The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1900-09-28
FIRST ANNUAL BANQUET.
The Young Men Who Have Built the
Cement Plant are Dined by
Their Grateful Employers

Thursday. September 20, 1899, lola
STONED at the creek south of town
and beyond stretched a waste OF land
and rock, the most worthless in the
county. Thursday, September2O, 1900
finds that land supporting mammoth
factory, plant OF steel and full OF
machinery, turning out thousands OF
barrels of lola Portland Cement every
day. lola was still village when she
hesitated this side of the creek, but
when she crossed the creek she cross
ed her Rubicon, and the American
Construction Company was the Caesar
who led her across.
This Detroit firm Of bankers had al
ready put in successful operation two
large cement plants and through the
good Offices of the Santa Fe industrial
commissioner, made a test of the ma
terial found at lola, Examination of
this land showed that on the surface
was the clay and shale required for
Portland cement. Beneath this lay
great bed of pure limestone of quail
ty found in few places and exactly
adapted for cement, while beneath all,
at depth Of some 800 feet natural gas
was pressing up from the bowels of the
earth. In compact array was thus
ound all the ing relients of the cemen
and the cheap and ineXaustible and
perfect fuel with which to burn 1t.
Messrs. Holmes, Holmes Beaton
came to lola, bought several hundred
acres of land and on September Y
1899 the first earth was turned for the
construction of the plant here which
will have capacity when finished OF
5000 barrels every twenty-four hours
The plant is practically finished a
the end of oneyear and it was built b!
young men. They were gathered iron
all over the east and had been trained
in engineering, in handling machiner.
and electricity, were experts in chem
istry. Told What was wanted the
went to work and under the directio
of Mr.. LeighHunt, young man unde
thirty years of age, they prepared b.
the exact science Of figures and draf'
ing foundation Of rock and cement
1t was finished before any Of the m1
chinery or building material arrive
but so well was their work done thu
the unyielding steel of the building
like "a glove upon this foundation an
the Interchangeable machinery htte
down on the massive bolts imbedde
in six feet of cement andconcrete will
out varying Of fraction Of an inc!
TWAS beautiful work andas stated b
fore it is the work of youngmen who's
average age is close to thirty year
On the anniversary of the beginnil
of this work Messrs. Holmes, HolmC
q Beaton as an evidence of their a
probation of the faithful service re
dered, rendered to these fifty your
men Il complimentary banquet at 4
Hotel Thomson and it was held las
evening. r|.r..
Promptly AT $3.50 the doors of I
hotel dining room were thrown op
and the young gentlemen took the
places at the long table'which eNter
ed the entire length of the room.
stringed orchestra played during
banquet and quickly after the cour'
began to appear-and disappear
silence which had marked the beginni
ofthe feast gave way to the buzz
conversation, punctuated by mel
laughter.
Beside each plate lay handso
program, menu and souvenir. Neat
bound in fancy cover it contained
list Of committees, the officers of
American Construction Company,
menu, the toast program, list OF
young gentlemen present, Attact