
became available July of this year.
Narrow strips of land are hard to
secure and the nature of the land
makes it necessary to locate the ranges
where the land can be found but an es-
sential in every way as important IS
that the location shall Sc such that
guard companies can reach the range
with as little trouble as possible. The
guard companies now located may be
changed from time to time but most
OF them remain in the same year In and
year out. Waterloo, for the fifty-third
regiment, was first snt of. but IN
dependence is about as easy to reach
by all the companies in that regiment
and il it can find the ground will stand
a good show of getting a range. Cedar
RIA pids,, for.the fifty-fou1'th, is the most
likely location, as it is easily accessl-
BILE by each of the companies of that
regiment, having such good railroad
- =, (NraStnn.4 (>l9r-
linda. or Council Bluffs are all accessi-
bic to the Fifty fifth, tho the high
nrice of land at Des Moines may handl-
cap it. The hardest to locate may De
! the range for the Fiftysixth. Fort
Dodge has been discussed, but 1t is not
as easily reached by some of the COM
panies of the Fifty sixth as 1t should
be. Sioux City is not an imposslblllty.
Every company in the state with the
exception of one now has "a range Oh
500 yards or over in length. The sland
for the most part is leased. 1t is the
intention of the state and Will pc Ine
policy of the adjutant generals de-
nart1nent as soon as the land for the
reeimental ranges is purchased to use
=, part of the annual appropriation tor
the assistance of the company ranges.
According to their ability at target
practice the men are classified as sec
ond class, first class, narksmen. sharp
shooters and experts. Marksmen can
qualify on a 600-yard range, but
above that 1000 range is needed. 1t
Is the intention to drill the members OF
the guard thoroughly on the company
ranges and then take them several
zines a year to the regimental ranges
Cor a days work or more, for which
<Aey will get their transportation ex-
penses and the ammunition necessary
but will be expected to give their time
and nay for their own meals.