Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-08-13
BUT ONE WAY TO WIN,
Three Cities Should Combine
in an Effort to Secure the
Armor Plant.
AND THEN TO Aor PROMPTLY

Deat Proposes - IooaguSooo 90 H.
Ceonl,lsy shssla Nss Baal - s.t 6essA
Iss Aavassasss.
A. has been said heretofore, the
tri-cities should act jointly II an
effort 10 to be made 70 secure for
Rock Island arsenal the armor plate
plant which the ordnance depart
ment Of the army proposes to estab-
lish, and for the location of the site
for which . special board has beea
created to make recommendation
Assistant Secretary of the Navy
Roosevelt has called the attention OF
the board to the advantages Of the
west for making srmor plate, and It
10 not at all improbable that the armor
plate plant may b located some.
where in the Mississippi valley.
Congressman Lorimer last spring
submitted to congress . proposition
from . number Of prominent bust.
ness men in Chicago, Offering to give
the government the land for . gov.
ernment plant to manufacture armor
plate. This latter proposition will
be considered BY the board now sit
ting. il the Chicago men are ready to
renew it.
Decided Advaatages HIRE.
The advantages possessed BY Rocl
Island arsenal are superior 90 any
that Chicago or any other competing
place can offer either with IN sccom.
panying bonus or otherwise. In the
first place the government in select.
ing Rock Island arsenal need accept
NO prOffers in the way Of land. etc.,
Is IL has the property already here
together with the power, and otheI
advantages we'll under way that Il
would require much time to provide,
to say nothing Of the expenditure o.
money, elsewhere. It seems reason.
able therefore that it requires bui
the proper setting forth VI the fea
lures of this locality to receive 70 Tor
able action by the board. The pro
posed plant. II constructed. will be 9
very large one, the primary outlay
| for the plant itself being estimatet
at about %, ZOO. 900. aud its annua
production Of armor plate will prob
ably be over $4,000 900. 1t woult
employ men Of . high grade of skill
and . great many Of them, and tn,
greater part Of the money spen
would be for wages.
Some years since, the Moline Dis
patch recalls. Judge French, of Dsv
enpors. read paper before the Dav
export Business association, settinj
forth the advantages Of Rock Islant
for the erection OF . great govern
ment plant for manufacturing can
mons. The paper. it is argued, va
prepared at the request of the asro
citation. and was an exhaustive re
view Of the advantage of this poin
for that purpose. The same reason
that would have made it the proper
place for that purp ,se apply in th,
present case. The government has
sufficient amount Of land on which 3
build the plant. Iron. coal and oil
the needed articles for making plat,
can be had as cheaply here - at An,
point In the west. There 10 Q gooi
water power capable Of large devel
opment. II more power should b
needed. There 10 large body of In
teiligent workmen here and roou
for many more. The railroad facili
ties are unsurpassed and with tn
completion Of the Heunepin cana
there will be water transportation
both 10 the Gulf of Mexico AMI &
the Atlantic seaboard.
These suggestions are all timel,
and worthy, and the people of tn
three cities should cooperate in th
endeavor looking to the accomplish
ment Of that which is of 90 great i'm
portance to the community. Tn
Initiative should be taken At once.