Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-02-01
oTTuMWA CITIZENS WILL RE
QUEST GOVERNOR CARROLL To
ESTABLISH NEW DEPARTMENT
OF l. N. G. IN oTTuMWA.
MANY POINTS IN
FAVOR OF THIS CITY
NEW DEPARTMENT OF STATE MI,
LlTIA If LOCATED IN oTTuMWA
WOULD BE IN CENTER OF THE
ENTIRE REGIMENT.

ENTIRE REGIMENT.
That OttumWa is the most centrally
located city in the counties where COM
pan1es of the 'Fifty-fourth regiment,
Iowa National guard are located and
that this city is better equipped in a
general way than other national
guard cities in the regiment, are two
points interested Ottumwans will
bring to the attention of Governor B.
f. Carroll in campaign for the estab-
lishment of machine gun platoon
here. The governor will shortly award
this additional national guard depart
ment to some city OF the fifty-fourth
regiment, and pressure will be brought
| TO bear upon the executive OF the
state to award the honor to Ottumwa
Among other arguments to be brought
to the attention OF the governor is the
fact that Ottumwa owns its own
armory, Is headquarters for the regi-
mental band and has a sufficient num-
ber of men ready and anxious to man
| the machine gun platoon. All this in
formation will be placed before the
governor this week, and he will be
dohSu " 4iluhC tDif llGCGSSdTy OIQGE
establishing Ottumwa as the head
1 quarters for the Fiftyfourth regiment
machine-gun platoon.
Platoon Is Novel.
The machine-gun platoon would
prove novel feature to the state
militia company in this city. Aside
from the pack mules, rapid-fire guns
and other equipment, it would neces.
state the formation of a new com
pany or squad, composed Of one SER
geant, two corporals and eighteen
: privates. The platoon consists Of two
gun detachments, each detachment
: consisting of one corporal and nine
: privates, and both detachments to be
supervised by sergeant. While 1t is
intended that machine-gun platoon
: shall be an adjunct to the regiment, il
is also intended that it shall be COM
plete in itself and capable of inde
pendent existence and action IL neces
sary. The individual arms and equip
ment are revolver and bolo for field
service. The Fifty-fourth regiment
platoon would represent the whole
regiment and not Company G alone
In fact it would be distinct and
separate from company G, although a
part OF the whole regiment.
The Equipment.
The equipment consists of two
standard Vickers Sons and Maxim
automatic machine guns with tripod
mounts and pack outfits; two Weldon
range fingers, two 100 feet tapes, one
supply box for cleaning and repairing
material and one tool box containing
forge and bellows and. saddlers and
blacksmith's tools. Wire cutters,
matches, pick mattocks, shovels, field
glasses, 10 pack mules, one escort
wagon, harness and four mules, an al.
lowance of camp and garrison equip
age and kitchen utensils are also in.
cluded as part Of the equipment.
In Middle of Them All.
The geographical situation of OF
tumwa as regards the towns in the
Fifty-fourth regiment Is only one OF
the arguments why this department oi
the national guard should be located
here. Ottumwa is practically in the
center of the district, wherein the
twelve companies Of the regiment are
located. Below Ottumwa are Center
Vile, Fairfield, Burlington, Ft. Madi
son and to the north are Muscatine
Davenport, Iowa City, Newton, Grin
nell, Oskaloosa and Washington. OF
tumwa's railroad facilities make il
a. possible for the machine-gun platoon
ct to be moved in any direction almos
d. within an hours notice.
Is The ownership of the Armory cen
or trally located, and of such accommo
at dations that house room for thu
10 equipment and men of the platoon cal
ID be readily afforded, Is another argu
"a ment favoring this city as the pros
IN pective home of the platoon. Thel
again the fact that the regiment band
m and Company G., one OF the best Il
es the regiment, are located here, is an
f. other reason for the establishment
r here of this new department of tn
De state militia. The matter of men t
he make up the platoon is small ques
ton. There are sufficient men read
and anxious to man the platoon q
once available.
ck The additional fact that the stat
ry of Iowa owes Ottumwa such honor a
~ this will be impressed upon Goyerno
- Carroll, and the men interested hav
n already taken q roseate view of tn