New-York tribune., 1920-01-23
i. S. Moves Old
Arsenal to
Raritan, N. J.
Historic Army Outfitting
Base OH Governors Island
Will Be Shifted to Make
Room for a Storage Plant
Attaches Mostly Veterans
Depot Busy in Every War
Since 1881; ReaclnedHigh
Mark in Recent Conflict

Governors Island Arsenal, which has
been factor in all wars fought by the
United States since 1881, the year Of
its establishment, is to pass out of ex-
lstence. Orders were received from
the War Department yesterday by the
commandant, Lieutenant-C Colonel S. RI.
Frank, for the immediate removal of
the arsenal to Raritan, N. j.
The employees of the arsenal, about
$50 in all, heard the news with mixed
emotion. Some Of them have reported
there daily for work for more than
thirty years. Nearly all have had their
jobs five years or more, and because
they were government workers had
long ago settled down in their own
homes. believing they were permanent
fixtures in the metropolitan district.
The transfer means that many will
have to sell their homcs-Raritan is
too distant for committing resign
their positions.
Island To BE Storage Plant
More than $5OO0OO worth of war
material is on hand at the arsenal. This
Will be removed to Raritan 1t is un-
derstood that the Quartcrmaster's
Corps will take over the eighteen
buildings relinquished by the arsenal
and that Governors Island Will be
used, with the exception of the prison
and the barracks for its garrison, as a
great army storage plant.
The base at Raritan is located south
of Metuchen. n. j. in an isolated spot,
and was used during the war as a
I
Recently it has been in the public eye
because of the huge quantity Of war
materials stored there
The arsenal at Governors Island
earned a splendid record during the
war. The equipment it turned out in
cluded $4,000 haversacSs, $4,000
blanket bags, 81, $50 canteen and hav-
ersack straps, 1900 blanket roll straps,
100000 ball cartridges, 1905 Mcclellan
saddles, 46O saddle bags, 3O5,0oo meat
cans, 305.000 cups, 105,000 knives, 1O5.-
600 spoons, 10000 forks, 1000 sets Of
saddlers' tools, 1000 sets of black
smiths tools, Is, 800 halter headstalls,
1925 horse brushes, 15,05O larats, 25,-
931 halter tie ropes, $500 feed bags,
1850 nosebaEs, 406 currycombs, Is. 800
wagon stencils, 3,603 Ordnance Depart
ment insignia stencils. 1921 sets of
steel guides 81 $50 adjustable stencil
outfits, 2O.900 sets of steel dies, 1922
bronze dies. 90,1o0 sets of assorted
numbered stencils. 1888 copper wise
clamps, 3,934 lanyards. 1856 special
compasses. $500 leather marking out
fits and 5o,246 metal marking outfits.
Outfitted the Training Camps
All these tasks were ACCOMPLISHED At
the base, in addition to the general re-
ceiving and issuing of arms, small
armament, ammunition and equipment
incidental to supplying the demands
made from the different forts, canton
ments and camps where troops were in
training.
Similar duties were performed by the
arsenal in the Mexican war, the Indian
uprsings, the Spanish American war.
the Philippines insurrection and the
Boxer rebellion. The first chief of the
arsenal Was Samuel Perkins, who took
Office on December 81, 1891, and relin-
quished command on November II,
1894. Since his administration there
have been nearly fifty commanding
officers.