Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-01-24

landscape, Ill are 10 such striking and
pleasing contrast TO the WORK Of putting
together or "aasembling,s tbs great. noisy
engines Of destruction that = always go
ing ON In the long brick building and Its
neighbors on the hill. There n little
about the locality. IN fact. that would
suggest TO the. casual observer the actu-
atty Of governmental proprietorship and
military occupation. II seems more like
one Of the pretty and sleepy little rural
spots with which the beautiful valley OF
the Hudson abounds-ohly unusually
sleepy. And the other side OF the stone
wall and iron fence with which the ma
tional II separated from the State do
main the effect Is of well-kept pleasure
park land. The only disillustons to be met
with are the solitary stntineis forever
pacing up and down before the guard
house. the tall, white fagstaf. with Its
hG4tering Stars and Stripes. and an occa-
sional piece OF ancient artillery strewn
about the common like tombstones of de-
parted glory. ~
GUNS BIG AND LITTLE.
Entering the factory building or build
ings-for there are two main structures.
the old one and the new one. completed
in lseo-the sight that greets the eye
Is a wonderful one. Down long vista
of 1000 feet, in the latter-guns. guns.
guns. Big ones and bigger ones. all
stretched out side by side. In all stages
Of construction or suspended from the
roof by giant chains and cranes. These
cranes, BY the way, are one OF the
notable features Of the establishment
There are three OF them. huge metal arms
or bridges that entirely span the interior
building and run from one end Of 1t to the
other on elevated trestles by means OF
trucks. so that they can be used wherever
needed. Their capacities are two OF them,
fifty tons each. and the other 40 tons,
the latter being worked by electricity.
The forests OF turning lathes OF all de-
scriptions, OF wheels and gearing appara-
tus, and of machinery OF various kinds
through and under all OF which the gun
must pass before II energies at the fur
Their end Of the building in perfected
state, are something altogether bewilder-
ing to any but the initiated. To fully
understand them one should carefully
follow the gun through the different pro-
cesses that II encounters; through the
smoothing and polishing. and planning,
and trough boring" and "shrlnking"-in
the great pit sunk in the centre OF the
structure fifty feet deep, forty feet long.
and twenty feet wide. and finally the
required many weeks and months. In
fact, the gun comes into the factory-the
small factory Is much like the larger one,
being used only for field and siege guns
a single steel tube. uniform In size at
each end, and leaves II a complicated
piece OF mechanism that can be taken
apart and put together like small! fire.
arm or rife, only more thoroughly. II
is composed-taking a 10-inch gun for an
example--of more than twenty distinc,
parts, weighs almost 5000 pounds, and
costs more than $4,000. The metal war.
dog" Of to-day Is very different from tina,
of the olden time. and its effectiveness
may be judged when II Is stated that II
can throw 575 pounds of solid metal
through wall of steel sixteen inches
thick, at a distance Of 1900 yards. And
this Is not a medum-sized gun!
The officer upon whom devolves the full
charge Of this splendid plant of Uncle
Sans, from which We will soon have
enough monster cannon and mortars 10
make our harbors fairly bristle. is Major
Isaac Arnold. Jr.. an energetic and capable
man. and n graduate OF West Point, of
the class of 1862. His staff of assistants
consists OF Captain James Rockwell. Jr.,
Captain +. H.. Hobbs. and Lieutenant
William Pearce. all of whom are West
Point men. Anthony Victorin. the me-
chanical engineer. has charge OF the de-
signing and setting-up of machinery. etc,
and Alfred Christensen Is the master
mechanic. These gentlemen, with their
families. reside In most attractive houses
that have been erected by the govern
ment at various times. and a pleasanter
and more sociable circle than theirs would
be hard to find. Il.