The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-02-05
Water Supply of Cities and Transportation Lines Are Now All Being Closely Watched
NEW RULES MADE TO REGULATE TRAFFIC
 IN CITY'S HARBORS
Guardsmen Are Also Being Placed in All the Hudson River Counties to Protect Property

New York February 4.-Maj. Gen. O'Ryan, commander of the state National Guard, established his headquarters in the municipal building this morning, and took charge of the mobilization of the militia. Governor whitman, who came here last night from Albany. also re- mained in the city in close touch with the situation.
 The National Guard and the naval mil litia of this state were ordered out last night by the governor after conference with Mayor Mitchell of New York, Gen. eral O'Ryan, Adjutant General Stotes- bury and Commander Forshew of the na- val militia The governor acted upon the request of the mayor, who asked that such detachments of the guard be or dered out ''as may be necessary for the purpose of aiding the civil authorities in the maintenance of law and order until such time as such authorities may pro- vide adequately against the commission of such acts of violence and breaches of 
 the peace"
 The mayors communication opened with review of acts of violence directed against property within the last year. PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES
 Until the militiamen became available for this purpose the duty of guarding state and city property, water and trans portation systems and other vulnerable points will fall upon police. The civil authorities today had in full operation the system already planned to meet the pres ent emergency. It was pointed out, how ever, that these measures were merely precautionary and that the police had no definite information that any public property was in danger Double reserves were ordered on duty at every possible station and details were picked for spe- cial service at any hour or place. Com missioner Woods is expected here tonight from Miami, Fla, to take charge of the police situation.
 aNone of the militiamen reported at their armories last night, but all these buildings were under heavy guard. It is
 
 tional Guard, numbering 17,000 men, will be ready for service in less than week. General O'Ryan announced that the first field artillery of Binghampton and the Tenth regiment at Syracuse would be ready to leave their armories at o'clock this morning, each man with 100 rounds of ammunition.
 GUARDS AT BRIDGES
 At noon guards were placed on Brook 1yn, Manhattan. Queensboro, Hellgate and other bridges, all connecting with Brooklyn across the East river, relieving police patrols stationed there.
 The orders were to obscure carefully and search if needful suspicious vehicles or suspicious foot passengers and to notify all persons crossing the bridges by foot or in conveyances that they would not be allowed to halt while on the bridges. The orders also called for an increase in the illumination of the foot was and driveways and especially of the anchorage of the suspension bridges and at any other points where the discharge of small quantity of high explosives might lead to the destruction of the ! bridge.
 > Between the bridge piers on both sides of the river one and three-pound cannon were posted, accompanied by machine guns.
 Announcement was also made prohibit ing&all vessels except those in public en- ploy from approaching within 50 feet of the bridges. save in case of great emer- < gency.''
 The guards were provided with mega phones to warn boats off
 It was pointed out in the announcement that the fall of the East river bridges would either cut off the hayward from x the main ship channel or block the in- terior line of communication from Hell Gate.
 Governor Whitman, after conferences here today with National Guard officers. said part of the Tenth regiment had been assiR ned to duty in the Hudson river q