The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-03-26
Local and Troy ArmOries
Get Message, "Assem-
BILE at Once!"
DESERTED BUILDINGS
SOON HUM WITH LIFE
Members of 81 Companies
Summoned From All
Over Cities.
WASHINGTON ORDERS
DEFENCE OF PLANTS
Maj. James NJ. Hutchinson
Speeds Work of Assem-
bling Troops.

Al 6:30 o'clock last night one of the
most deserted places in New York city
was the huge brick and stone armory
on Park avenue at Thirty-fourth street.
Iron bars Ike the portcullis of an an
cient castle barred the main entrance
and even the smaller door on Thirty
third street seemed closed and deserted
Within the darkened halls were empty
or life ana devoid of sound Only a
careful investigation revealed that the
building was not entirely abandoned. In
one or two or the company rooms a few
young men IN civilian clothes gossiped
about the war. as men were discussing
1t In dozens OF clubs near by. In another
room reserved for the Majors OF the
regiment a single officer, Major James
NJ. Hutchinson. paced restlessly up and
down. Cnofficlally word had reached
MN that Washington had acted in the
war Crisis Tor the protection OF New
YORK and other cities. but from military
sources no news had come. He said he
mad nothing TO tell waiting reporters
The telephone In the room rang
sharply and the officer fastened to an
swer It, moment later he turned from
the telephone with smile replacing his
anxious froxn.
Orders" he said. Assemble at
once
Armory Soon n Lively Place.
Four hours later the armory wa. hum
ming with activity and blazing with
light. Dozens of men in citizens clothe :
ana IN uniform were fastening I n.
crowds OF men stood beside the long
cases of grim. busInessiike guns In the
corridors quietly discussing the situation.
In each OF the twelve company rooms
sat an officer busy at the telephone gath
ering together the men OF his compa nv
from every part OF the city ard tho nj
Joining territory. The hard working
telephone operator had but one answer
to all the calls that flooded the wires
leading to the armory.
An trunk lines busy, Report NJ
once"
Tho Transformation had not been
wrought in n minute. II had taken hours
a. hard work TO gather in the men of
the regiment from their Sunday diver
sions None had expected a call to-day
Major Hutchinson had first busted HIM
self and those who were IN the armory
when the orders came to get the Of
: finers In. Within three minutes after the
/ frst call had gone over the telephone
! wires men began trickling in--thc Of.
4 iicers first and the men close on their
heels
I The officers had Immediately seized
, the long lists OF the names and addresses
I or the men Of their companies and by
/ telephone and telegraph were cndeavor.
Ing To get word to them to report with
on, delay Early corners among the en-.
+ listed men were sent out 10 gather in
/ those who could not be reached by tele-
! phone The work was doubly hard be-
- tha h.
when the first call came
! v,,,
WI" ""' time p"'s'
The mobilization was accomplished
with such quiet efficiency that it wa.
robbed Of much Of the dramatic. Tier,
was little sentiment or emotion shoyr
: by the men. They were not rockies
! the mon Of the Seventy-nrst. Man,
/ could remember the days of the SPANISH
| American war, when the Seventy-llrs
was the first unit from New York tc
reach Cuba. Almos. all had beer
"doughboys" when the call to arms cam.
, too, had been one Of the first to leave 70,
,nIsin, t '1' W. 'o"'iis VI marc
tho hors, - s 's" nau seen o'
nrassion nm ,h.,- ,,,,s. ''N'o'' in'
Tba h,o r,,as,,. H., ,,,,,,
,,a, 20 49, r,,,. ano
ynstsrdav n.s ,.yvha, 80 ,,o'o.' !.
do now ." All u,ero 81, "
hu, thav wonder.d ,rs, y,ha,
action tbev v.ra 20 S.v. Tha 81 !, ~
inc onin,on a,rnrg tho o1,,ors ~ 80
the regirnent was ,o % on s,ara a.,
,rd noin,s ~ ~ oit,, ,',,,rarot,o .,7
bomb of the plotter. But there was