Year: 1875

YORK.


Under date of the Goth ut Comptroller Green wrots
a column and quarter letter to Mr. Osward often
dorfer condemning the project foot of building
a armory for the Seventh regiment NGSN.Y
The communication of Mr. Green has caused good
deal Of comment among the militiamen generally and
those Of the Seventh regiment particularly


A representative Of tho HERALD waited upon Major
General Alexander Shaler to ascertain his views upo1
the subject Of armories and the rumored reduction In
the number Of regiments composing the First division
NG.S.NY, OF his command The General said that
while it is desirable to reduce the regiments under hii
orders from thirteen TO ten and augment numerical
strength and effectiveness of the remaining corps il
difficult from another TO interfere
with regiments which have good service
record and many friends behind them TO sustain then
right to recognition. reduction in the number OF
tactical units, which form the DIVISION would,
course lessen the armory requisite TO accommo
date the troops remaining In service and thus reduce
the amount of revenue TO be raised by the city. In
view of the enormous debt Of New York city
the commander OF the First division while recog.
nizing the need which there is of providing the
Natio nal Guard regiments with comfortable accommo-
datons had abstaned from pressing the carrying
out Of existing legislation touching the important
question of armories He is in favor Of drawing az
lightly the city purse may be consistent with tho
dignity of the Corporation and the proper carrying
of the several departments of the city government


Colonel Clark commanding the Seventh regiment,
was visited and requested his impressions OF
Mr. Green's letter The gallant Colonel expressed him.
self as folows:-


CLARK GREENS LETTER.


'The principal why the Seventh regiment needs
armory located in the upper part of the city
that its present location Third and Sixth
street, Is central convenient of TO the
members The centre of the population which it par.
tcuarly represents has moved rapidly toward the Har
lem River during the past fifteen years. and at tho
present time large part of its officers and members
reside above Thirty fifth street They nnd 1t difficult
and to attend the frequent drills which
necessary to maintain the military efficiency OF the
regiment While the armory distant from thu
residences of the members there will always be delay
in assembling the troops if called upon by the city
authorities preserve peace and order to protect
public or private property The present of tho
armory also renders IT difficult for the regiment OBJ
tain recruits members, who constantly
necessary to its continued efficiency and prosperity
and thus its future welfare and its existence large
thoroughly drilled and well disciplined organization s
endangered. Acting upon these facts, the officers and
men OF the regiment have been anxiously seeking
during several years for a armory in the upper
part of the city Tho regiment at first selected Reser
voir square (Forty second stree desirable
u
sentiment, on the ground that square park or
any part of the should be devoted to such pur
pose


THE PRESS OF THE CITY


strongly reflected this opinion but at the same TINA
conceded in most complimentary terms the claims OF
the regiment public favor and advocated the
of suitable armory for 1t IN other location. The
regiment therefore, abandoned the project Of a
arnory Reservoir square, and in 1873 voted to ac
cept a site for the ground belonging to the city
Fourth avenue, between Sixty-siXth and Sixty
seventh streets To show the unanimous public sent
mel q 10 a n
25 900 Of the largest taxpayers and leading bus
of the city signed petition to the Legisla
in 1878 in favor act 10 provide not only site
for armory, but also for the of for
the regiment The Legislature, in 1874, passed, with
great unanimity act authorizing and requiring the
Commissioners of the Sinking Fund of the city of New
York lease the field officers of the Seventh reg
ment the plot of ground above referred to for
armory and drill rooms and the act was promptly
signed by Governor Dix. This act contains nothing
pressed or implied requiring the regiment to erect
merry at its own expense. IL IS true that some officers
and members Of the regiment ambitious to
tho armory by subscription, and hoped avoid the
cessity OF calling upon the city for pecuniary aid
but neither the regiment its Board of Officers
took official action in that direction II true that
the lease to the regiment by the Commits
sioners of the Sinking Fund was made upon promise
that would erect the armory at expense.
The Commissioners had discretion in the matter
but required TO make the lease In the form
as leases Of land have been heretofore made by the
Commissioners for benevolent and charitable purposes
The lease contains no clause requiring the field officers
TO cause TO be erected armory at their
expense at the expense OF the regiment and the reg



such purpose by subscription, by


AN APPROPRIATION FROM THE CITY


or the State or in any other way proper, practical oil
possible. After tho lease was duly executed and re-
corded the practical question TO obtaining money
for the erection of the armory next in order. Upon
consultation with leading citizens and friends of the
regiment there but opinion upon the subject.
Why 0t was said) should the young men of this reg-
ment who are spending their time money and labor in
maintaining efficient military organization which is


liable in the future, In the past to be called upon ia
defend and protect the lives and property of the people
81, md noffn ha apttro 10 htfIA
arnory which to drill and store their arms, uniforms
and equipments? Their services voluntary and
without pecuniary reward, and why should they tax
themselves or their friends to erect building for pub
lie purposes upon the property of the cityS military
force necessary in this city and is sometimes called
upon to aid the pocc and policemen required to
build their station houses? When military and
civil officials of rank and experience consulted
upon the subject they said, peremptorly No military
organization should be so


INDEPENDENT THE CIVIC AUTHORITIES
TO own its own armory' The precedent is dangerous
and the project not feasible The city should build
armory And thus the most sanguine of those OIL
GERS and men of the regiment who were ambitious to
build and their armory, obliged To
abandon any PROJECT OF raising the money by subscrp


ton Since 1862 it has been the duty Of every county
of the State Of New York 10 provide armores for the
regiments located within its limits, and the Boards Of
Supervisors have been authorized and required by the
military code lease the necessary buildings
for military purposes The law of 1875 amendatory to
the military code, simply reairms the law OF 1862 in
this particular but its provisions evidently designed
and certainly ample TO prevent any abuses in tho
future This act passed nearly unanimously by the
Legislature and approved by the Governor who
known to be not only familiar with all public affairs,
but is also WISE cautious and experienced Under this
the Adutan General and the Inspector General of
the State and the Major General Of the First division
have officially certified TO the Board of Aldermen that
armory in another location is necessary TO the
Seventh regiment and that it has the number and mill
ary efficiency TO justify proper expenditure for this
purpose. The demand has been made upon the Board
of Aldermen and this Board with great unanimty has
passed the necessary resolution, and dong has
truly represented, is believed, the wishes of the
people OF the city An architect has been selected and
the plans and specifications nearly completed, and
estimates have been obtained which justify the
ton that the cost Of the building will not exceed the
appropriation AS the Tompkins Market Armory, when
vacated by the Seventh regiment, DO appropriated
to the Of some other corps whose members mostly
reside in its vicinity thereby saving to the city the ex-
pense Of leasing armory for such regiment II will be
that there material addition to tho burdens
of the taxpayers by the erection Of new armory for
the Seventh The interest upon the cost OF the building
will be considerably less than the amount paid Tor the
q lr ~ Is NOT