Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-11-14
FROM MILITARY POINT OF VIEW.
The Opinion OF Gen. Ramsay, Late Chief
of Ordnance.


The Opinion of Gen. Ramsay, Late Chief
of Ordnance.
As to its advantages of location.
Gen. Ramsay, chief of ordnance, said
in 1864: After a careful study of
this question of location, there is no
position. which, to my mind, affords
so many advantages, and at the same
time presents so few objections. as
Rock Island. on the Mississippi river.
In military point of view, it is
perfectly secure from an enemy adj
vancing either bv the lakes or the
river From it supplies can be trans
ported in any direction and at any
season of the year"
The island is not only the most
beautiful. but it is one of the largest
throughout the length of the Missis-
sippi river. 1t contains, above low
water mark, $40 acres. All of the
high ground rest on a foundation OF
gray magnetism limestone.
The act of congress locating the ma
tional arsenal on Rock Island was
approved July II, 1862, and it ap-
propriated for that purpose $lG0, 600.
This was the first action of congress
looking definitely to the building of
the arsenal. Ground for the first
buildiBg-that now so prominent at
the west end of the island but in fact
only storehouse and really no part
of the active arsenal-was broken
Sept. l, 1868. The tower of this
building is supplied with a large
clock, whose face can be seen and
whose striking can be heard at a great
distance. The dial is II feet in diam
eter.
The row of five shops south of the
main avenue are for the arsenal, and
the five north of the same avenue are
for the armory- The center shop in
each row is the forging shop and
foundry of the arsenal. and the other
four are designed for finishing wood,
leather and metal working of all
kinds, specially for the manufacture
of all the material of war. The GEN.
ter shop of the north row is the roll
ing mill and forging shop for the ar
mOry, and the two shops on either
side of it are finishing and wood
ing or stocking" shops for the man
ufacture of all kinds of small arms.
The center shop in each row is only
one story high, and the other four
have a basement and three stories.
The ground plans of all the 10 shops
are alike. Each building consists of
two parallel wings, 60 by 500 feet, 80
feet apart. This leaves an inter ior
court 80 by 23S feet. The porticos AT
the sides project - feet, and are 90
feet wide, and those in front project
two feet and are also 60 feet wide.
The total area of each shop. including
thickness of walls, is A., 2S0 square
feet-a little more than one acre.
In Peace and in War.
The average number of workmen is
600. July 81, 1898, during the Span
ish-American war, when the capacity
of the arsenal for turning out great
amounts of manufactures tor the army
was demonstrated to a degree that
was amazing, employment was given
to ?, ,902 men and boys The pay roll
that month was $17j. .O3O.T3.
The principal articles of ordnance
stores, either made at the arsenal al
together or in part. are breech-loading
rifles and other field guns. carriages,
linn bers, caissons. com bined forge and
battery wagons, artillery harness,
miscellaneous artillery implements
and equipments, Springfield carbines
and rifles, Colts revolyers. sabers and
swords, carbine strings, carbine sling
swivels. cartridge belts, cartridge belt
plates, cartridge boxes, pistol holsters,
knapsacks. saber attachments, saber
knots, saber belts, spurs. spur straps,
waist belts. bayonet scabbards, blanket
bags, blanket bag shoulder straps and
coat straps, canteens and canteen
straps. gun slings, haversacks, meat
cans, tin cups, knives, forks, spoons,
waist belt plates. curb brides, curb
bits, carblue boots and scabbards,
currycombs. halter headstalls, halter
straps, horse brushes, lariats, links,
nosebags, picket pins, saber straps,
saddles. saddlebags, side lines, saddle
blankets. etc.
Vast as was the output during the
recent war, the arsenal was not taxed
more than one-fourth its capacity
when fully completed.