The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-12-24
Adiutant General Hamilton Puts
Toward New Plan
DIFFERENT CITIES 70 FURNISH SITES
THIS WOULD SAVE THEM coNsIp-
ERAsLE MONEY IN SECURING
NEW BUILDINGS.

SPOKANE,Dec. 24.-General Ortis
Hamilton, at the head Of the National
Guards of the state Of Washington, has
made recommendations to the legisla-
ture concerning armory buildings that,
if accepted will free Spokane county
from all cost of the armory building.
This county will be asked to pay for
the site, and the state will do the rest,
but at the same time giving the city
the use of the building, when not con-
flicting with the business of the state.
Hamilton recommends 100000 for the
Tacoma armory and $4,000 for Spo-
kane. This is explained by the state
ment that according to the price of
material it will take 100000 to erect in
Tacoma structure equal to a $4,000
armory in Spokane.
General Hamilton's recommendations
in part are as follows:
AS Tic IlOIICS are " NC 0SCO AOA
strictly state purpose and their man.
agement and control must necessarily
remain in the hands of the military
partment, it occurs to me that the
county should not be requOred to pro-
vide more than three fourths of the
amount necessary for the construction
of these buildings as under the pres
ent plan. In this connection 1 would
therefore recommend that the former
plan be abandoned and that the fol-
lowing method be employed in the
construction of these buildings:
Counties Furnish Site.
There is no question but that the
counties and cities will receive some
benefit from the construction of these
armOries within their limits, and
should to a certain extent bear a little
more than their proportion of the ex-
pense as required by general taxation.
They should at least furnish the site,
the title to be and remain in the state,
but the state should build and furnish
the armories. This can be done in the
following way: There is now in the
military fund $4,000 in round num-
bers, to which should be added the
$2s, e5O.25 in the Seattle armory fund
This amounts to about $4,000
which could be used as part of the
fund required for the purpose of con-
structing these armOries. If the legis-
lature will authorize the issuance of
bonds against the military levy as fol-
lows: $125,00O for the construction Of
the Seattle armory, $4,000 for the
construction Of the Spokane armory;
$4,000 for the construction of the Ia
coma armory, and these bonds then
purchased by some Of the permanent
funds now in the state treasury wnlcA
are lying idle at fair rate of interest,
these buildings can be completed
within the coming year.
Under the present valuation this
will raise $1O6,000 per year. This will
give US on an average about $50, 900 per
year, which can be used for the pur-
pose of making up these bonds.
Says Plan Is Fair.
This plan appears to be a fair and
equitable means of constructing these
buildings without throwing any un.
necessary burden on any particular
community. 1t must be understood
that the national guard of this state is
organized and maintained for the en-
tire state and not for any special com.
munity; that an organization thor
one of the larger cities, is so main
tanned for the protection Of the small
est community within the borders OF
this commonwealth.
If this plan is adopted, bond issue
in Spokane county can be taken care
of without further legislation, the
county of Spokane paying into the
permanent school fund the $975O, the
price of the site, and the present $780,
$50 now in the hands Of the state
treasure can be turned back into the
permanent school fund. thereby avoid
ing any loss to the state or to this
fund"