Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-27

national guard of the states, and for
issue under terms of law to the mill
tary schools and colleges of the cou1-
try. But few Industrial concerns in
this country, or for that matter in
the world, manufacture at a single
establishment the great variety of ar
ticles which are manufactured at the
Rock Island arsenal.
EMPLOYEES PICKED MEN.
The employees of the arsenal are
civilians and reside in the surround
ing cities, a large proportion being
residents of Rock Island. These en-
ployes are selected men, are protect
ed in the permanency of their en-
ployment by the civil service laws,
and are unquestionably unequalled by
any body of men to be found in sim
lar vocations elsewhere. Under gov
eminent employment they have the
benefits of clean, well lighted, we'll
heated and commodious shops, with
all sanitary cOnveniences; they have
an eight-hour day; they have Satur-
day half holidays with pay in the
summer months; they have Is work
ing days leave with pay each year,
and when disabled for more than Is
days through injury received in the
course of employment, are granted full
pay for the time absent from work
on account of such injuries. The rue
of the government is to pay the pre-
vailing rate of wage of the vicinity for
similar work. Thus the government
| pays for eight hours labor, whereas
the wage of the vicinity is usually
based on more than eight hours work
! per day. Surely the conditions sur
rounding the employees at Rock Is
/ land arsenal in respect to conven-
/ fences and conditions of work, leave
! privileges, compensation for injuries,
and rate of wages, cannot be eQualled
by that or any other body of men in
this vicinity.
LONG SERVICE COMMON.
, That these circumstances are ap
preciated is indicated by the large
number of employees of long service
There are six employees still actively
engaged in work who entered the ar
senal employment before 1870, three
of this number having begun work in
1855, or AZ years ago. A large mum
Der have records of from 80 to Al
years and the larger proportion Of
employees have been at the arsenal II
years or more, or from the time wher
the number of employees was largely
increased due to the expansion o.
manufacturing operations. Such rec
ords of long and steady employment
speak more for working condition!
and contentment than pages of argu
ment could do.
SOLDIERS DO GUARD DUTY.
There is stationed at the arsena
for general guard purposes a detach
ment of 100 enlisted men of the ord
nance department of the army. Thes'
men furnish the general guard ant
police and fire protection for the al
senal at times when the great bod!
of civilian employees is not present
In addition there are at the arsena
NCcNN ~ N-iAoACN AuCL IL
upon the sadd.ers' school, which i
maintained al the arsenal This
a school to which enlisted men be
longing TO the cavalry Of the arm,
are sent In order that they may lear
their duties in connection with tn
care and repair of the leather equiv
ment used by the troops. The cours
Of instruction in this school is l
months in duration and upon compile
ton of the course the students ar
returned to the organizations to whic
they belong and others are sent I
the arsenal TO take their places.
WATER POWER FEATURE.
One of the most important feature
OF the arsenal Is the great water pow
or owned by the government In tn
power house on the south side of tn
island are mounted three great gel
orators which convert the water poV
er into electricity, which is tran
mitted to the various buildings an