The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-01-05
ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL.
What has been Accomplished During the
Past Year---The Present Stage Of the Gov
eminent Works. Col. Flagler's
Plans for 1874,


Past Year---The Present Stage Of the Gov
eminent Works. Col. Flagler's
Plans for 1874.
Very few of the many thousands who
i've within the very sight of the govern
nent workshops on Rock Island have but
/ vague idea of the immense works there
n process of erection. An hours drive,
With casual glance here and there and a
word of blended surprise and admiration
at the imposing exterior of the massive
buildings are quite common: but beyond
this the public is not well informed, owing
to the fact that the privilege of inspection
is generally and rightly denied. 1t is not
the purpose of this article to review the
works in detail, or to describe what has
been done since the island came to be
occupied by the goyernment-that in
general way,is evident-but to give a COM
prehensive summary of the progress made
during the past twelve months. TO this
end we sought
AN INTERVIEW WITH COL. FLAGLER,
and in an hours conversation obtained all
the information sought. Col. Flagler is a
man peculiarly qualified for the position he
holds. He combines practical experience
and extended observation with natural abil-
ity and thorough study. To large scien-
tific requirements he adds the precision of
military discipline The commanding of
fcer of Rock Island arsenal must exercise
a general superintendent over the extern
sive plans and works in addition to the in
cidental and multudinous details, and this
Col. Flagler does. He is intimately ac-
.quainted with the dimensions and progress
Of the work in all parts of the island and
pays the same personal attention to the
seemingly small matters that he does to
those Of the most important nature. We
begin the years improvements with no
tice of
THE ARSENAL DAM.
This is noble specimen of masonry
crossing Sylvan water just at the curve of
that stream, about one-fourth of mile
below the quilt factory, and three fourths
of mile below the Moline bridge 1t is
built of solid blocks of Joliet stone is
roo feet long, six feet wide at the base, and
three feet six inches on top, with forty
one counter-forts projecting on the south
side, and standing out from the gateways.
These counter forts are eight feet wide at
the base and ten feet wide at the top. The
main wall is twenty FIVE feet high, and the
counter-forts rise to within four feet and a
half of its top. There are openings for
forty-one water-wheels. They are nine
feet wide and seven and half high. Pow
er will be transmitted to the shops 1000
feet distant by means Of wire cable With
eight feet fall of water, which it will have
even at q low stage, the wheels will afford
,Oo0- horse power. 1t order to complete
the dam this season, $500 yards of stone
were laid in five weeks by the settlers. The
work was not commenced until after July
lst, which, indeed, is true of all that has
been done on the Island.
DESIGNATION OF BUILDINGS.
The shops are designated by the letters
of the alphabet A, which will occupy the
site of the old wooden buildings on the
south side of the main avenue, is just be-
gun, and will be noticed further along. B
is the first finished building on the north
side, part of which is now used for of
fees. G, the second building on the south
side from the west, is used by the carpen-
tiers and machinists. d is the second build.
ing on the north side. And f, the foun-
dry, the third building on the south side
SHOP D
has risen from its foundation the past sea
son. All the iron work for it is completed
and the first and second stories are up
All the stone work for the second and q
portion of the third stories is out, and the
stone for the third story purchased. Il
will be cut during the winter so that the
building may be finished early in the spring,
the wood work will also be gotten out dur
ing the winter.
SHOP A.
The old wooden building, heretofore the
temporary machine shop, which has al,
ways been discreditable by the side of tbs
grand stone structure. has been condemn
ed and mostly cleared away. On its site
mas been laid the foundation of shop A
A portion of the first story is up Work
on this building has been delayed for lacb
of the particular kind of stone wanted
Col. Flagler expressed the hope of com
pleting the first story and halt of the sec
ond the coming season,
SHOP B.
The building is now entirely finished
The roof has been put on this season, anC
also the chimneys, FORCES, etc, about com
pleted. 1t will be used for foundry ant
blacksmith purposes, and will be the lar
gest in the country, if not in the world
The ceiling is thirty feet high in the clear
The roofing and ventilating apparatus were
made at the Island workshops. The Gu
pola is in size three and half feet the
oven sixteen by eighteen feet in the clear
There are six forge fires, and $50 feet o.
shafting have been made and placed
SHOP C.
This is occupied by the carpenters an(
machinists-the west wing by the forme
and the east wing by the latter. All tn,
shop fixtures for one story, such as betting
shaftlng, machinery, lathes. benches, etc.
have been put in, and are now in opera
ton. The motive power is magniicen
l25 horse power Corliss steam engine. TIL
battery of four boilers, the castings 70
which were moulded at the government
| foundry, are models in their way. Tn
boiler is the cOmpletest and finest VIC eve
saw. Most of the work we have enumera
ted is in novel and original designs-the
invention of Col Flagler. On the 18th 0
July the building was vacant. Now Isl
men and the lively hum of machinery form
scene of unusual activity. The exten
of shafting required is 600 feet.
DIMENSIONS OF SHOPS.
An adequate idea of the buildings can
not be formed without bearing in min
their extraordinary dimensions. The de
sign, approved by the government, con
templates ten massive buildings of uniform
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