Las Vegas daily optic., 1907-02-16
HOME TROOP
ALMOST ASSURED
HOUSE PASSES BiLL Foa GREG.
TON or ARMoRv 30 Las
VEGAS.
fine PUBLIC HALL
large Drill Room Win Be Used for
Conventions. Social Purposes and
Other Large Gatherings.

A tine armory building for Tnool
A of this city ts almost an assaret
fact AZ previously mentioned Il
special dispatches 10 The Optic from
Washington. House Resolution No
1857. introduced by Delegate W. II
Andrews, during :ae first session d
the 6sth congress ana providing fol
the validation of the acts OF the
ssth legislative assembly Of New
Mexico, providing for the issuance
Of bonds for the erection of new
buildings at the insane asylum ioca.
ted I'm this city. OF the New Mexico
Military Institute at Roswell and at
the College OF Agriculture and Me,
chanical Arts at Mesiiia Park, and
for armories In this city and ut Al
buquerqae. was reported fayorabiy
Friday last by the committee ON ter.
ritofies and passed the house Wed.
nesday. II will 70 to the senate at
once. where the delegate, who has
many powerful friends In that body,
will be on the alert and will push 1t
to passage at an early date.
The sum allowed for the armory
buildings at Albuquerque and this
city Is $4,000. but II is thought that
an additional appropriation can be
secured.
The Commercial club has offered
to furnish the lots for the building.
but 1t Ii not yet known where Il win
be located, although Il had been
planned to build tho armory on tho
ihts in the rear OF thaaeity bah. II
may now be located on Dougles av.
enue between the two towns. The
drill room will be made as large as
possible with an excellent floor for
dances and other social entertain
ments of the troop. 4 stage will
be built at one end for home talent
productions and to serve as a ros
trum for occasions when the hall is
used for mass meetings and conven.
tions. There will also be property
rooms, club rooms for the members
of the troop and we'll equipped
kitchen.
A hall which will accommodate
large assembly has long been need
ed In this city for conventions and
large public gatherings, and the pro
posed armory will be built with this
purpose in view If congress approves
Of the bond issue. A board of con-
troll will have supervision of the
plans, building and care OF the ar
mories In the territory of which the
members at present are General A
P. Harrington OF Santa Fe and Ma
lor Robert c. Rankin of this city.
An extract from Governor II.
recommendation to
Ethan A. Hitchcock, secretary Of the |
interior, In regard to the appropria
ion FOR armories is as follows:
Il recommend the ratification of |
chapter 53 Of the laws of 1903, pro-
siding for the issue of $4,000 Of
ponds for the building of armories
If Las Vegas and Albuquerque. It
IS very difficult and often dis.
matter to properly keep |
lp the national guard In the west,
.rn states and territories. Many of
he men who would do the best ser.
rice in time Of war 1t is very diff.
,ult to induce to take great interest
n the militia. This Is true not only
# New Mexico, but OF other stat@
md territories. It needs much pa,
ience and great deal Of enthus-
asm and considerable sacrifice of
lime and money on the part of few
,fficers to keep the militia in good
shape. I am glad to say that we
iave here now an excellent adjutant |
general and some very efficient of.
icers, whp in spite Of the difficul,
les and drawbacks, have succeeded
n many parts of the territory In pro
noting enthusiasm and bringing the
rational guard to a state Of consid
,rable efficiency. One Of the great
st Of these difficulties Is the lack of
sood armories In Las Vegas and Al |