The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1915-08-14
SOLDIERS WIN
FIGHT FOR HOME
Eighth Illinois Secures ArmOry
After Long Struggle.
RACE PREJUDICE A BARRIER

RACE PREJUDICE A BARRIER
Henry NJ. Hyde Tells Thrilling Story of
How Officers and Men Of Famous
Regiment Kept Together Under the
Most Adverse Circumstances - State
Comes to Their Rescue.
Chicago.-Henry M. Hyde gives the
following account Of the struggles and
achievements Of the Eighth Illinois
regiment in war and In peace and its
efforts to secure an armory:
The transport sailed from Tampa
with 1900 men Of the regiment on
board. Peace with Spain had not been
declared. They looked forward to a
taste Of fighting with the dons. Of
Santiago they learned that the war
was over. Too late for any chance Of
glory, plenty of hard work remained
For eight months they built roads and
telegraph lines, cleaned streets, did all
manner of hard and dirty jobs The old
Spanish town and the country round
about got the first thorough cleaning
in their history.
When the boys got back home their
old rented armory had been sold. An
ancient livery stable was the best
quarters they could get. Up In the
loft they stored part of their equip
ment and supplies. Down on the barn
floor they drilled night after night
Privates who had driven coal wagons
or handled shovels all day came in two
nights week to the livery barn and
drilled from 8 O'clock to 1890. Com
missioned and noncommissioned off,
GERS spent more time on their paper
work and studies, turning old box
stalls into company rooms and offices,
doing their best to keep the standard
Of the regiment among the highest
Apparently they succeeded. Officers
Of the regulararmy sent to inspect it
reported year after year that the six
companies located in Chicago ranked
as high as any militia organization in
the state in soldiery efficiency. More
than ten years in the old barn! Then
It was sold, and the best the regiment
could do was to move away and hunt
up another. The second old livery sta
BILE was In worse condition than the
first. But the men and officers stuck
to their work. In 1914 they got an
appropriation from the legislature Of
Illinois to build a real armory-their
first. Some of the officers had gone
out and begged enough money to buy
site. When they got it paid for GER
tain residents In the neighborhood
made up their minds that an armory
would be a nuisance. They brought
pressure to bear, and the regiment had
to sell the site.
They bought second site. and a
second time plans were made for the
building. A second time people in the
neighborhood raised an awful row.
They couldn't think of allowing lot
Of rough soldiers to drill In their vi.
cinity. A third time site was pur-
chased. This time the contracts were
let and the work of putting up the
building began promptly. Last winter,
when the shell was under cover and
the regiment found it would have to
move into the uncompleted building or
else into the street, the discovery was
made that no arrangements had been
made to heat or light the armory and
that no money remained with which to
pay for the work.
The colonel Of the regiment came to
the front for it. He signed notes for
$1,000, and the boilers and lights were
put In.
But meanwhile the regiment-or that
part of it located In Chicago-had In
creased In size. Two down state COM
panies were mustered out Of the serv-
ice. Units to take their places were
recruited In Chicago. Room had to be
made for eight companies of the line,
In addition to the headquarters COM
pany, the hospital corps, the machine
gun company, the drum and fife corps,
the supply company and the band
800 men In all.
The legislature which recently ad-
journed passed a bill appropriating the
money to finish the job. Just as soon
as it is signed by Governor Dunno.
probably within the next few days,
work will be begun and rushed to a
finish.
In October, 1914, when the corner
stone was laid, Governor Dunno was
one of the orators. He said that the
diligence and patience shown by the
regiment in drill and rifle practice un-
der the most adverse conditions con-
eeiyable and without any hope Of
financial reward deserved recognition.
and that he was glad that 1t was get.
ting 1t during his administration.
The Eighth Illinois is made up en-
tirely of colored troops. Eight of the
twelve line companies and all the spe-
cial corps are located in Chicago. The
new and unfinished armory stands at
Forest avenue and Thirty-fifth street.
Colonel #. A. Denison is the command
ing officer who signed the note for ST.
900 which made II possible to put In
the heating plant and electric lights
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