The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-07-21
The state Arsenal.

While at the Capital few days since
representative of TIE GLOBE took occasion
to ''interview" the state arsenal located
there, and gathered numerous facts con-
corning it which may be of interest TO the
public. The arsenal, as will be remember
ed, was for a long time located in the
ancient city of Vergennes. During the
administration of Gen. p. p. PItkin of
Montpelier as quartermaster-gen about
the year 1867 it was decided TO remove the
same to Montpelier. The state already had
come into possession of the tract of land
now known rs SEMINARY IIill'' and for
many years used as the Washington county
fair grounds also, the location of the
hospitals for Vermont soldiers after and
during the war, and where the Sixth Yer
mont regiment were encamped previous to
starting South The grounds are situated
on high cminence overlooking the village
OF Montpelier and comprise, in all, some
twenty or thirty acres, more or less. This
spot is peculiarly appropriate for the pur-
pose assigned by the quartermaster- general
and in accordance with his recommendation
the arsenal buildings as now standing were
built.
The buildings used for the purpose are
three in number. An enclosure is set
apart for them, of some three acres, sur
rounded by handsome iron fence The
chief building is over one hundred feet
long and some forty feet in width; all
three are of brick and imposing in appear
ance. OF the two lesser buildings one is
the Office and shop-room, the other the
magazine.
The larger building with its contents is
worthy of mention and gives the visitor an
accurate idea of the arms, equipments and
stores which now belong to the state and
under the management of the present
Quartermaster-G General, VIM. w. Lynde OF
Marlboro. Here is seen six twelve FOUNDER
brass cannons, handsome and bright in
their polished appearance but of tremen-
dous power in service; thirty-five caissonS
standing ready to be mounted with these
grim instruments of war; three Thousand
Springfield rifle muskets, with bayonet'
fixed, ranged in neat shape and presenting
an interesting look one thousand breech
loader needle guns of the Prussian paten
and an invention of wonderful merit
capable of being loaded and discharged il
one-twentieth the time needed for com
mon muzzle-loader two thousand car
bines and one thousand swords Thei
there are some six thousand sets of infan
try accoutrements, ready boxed for ship
ping seven hundred or eight hundred arm.
blankets packed and preserved from harm
hayersacks in large numbers and som
three hundred (A) tents.
In the magazine building is an innumer
able quantity of boxes containing the can
lister fixed and spherical case, eight round
in box, including the twelve-pounde
! shells Other implements of war and cam
equipments are stored in addition to thos
named, making the arsenal repository @
every kind OF article needed in time of wal
in the muster of state militia and in the
/ fitting out, and in case of emergency an
one of which the state may justly fee
, proud A fund is constantly growing OF
: of the sale of such of those articles not I,
quired by the state, some seven or egl