Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-02-13
INVESTIGATION OF
THE ARSENAL FIRE.
Detailed Statement by Maj. Blunt
of Stores De-
stroyed.

Mai. Blunt has itemized the goods
destroyed by the fire at Rock Island
arsenal as follows:
Cavalry, infantry and horse equip
ments. $500 sets.
Infantry equipments, complete sets,
5000.
Many thousands of incomplete sets
of infantry equipments.
Smallarms-rifies and revolvers-
$4,000.
Ammunition for smallarms, 1885,
900 cartridges.
All the implements and equipments
of the field and siege guns at the ar
senal.
Calling guns, Is.
All the artillery harness and leath-
er for issue.
All the miscellaneous spare parts
and supplies of infantry, cavalry and
horse equipments, tools, etc, for the
supply of the entire United States ar
my, including the Philippines and
Porto Rico, for the space of three
years.
The cause of the fire is just as much
a mystery as it was 10 minutes after
the starting. To the contact of cleo
trio wires or to spontaneous combus-
ton the blame is generally laid and
the prevailing opinion among those
conversant with the building is that
the former cause is the more prob
able 1t is believed that the fire start
ed in the elevator shaft. through
which the electric freight lift is OPP
Grated, and that It's spread was along
the floor for a way. as there was
nothing on the sides of the shaft for
the fire to catch foothold with. 1t is
recalled that two years ago friction
of electric wiring connected with the
freight lift in another building on the
island caused blaze, which. however,
was squelched in its infancy.
The storehouse safe was taken from
the ruins today. Its contents, made
up for the most part of records of
issues from the storehouse, were
found to be intact. The fire is still
smoldering, although water was kept
playing on the wreck the greater part
of last night and today.
Chief Charles Hastings, of the Rock
Island fire department. is in receipt
of the following letter from Maj.
Blunt under date of yesterday: ION
behalf of the government | desire to
express appreciation of the very eff
cient service rendered by the Rock
Island and Davenport fire depart
ments at the fire at this arsenal last
night, and also my thanks for the
promptness with which they respond
ed to the call for assistance. Without
their aid. example and advice the fire
could not have been controlled and
would have spread to other buildings
with even more disastrous results
than actually followed. BY their help.
apparently so willingly rendered, they
have performed an invaluable service
for the government and for this ar
senal."
\ dispatch from Washington under
date of the 18th says: Gen. Crozier,
chief of ordnance. today received
telegraphic report from Maj. Blunt,
of the ordnance department, confirm
ing the press report of the serious
fire at Rock Island arsenal Wednes-
day night, and placing the loss at ST.
765. 900. Gen. Crozier regrets the dis
aster. but is grateful that none of the
machinery of the valuable manufac-
turing plant at Rock Island was dam
aged. Maj. Blunt will make a more
detailed report of the occurrence,
showing particularly as to the cause
of the fire. and an estimate of the
cost to replace the destroyed store
house. Gen. Crozier says that the
ammunition destroyed formed the re-
serve supply recently replaced from
the Frankfort arsenal. AS none of
the machinery was damaged the fire
viii not interfere with operations at
Rock Island in the manufacture of
carriages and field and siege guns or
the other current work"