The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-11-05

Quoted to the various quarters through cast
iron pipes.
For various purposes, and at various points
about 900 feet of drain have been construct
ed-4OOO feet, at the arsenal, at the lower
end of the Island, is of stone the balance of
wood-merely temporary.
In the building line, We find the govern
ment receiving and distributing ordnance
arsenal all under cover, the main roof now
being slated in. The tower will be completed
next season. The interior will be ''furred,"
plastered and properly foored. The best
idea we can give Of it is that 1t Is magnih-
cent piece of smooth hewn stone work, has a
capacity for storing arms and accoutrements
excepting ammunition, for arming force of
$50 900 men, and will cost, when completed,
about 100000. The building is positively
fire proof, and has no provision for any FIRE or
heating apparatus of any kind. The roof
is of slste-the guttering and spouting of cop.
per, which was put on by j. Fl. Dumont, OF
this city.
Near the central part of the Island is the
temporary machine shop-150 by 150-and
a blacksmith shop-40 by $50 feet-have
been built. The former contains an 80 horse
power engine and has ell the requisite ma
chinery for working in wood and iron. The
latter has twelve FORCES, which are to be
blown by air brought through an iron blast
the machine shop. The machine shops torg
es are heated by steam pipes and in the
basement of one of the wings is an immense
steam dry house for drying lumber. Ada
cent to the machine shop is piled up In fne
condition about 400, 900 feet of excellent lum-
Der. In the construction of these buildings
| the available lumber about twenty old bar
| rack buildings was used-the balance being
| piled up in a compact manner.
Seven houses near West Avenue have been
| countermarched and wheeled into line on that
| avenue, facing west, and fitted up in conven-
lent and comfortable style for head quarter
| ofices-ofices for chief en- gineer, draughts-
men, master armorer, clerks, etc. All these
! are neatly finished throughout, and have very
| pleasant surroundings.
| The wood that has been cut and grabbed
| out has been converted into charcoal, of which
there has been about 5000 burned and stored
| for future use in the working of iron at the
armories, which are yet to be built.
This is a rough glance at the leading I'm
provements, and includes all the most impor-
| tant. None of them are unimportant In any
| respect, but all wisely planned and thorough
| ly executed. That is what the men have
| done, and for these improvements the money
| tSZ0U,UVU mas Deen eXpenueQ.
Gen. Rodman has forwarded to Washing
ton his estimates for expenditures tor the
| year commencing July LIST, 1867, whies call
| for the sum of 81, 100000. This sum is for
specific objects-the building of two perma
nent armory buildings-each 229 by 800 feet
three stories high a powder magazine
| 15ox35 feet to build dam at the head CT
| the Island, for the purpose of developing and
securing water power, to bring down water in
| iron pipes from the head to the central portion
of the Island and to do such othergeneral works
| as may be necessary TO develop that magnificent
| piece of government property.
| Furthermore Gen. Rodman earnestly recon-
mends that the next congress make an appropria'
| ton of the sum of FIVE millions of dollars to be
/ expended during the next four or five years IN
| erecting government works and otherwise deyel-
| opiDg that property. His reasons are potent
and we trust they will be convincing. One rea-
| son is that there many objects which pro-
| perly come together in construction, but which
are enterely different in point of urgency OF ne
! cessity.
| Another, and very cogent reason is, that
| with large appropriations and large amount of
work known to be on hand, he can command the
very best mechanical talent in the country; and
having made one selection of force, twice as
much anbe accomplished Herewith as can be
accomplished Herewith be done with new
selections made from year to year or less fire.
/ quent periods.
| Tbs cogency of this reasoning cannot fail TO
! be apparent to any thinking person-and we
hope the next congress will be thoughtful enough
/ not 10 pass this matter by.
/ Other important reasons might be advanced
bearing upon this point. It is the policy of the
government to build on this Island the great
central military storehouses and armories. If
the work is done at once it can be done at a re
duced expense by not being made subject to the
whims and strategems of men in power-con-
gressmen included. 1t has been proven during
the late war, that in case of emergency arms can
be provided with greater rapidity by building
additions to armories already in existence
hence it was that the Springfield and other exist
ing armories were increased in capacity, and
from this we argue that in of another EN-
Urgency for arms, those same eastern armories
would be enlarged to furnish them, instead OF
building armories at this any other point.
Hence II will be seen that if the Rock Island
armory is not built while real necessity exists
for the manufacture of arms, it would not be
when that necessity should be developed.
Another potent reason that might urge Is,
that under the direction of such accomplished
ordnance officer, the best armory in the world
could be built while in other hands-should the
work be delayed beyond the period of his life and
usefulness, ii is grave question whether his
equal could be found to properly plan and carry
out work Of such vast magnitude and import
ance. -.-s-
The General leaves for Washington in a few
days to spend several weeks and possibly he
may prciong his visit to urge his plans before
congress. Let us trust that he may succeed,
During his absence the command at the Island
will rest upon 1t Col. kress, U. s. A, who has
been with Gen. r. since he entered upon duty
here, and 1t. W. P. Butler, L. s. Ordnance de-
partmeut. The latter officer has but recently
been detailed for this service. He halls from
Louisville and is said to be very promising
young officer of the graduating class West
Point of 1S6O-DaU Dem.