Evening star., 1928-04-22
nv ,oHN cLaGErr PROCTOR.

n VOW that the Government has
advanced TO the stage OF dig
vi ging a hole in the ground at
i Y Thirteenth and B streets south
west for the addition to the
DEPARTMENT of Agriculture building,
and has made similar excavations be-
tween IS and c and Eleventh and Twelfth
st~eets for the internal Revenue build
Ing and between B and e and Four
teenth and Fifteenth streets for De-
t,srtnent Of Commerce building, II
may be assumed that the Government S
building program is well under way,
and that soon other blocks already
taken over by it will be cleared of
buildings with the idea of erecting in
their place massive structures for Fed
erai needs.
An interesting block that will sooner
or later give way 10 public improve
rlentS, and which must Of course flrst
be cleared of all the buildings at pres
ent thereon, is the one bounded by
Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets and Z
street and Pennsylvania avenue. Al
though this block, together with Seyeral
70 the south, has belonged TO the Gov
eminent for several years past mani
feSt!v NV plans for its improvement
are thus far cnly on paper:
When the time comes. however 10
raze the old buildings some historic
landmarks viii pass forever from view
One Of these, in particular. known to
almost every theater-goilg person IN
washington. is Polls, at the northeast
corner Of Fifteenth and streets
northwest. with entrance on PennSyl-
vsnia avenue. Though not what one
would call an old building, vet IT Is
not a new one either. ground for itS
construction having been broken luSt
A wears ago the 10th day OF this
month.
the WASHINGTON Light Infantry Corps.
q military organization that meant III
Its dav So very much 10 the people
Of WASHINGTON, until it lost its identity
and uniform, too, unfortunately
vhen il was merged into the Dlstrict
Of Columbia National Guard.
During its existence il probably par
ticipsted in every parade OF note held
on PENNSYLVANIA avenue, and oouot II
there is a man or woman old enough
to know who cannot recall having
heard the remark made IN tneir carry
6svs: Here comes the Light Infantry!
Here come the National Riflesi" And
they were coming up the Avenue Just as
one man
Those were the days Of competition In
soIdiery. and the National Rifles were
the Infantry's nearest rival for hon.
ors what a grand sight each body
made as it executed its most difilcult
movements, with thousands OF admirers
watching from the sidewalks and
buildings along the most historic thor
oughfare in the United States, and
how they would stretch out at tunes
in company-froIl formation; GOVERNS
the Avenue from curb 70 curb in what
seemed to be almost a perfect and
direct unel And the 1nfantry's Shakos!
Where will we ever find a better looking
body of men. or more handsomely UNI
The National Guard has the appear
snce OF strictly fighting men. When
ve see il on parade we naturally think
of war. OF course We know 1t IS neces-
sary, and accordingly realize that as
long as We settle our differences on the
field Of battle, SO long VIII we neeo
trained soldiers TO protect Us. But the
citizen soldiery had its place. too. and
the Wasiingtonian looks back today
with pride on the drill teams we used
to have. which from time 70 time
cleaned I'D. so to speak. all the prizes
from the Atlantic to the Pacific award
ed for competitive drilling.
"A arulory was laid. on April 2. 1884,
the Washington Light Infantry was
composed of ss fine body Of repre-
sentative men as washington had
within It's borders William G. Moore,
who became major and superintendent
Of police IN 1886. was the lieutenant
colonel IN command. His staff officers
included: Judge advocate. II. Dtngman;
conmiSsary. I. Woodbury.: paymaster,
J. T. Dyer; quartermaster, George
Breithbarth: surgeon. H. z. Leach:
ordnance officer, e. @. Wheeler; engi-
neer, william ]. Acker: inspector. VII
liam J. Kelly: assistant surgeon, 7. E.
McArdle. adtutant, First Lieut.. William
II. Harrison: sergeant major, Charles
H Ourand: quarternaaster sergeant.
Adrian Il. Jones.
Perhaps you viii note some familiar
names as the four companies were
then constituted:
Company A-Captain. william N.
Dalton, commanding; first lieutenant,