Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-09-27
G,FOR GUN CARRIAGES
Increasing the Shop Facilities
at Rock island
Arsenal.
MEANS NOPE MEN EMPLOYED.

And by Proper Effort tho Small Arms
Plant May Likewise BE S.cursd-rhe
Improvement being Made and the
stor AII,soo.
Capt. s. E Blunt, commandant at
Rock Island arsenal, is having shop
G, Of the arsenal shops, rapidly put
in shape for the reception and accom-
tn odation Of the increased facilities
for the manufacture Of gun carriages
At the arsenal. When Gen. Flagler
was here a while ago, he talked over
the present and prospective orders
for gun carriages with Capt. Blunt,
and authorized him to take q portion
of shop G and fit it up for machinery
adapted to the manufacture of car
riages, and to put in such machinery
as he could buy with the appropria-
ton OF $4,000 then available for the
purchase OF new machinery for the
gun carriage factory. supplemented
ny other funds annually appropri-
ated for the care and preservation of
the grounds. and not otherwise de-
manded. This appropriation Of &c.
900 year is made for the gradual
extension of the gun carriage factory.
Under this authority, Capt. Blunt has
been at work on the fitting up of the
basement and first floor Of the west
wing OF shop G. The basement has
been fitted with new floor OF dou-
bic thick boards, painting and other
renovating has been done. work
benches have been built, partitions
have been erected. cutting off this
part OF the shop from the rest of it
SO that steam heating Of the part in
use can be accomplished, the steam
pi pes, the sewers, she water pipes
and electric light lines have been car
ried into this from the adjoining
shops, and the Skating for the ma
chinery has been hung. and the ne
cessary connection made 50 that
power can be cut OF here from the
cable that transmits power to the
shops from the power dam. These
changes are made. or nearly so. The
proper advertisement for the bids on
the $4,000 worth OF machiner y
needed to equip this shop has been
pu blished, and these bids are ex-
pected in in q short time. The ma
chinery will be of usual character,
little il any OF it being of special
TYPE. 1t will be adapted to the
manufacture Of the siege gun car
riages, the manufacture OF the field
guns being retained in shop C. where
1t is now carried on. 1t is expected
that the machinery will be in place
and ready for operation this winter.
The material for the new shop 10
work on will be purchased in the
meantime. II may be several months
yet before tho shop can be in run
ing order. When it Is in shape it
will take 50 or 60 more mschinists
than are now employed in the gun
loarrisge factory, and some addition
al help. perhaps IS men in all. The
lopening Of this new shop will con.
siderabiy increase the output OF car
riages and their accompanying csis-
sons and limbers. and enable the
arsenal to expend annually all the
money that is at present being allotted
for that purpose.
The manufacture of carriages for
the 3.2-inch field guns. the 5-inch
siege guns, and the Finch howitzars
has been in progress here some time,
having been transferred to this post
soon after Gen. ID. w. Flagler became
chief Of ordnance. The ordnance de-
APARTMENT transferred the manufac-
ture OF these three carriages and
their caissons to this post. The car
riages for the siege mortars, which
are also being made, and belong to
about the same class of artillery, are
OF such character that they cannot
be made here as well as they can at
Boston. SO their manufacture re-
mains in the east. The three car
riages named. however, can be made
here as we'll as anywere. The gun
carriage section Of the arsenal is
working 200 men.
The smsn Arms Factory.
i The Davenport Democrat attrib.
utes to the Improvements thus de.
scribed the rumor of an immediate
purpose to establish at the arsenal q
small arms factory. but that there
is no suggestion Of such an addition.
But it says: 1.-The small arms fac
tory is a possibility here, though
there is nothing in sight at this time
thst can be taken as evidence that il
is positively going to be established
here. talk to that purport notwish-
standing. There have been more
stories to the effect that the small
arms factory is practically assured
here than the facts have warranted.
All that we have now in that direc-
ton is chance, and some disposi-
tion in influential minds to favor
such an establishment. The secre-
tary Of WAT must hrst recommend