The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-04-08
SPEND $4,000.
Edison Company to Erect a
Large Building.
The Structure Win Be 40 by
80 feet.
ADD TWO ENGINES.
Capacity of Plant VIII Be More
Than Doubled.
DID TWO ENGINES.
Superintendent Maunsel Says
He Believes In Topeka.

The Edison Electrical company will
make improvements at their plant on
Van Buren, street between Seventh and
Eighth streets this year that will re-
quire an expenditure of about $4,000.
The extensive improvements are being
made with a view to furnishing power
by electricity to the largest concerns in
the city that use machinery, as well as
the smallest. It also means the con-
struction of a large new building on the
present site.
The present plant is 170O horse pow
er, which is more than even the Santa
Fe shops use. The addition of two en-
gines of LOCO horse power each will
bring the total horse power of the plant
up to 3.70O. In addition to the new en-
gines new boilers will be installed.
In order to make the improvem ents
without embarrassing the regular work
at the plant, the new building which
win be built will be erected over the
present engine room at the plant The
new building, which will be to the north
of the Office viii be 40 by so feet and
the, walls will be 40 feet high, and the
entire building all over will be 60 feet
high. It will contain but one large
room, there being no upper floors and 1t
will be equal to three story building.
This new building will be constructed
room and when it is completed the en-
gine room which will then be inside, will
be torn down. The mammoth new engines
of ]. 900 horse power each will be placed
upon a foundation that will be built up
from the solid rock. Excavations will
be made to solid rock 13 feet and the
foundations win be built from there.
In the engine room will be a powerful
travelling crane, that will run on a track
supported by the walls. from one end of
the building to the other. The crane
will have carrying capacity of 20
tons and will be used in handling the
heavy engines. The boilers will all be
fed by autOn attic stokers and the coal
will be carried to the boilers by a coal
handling device. The device is an ar
rangement of an endless chain of buck
cts which will carry the coal to the aI1-
tonatic stoking devices. The buckets
away the ashes The coal and the ashes
will not have to be handled with show
els.
The building will be built of pressed
brick and will be trimmed with stone
and terra Gotta and will be of steel con-
struction. There will be a yard of 20
feet between the sidewalk and the build
ing. The light in the building viii come
from a large skylight. A marble switch
board, which will nearly cover the west
wall of the room, will be put in. Hol-
land & Squires have already completed
the plans.
superintendent &. K Maunsel IN
/ speaking of the Improvements said this
morning: 1.-The Edison company be-
! lieves in Topeka and has come here to
stay The company has faith in the city
where they do things. The buildings
which will be erected win be fire proof.
| They will have a nice appearance, which
! is advisable as our plant is in a resi-
| dence district The Edison company will
/ go into the power business with the end
/ in view Of furnishing power to everyone
/ wishes IT We will have mower
| enough for the largest and smallest con-
sumers. It may be that we viii furnish
/ power to some of the largest Touring
mills, but as yet no contracts have been
! made Our new building and engines
/ will be ready about November 1. With
/ each engine will be a 1000 horse power
generator. The company intends to pu1
/ up q good plant"