Appears an accounting error caused the Rock Island arsenal from making 1,200,000 Krags. Something occurred along the way and it just didn't happen. From "Iron and Steel" article 4/7/1900.

Small Arms at Rock island.
Owing to a mistake in an estimate made last year by the ordnance bureau of the war department the Rock Island arsenal has not been equipped for manufacturing small arms, and it will be necessary to secure an additional appropriation at this congress before the work of installing machinery will begin, says a Washington dispatch. A movement of this kind is on foot, and one of the general appropriation bills will carry an appropriation of at least $500,000, so as to enable the war department to place the machinery in the buildings at Rock Island for the manufacture of small arms of the latest pattern. Last year the house committee on military affairs asked the ordnance bureau to prepare an estimate of cost for equipping those buildings. This was done, and the amount was fixed at $350,000. This was appropriated last year and is now at the disposal of the secretary of war. Congress had hardly adjourned, however, when it learned a serious mistake had been made in the estimate, and that $850,000 would be needed instead of $350,000. As the amount of the disposal of the secretary of war was less than half of that required,it was decided to do nothing in the matter until the money necessary to fully equip the Rock Island plant should be appropriated by congress. Col. Marsh, who was instrumental in having the original appropriation made, and Representative Cannon, chairman of the appropriations committee now have the matter in hand, and it is quite certain the deficit will be made up, and during the summer the Work of equipping Rock Island for turning out about 1,200,000 Krag-Jorgensen rifles will begin.


(You need to Login to view media files and links)
hine+shop&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwizvsClmYblAhXKTd8KHYXMA-M4ChDoATAHegQIBRA