The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-11-12
GOODBYE, DUMP.
New City Desiccating Works
Are Started Today.
System by Which Refuse is
Utilized.
TO BE NO BAD DOOR
Projectors Say There Will BE
No Cause For Complaint.
Big Iron Pipe Makes Health
Authorities Suspicious.

1t may be that the health officers of
Topeka are unduly suspicious of ere
matories. desiccating plants. and such
things, and it may be that they have
discovered something wrong about the
new desiccating plant located on the
Ennis tract in North Topeka.
A big iron pipe, ten inches in dame
ter, runs underground from the new
desiccating plant to the river. There
is no doubt about that In fact, no eff
fort is made to conceal the pipe where
it energies from the river bank
Some of the health officers declare
that the big iron pipe is fixed that
all the dumpingS at the deSiccating
plant can, if desired, be washed directly
into the river instead of being con-
verted into fertilizer.
Frank Zingheim. president of the des-
locating company, says: The big iron
pipe is simply put there so that we can
flush out the building ~Shce twice a
year if necessary. We do not expect TO
wash the garbage and nightsoil into the
river. We have started this desiccating
plant for the express purpose of utillZ-
ing those things. We left this pipe in
plain sight for the purpose of silencing
such talk. The board of health can
come here at any time they WISH and
see if We are making any improper use
of that big pipe
One of the health officers was talking
about the matter today and said: 1T
is reasonable to believe that the desic-
eating plant wants things fixed so that
in case of a rush they can get through
with their work rapidly. They may not
be able to turn out work fast enough
by their plant. They will use this big
pipe in case of emergency. 1t can be
done without much danger of detection,
because the board of health cannot
watch the plant all the time. and the
stuff coming out of the pipe will be
carried away by the river This big
pipe is fixed so that strong stream of
water can be turned into it, thus help
ing to wash away the refuse. This ar
rangement is no doubt better than the
one at the old crematory, where they
simply let the stuff ooze out and soak
into the sand bar"
This morning the new desiccating
plant commenced operations. Several
wagons hauling barrels are at work,
and the plant is being inspected by var
ious city officials, members of the coun-
ell. and members of the health depart
ment.
The plant employs nine men, two at
the town office. which is located on East
Seventh street and the rest at the plant.
A telephone line has been extended to
the plant, and another telephone is at
the town office Frank Zingheim will be
in charge of the town office.
A reporter for the State Journal visit
ed the new desiccating plant today. 1t
d
hundred yards south of the mouth of
Soldier creek. on the west bank of the
Kansas river. 1t has tall smokestack,
and big wooden water tank on a tower
above the roof This water tank gives
the pressure needed for flooding the
floors of the building, and cleaning up
with a hose.
The south room of the building is the
engine and machine room, and the re-
ceiving room for dead animals The
dead animals are skinned, chopped up
with knives and axes, and put into huge
steel boilers where they are subjected
to great heat The water and grease
is let out into what is called a grease
trap where the tallow is collected. The
flesh and bones are taken out of the
bottom of the boiler, and the bones are
separated from the flesh. The flesh Is
taken to the north room where it is
put into big dripping pan" where it
is heated very hot and dried. 1t is
then run through a shredder, and pull
verified into a fine powder. 1t is then
sold to other companies who add phOS-
phates by a secret process and convert
the organic material into fertilizer.
The contents of the garbage barrels are
north room, and the water filters through
into catch basin, and is pumped
through two-inch iron pipe across the
island which is separated from the river
bank by the mouth of Soldier creek. The
into the main current Of the river
The high heat of the dripping pans dries
be pulverized and sold for the same pur-
pose as the pulVerlzed HeSh OF the an
inals-
The desiccating works therefore save
four distinct products-hides. bones, tai
low and fertilizer.
viii not this. process Of handling
refuse be very, offensive to the smell"
was asked of Mr. Zingheim.
Naturally. there might be better
places, as far as odor is concerned, ad-
mitted the proprietor, but we have
system of fans which draws the air out
of all the rooms and forces it through
the furnace. thus purifying it. and keep
ing the air of the interior of the plant
clean Our work rooms are almost air
tight No odor will be noticed from the
plant a block away, and are further
than that from any dwellings. The smell
will not be any worse than the smell of
a packing house."
Have you had any disagreement with
haulers as to the price which you will
pay for the work." was asked
None at ALL said Mr. Zingheim; that
report was all fake
with the desiccating plant has been
ora Wn up, but may be amended before
being signed. The contract simply re
iterates the provisions of the ordinance
recently passed, with a few additional de-
tails
ON CHRISTIAN SCIENCE.