, 1866-02-17
THE ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL.

| -3epoETaPhftat survey Of the l.land
and Wagon Bridge to Davenport,
| From the Davenport Gazette, 1lth.l
Brevet BRIG. Gen. Thomas J. Rodmsn. o. g.
Ordnance Corps, appointed by The Secretary
Of War to assume command OF Rock Island.
| aud to prepare and recommend ; complete
| system Of improvement for arsenal purposes
| arrived on the Island In September lust, aud
shortly thereafter entered on the performance
Of his duties. Having recently had opporsu-
nifty to see some Of the results already accom-
] pllshed, and to make full examination Of the
very e1aborate plan prepared by Gen Rod
man, We can now explain to our readers what
! are to be the principal features Of the future
arsenal Of the Northwest.
This arsenal. Gen. Rodman designs, shall h,
tact embrsee the whole Of Rock Island within
Its bounds. except the small strip which will
| be required by the railroad and public carriage
md foot bridges which form part Of bis
plan: The extreme length Of the Island Is
1S,6S0 feet; It's width at the widest part
about A4co feet; the whole embracing an
area Of 700 acres. The whole Of this area
vas Thoroughly surveyed lust summer by
W..D.. Clark, Esq, City Engineer Of Dayen-,
port, and It Is On the typographical map of
General Rodnnn buses bis plans. TLis
map shows IN curved lines the precise alti
tude Of each part Of the island above low
water mark, at each ascent or descent Of
three fcet- Tins, IN deciding on the location
N&'A AGAVGA 0AA1u4AEy tAE tANCk .EGRklOn Us 10
height, rs site will bear to any other part OF
the ialand Is seen at : glance. From this map
Sse learn that the water Of tha Mississippi u
The upper or easte5n end OF the island Is 6
feet inches higher thnr at the railroad
bridge The head Of water at the. existing
dam On the north side OF the ls!and, At the
cart END, Is 5 feet inches; ut tho dam to be
erected on the south side, under Gen. Rod
mans plan, at point several yards below the
present Moline dam, the head Vt water will be
feet inches.
Il Is at The point wherc the island Ii widest.
and aoout the centre of the extreme length,
that Gen. Rodman proposes To erect ali tic
arsenal buildings proper Thers Is an
elevated plateau, ranging from. g to IL
iset absve low-water mark, and offering
This area embraces al the buildings erected
for the use Of the rebel prison, officers quar-
ters,. tkc., and Ia the most beautiful part OF
the island. The whole length OF the Island
WI WI os trsyeIsed, as nearly centrally as pos
fact in width. On the south side Of this road,
In the locality We have indicated, ten double
buildings are to be erected. each to be scpar-
ate from and several feet distant from tho
other and each forming three sides Of
the centre Of every baiidlng. These buildings
VIII ha for machine shops, hrass foundesies,
smith shops. wood-stocking shops, finishing
shops. &C., all 80 arranged that every descrip-
ton OF arm manufactare, arm repairing. aud
ammunition preparation, 81 san be system
and near the slough, will be the magazine ut
the west and the laboratory at the cast The
gas works VIII be at the southeast corner Of
the tier Of shops. North Of the Wide avenue,
"a which will be placed fountain, Sc-, the Of
feers' quarters, Offices, store-houses, hospital,
&c, will be erected.
Roads Of ample width will furnish ready
Communication to all the shops, magazine,
store rooms, &c, the plan making ample pro-
vision for This. There will also be railroad
track Of the c. 4 r. l. r. R., Ut the lowe. end
Of the is1and.
An admirable arrangement of pipes will Sc
cure to III the buildings full supply OF WI
ter from the dam at the head or The ls1and;
stream, having Its TOW inlo natural lake; be-
low where the shops will be located. and
thence to the river again. Compressed air
will also be obtained by the nse Of wafer
power at the dana at the head Of the island,
throughout the shops. Apoudar rill to be
erected In an Isolated locality on tho cast end
OF the island Is also eontem plated. though
not embraced in the plan OF buildings TO Be
at once erected
The large building now being erected al the
extreme west end Of the fSlanl, L. to b. used
as receiving and dlsbursing depot and ware
house. and viii be, when Gen. Rodman's plan
i : tSllY fsT5iea ont, near to and east OF thec.
The improvement most imrortant to the
business interests Of the cities OF Davenport
and Rock Island md the vieipttY, b that pro-
posed By Gem Rodman, in relation to the re-
moyal OF the present -ai1Fund bridge, and the
building Of combined rallr0ad~ wagon and
passenger bridge direct from Rock Island
city to Davenport, resting the structure On
the extreme end OF the island This Is to be
q free bridge, and would b. Of Immense ben
eft to this entire region Of lows and Illinois.
The present location Of the bridge is and al
ways must he cxtEeJaelY Objectionable. The
present track Across the Isasnd must be re-
moved before the arsenal huslness can be sue
resafully conducted. or tny comprehensive
plnn caFaied out.
About one hundred persons arc now cul-
ployed on the island eteetlug buildings for
building mechanics arp under the immediate
of Mr.. ". Channou, the well
known. architect and builder, formerly of
this city. ! luruB amount Of artillery, ,.oftl-
Earce, &C.. hos already been received a1 tho
arsenal, aud large additions will BE- a4ade IS
sopn as navigation opens.
Gen. Rudmnn Is evidently gentlemen pos
sessed of remarkable qualifications for the re-
sponsthle duties he Ii required toperfosE.
practical engineer, architect and mechanic,
ho thoroughly masters every detail, whi1c
The plaa he las prepared furnishes abundant
Il view. II his plans are tnllr carried out It
FILL be nnxtter for general eonsrntulatlou-
How q Church Got Pastor and Mar
Gus Morton became m Episcopa1ian.
l'sBurieigh y IN Boston Journal
There Is quite an interesting fact connected