Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-04-01

Look After.
A Washington dispatch says: 1.-THE
sundry civil appropriation bill now
pending in the senate has been
amended 30 a. to provide for a new
hospital building at the Rock Island
arsenal, and el2.50O Is set aside for
that purpose. It 10 alao amended to
provide for the manufacture of siege
carriages and limbers at Rock Island
ARSENAL, and $28. 900 10 appropriated
fof the necessary machinery. The
rush of work ct the arsenal makes 1t
necessary to extend the electric
lighting plant, and the senate com.
miftes proposes an allowance Of
%, $50 for that purpose, the nSoneY
TO be Immediately available. Forty
i've thousand dollars 10 set aside for
improving the water power of the
arsenal BY extending the present ca.
nal dam" ~.
Two Things Pointed Oct So.
There are tive things pointed out
in this most gratifying intelligence.
One IL that Book Island arsenal has
friends in the United States senate
who recognize its needs and consider
its welfare, even If past friends
nearer home have substituted q
quiet boycott for public spirited in.
tsrest because they were thwarted
In their desire TO control its wage
system. The other 10 that 1t has
probably not yet dawned on some Ct
the United States senators that de-
spite the $4,000. 900 appropriation
for national defense. there is no
crush at the arsenal" that might be
naturally expected at this time
and that not o dollar of the
money for placing the country on q
war footing has been expended at its
best equipped and greatest arsenal.
II bestirs the people Of this commun.
ity. however, to watch what becomes
Of the senate's proposition to prop.
erly care for the arsenal. for mas
much a. past friends have turned
enemies, and have the advantageous
command of influential sources Of
Washington, it is we'll for steadIast
friends to be on guard.
Whsrs Credit Belongs.
The amending of the appropria-
ton bill 30 as to include the above
mentioned improvements for the
Rock Island arsenal was in Q large
measure due TO the efforts Of Com.
mandant s. E. Blunt on his recent
visit to Warrington, when he pre-
ssntsd . long list of improve.
ments which he said were needed
at his post, but finally sub
mitted to the dropping of all
Of them save those referred to In
the dispatch. Capt. Blunt said he had
no doubt but that the appropriations
would be approved BY both houses.
The money for the manufacture oi
siege carriages and limbers will moi
be available until July. Shop g.
one wing OF which is now in use,
will be equipped with new machinery
and will be In readiness to run In
full force by late next fall. Capt.
Blunt thinks the result will be the
giving Of employment to not LEST
than 100 additional mschinists. Thl
new hospital, which is to succeed
the old wretched frame. which
has done service for upward Of q
years, will be located on
. little mound in q clus
ter of trees between the barracks
and the river. It will be of yellow
brick. The appropriation for the
electric lighting is made available il
July. This provides for the electric
light equipments Of all the shops. SO
that they can be operated by night 10
case Of emergency, and the thorough
fares Of the island. Capt. Blunt II
particularly elsted over the solution
Of the water power problem, his plan
for its immediate Improvement be.
ing adopted.
II should be said TO the credit
Of s. s. Davis. general man
sger Of the Peoples Power company.
that the success Of the appropriation
for the water power. Is largely due
to him. For some weeks he hal
been at the capital In the interest Of
the measure, and has succeeded In
securing for it favorable considers
ton, Notwithstanding that it wal
vigorously opposed.