Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-26
VIRGINIA TROOPS
GUARD STRATEGIC
PUBLIC PLACES
Armed Soldiers Are Put
About State Capitol and
Governors Mansion.
RIVER BRIDGES ARE
BEING CLOSELY WATCHED
Governor and Adjutant-General
Quickly Respond to Fed
eral Call for Aid.
GRAiS ARE ALSO UNDER ARMS
Munition Plants. Including Locomo.
RIVER BRIDGES ARE
BEING CLOSELY WATCHED
GRAls. ARE ALSO UNDER ARMS
Munition Plants. Including Locomo.
tive Works, Under Strict
Military Patrol.

For the purpose of affordine a more
perfect protection against possible in
reference with postal. commercial and
military channels of the United States
government in Virginia, Secretary OF
War Baker Yesterday issued orders
calling forthwith into Federal service
the Second Regiment, Virginia Infan-
try. less than month ago mustered
back into the State militia on it's re-
turn from the border.
Orders reached Governor Stuart at
$40 o'clock yesterday afternoon, and
he went Immediately into conference
with Adjutant-General Sale. Within r.
few minutes the order was transmitted
to Colonel Robert +. Leedy commander
of the Second Infantry, at Luray. The
latter at once began notifying his /
company commanders. instructing them
to call their commands together at once
at their home stations.
GOVERNOR TAKES STEPS
TO PROTECT STATE PROPERTY
Secretary Baker notified the Cover
nor that ordcrs designating the place
for mobilizinE the Second Infantry
Will be forthcoming at once from Ma
jor-Gcneral Wood. commanding the
Department Of the Southeast.
With the critical character of the
situation recognized by the War De-
partment. Governor Stuart took steps
Immediately to protect State and gov
ernmcnt property in Virginia, pending
the mobilization OF the Second Infantry
for this duty.
Accordingly. orders went out yester-
day afternoon from Adjutant-General
Sale calling into service for immediate
guard duty six companies OF militia,
not part of the Second Infantry. Cons
panies located at or near industrial
plants. regarded as intimately con-
nccted with the governments interests,
were assigned to patrol duty at these
as rapidly as the members could be,
rounded up by their officers.
PROPERTIES TO BE GUARDED
ARE NOT MADE PUBLIC
Military authorities, from the Gov
ernor down, declined TO indicate the
specific plants or instrumentalitics
that will be placed under the protec-
ton OF State militia. 1t is known,
however, that the great munition
plants at Hopewell and Richmond. the
important railroad bridges. and the
shipbuilding plants and dry docks At
folk will be among the first TO come
under military protection
Orders already issued and shortly TO
be issued will place many important
Virginia cities on a patrol footing that
they have not known since the War
Between the States. State and Fed
eral buildings will be under guard day
and night, and industries whose re-
sources are capable OF contributing 10
defensive or offensive warfare Will
come under military surveillance.
Among the important instrumental
ties to be thus placed under govern
ment protection. it is believed, will be
the great railroad bridges that form
indispensable links in the transporta-
tion systems that bind the North and
South water supplies of the larger
cities. and the power plants that keep
alive the arteries Of communication.
The guarding Of these instrumentali-
ties is dictated by the governments
desire to minimize the danger of in
ternal attacks by German agents or
their sympathizers.
WILL REGULATE; ADMIrrANCE
TO STATE BUILDINGS
Until late in the night the Governor
was in conference with Capitol OFF,
cials, including Colonel John w. Rich
ardson. Register OF the Land Office.
on the regulations to be adopted for
the protection of buildings at the seat
of government in which are located
the important administrative Offices OF
the State.
Suggestions for tho proper guarding
of these buildings include the station
inS of sentries AT all entrances 20
scrutinize closely all persons seeking
admittance. While most Of thr State
offices close their business days at 8
o'clock in the afternoon, 1t has been
the practice to keep the doors open
until or o'clock. and even later
II Is regarded as extremely probable
that orders will be issued closing tho
State buildings to the public after reg
ular business hours. Admittance after
these hours will probably be denied
to persons unknown to ths guards or
unprovded with official passes.
1t became known yesterday that the
government has issued orders tor
guarding the Richmond post -of,iec and Z
other Federal property in this city. ,
Similar steps for the guarding of