Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-09-25
ORDNANCE PLANT
is READY TO OPEN
Wheels viii Turn in Plant OF r. s. "
Wagner Company for First Time
Tomorrow, Is Announcement

Wheels viii begin to turn tomorrow
at East Moline in the new ordnance
shop OF the r. & V.-Wagner Ordnance
company, organized by the Root & Van
deryoort Engineering company and
the Wagner Electric Manufacturing
company Of St Louis for the manufac-
ture of ordnance for the United States
government. Operations will begin in
O. small way, but as fast as the ma
chimes can be installed the force will
be increased. and within few weeks
the shops viii be running continuous
IS. day and night, with a force Of about
I,400 or 1 500 employees.
This ordnance plant is housed in d
new building T06 feet long and 1877
feet wide. There are IS acres Of land
in the ordnance shop tract. In less
than four months the ordnance COM
pauy has been brought into being.
plans for the shop prepared, contracts
let, building operations completed,
equipment purchased and delivered,
and materials started TO flow from
various parts of the country toward
the shop The company has been
fortunate in its arrangements for
equipment and at the present time il
would be impossible to contract for
the needed machinery for delivery in
less than ten months or n year
Present orders from the government
are for 3-iuch naval gun mounts and
for 4-iuch guns. The gun mounts
constitute the whole mounting Of the
3-inch cannon, including the sights.
The 4-iucb guns are 17-feet long and
K
In planning the factory for manu-
facture Of ordnance the management
aimed To make the shop the most efic-
lent possible, and to provide every
possible convenience and comfort for
employees. In the completed plant
both aims have been successfully
achieved.
Main aisle Of the building is Al feet
wide The south bay. above which is
the uezzauine floor, is SO feet wide.
There are two "sa W-teeth' in the
north. each 80 feet wide. The build
iugs are modern in every particular,
and are eLcelieutIy lighted, both day
and night, and are well ventilated and
. heated At night the daylight" sys-
tenn of electric lighting is used This
{ furnishes q djfused light all from
above. and as nearly a possible dup
/ Heating daylight This is considered
+ the most scientific of modern lighting
/ systems. EyeTy attention has been
/ given TO the comfort Of employees, and
! there are fine large Mushrooms
F toilets and rest rooms, fully equipped
B with modern apparatus. All possible
: safe guards for the health and safety
/ of employees have been Installed.
/ Equipment of the shop includes two
! 5-ton cranes which travel the fu1I
/ length Of the main aisle These are
/ the finest available pieces Of machin-
( cry, with all OF the latest devices
/ There are about 800 machine tools II
/ be used in the plant. These include q
large number of machine lathes. some
! OF which are IS feet long and weigh q
tons each There is a shrinking pit
equipped with an electric furnace. This
pit is is feet inches deep, 81 feel
long, and feet wide. II has electric
control from three huge switch-b0ards
Shipping facilities are adequately
provided by switch tracks extending
along the whole length of both sides
and q depressed track extending 12(
feet into the building from the cas-
end. This depressed track brings tht
level of the railway cars even with the
shop floor, and makes possible tn,
+ convenient handling OF heavy mater
iaIs and finished products. The stat,
utilities commission has permitted The
construction of the track with work
ing space for train crews at the uortl
side only. There is a wide space a
the north between the rails and TIT
I shop floors, so that the train men car
pass through without danger.
In the new shop there VIII be fur
nished employment for between 25
and 500 women. They viii be used 70
the operation of light machines. in
spetCion and small assembly work
These female employees will be unde
the care Of q matrou. Mrs. Julia Evan
OF Moline. who has had practica
training in first aid, nursing and sup
. ervision. The women viii be employ
ed on the mezzariue floor, and thei
. department occupies sos feet of tn
length of the shop. In connection wit
the department there are ample res
rooms provided with all convenience
and first aid equipment Separate en-
frances are provided for the wone
employees, and arrangements. hav
been made so that the women viii re
= port for work and be dismissed a
. hours different from the schedule TO
the male employees The women are {
/ be paid good wages while they are be
i ing given instruction in the work, tn
: company announces. and as they de
] velop proficiency they will he rapid
. advanced.
Individual lockers are provided 70
: all employees, and the wOmen's locke
room will be connected with the de
partment where they are employed
: The mems locker ROOM equipped wit
I individual! lockers for 1,200 employees
= viii be on the main floor in the sout
- bay
Adjoining the women's departmer