Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-01-24
ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL.
Mai Ii. &. Connolly Tells Story OF Its Estab-
IIshment.

IIshment.
Maj. II. c. Connolly, responding to
the toast, Rock Island Arsenal"
said in part:
During my life of almost half
century in Rock Island, nothing has
come into il as Il citizen for which |
have a warmer interest than my con-
nection with those who procured the
passage of the bill by congress To-
eating the arsenal on Rock Island.
Officers of the army and citizens,
times almost without number. had
for years advocated the To-
cation of an arsenal on the island.
which was wisely set apart as Il mill
tary reservation. Squatters during
the administration of President
buchanan had possession of il,
claiming the right to preempt it as
government land. rney despoiled il
of it's most valuable timber. Besides
the few spots that were cultivated it
was magnificent forest contain
ing large. symmetrical trees of diff
ferent varieties.
Before the rebellion Secretary az
War Floyd sent his nephew Mr..
Massey, lawyer from Richmond.
Va. here to make n fun report as to
the condition of the island. After
his report was received at Washing
ton the government speedily elected
the SquatterS. In the pring of |
1861 the war came on. and there was
u strong demand for the establish |
ment of an arsenal west of the Allie |
gheny mountains. The tri-cities or
gained TO secure its location on the |
island. Judge Wilkinson, Judge Dru-
ry. Capt T. j. Robinson and myself |
were appointed to represent Rock |
Island at Washington: Charles At
and Col. Peter Reid from Mo- |
line; EX-congressman Thorington,
Cook and George H. French |
from Davenport. | am the only one |
left of the original committee. We |
carefully prepared pamphlet set |
ting forth fully the advantages of |
the location. Being the youngest |
man in the party / was selected to
do the slIirmishing. | devoted six
months time to the work, made a |
tour over the northwest, calling on
every member of the house and sen
ate | could catch, and securing the |
publication of n pamphlet in every |
/ could reach economical
ly.
About the first of December I
went to Washington, dropping off at
different points going east and in
all could find whom we
thought would aid us. Arriving at
| secured headquarters
for our delegation at Wizards hotel.
~ !
man Washburn from the Galena dis
irict. with whom we had been cor
After pleasant cali on
Mr.. Washburn he suggested that
Senator Grimes, of Iowa, had rooms
across the hall and we would drop
in and see him. We found the senator
for Rock Island. At
the close of our talk he said: Wash
burn, we will prepare a bill in favor
Of Rock Island; you take charge of
i in the house and I viii look after
il in the senate, and we will pass
t. And they did. No two men in
either branch of congress ut that
lime were more influential than
Messrs. Grimes and Washburn. The
bill was passed July 18th, 1862, with
an appropriation of 100000. The
ground was first broken for the
at the lower end of the
sland Sept list. 1868. While this
is no part of the great ar
senal plan, we trust it will be per-
nitted to remain, with it's great
lock striking the hour until the
rack of doom.
Opposition Is Met.
After the arrival of our full COM
nittee at Washington we all went to
work. We found party from Pitts
,urg working bravely for the arse
ial at that point, aided by their
strong congressional delegation.
Also one from Indianapolis, enthu-
,iastic with Congressman Dan Noor-
ices as their champion. Chicago
vas there with a heavy delegation,
md Isaac y. Arnold, our own con-
FRESHMAN to aid them. Peoria had n
delegation there. Judge Kellogg,