Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-04-24
HILLMAN GIVEN
WELCOME;NEED
OF CITY SHOWN
Rock Island Arsenal COmmandant
Points Out Chances for Mu-
tuaI Advantages.
RECREATION PLAN Is TALkED
Committee Working on Plans TO
Provide Relaxation Tor Sol
dierS and Mechanics.

Rock Island arsenal officers rec
ognize the advantages OF Rock Is
land being better situated for the
arsenal men in going 10 and coming
from work.
This was the message Colonel
Leroy r. Hillman. commandant Of
Rock Island arsenal. brought with
him 10 the dinner arranged in his
honor at the Rock Island club last
night. and in paying him sincere
homage some forty representative
business men Of the city dedicated
themselves 10 two important pro
lecJs. They are:
Providing better housing ia
ciIities so that Rock Island Will
get its share of the arsenal
w0rkmen who locate in the Jri-
cities in the future.
Erecting a plan for provid-
ing club houses where workmen
may gather to fraterniZe.
Colonel H!llman's message had as
its keynote. coOperation-'t you
help the arsenal, we'll help YOU
After being introduced by c A
FIaIIgren, chairman OF the Cham
her OF Commerce who presided at
the meeting. Colonel Hillman said:
4 have always. more or less. con-
s.dered the arsenal as part OF the
city after which it was named, or
which bears It's name The arsenal
IS an institution of considerable
size. Ii has grown rapidly and Will
continue to grow. Let me tell you
something that has happened there,
since YOU probably now DO not get
a look on the inside because we
have put up the wire fences and
have issued passes only 10 those en-
titled to go on the island.
Contrary to general opinion, the
ordnance department was not fast
asleep when the war broke out A
wear before the war a scheme OF
expansion was planned. The first
big expansion was of the field ar
tillery plant. The arsenal always
had one. but il was not large. 1t
now covers Il acres and | think it
is the finest Of its kind in the world.
Credit for Il is due to the energy
and hard work of Colonel Burr.
Need Houses.
THE other large expansion was
LuE -bdLlLE pam ~ LII ( AAAET--7 a =
loaded. improvements costing S.
500.0 have been and are being
constructed. New buildings costing
another 100000 are under way.
The working force, which before
the war was 500. has been in
crea sed TO 5000. There is work for
more. We can get the men if We
can house them.
The recent enforcement of the
half-mile dry zone vacated a num-
Der Of buildings which can be made
available for housing men and their
families. If Rock Island had homes
TO house these men there is no rea-
son why they should not locate in
this city Rock Island is better sit
uated for the men TO go back and
forth from work. 1t has two street
car lines leading onto the island,
whereas Davenport has only one.
The question Of the future
growth of the arsenal after the war
is only problematical It is safe 10
depend, however, that the arsenal
will-be maintained on a large scale
). after the war 1t will never go
IA back to the basis Of before the war
Y With the material on hand the plant
can be maintained working a large
force OF men after the war. I would
think that at least so per cent OF
the increase in the force during the
period of the war will be kept at
work here afterwards So l think
that any person who refrains from
building homes for these men on
the theory that the arsenal will re-
duce its force to the former basis
after the war, should think again.
If they build I feel sure they will
get good returns on their invest
ment"
Later, after the question of re-
Taxation for arsenal men had been
brought up, with statements from
various speakers, that a plan is on
foot by q committee of men to ar
range for club houses where the
woTkmen may spend their evenings
in recreation. Colonel Hillman rose
to explain that the Fosdick commits
sion which. through the war camp
community service, is caring for
the recreation Of soldiers in var
iOus training camps, including the
local arsenal, has added to its scope
plans for the recreation Of NUM-
ton workers. Colonel Hillman said
that a representative Of the COM
mission is now in the tri-cities and
is working upon the plan.
c. J. Searle made a stirring. pa
triotic address, in which he urged
that the housing facilities be pro