Norwich bulletin., 1917-02-05
Militia Guarding
 New York Bridges
NO RIVER CRAFT WITHIN FIFTY
 FEET OF PIERS
100 MEN ToEAcH BRIDGE

Railroad Terminals and Aqueduets Are Being euarded-HIueiaekets, Marines and Soldiers on Duty
 Guard Net Being MobiIizsd. New York, Feb. 4-Detachments of New York naval militia equipped as. today patrolled and guarded the five great East river bridges connecting Manhattan with Long Island. At sunset five naval mi litia tugs. one an ocean going vessel, began steaming up and down the river in proximity to the structures, warning all river craft not to approach within 50 feet of the bridge piers.
 New York Bridges Guarded.
 Special vigilance was exercised at |the- Manhattan, Brooklyn and Will |liamsburg bridges, between which the New York navy yard lies. Destruction of one of these bridges, it was pointed out, would interfere seriously with the departure of warships from the navy Eyard-
 100 MiIitiamen for Each Bridge. To each bridge details of 100 militia were assigned, working in three reiiefs. with instructions to search vehicles land pedestrians crossing the bridges, lin the discretion of the sentries, and | to permit no person to halt on the structures. sharp watch was kept at the cable anchorages and t'other joints where the discharge of a small quantity of high explosives might lead | to the destruction of the bridge" One three pound gun and machine guns were posted between the bridge piers on both sides of the river. Anchorag ges, tfootways and driveways had extra il- tiumina tions tonight.
 Captain F.. B. Fry, chief of staff of the naval militia, announced tonight that the approaches to the bridges and | the bridge floors, where militiamen have been on guard. will be turned over to the police tomorrow morning. Naval Militia at Hell Gate. | Hell Gate bridge and its connecting iby naval militia from New Rochelle. This structure is considered one of the Ibest engineering feats in the country. Governor Whitmans order for the general mobilization of the national tguard went into effect today in modi- flied form, he explained in statement tonight Only small detachments of 1.-the states military and naval forces said, willie every armory in the state Twas patrolled by corporaPs guard in field uniform, ready to put into opera ton the call for full mobilization.
 
 lat his hotel following conference with iMajor General John F. O'Ryan, Adjut- ant General Louis W. Stotesbury. Com imander Robert P. Forshew of the na- tval militia and others. It was supple Imental to his announcement of Satur- lday night that all the state forces were to be called into service at once.
 Gov. Whitman's Statement. 'T wish to impress upon the public land the newspapers" said the gover-
 nor. that such precautions as we are taking are to protect public works
 such as aqueducts, against the possible action of some crank.
 I We have no suspicion that there is Tor will be any organized effort against lany public utilities. I believe that al tour citizens are with the president and that includes the so-called German Americans
 There are available in this state ttoday. about 19,000 men, exclusive o1 those on the Mexican border. They are in excellent condition and can be imohilized in a few hours. If neces- lsary, they will be called out as needed Governor Whitman, it was an lnounced, is keeping in close touch -wftf 1.-the situation in every city in the state land has wired authorities that aid ir Iany form available will be Forthcoming twi1en needed. He was informed tonigh Ithat railroad detectives are guarding lall the important railroad bridges il Ithe state, especially those at Alban, land Poughkeepsie.
 BIueiackets on Guard.
 Squads of sailors from the United States battleship New Jersey, armed
 with rifles guarded the approaches ant
 trestles of the recently completed New York connecting railways bridge, con meeting the Bronx with Astoria, Lons tIsland.
 I The public service commission ha taken steps to guard all construction twork under it's control. To relieve th' police department so far as possible 1.-the commission has assigned its owi force of nearly two thousand employe Ito this work
 Guards at Railroad Terminals. l Police guards have been placed a Irailroad terminals, cable telegraph ant telephone buildings, the city hall an, tother public buildings and throughou ithe financial district. Twelve Yale students, members O Aerial Coast Patrol unit, No. 1, hav informed Secretary of the Navy Dan tiels of their readiness to leave the uni iversity and place themselves under tn borders of the navy department for ac tive duty, it was announced today b. lthe Aero club of America F. Trube iDavison and H. P. Davison, IT,. sons O iHenry P. Davison, banker, and Rober A Lovett, son of Judge Lovett, chair ] Inan of the board of directors of tn Union Pacific railway, are members o tthe unit.
 Naval Reserve Being Organized. The United States naval reserv forces, it was learned tonight, now ar ibeine organized under direction of tn lnavy department, under authority o icongress favored last August. The re iserye forces are entirely separate iron lthe naval militia.
 Mrs. H. F. Coe, president general Q : tthe National Society Of New Englan jWomen has called meeting of tn 3presidents of the various chapters o 1.-the national society for tomorrow af lternoon in this city, The president } will receive instructions in first aid an nursing from physicians of the Re iCross- Instructions also will be give to the presidents to call meetings i
 their territories to enlist the aid 0 i,-or,,a, for first aid and nursing