The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-08-31
MUST BE MOVED.
State House Heating Plant Is a
Nuisance.
Building Being Blackened In
side and Out.
OFF THE GROUNDS.
New Plant Must Not Mar Beauty
of Lawn.
May Be Located on Van Buren,
Street.

The money appropriated by the last leg
islature with which to purchase smoke
consumers for the state house boilers has
not been expended, because among the
next legislature remove the boilers and
equipment from the capitol and establish
The plan, as it is now being considered
by the state government, is to have the
some of the streets adjoining the state
house grounds and provide for the cree
ton thereon of a suitable engine house
from which conduits may be run to the
state house to convey the steam and pow
The state officers while not unanimous
on the proposition, believe that 1t would
on Van Buren, street near the electric
light plant and there erect the house for
state Would not construct a cheap building
but would have something that would
not disparage the value of the adjoining
Another plan has been suggested and
that is to combine the asylum and state
house for the capitol farther away.
However, the plan which is receiving
the most favorable consideration is that
of purchasing ground near the building
for the boiler house.
The state government realizes the neces-
sity of doing something to protect the cap
itol and its furnishings.
The smoke from the boilers has black
ened the outer walls of the building al
most beyond recognition, compared with
their appearance before the SCOT settled
into the rough surfaces of the material
from which the building is constructed.
mittee rooms completed by the Popuiist
administration are blackened and soiled
badly; The rooms; to a casual observer;
years and years ago, instead of having
been completed just in time for use by the
The rooms occupied by the various state
departments have suffered in the same
with smoke and SCOT. Carpets have been
ruined: furniture has been damaged and
been caused by the damage of the smoke
in the finishings of the apartments.
Then there is another serious disadvant-
age The rooms on the second floor of
the building, Immediately above the boiler
floating a hnsif that It Is almost impossible to
stay in them during the warm weather
Portable.
Before the engines for the electric light
plant and elevator We're put in, when the
furnaces were dark during the summer
because no steam for heat was needed,
the state house onlees We're cool. since
those improvements have been added, the
temperature in those rooms is unbearable,
unless it is possible to get in the line OF
During one of the damp days this week
the state house was filled. from cellar. to
garnet, with dense, black, choking smoke,
and fumes of sulphur from the burning
the firemen and the custodian's force were
greatly exercised. some thinking that the
coal in storage had become ignited.
It was later discovered that the de-
pressing atmosphere had forced the smoke
to settle towards the ground, it usually
does in damp or rainy weather, and it
was pouring into the open windows and
penetrating every nook and corner Of the
building.
All of these unpleasant affairs have
caused the state officers to do some think
ing about disposing of this problem. The
only solution which now presents itself Is
to have the boilers taken out of the state
house.
None of the officers favors a disigura-
ton of the grounds by the construction
of a boiler house thereon. but each state
officer is of the opinion that the boilers
must be gotten out
The plans have not been adopted, but
the general sentiment is that the legtsla-
ture be asked to take cognizance of the
existing evil and furnish the remedy.
For these reasons the 81, 900 set apart for
attaching smoke consumers to the boilers
has not been expended, and it Will be
saved until the attitude of the legislature
can be ascertained-