The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-12-31
GOES
BACK To PEACE
Time SCHEDULE
Change in Commandant, Erection
of Storage Plants and Pre-war
Basis Noted.

Change III
ing the transfer of Colonel Harry
B. Jordan and the appointment OF
Colonel David NJ. King to suce eed
him as commandment.
Industrial activities settled Into
peace time status closely ap-
preaching that of pre-war days.
The, volume of business was d, cid
eddy less than curing the preceding
year.
The closing year is also marked
by efforts to have the arsenal con-
yerted into a manufacturing center
of general supplies for government
use.
Colonel King assumed office
July /. He was not unfamiliar with
activities of the arsenal, having
previously served it as an executive
officer before Icing called to other
duties during the war. His service
won him the distinguished service
medal and the Legion of Honor
from the French government. The
American citation was for merit
orious service in organizing, in
stalling and Maintaining the ser
vices OF supply and for maintenance
of ordnance repair facilities in the
army area. He was the planner
of monster plant in France for
the maintenance of material for
1000, 900 men, the main shops CT
which were located at Mehun.
Colonel Jordan was relieved of
command at his own request and
transferred TO the army of occupa-
ton in Germany. He came to the
arsenal in January, 1919, as sue
cessor to the late Colonel Leroy
t. Hlllman. During the war he
spent considerable time in France
in charge of the construction OF
United States arsenaIs, which work
especially fitted him for his post
here. He, too, had previously serv-
ed at the arsenal before coming-as
its chief.
Spend 1,OOO,0O0.
Nearly 1000, 900 for labor and
material was expended by the ar
senal during the fiscal year end
ling June 80, 1921, according to
figures presented by Colonel King.
This was divided $5,151, 957 for la
Dor and $5,723,424 for material.
The number of employees varied
from 4,750, the maximum July l,
1920, to 2,400 June 80, 1921. This
number has been steadily decreas-
ing, the figures for the present
time being 1,400.
Funds expended for construction,
repair and preservation of build
ings, roads, sewers, etc, was an i'm
portant item, involving S917, 1854, ex-
ceeding by S69,D14 the amount spent
for similar purposes the preceding
fiscal year. Amount expended for
repair and preservation of bridges
and repairs and maintenance of
water power, d:kes and dams was
sos, 312.56. This was less by ap-
proximately half the amount spent
for similar purposes the preceding
year. Repairs and maintenance of
shop fixtures and machinery re-
CURED $170,061.72, not quite one
half the 1920 quota.
New Buildings.
New buildings during the year |
necessitated an outlay of about |!
$500 900. These included the re- |
operator building, concrete and
steel sections, and the vehicle stor- !
age building, two sections. Work /
on the recuperator building was /
commenced Feb. 8 and but recently ,
completed at a cost of $349, 52S. The |
concrete section is Sc feet by 227 /
feet and four stories. The steal |
section is one-story building.
Plans for vehicle storage origin
ally contemplated construction of |
one building, but owing to lack of |
spaceS 1T was found necessary to |
construct the building in two sec
tons,~ 240 feet by ia feet and 2O8 |
teet by ia feet. The work was
done on lump sum contract Civ
en- P H. Lorenz company of Mo-
line, amounting TO $4,000 less ap-
proximately $4,000 deducted for
salvage material furnished by the
government.
Large quantities of machines and
machine tools and appliances were
received from increased facilities
plants located at various points. in
the United States, of which $500 I
are TO be used in manufacturing
connected with the artillery vehicle
section. These machines embrace i
practically all makes and kinds
from the smallest bench lathe to
the largest planer. There are spe-
clal tools, such as tapping ma
drilling and roaming ma
chimes, received from the Dodge
plant at Detroit, being part of the
equipment used by it during the
war for manufacture of 155 nm Ho-
witzer and 155 INN GPF rifle re- B
operators. Practically all the ma
chimes received have been installed
and those not yet in place are in
storage for later installation, IN
connection with the manufacture of .
Howitzers and rife recuperators in
he new building
Shops Output.
The output of the shops en-
oraced a variety of articles, includ-
ng stores, for various mobile
branches of the service, the manu-
facture and alteration OF mobile I
material and the repair J
,orre-issue of unserviceable but re- 1
material turned in from {
he service. In addition, the shops $
carried on. a large amount of ex- :
oerimental work of various kinds
and tested and reported upon de i
signs and originated improvements ,
n existing material. ;
The vast quantities of ordnance :
stores produced not only at the
Rock Island arsenal but at indus 7
rial plants throughout the coun-
~ during the war, and later ship ,
ped to this arsenal. left the war de-
oartment with a large surplus of ,
10Th completed and semi-completed
articles and conponents-o hand,