100 years ago in The Saratogian
Friday, March 30, 1917
Fourteen men from Saratoga County’s Company L have been sent to Schenectady to guard the city’s bridges, The Saratogian reports.
The Second New York Infantry regiment, to which Company L belongs, was called to federal police protection service last Sunday. They’re one of several regiments mobilized to protect bridges and other utilities in the event of civil unrest or terrorism following Congress’s expected declaration of war on Germany next month.
“The fact that a detail from Company L of Saratoga was sent to guard bridges in Schenectady appeared to be strong confirmation of the generally accepted belief that each company of the regiment will be sent to some other place in the regimental territory for guard duty,” a reporter writes.
The Second regiment has been assigned the Second New York District, covering eleven northeastern counties and extending to the borders of Massachusetts, Vermont and Canada.
“Most of the men welcome this,” the report continues, “as it will give them a change, get them away from an annoying round of questioning and give them some life in the open air.”
Recruiting has closed and Company L is “now fully equipped with the exception of a few belts and shelter halves” following the delivery yesterday of 21 overcoats, 200 shirts and 100 pairs of woolen gloves.
While the company has almost all it needs from the government, its emergency fund remains depleted after the Second regiment’s borderpatrol service in Texas last summer.
“While the government takes excellent care of its soldiers as a rule, there are numerous occasions when the use of small amounts of money prevents hunger and sickness, and makes possible needed comforts for the men,” The Saratogian reports.
Mayor Walter P. Butler has launched a fundraising campaign to rebuild the company emergency fund. New company commander Harry J. Young says that “$250 will be sufficient for this purpose at the start.”
As “the first citizen of the city,” the mayor opens the fund drive by donating $5. The Saratogian matches that with a $5 institutional donation, while publisher John K. Walbridge donates another $5 personally. The fund invites further donations between $1 and $5.A $5 donation in 1917 is equivalent to $95 in 2017 money.
In addition, the mayor has joined the American Defense Society in urging Saratoga Springs residents to display the American Flag on April 2, when Congress meets in special session to hear President Woodrow Wilson’s expected request for a war declaration. The day will also see patriotic exercises in city schools and the ringing of bells throughout the city at noon.