The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-10-16
COL. HROT0UT" INVITES THE
COOK COUNTY CoMMIsSIONRS
TO VISIT ROCK ISLAND
ARSENAL.
They Tumble" to the Suggestion Of a
"Wet Lunch"

In Tuesday mornings Times, in the re-
port of the proceedings of the board of
county commissioners for Cook county, we
find the following:
A communication from Col Rutger Of the Rock
Island arsenal read inviting the board to visit
the arsenal buildings, and examine the stone where,
Of it is constructed, which was taken from the
ed to the county very cheap.
The invitation was accepted, on motion of Com
missioner johnson.
And in Fridays Times comes the follow
ing explanation:
A STUPENDOUs SELL.
Readers of the Times will remember
that in the proceedings of the county
board, at its regular session on last Mon
day, mention was made of letter, or com
munication, in which was extended an invit-
alton to the board to make tour of inspec-
ton to Rock Island, for the purpose of ex-
aiming the stone of which the government
arsenal was built, and which came from an
old bed OF government stone in that
vicinity, long since vacated, but which
would still yield sufficient quantity oil
stone to construct the new courthouse.
The invitation also casually observed that
a liberal supply of wet lunch would be
supplied by the party extending the
courtesies. The communication was sign
ed James Rutgar, brigadier, and colone
commanding at the arsenal" Commits
sioner johnson, whose face was very red
and his manner so excited that he coulC
scarcely stand steadily, waited just lon,
enough to hear the expression wet lunch,
when he jumped to his feet and moved
that the invitation be accepted. His mo
ton was seconded, and afterward carries
without much opposition.
A day or two afterward it was though
by some outsiders to be strange transac
ton for federal officer to extend an invit
alton of this kind to body polite, and tn
roll of United States army officials was ex
amined. The name of Col Rutgar" fail
ed to appear upon the list and Col. Ma
comb was credited with being the party i
command at Rock Island. 4 day or tw
ago, however, the mystery was solved
The clerk of the board received anothe
communication in the same hand-writin
as the former, which was signed this tim
, Col Rotgut," and which pitched int
the board of commissioners at terribl
rate, abusing them in words more expires
SlES tuau SiSSduC duu dCkuoWlSuRluS tLi
4 the former communication was compile
sell upon them.
l After the receipt of the letter, whic
was shown to but two or three commission
It ers, the inconsistencies of the invitatic
n and its language were shown up in
f.; strange light to the crestfallen official
Mr.. W. A Steele, mayor of Joliet, and q
owner of stone quarries at that place, wi
invited the board down to take a look
his possessions, AYERS that the arsenal
: Rock Island was built of his material
was meant to keep the stupendous jol
II from the newspaper reporters and Il
+ public, but the former gained possession
/, the facts on yesterday, and, thinking Il
= joke too good to keep, send it forth to Il
IS world.
. 1t is to be regretted, that the ccmmi
!. sioners will not 60 to Rock Island; for
II throws all the burden of furnishing the
e with rotgut upon the citizens of Chicae
A little assistance in that direction won
!, be acceptable from any of our suburb
neighbors, for the burden is one that bea
e grievously upon Chicago, notwithstandi
&c her great wealth and enormous business.