The Tipton advertiser., 1876-06-29
What the Government IL Doing nj
the Rock Island Arsenal.


the Rock Island Arsenal.
: Work on the walls of the building
to be used as rolling mill, the cas-
one of the north row, will be resum
ed tomorrow, for which a good fore,
of stone cutters and settlers have beer
engaged.
More than fifty boys were set tc
work last week, cleaning harness anc
other leather articles which were
made during the war, and have beer
sent here from various arsenals for
the purpose. An officer inspects
them after cleaning and portions which
arc injured are condemned and will be
sold ono Of these days.
The days Of the old knapsack and
haversack are ended, as well as the
era Of the cartridge box so long in
vogue. Thousands of "clo.hins
bags" far more roomy, light and
desirable piece of equipment than
the knapsack, are being manufacture
ed here; made of the best Russia
leather and duck cloth, it has four
compartments and is SO flexible that
it will fit itself to the part of body
which is supporting it. 1t is furnish
ed with straps for overcoat and blan-
ket. The haversack is also great
Improvement on the greasy, big,
black, repulsive thing used by the
United States soldiers from the DAYS,
of the last war with Great Britain
till the present year. 1t is conven-
lent in size, with front of fine Rus
sia leather, and furnished with uten-
sils for food for soldier needs on a
march. One very handy thing is a
combined frying pan and a plate
that is, it folds so that one side is a
pretty nice pan and the cover is a
first rate plate, they are held togeth-
CT in the haversaoh by bright iron
strap. The haversack is furnished
with can for condensed meats with
which the soldiers are furnished when
starting on march.
Then the cartridge box-it isn't
stiff box big enough for forty rounds,
such as we used to carry and be both
cred with during the war, but hex-
ible leather case, each side of which
has cloth strap spaced for ten Of the
nice light metal cartridges used with
the beautiful and awfully effective
riiled breech loading U. 5. musket,
which allows soldier to fire from Il
to 80 charges a minute if he be hard
pressed. A soldier can string his
belt with these handy and flexible
cases, and they will not bother him
half so much as did the stiff old tin
and sole leather forty-round contriv-
ance of the war days. And he does
not have to fool with cap box, eth.
er.
Then again, the old style Of wide
and thick body, waist and shoulder
belt, is displaced by light leather and
braces which hold the clothing bag
and cartridge belt, but relieve the
waist of all oppressive fastcnings and
weight. These are also being turn
ed out by the hundred in the leather
shop.
Large numbers of an improved bel
ly band for horses are being made.
All the little brass buckles and
snaps that are made for trooper &C.
coutrements, the little and big brass
and iron buckles that are used with
the cavalry and artillery are made
here.
The manufacture ofthese accoutre-
ments under the supervision of its Of
ficers, saves many thousand dollars a
year to the government.
In all, five hundred persons, in
cludiEg a score of young women and
fifty boys, and exclusive Of the sold
iers, are now employed on the Island.
-/I0r. Tazeffe