The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1869-02-20
THE ARMY ATPRoP81A'
TON ELI.
The Rock island Appropriations.

through the influence Of Gen. Rodman,
commandaut Of Rock Island Arsenal, and
originator of the great system Of public i'm
proyemens here, the Secretary Of War re-
commended Congress to appropriate one
million Of dollars for Arsenal, Bridge and
Water Power, at this point, for the year end.
ing June 30, ls1O-oue year and four
months time. The report Of the Secretary
Of War wasreceiyed in the House, referred
to the Military Committee OF the House, and
By them reported back to the House with a
accommodation that it pass. The House,
in Committee Of the Whole, on the Ssh inst,
quarreled over it aud cut it down to $4,000
"A SUN not sufficient to pay for watching
the work already commenced,
Gen. Rodmsu was on hand, at Washing
ton, and went to work to get the item re.
stored, and on yesterday (the 18th Rock
Island rejoiced to hear that the original sum
Of one million had been restored to the ap.
preparation bill. Repor, says the bill has
passed the House. This may be true and
may not be. 1t was cut down in Committee
Of the Whole OF course it had to DO re.
stored in Committee of the Whole, and them
when the Committee Of the Whole got thro'
doctoring the Army Appropriation Bill it
had to be reported to the House, to be voted
on,--so that the report that it has passed
the House may only mean that the House
in Committee of the Whole has restored the
item for Rock Island to the original sum
asked for by the Secretary of War aud re.
commended by the Military Committee.
When this has been done it then has 10 be
reported to the House from the Committee
Of the Whole and passed-and this may or
may not have been done.
If the Army Appropriation Bill, contain
ing the item of one million for this poin
has really passed the House, we are indebted
TO Gen Rodman, who is at Washington
looking after the matter, for having secures
it. And if it has really passed. it now ha
to run the gauntlet Of the Senate, where tn
free bridge part of it will be fought by tn
Spencer.RObiuson family. 1t will first b
referred to the Military Committee Of Il
Senate, and if reported on favorably by thu
Committee the free bridge part Of i: wi
probably be opposed by the Senators zen
Ployed' by the poor Heirs, and other
1t may, by the efforts Of Gen Rodman a
other friends of the improvement, be say,
But it has all this circumlocution of r
tape to go through wi!h-and then has to
to the President for his approval. The pit
lie will see, by this, how many chances t
Robinson.Spencer family yet have to defs
the free bridge, aud that it is not safe to e
terrain any very certain hopes in relation I
the matter until the appropriation shall hay
passed both Houses of Congress and bee
signed by the President. When that sha
be done we can all rejoice that the infamor
attempt of the Spencer Robinson tribe an
their echoes in the radical party have bee
defeated, and the free bridge secured.
We are confirmed in our opinion that II
appropriation has not yet passed, by the tC
lowing
Special dispatch to the Chicago journal.
WAsHIsGroE, February l9.-The House it
adopted an amendment to the Army Appropr
ton Bill, appropriHting one million dollars
the arsenal and armory ut Rock Island, ono HI
to be applied to the construction Of br!d
over the Mississippi At Rock leland.
The House struck out the item Of two hundr
thousand dollars for surveys for military defeni
although a letter was read from the Secretary
Wsr asking that the appropriation be mad
These defonses are mostly in the West
The House, by vote Of Ill yeas to 64 nay
adopted Blaine'E Substitute for Buffers amen
ment to the Army Appropriation Bill reducil
the force Of the army. This is another trluml
for General Grant in the House, as he was Rno'
to be unlsyorsble to Buffers proposition, b
approved Of that offered by Mr.. Blaine and ado
ted by the House. Mr.. Butler made another a
peal to the House today before the vote was I
ken, but it ad little effect. Lro.
BY this it will be seen that the appropri
tion has not yet been made, What has be-
done is just what we supposed-the iter
for this locality have been restored to t
bill just as originally recommended-b
tho Hill bna MT vpt passa1