, 1866-11-13
TIE ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL.
The New Store 1fousc, Machine, En-
Einc and ArmorJ Shops-Cautton
Against Fire, &C., DC.
From the Davenport Gazette. SO


From tho Davenport Gazette, Sov. 1o1
A visit to the Arsenal works on Rock Island
yesterday afforded us an opportunity to take
some observations Of part Of the extensive
Improvements entered upon In accordance
with the comprehensive and we'll matu1ed
plans Of General Rodman, Of which We gare
full and accurate description several
months ago. The attention Of every visitor
to the island is naturally directed to the
Imposing and substantial stone structure
near the site of the old fort supposed
by many persons to be the Arsenal build
ing proper, but which is designed to be dm-
ply store house for the Arsenal-A place In
which arms, Sc, may be safely stored and
properly taken care Of. This building Is Of
three stories, with q basement, and Is $50
In length, by sixty feet in width, exclusive OF
tower and poEtico. The tower, which occu-
pies the centre Of the front and faces nearly
due north. is thirty-six feet square, aud will
be carried MP my -fonr feet above the cor
nice OF the main building. The portico oc-
cupies the centre Of the rear Of the building
and Is Of the ZANE width Of the tower and
Is twelve feet deep. Thus the whole width
OF the edtdce IL the centre Is one hundred
and eight feet. The wallis arc three feet thick,
material also compoees the coFnice, cutters,
&c. The first and second noors Of the int.
| rior are each supported by eighteen auted
IRON columns Of from ten to twelve inches In
dismcter, resting above each Other AID on
eighteen heavy piers Of dressed stone,
the foundation for which Is the solid
| story is ten fect high. the frst
| story fourteen ieet, the second seventeen,
! and the third fourteen feet The ceiling oi
the upper story Is supported BY the truss
frame work, Of similar character, TO be
found In the West. The span Is ffty-four
feet clear. The whole Of the framework for
doors, &c, Is Of the most substantial char.
| acter; Is m Illustration of which We NAV
| state the floor jolats are 15x3 inches, and sol
| idly "t1ussed." The roof Is Of the best
slate, laid In mortar, on a ahe1thinE com,
posed Of seasoned boards drrssed tc
a thickness, juisted ard tight laid
the slate being fastened with copper nails
The valleys" and cutters arc all Of copper
In the latter the sheets arc four feet II
width, the edges being turned down intt
grooves chiselfcd In the stone coping, mi
The grooves being Afterwards ti1led Will
birthstone, which remains much more com
pact and durable thau wonld lead. Eacs
sheet, In both valleys and CUTTERS, is bFazes
at the joints and nsde perfectly secure. Th
copper, and the tower will be roofed entir
with tho same material. The conductor
arc also Of copper, and are secured to tn
wall By btaSs claspa, the sockets Of which ar
| cnt into the stone and fastened With lead.
The machine, engine and armnry shopa +
which VIC had time only to deyote few nc
mcnts, arc we'll worthy ofe1tended eIApina
tion although but recently put in operatio
end get far from being complete. Here
splendid steam engine Of elshty horse powcl
t1nadc after design Of General Rodnani