The Owosso times., 1915-05-14
EXPRESSES APPRECIA=
TION OF GIFT

ness OF ShlawasSee County Citizens
Other Cities Asked to Follow
Example Of Owosso.
The letters published below from
Brigadier General John P. Kirk and
Colonel nj. J. Phillips, acting adjutant
general of the Michigan National
Guard, to NJ. A. M. Bentley of this
city. expressing satisfaction over the
outcome of the endeavor of the citizens
of Owosso and the county to provide
sufficient money to ensure the erection
of an armory which will not only Iueet
every need of Company H but which
will serve the people of the entire
county as a meeting place for large pub.
lie gatherings, as a home for the G. A.
R., w. r. g.. aud Spanish war boys,
and is civic center for the men of the
county who may wish to avail them.
selves of the privileges which will be
offered to the mbership-either active
or honorary Of Company H-will be
read with interest by every citizen.
While in California a year ago Mr.
Bentley wrote q member of the local
armory committee that he would be
pleased to provide suitable town clock
for the new armory providing the
plans were drawn to give place for
the same. Prices were obtained show.
ing that such a clock would cost about
&, 200. When his attention was di-
rected to the desirsbility of a modern
swimming pool for the building and to
the advantage it would be to the men,
bers of Company Il and to the boys and
girls of the community who might
wish to learn to swim, Mr.. Bentley
promptly said he would be pleased to
make donation for that purpose in
stead of for clock, and his gift not
only enables the committee to have in.
corporated in the plans pool to cost
SO, 900 but it rounded out the required
$15. 900 needed to secure from the state
the additional $4,000 granted by the
Martin BILL thus making possible a
$45,COO building. The letters follow:
Headquarters Mich National Guard,
- ~ Ypsilsnti, Mich May 8. 1915.
Mr.. Alvin M. Bentley,
Owosso, Mich.
My dear Mr.. Bentley:
Ever since negotiations have been
pending for the construction Of the
armory at Owosso the Board has had
frequent occason to make favorable
comment upon the enterprise and pub
lic-spiritedniss of the citizens of your
city and county. Owosso first pur.
chased site which cost, understand.
about $4,000. In addition, the sum of
$4,000 was contributed in cash and
Shiawassee county added sS, 500 more.
This made total of ST., 900 raised by
a city of ten thousand people and a
county of about thirty-five thousand.
We have been holding the example of
your community up to other more
populous company stations In the state
as one worthy of emulation.
! The confidence that they would be
able to raise the large sums necessary
as shown by the Owosso committee
was rather mystery to us until We
learned that they had an incentive in
the form of promise from you of ar
additional $4,000. This sum, which
you so generously forwarded to us last
Saturday, rounded out the Offering oi
the city and county and made possible
the securing from the state of suffi
cient sum to erect building that will
not only be splendid armory, but 8
monument to civic enterprise and a
social center as we'll.
In behalf of the governor and the
state military board, and all citizens
who believe that an efficient National
Guard is one of the bulwarks of the
national safety, I wish to thank you
and congratulate you, not only for the
monetary gift itself but for the fiue
spirit which prompted 1t.
Very sincerely yours.
John p. Kirk,
Brigadier General, Chief of Staff,
Michigan National Guard.
Lansing, Mich, May 6, 1915.