The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-05-05
We Want THEM.
Topeka Should Get Union Pacific
Shops IF Moved.
Commercial Club Takes Up Sub
ject With Officials.
HAVE MUCH TROUBLE.
Railroad and Kansas City Long
Been at Outs.
However There is Excitement
Over Proposed Removal.
LAVE MUCH TROUBLE.

4AVHobCI 4 nero Is GACAGCMODg
Over Proposed Removal.
Much Interest is being manifested by
the merchants and citizens of Topeka
in the project for the removal of the
Union Pacific railway shops from ARM
strong in Kansas City, Kansas. to 20
pelxa. Since the announcement made
exclusively in the State Journal Thurs
day evening, developments have shown
that the plan to move the shops may be
something more than a mere bluff.
Kansas City paper devoted nearly
a whole column on the first page. to the
subject, in which It is admitted that
the story of the removal plans are giv>
en- credence by the Union Pacific ofl-
Gals in Kansas City.
Major T. J. Anderson is in cores
pondence with officials of the Union
Pacific railroad at both Kansas City and
Omaha in regard to the matter and as
soon as it is shaped up it will be pre-
scented to the members of the CONNER
cial club here for consideration. A spec
ial N eeting of the trades extension COM
mittee of the Commercial club viii be
called for some day this week to begin
preliminary work looking to the removal
of the shops to this point. r. S Brig
ham, who is an active and efficient
worker is chairman of the committee
on trades extension. The other MEM
bers of the committee include W. +.
Jensen, Warren NJ Crosby, ". W. Mills,
H. A. Auerbach, James c. Smith. d. P.
Paxton, P W. Griggs, H. H. Glenn, Q.
". Guild. Sam Barnun, z. Montgomery,
Chas- p. Adams, Frank P. Edison. H.
NJ. Steele, B. L Rees, A A Robinson and
Jason K. Jones.
The land upon which the Union Pa
cific shops are located at Kansas City
acres. This land is estimated to be
worth from 500 to 81, 900 per acre and is
considered altogether too valuable to be
utilized for shops.
The shops at Kansas City have been
standing for about 30 years. The entire
group of buildings are frame structures,
and have about served their period of
usefulness. It has been determined by
the officials of the road that within the
next lew years the shops must be re-
built. When this is done substantial
brick or stone or iron structures must
replace the frame buildings.
These buildings may be erected at
Topeka as easily as at Kansas city ana
the only inconvenience the Union Pat
oific will undergo win be the REMOVAL
of the machinery from the shops at
Kansas City to Topeka.
The advantages the Union Pacfic
would gain in bringing the shops to To-
peka are many and diversified. The one
principal advantage and the one which
Will probably appeal most to the officials
of the road is the relief from the harass-
ing situations presented by the tax ques-
ton at Kansas City.
The Union Pacific is experiencing
much trouble at Kansas City. In a re-
cent election three candidates for places
in the city council were defeated simply
because they were employees of the
Union Pacific, so a local Kansas City
paper states. The same paper also re-
marked that the defeat of the three men
chr he, f7kad a
slight to the men, but simply q rebuke
TO the Union Pacific railroad.
For more than fifteen years the Union
Pacific has been at outs with Kansas
| City and the road is constantly being
annoyed by big damage suits and in
/ one way and another until 1t is said
| the officials win gladly welcome move
I that will enable them to become free
/ from this trouble.
The shops have been increased at
Kansas City from time to time and they
| are looked upon as one of the best in
/ stitutiOns in the city
The esta blishmeAt of the shops here
/ would also be a good move on the part
I of the Union Pacific, inasmuch as it
would place their employees out of the
! influences OF a large city, where strike
/ troubles are SO often brought about by
/ discomfort among the workmen, that
would not arise in a smaller city.
Then again, there is more room in the
/ smaller city for the shops to spread.
! Taxes are not so high and might be all
most entirely RENTED, and the city of
| Topeka can offer inducements that It
/ would be almost folly for the Union Pa
| cific officials to refuse to accept.
The removal of the shops to Topeka
/ would also mean that they would UNI
/ doubtedly be enlarged from the start
/ and that they would be increased from
| time to time. It would mean an in
crease in population brought about by
the ADDITIONAL worknen that would be
I brought here, of possibly four or five
| thousand, or more.
| The Kansas City Commercial club has
Interested itself in the matter and an
| interesting conflict may ensue. The
Kansas City Journal says;
w J. Buchan the corporation attor-
ney in Kansas City. Kan. says he has
heard nothing in regard to the proposed
removal Of the shops, but he doesn't
doubt the story. The tax reformers
have driven the smelter and the South
west Chemical company out of Wyan-
dotte county he said, and I wouldn't
be surprised if they drove the Union Pa
eific shops out. It wouldn't surprise me
bit
The Mercantile club Of Kansas City
Kan, will take up the matter, and II
the Topeka business men make an ef-
fort to get the shops they will meet
| with competition on the part of the
business men of the metropolis NOrthoI
Moore president of the Mercantile club
said last night: If the Union Pacific Is
really considering q plan to remove the
shops to Topeka. I think We can offel
them inducements sufficient to make
them stay. We don't want to lose tbs
shops
Most of the men employed in this
Union Pacific shops in Kansas City
Kan. were born and reared in that city
Positions in the plant have been handed
down from father to son. Nearly every
apprentice in the plant for the last ter
or fifteen years has been the son of sons
man who has worked all his life in tht
Armstrong shops, as they are called
The great majority of the shop empIoye.
own their own homes. and the remOva
Of the shops would be a great blow tt
the city
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