Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1866-11-03

150x35 feet; 70 build ., dan Il the head q
the Island, ios he psrpsss II developing
and securing water power. q bring dswn
vasef in ireu pipes from The head y The
csatsai portion ofthc Island; and = do such
sshss general socks - may b necessary to
dsvslsp that aAgninssnt pises II Govern.
osst pespsrty.
Fusthesmere. Gen. Reduan earnestly ~
soumsnds thst the ssst Cengfsss make %
appropriation Of tie sum Of i've millions Of
dollsn 70 BE- expended during the nexs tssr
o. avs yeass in erecting Govsrnasat works
and othsswiss developing that propsrty.-
His rsasens ere petsst and us tsuss they
will - cotvincisg. One reason b that there
ere many objects which properly eoas to-
gsther in construction. bHs which Ass On.
tirsly different In point Of nsepty O. Ne
csseity. F6s asa.ss- - .la e.1.
Another, and very ecgent ssasen b, that
With large appropriations asd laros aaaonst
a work known b 70 On hand. he can COM
maod the very best mechanical talenE in the
country; end having made ens sslsstisa Of
isrce. twies q much can b accomplished
thsrewith - can - done With new sslsc
lions made from year to year or lcss fire.
quent periods.
The cogsney Of this rsassning cannot fail
70 be apparent to any thinking psrson-and
~ hope the next Congress win be thought
ful enough not to pass this matter By.
Other important rsasons might bs ad-
vanced bearing upon THE point. II 10 the
policy Of the Government to build on this
Island tho great central military store
houses and armories. II The work is done
Il ones Il can be done 1t . reduced expense
BY not being made subject to tho whins and
sarategems Of men in power-Congressmen
included. It has been proven during the
late war, that in case Of emergency arms
can be provided With greater rapidity BY
building additions to Armories slrcsdy in
existence-hence It was that the Springfield
and other existing Armories were decreased
in capacity. and from this We argue that 10
case Of another emergency for arms, those
sams eastern Armories would be enlarged to
furnish them. instead Of building new Ar
moriss 1t this or any other point. Hence it
will be seen that il the Rock Island Armory
10 not built while no real aecessity exists
for the manufacture Of arms, it would no. be
whom that necessity should be developed.
Another potent reason that We might urge
~. that under the direction Of such an
accomplished ordnance of3cer, the bes.
armory in the world could be built; while
in other hands-should the work be delay ed
beyond the period Of his life and usefulness,
It Is . grave question whether bic equal
could be fosnd to properly plan AID carry
out work Of such vast magnitude and i'm
portance.
The General leaves for Washington in .
few days to spend several weeks, and possi
bly, he may prolong 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 Krcss, U. 8.
A., Who has been with Gen. r. since be
entered upon duty here, and 1t. W. p
Butler. U. s. Ordnance department. The
latter officer has but recently been detailed
for this service. He halls from Louisville
and 10 said to be . very promising young
officer Of the graduating class West Point)
Of 1860.