, 1862-12-10

Indianapolis, Rock Island and Co.
- lumbus.
Eeeport Of Gen. G. r. EeuczSiu-
IsaMi TO The Secretary OF WAR.
WAR DEPARTMENT,

WAsu1soroS CITV. u. Z. Oct. "a. 1869
Hon. Edward a. Stanton. Secretary Of War:
SIR;-1 have tile honor to report that, i'll
obrdicnce TO your order Of the 9th inst, di-
rcctiHg me to proceed to Columbus, Ohio, In
dianapclIs, Indiana, and Rock Island, Illinois,
and locate the National Arsenals established
by act Of Congress. approved July 11th, 1862,
I left Washington OIL the next day, and ar
rived i'll Indianapolis OIL the 9th inst, having
stopped over one train at Columbus in order
10 notify parties interested, and request them
to have their proposals, maps, &c, ready
against my return from the West.
INDIANAPOLIS.
At Indianapolis spent two days in czamin-
ing the surrounding lands with view to their
fitness for the requirements of an arsenal.
Much Of tic land about Indianapolis is very
fiat, and some Of it rather low and probably
unhealthy. The conditions regarded in the
examination were, ample room, good drain
age, supply Of water, convenience to railroad
facilities, health, clcarncss Of title, and suf-
ticient ncarness to the town for the accommo-
dation of worlmen. These conditions are
| confined to three or four locations, the choice
Of which should be determined By the degree
| in which the conditions are fulfilled, and the
| fttE ttrlce 10 DC PAID 1Of 1uG lil1lti.
| Tic most eligible proposals were from
! Messrs. McCarfy and Fletcher.
That from Mr.. AeCarty WAS for 4 lot Of
Gfty-two acres on thu South Side Of the city.
| The eastern part is high and well drained.
| Running through it is the Indiana Central
| Canal, !! work originally intended for rayig;s-
tim, but not more Ian ten miles Of it fas
| ever bccntnished. 1t furnishes wafer power
to several mills. and there Is a good deal yet
unemployed. From the canal an abundance
| pf water may be obtalncd very easily for
steam purposes, and if thought best, power
could be Obtained by cutting a race from
1hc canal through 10 Poguc's Run, which
passes through tile land, cutting of about one
| fourth Of the west end.
The land between the canal and Pogue's
Fun is not 50 high as that east Of the canal,
some Of It being lower than the surface Of the
water but all Of it drains Well into Pogue's
Fun, the bed Of which is twelve Or fifteen
feet below the surface Of the water III the
canal.
| West of pogue's Run to the street the land
thoroughly drained. The distance Of the
land from the settled portion Of the city is
the Union Railroad depot. and hence very
convenient for workmcn connected with the
arsenal
4 swith from the Madison Railroad can be
brought along the south side Of the entire
tract. and thus connect with every building
| requiring such facilities. Tie title TO the land
| is 1indonbted, being directly from the State
Of Indiana {holding under grant from Con
gross covering the city OF lndia1Eapolis) to
Nicholas AeCarty, whose heirs are all living
and Of age, and nnlte in the proposal to sell
the land to the Government ut the rate Of
s5o5 per acre. subsequently reduced to S425.
: The proposition of C. Fletcher. jr, is for 4
piece Of land lying northeast Of the city, out
Side the limits
This land is probably the highest Of any
near the city. Tie surface is rolling and east
| II drained. 4 small stream called Pogue's
| | Run crosses one corner Of it, affordlng alum
bnrdance Of waterfor steampower. It is easy
Of access to a thickly part Of the city and t
i | all covered with forest, and capable Of inn1e
, | date Improvement into 4 handsome park Il
. comprises about seventy acres. and lies II
good shape, which might, however, be i'm
proved Oy the addition Of lot No. l, nov
owned and occupied as 8 private residence bl
Prof: Benton, The title was examined by tht
District Attorney: and pronounced perfect
Z acres, can be bought for Sc, GEO.
, OF these two locations, recommend th'
| latter, in consideration OF its undOubtet
, healthfulncss, fthe other being more under tn
: influence Of the nliasmatic low ground on th
I | west of White Riyer,} and the size OF III
tract. I also recommend that lot No. b
purchased at the price proposed, VIZ: 81
acres for $4,000
/
t Leaving Indianapolis on Saturday night,
5 arrived at Rock Island on Monday morning
and spent the day in examining the locality.
The Island is without doubt the best plac
: for IN arsenal. 1t is high and healthy, we
t supplied with wafer from the MlssissipF
: River, and the Chicago and Rock Island Rail
: road is easily accessible. It contains abou
800 acres of land, Of which about two hun
: dred have been granted By Congress to ind
!. vidua1s, leaving about 700 III possession Of tn
). Government.
Z The only question connected with the 1oca
. ton Of IN arsenal at this point Is, conceive
whether it shall be at the upper or lower en-
d of the island, which is about two and Ia
b miles long. At the upper end is~a watel
# power that can be had without cost to th
IS Government, except for water-wheels an
D. tlume The small town Of Moline Is lceess
is bic by Il good wagon bridge, and is principal.
II settled BY mechanics, connected with mil
y and factories in operation by water power c
e. | the Illinois shore.
,e Most Of 1llis end Of the island salso co
"a cred with forest, and capable Of handson
er Improvement. The lower or, west end
he probably higher ground than the upper en-
IL aud contains about seventy acres, 1nclndi
" old Fort Armstrong, west Of the railro
la where it crosses the island. It has go
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