Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-05-03
NEW PLANT STARTS
Operation of Small Arms Factory
at Rock Island Arsenal Be.
gins Tomorrow.
EXPERTS HERE FROM THE EAST
Force to be Increased to 500 in Few
MOnths-Homes for the
Strangers.


menced tomorrow, when the 81 ex-
perts sent from Springfield Mass, re
| port to Commandment ). +. Blunt
| They form the nucleus of the force
| that i TO be employed. and within six
months 500 additional men viii be pun
| ON.
| The process Of the increasing of the
force will necessarily be slow. as all
| these employed aside from the eX-
perts brought on from the east will
| DC green hands and viii have to be
| gradually educated in the perform
ance of the work they are to be as
signed to. They viii be under the
| Springfield experts, who are to be
placed at the heads of the various de-
| paTtments and branches of the work.
There remains much to be done be-
fore the manufacture of arms is actu-
ally begun at the new arsenal factory,
| such as the adjusting of machinery,
etc. This will be entrusted to the
men reporting tomorrow. and when
completed and the force is organized
the employment of additional hands
will be begun. Only Il few will be TAX
IN on at the start. Col. Blunt states,
out as the men are educated to the
work larger additions Will be made.
The force VIII be recruited from the
three cities and vicinity.
Finding Homes for Newcomers.
Forty of the men from Springfield,
some Of them accompanied by their
wives, reached the city this afternoon,
and are quartercd at the Rock Island
house and boarding places about the
city until they are able to secure per-
manent homes. +. w. Weyman, an
advance representative, came in this
morning to make arrangements for
the accommodation of the men. He
was met by Il committee of local citi-
zenS who aided him in obtaining quar-
tcTS.
1t remains with the people Of the
city whether these men are to be re-
tanned as permanent residents. The
bulk of them have families and want
houses. They are able and willing to
pay reasonable rental for homes con-
.cnisnt to their place of employment.
Many of them will doubtless become
property holders. as they are now at
Springfield. Al having houses for
cent should lose no tim elm making the
fact known.
All having houses for rent should lose
no time in making the fact known.
Simply because there is prospect of
I small increase in population should
not cause the advancing of rentals.
.or if this is done the inevitable result
will be the driving of these men and
heir families To one Of the neighbour
ne cities. Davenport i taking par
ocular pains to make that city the
more attractive of the three. The bus
mess mems association there has been
busy for weeks securing homes. Hence
{ * up To the people here to at least
To as well as Davenport if the men
who came this afternoon are to be
kept here.
Names OF the New Men.
Following are the men who arrived
today from Springfield: r. s. Avery.
+. L. CAVITY. y. j. Crane. Fred Felt
ham. NJ. Il. Fitzgerald, j. {. Wiley. J.
f. Riley. s. y. Broughton. ]. i. Nor
row. J. Il. Kenyon. j. II. Barrett, +.
Pearson. w. NJ. Newton. l.. :. Baldwin.
f. Grant. ii. Coleman. {. X. Staddcn.
p Flanagan. j. G.. Woodbury.. w. l..
Wilkinson. Frank :. Leonard. &. e
Worden. J. w. Ward Edward \. All
Ter. w. y. Walker. Jr.. j. y. Smith. Ed
ward +. Wade. {. ii. Parker, II. r.
Stockwcll. Fred Shape. j. +. Connolly,
F. w. Weyman. j. +. Syrett. W. r. Fir
min. Philip +. Keller. l.. F. Mullen. Il.
ID. Draper. Henry \. Clark. Irving Nyc.
G. j. Gilbert, p. T. Bourn. William