Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-11-21

day--Atter sufficient reserve is es-
tablished some so, 900 a year should
| thereafter be manufactured, as eXper-
fence has proved that this mum Der will
add to the supply required as rapidly
as is desirable, provided, always, that
machinery has been installed for rapid
increase of the output whenever war
is anticipated. 1 believe the policy
of relying upon our own resources is
the best If the plant for the man
ufacture OF arms can be intro
duced At Rock Island. as in NV
judgment it should be. we would have
a capacity of ut least ., 500 rifles a
day. The advantage of this plan is
that the arms thus produced would be
always of the latest and best patterns.
With sufficient suppiy railways on
hand for immediate issue the above
resources, together with the resources
of private companies, would supply
troops as fast as they could be raised,
organized and disciplined; and unless
some other method of raising armies
than any that is now known is adopt
ed this is sufficient. 1t may not meet
theoretical demands, but it meets
practical demands. 1t may be stated
briefly that the department was able,
with strenuous efforts. to meet the.
demand for small arms ammunition,
although the additional plant now
being installed at the Erankford arsen-
al was sorely needed. With the large
plant for the manufacture of this am
munition installed at Rock Island ar
senal, as is contemplated in the plans
for that arsenal the ability of the de-
partment to meet all demands for this
ammunition in any war that can be
anticipated may be relied upon.
Proceeding to relate some of the
difficulties that were experienced pro-
curing articles of equipment, and the
machines to make them, and in get
ting private contractors to make
them, and delays and other troubles
in issuing them, Gen. Flagler con-
tinues:
Much credit is due to the COM
manding officer of the Rock Island
arsenal for his vigorous and efficient
labor in installing the plant at the
arsenal and providing these equip
ments. The plant was installed and
the number of employees engaged
on the work was increased from about
400 April - to about 1900 Aug. 81, |
1898. On the latter date the depart !
ment was turning out about 5000 sets
OF infantry equipments per day. The
work was commenced April ID, and I,
pushed with all possible dispatch, |
and in advance of the appropriation
made by congress in the two deficiency
bills of May 81 and July Z, 1898. /
Contracts were also made with private |
parties to manufacture equipments. !
From April 81 to August 81 the de-
partment produced about 300, 600 sets
of infantry equipments and about
$4,000 sets of horse equipments.
\ most significant and important
is that which appears in
with the report on the
Springfield armory. as follows: The
experience of the department during
the war with Spain has emphasized
the necessity, frequently pointed out
in my reports, OF equipping another
lrmory for manufacture of small
arms. The utmost capacity that could
be provided at the Springfield armory
would be rs above stated, about POO
arms for each eight hours
work, or about 500 per day, since only
two shifts of 10 hours each can be
worked with due regard for economy 4
and perfection of work. A large re-
serve of magazine rifles should he
provided as soon as possiHe.j To this
md the armory buildings at Rock Isl
md arsenal should be utilized. Their
equipment with the necessary machin-
,rv, which has already been begun. /
should be pushed to completion, and
he manufacture of magazine arms
commenced. The capacity of these
is sufficient for increasing +
he daily output to 1000 magazine :
lilies per day
Gen. Flagler makes an exhaustive ,
eview of the work accomplished at :
he arsenal for the army during the :
panish-American war. He also rec
ommends more assistant officers and ,
he building of quarters for them. He (
gain refers to the necessity for a new !
,ost hospital, and also recommends q
lew stable. :