Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-01-11
SEES ARSENAL AS
RIVAL OF KRUPPS
Congressman Hull of Davenport Dis.
trict Joins Hands With Tayenner
for Expansion Here.
IT'S ADVANTAGES ARE ARGUED
Lessons of European War Show Folly
OF Locating Munitions Plants
Near to Coasts.

The boost given Rock Island arsenal
at the recent conference on prepared
ness held in Davenport, appears to
have taken root and to be growing in
strength and popularity. In yester-
days issue of the Chicago Herald
Congressman Hulls views on the ad-
visibility of enlarging the local plant
are given. The article follows;
Washington, Jan. 10.-"The Rock Is
land arsenal should be made the Unit
for the middle west, plant that will
in time equal the efficiency of the
krupps in Germany" says Represent
alive Hull of Iowa. and he will move
TO force the government to develop this
plant to its full capacity.
The present Rock Island arsenal is
valuable government property" he
said. Without additional outlay for
buildings and little, if any, for ma
chinery, but by the use of at least
ties of this arsenal can be brought up
10 present capacity.
Only $500 Men There Now.
To-day there are not more than
eighteen hundred men engaged in the
different industries al the arsenal The
capacity Of the plant is 5000 men. In
telligent preparedness. therefore, it
seems to me, would be the utmost use
of this plant before launching some
thing new in the arsenal line.
The physical advantages of the
Rock Island plant are all that can be
desired. The railroad connections are
adequate. Many years ago the gov
eminent purchased the island, on
which the arsenal is now located and
which contains nearly nine hundred
acres, for S150000 This acreage now
has a value as farm land of $4,000;
as factory sites, with available water
power. of $2,25O,000. and as residence
property of more than S12.000000
Many Buildings in Plant.
eight of which are three stories high
with easements. The other two are
single story buildings. The floor space
Of these shops is 30 acres In addi-
ton there are at present four large
stOrehouses with a floor space of four
acres.
Eight and a half million dollars has
been invested in plant and machinery.
There is another s7,000,000 invested in
a water power plant, one of the arsen-
ais greatest assets, for there cheaper
power is produced than in any other
plant in the country. private or gov
ernmental
Now to date the government has
invested some $15,009,0O0 in this ar
senal. 1t is not being used to capacity,
in fact only about One-thiTd of its ca
pacity is being taxed. The intelligent
economical thing to do is to initiate
preparedness by bringing this plant
up to its full working force and get
ting out Of il all that can be had
Tells What Plant Can Do.
"A munitiOn plant can be established
as there is ground enough; the man
ufacture of small arms can be revived
and the present work of manufacture
ing artillery and general equipment
can be increased
The lessons of the European con-
flict show the folly of locating arsen-
ais near coast or border lines. We have
five government arsenals; four OF
them are located in Massachusetts.
New York and Pennsylvania. There is
not one that is not an excellent target
for hostile airships Two Of them are
in range of guns from hostile fleet"