Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-11-14
Why the Government Select
ed the Island of Rock
Island.
UNSURPASSED ADVANTAGES.
Small Arms Factory a Step
Toward Its Further
Development.

IN view of the coming tomorrow of a
l. number of members of both
branches of the national house of rep
resentatives to ascertain by personal
investigation the capiacty and needs of
Rock Island arsenal, which is in fact
and reputation the largest institution
of its kind in the country, it would not
be amiss TO give a brief outline of its
history, which. although generally
familiar among the people of the three
cities. who have always felt a Just
pride in it, will ever be read with in
terest no matter how often told.
The chief object of the invitation of
the three cities to the national legisla-
tors to come here is that they NAV
have impressed upon their minds the
un surpassed advantages ofROck Island
arsenal for ordnance manufacturing
purposes, and to demonstrate to them
that they will be only intelIigently
performing their duty if they cham
pion the cause of the arsenal when
additional appropriations are sought
to bring il up to the standard of i'm
portance that it was planned it should
be when those rows of magnificent
buildings, many of them for years
lying idle. We're constructed. With
other action that will be asked in be-
half of the arsenal at the next session
of congress will be an appropriation
of $500, 900 to install the small arms
manufacturing plant that the last ses-
sion of congress ordered established
here.
FascII atIng Subject.
The island is a fascinating subject
for the historian, says B. F. Tillinghast,
in his recently published book. ''Rock
Island Arsenal: in Peace and in War, "
but the past is so crowded by matters of
present moment that little more than
the order of events can be given
for almost one hundred and fifty
years. According to Francis Park
ham. Louis Joliet and Jacques Mar
quette first saw the island in the sum-
mer of 1878. Ninety-four years later
Black Hawk, the Sac chief, was born
on Rock river, a few miles south of
the island. He died in 1888 The
United States gained its right to the
island of Rock Island through the
Harrison treaty with the chiefs of
the Sac and Fox tribes of Indians,
made at st. Louis in Novcmb Der. 1904.
The island was not definitely oc
cupied by white men, and appears to
have had no history. until the break
ing out of the war with Great Britain
in 1912.
II was in 1915 that Col. K. c. Mich
OILS, commanding the Sth United
States infantry, was sent up the Mis-
sissippi from St. Louis to estab-
lish fort at or near Rock Island. At
that time the army was supplied with
provisions by contractors directly,
and not through n commissary de-
partment as has since been the rule.
George Davenport, after whom the
city of Davenport was named, ac-
companied the expedition as con-
tractors agent, and transported his
supplies in light keel-boats. The ex-
pedition reached the mouth of the
Des Moines river. about 40 miles be-
low the island. and wintered there
on account of the ice. In the follow
ing April. 1916. Gen. Thomas a.
Smith arrived at the cantonment with
his rifle regiment. took command,
and proceeded mp the river. He ar
rived ut the island early in May, aud
fixed upon the foot or west end as the
site Of n fort which was to be
built. The troops were first landed
on the island Nav 10, 1916. Gen.
Smith remained at the island only
long enough 10 construct abatis for
the protection of the troops from the
Indians and then proceeded north