National Republican., 1883-07-12
nock ISLAND ARSENAL.
A Beautiful Spot Where Cannon and shot
nro Made.

aro Made.
DAVENPORT, Iowa, July 2.-As tho name
implies, Rock Island arsenal is located on an
island, one of tho many thousands tho Mis-
sissippi guards with ITS waters. Going down
stream, on the right or Iowa side is Daven-
port, pleasantly situated little city of some
$4,000 people. On the Illinois shore, directly
opposite, is the town of Rock Island, but lit
tie smaller than Davenport. Like all river
towns made by the river, they are now that
the railways have taken about all the COM
merce from the boats, frightfuly dull, merely
holding their own, and will do little bettor
until manufacturing lends aid to start them
once again on the way to prosperity and
greatness. Early this morning, ere the sun
had grown oppressive, friend and |, armed
with passes, obtained through the courtesy Of
our hotel, started for the island, using tho
grand iron bridge Uncle sam has caused 10 be
stretched from shore to Shore Reaching the
island aud turning up the long stone walk,
shady and cool in the early morning air, we
presented passes to the guard at tho lodge, re-
turned the military salute, and passed through
the large iron gates and up to the long boule
ward to the gun yards and arsenal proper. All
around is a beautiful lawn covered with grand
old trees, with charming drives, and every
whore little glimpsvs of the Mississippi shin
ing through the leaves, making Il park hard
to rival. After walk of nearly mile, we
reach one of the many huge stone buildings,
and agreeable to orders, having gotten our
passes countersigned by the officer of the day
we were u liberty to Tamble around. Of
course the first object of interest we sought
was the gun yards. Imagine if you
can an aero of cannon, lying snuGly
bier, so to put it, like dead mon, all in
rows, like soldiers masscd in solid square
with q fence-a wall is bottcr-of cannon
balls cunningly piled and surrounding the
whole Here are guns of all kinds, size, and
workmanship, some more than a hundred
years old. There are long Toms" whose
slinness make their fifteen feet length seem
much more to tho eye, and every size from
that down to the stubby little mortars that
look moro like an old fashioned churn than
anything else. But what interested us most
was the "trophies," dozens of cannon captured
by our boys in blue in the different wars of
our history. Among them were some taken
at Saratoga and Yorktown during the revo-
luton, and from Fort Niagara; some old
French pieces, taken years ago by the French
by their English victors, and thus through
the vicissitudes of battle coming to us; there
were four brass pieces, twelve FOUNDERS, cap
tured from the English at New Orleans, that
were cast nearly hundred years ago for the
French commune. La Publick Fran
brazen sides, and some further in
scription that was too much for my
French, But l could but think how they had
played their part-a deadly one dare say, in
that cruel French revolution dragged through
the streets of Paris mayhap, by the frenzied
populace and made TO deal death and misery,
their grim mouths guarding the guillotine
whore Louis and poor Mary Antoinetto were
beheaded, and then they had heard the tickle
crowd rs it cried, "Nive L Empereur," helped
earn Napoleon's greatness, doomed for joy
when victory sat on his eagles, and lent sad
echoes to hills when his star was darkened
they had seen his triumphs, seen his fall, for
they were at Waterloo, and there left the
tricolor for England's bars and crown, and
crossing the Atlantic found behind the cotton
bales at the crescent city the flag in whose
shade thoy have rested ever since. Farther
along i'll the row arc some cannon, largo ones
captured at Vera Cruz in 1917. And
my companion, gentleman from kentucky,
who served four years on the other side
during the late family jar" laughed pleas
antly when we came to o lot of pieces cap
tured at Vicksburg.
The government occupied this island in
1917, Col. Davenport then building small
log fort on tho southern end this was then
the far, far western frontier. This fort was
maintained until after the Black Hawk war
Then it dwindled to o mere military fort of
little moment, but during the rebellion it
again assumed prominence, being used as a
military prison, there being some twenty five
thousand confederate prisoners upon it at
one time and it is the last camping ground
for some two thousand yet. Some time in
tho COS a commission appointed by the gov
ernment selected this point for the main and
central arsenal of the country, and tile entire
island was purchased, tho state Of Illinois re-
linquishing jurisdiction, and theisland is gov
erned the same as the District of Columbia,
directly by congress. Since then the govern
ment has spent nearly $lO,00O,000 of money
here, and it makes good showing, for tho
buildings nre many and substantial, being all
constructed of yellow limestone, equally de-
void of ornament or any superiluous do
signs that might feed fire or decay. Tho
shops for making war machinery and every
thing pertaining to war are vast, complete
and adapted to their object; the s,orehouses
are perfectly fire proof and well guarded.
They cover many acres, and to novice there
seems to be guns and ammunitions of war
enough to kill the whole world. The entire
island, which is over two miles long by ono
wde and containing some thousand acres,
is now occupied by the government. BY the
erection of u large stone wall, wedge shaped,
across the Illinois channel, abundant water
power is obtained to run tho machinery in
the shops and for the waterworks AS before
mentioned, there are many pretty drives and
walks upon the island that are free to all
provided with passes, only conditioned that
the holder does not smoke or get on the grass.
This is now the only arsenal in the United
States, all tho others being abandoned, The
command consists of colonel, five commits
stoned officers and fifty regulars. Some
twenty-sX civilians are employed on guard
duty
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