The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-06-05
KANSAS NEWS.
The Mighty Trust BObs Up in
Kansas Again.
Zinc and Spelter Plants Now in
the Combine
ATIOLA AND LAHARPE
Two of the Largest Concerns in
the United States.
Cheap Fuel Assured by GObbling
Up Gas Fields.

lola, June 5.--A zinc spelter combine
backed by New York capital has gained
control of the zinc smelling business OF
Kansas and another infant industry Is
gobbled up by the trusts.
The Consolidated Spelter company
has succeeded in gaining control of the
largest zinc smelling plants in Kansas.
They are those built and previously
owned and operated by the Robert Lam
yon & Sons Spelter company and the
Lanyon iZnc company. The plants OF
these companies are located at lola and
Laharpe, Kan, and are two of the
largest plants in the United States. In
addition to these the consolidation had
purchased the plant owned by w. and
J. Lanyon at Pittsburg, Kan.
BY the purchase of these three plants
the combine has secured control of the
smelling business in Kansas, and 1t is
only a matter of short time until IL
will do the same in Missouri and iii
nois. Missouri produces more than
three fourths of the zinc ore of the
United States, but the greater part Of
this ore is taken to Kansas to be smelt-
ed.
The consolidation has purchased the
lands formerly owned by the Palmer
Oil company, which gives it the control
of the gas belt and by locating Its
plants along this belt ana using gas
instead of coal it can reduce the cost or
production so much that it can sell spell
ter at such a low figure that the other
companies will be compelled to cease
operations, as they will not be able to
compete with the consolidation because
of the large cost of production when
they are compelled to use coal to run
their plants
bonds to the amount of 81, 100000, and
in addition to this it has issued $2O00,0OO
worth of preferred stock and 100000
worn of common stock. The preferred
ho Tf9
while the common stock will be retain
ed by the promoters of the consohda-
ton.
Lanyon & Sons Spelter company and
the Lanyon Zinc company at lola and
Laharpe have capacity for producing
more spelter in twenty-four hours than
any other two plants in the United
States and this large amount can be
produced at almost half the expense of
production at other plants where coal
is required to operate the furnaces
Robert LanyOn, senior member of the
firm of Robert LanyOn & Sons, which
has sold its plant to the consolidated
company, is the pioneer smelter of
Kansas He located the first smelling
furnace ever built in Kansas at Pitts
burg in 1877. 1t is this plant that is
now being operated by the Cherokee
LanyOn company. During the past rev
years he and his two sons, William and
J. Lanycn, have been the leading zinc
smeIters of Kansas. William Lanyon
in a recent interview said:
Yes, we have sold our plants to the
Consolidated Spelter company, but I do
not think it viii result in the general
consolida ton of the zinc smelling in
terests of Missouri, Kansas and Illinois.
There are a number of concerns that
will not become a part of the CONSOLE
dated company. The companies that
will make the strongest competition will
be the M & H. Zinc company, with
plants at La Sale and Peru, III. This
Company refines the spelter and the
consolidated company will not attempt
to enter into the refining business. I
do not think the consolidated company
will attepmt to buy the Cherokee-Lan-
Won company's plant at Pittsburg, Kan,
as they are old plants and must be OPP
Grated with coal The operation with
natural gas is much cheaper and the
consolidated company will not want
these plantS''