Rock Island Argus., 1906-07-17
A POWDER PLANT?
War Department Considering 10
cation Of Factory at
Rock island,
AIM TO HUMBLE THE TRUST
MIGHT Mean Big Establishment-Co-
Iumbia, Tenn, and Dover, DEL.
Rivals for Site.

The Washington correspondence of
John Callan O'Laughlin in the Chicago
Tribune this morning is of unusual in
terest in this city. being devoted 20
| the powder trust and a plan to estab-
| lishs "a government factory which may
] be placed at Rock Island arsenal The
| factory, as contemplated, would have
| a capacity TO manufacture 800 900
| pounds per annum and it is proposed
| to have ii in operation in year. The
| object is TO ascertain the cost of MAX
ing the powder used in the army ami
force a reduction in price quoted to
the government, with the alternative
to the private manufacturers of seeing
the United States make the entire sup
ply used by the army and navy.
Result of EaddeII's Efforts.
The movement is the result of reve-
lations il the methods of the powder
trust rl.de to the last session of CON
gress by r. S. Wadden. an independ-
ent manufacturer of Peoria. There
has been a government factory at In
dian Head, Md. for some time which
turns out from 5000 TO 1000 pounds
day. and this has forced q reduction in
price on the part of the trust to about
10 cents a pound. This is still con
sidered unreasonable and it is believed
that 20 per cent can be cut from this
figure. The last session of congress
appropriated $1G5,000 for an army pow
der plant.
Naturally, the powder trust will fight
the establishment of another govern
ment plant here or elsewhere, especi-
ally in view of Secretary Taft's recon-
mendation that the powder reservse
for the army and navy be brought up
to 35,000,000 pounds, whereas it is now
but 100000 pounds. This means that
the government must spend $25,000000|
for an additional reserve. r~hich would
give. at present prices. profit to the
trust of $1O,OOO,00O or more.
Location Discussed.
Writing of the plans for u factory
and the location, the Tribune'S CORE
spondent says:
I'm order to execute the will of con-
gress Brigadier General Crozier has
ordered Major Beverly w. Dunn of the
army ordnance department, who has
been on duty at the Sandy Hook prov
ing grounds, TO proceed to Philadelphia
and organize force of craftsmen ami
clerks who will prepare plans for the
proposed government factory. Major
Dunn will inspect the plants of the
trust in Delaware and will take from
them any ideas which may enable him
to produce model establishment.
while this work is being done Il
board will be formed. which will be in
structed to select a site for the pro-
posed plant. There are three points
it will be directed particularly to eX
amine-The government arsenal at
Rock Island, Ill, the government res
ervation at Columbia Tenn, and the |
reservation at Dover, Del
Dover Exposed tn Attacks.
Dover has the advantage of being |
near Sandy Hook, where the testing of
powder and guns is made, and there
would be an economy over points in
the middle west by reason of the saw
ing in freight. The disadvantage OF
Dover is it is on the seaboard and ac-
cessibe to military expedition of the
enemy, which might succeed in get
ing past tile American fleet The ad-
of Rock Island. which is en-
ioyed also by Columbia is that it is
in the interior and can never be put
out of business in consequence of mil
tary operations.
"The board of experts must consider,
however, whether the water of the
river. upon which Rock Is
land is situated. can be given cheaply
he standard of purity which is requir-
ed in the making of powder. 1t also
will have to pass upon the ability of
he river to absorb the acids used in
The manufacture of powder. General
Crozier is aware that st. Louis COM
planned about the alleged contamina-
ion of the Mississippi water by the
irainage of the city of Chicago. 1t
nav be the acids cannot be taken care
IF by the river and would prove j
menace to health. In this event the
powder factory will not be built at
Rock Island
Output May Be Increased.
while the plans Major Dunn is pre-
pairing contemplate a factory capable
1f an output of / 900 pounds day they
will be so arranged the factory can be
without difficulty for the man
lfacture of as great a quantity as con-
gress may see fit to direct.
Hard Lot.