The Topeka state journal., 1902-08-29
WORK IN SECRET.
Thompson's Old Crematory Be-
ing Repaired for Operation.
Mysterious Methods Of Owners
of the Plant.
is MIR. EVANS IN IT?
He May Want License to Run
CrematOry.
People Of Second Ward Will OPP
-oco thu Dian
Is MIR. EVANS IN IT?

An effort is being made to open the
old Thompson crematory, located on the
river bank near the east end of the
Sardou avenue bridge. For some time
work has been going on secretly at the
plant, behind a high board fence con-
structed apparently for the purpose OF
shielding the work from view. The
chimney has been repaired, and yester-
day. when a permit to clean vault
at 400 Chandler street was issued Dy tne
sanitary sergeant, the people living at
that place reported that they had al
ready the work done by ThOmDSOnS
crematory, which has no license to do
work.
An atmosphere of mystery surrounds
the situation, and it is said that the old
crematory may at some future council
meeting apply for license to resume
operations. Thompson, the manager of
the concern, made such an application
once before, and il was turned down.
People living near the erematory have
for some days observed men at work
fixing up the old plant, and they are
becoming considerably excited about it.
One subscriber of the State Journal liv-
ing near there sent the following COM
municat ton to this paper, which was
published in Thursdays edition:
- saw in last nights Journal an item
the council will come down to the old
crematOry and find out how far Mr..
Evans is down the Kaw- They Will flnc
his plant not more than three blocks
from CQe CITY lIiltS AAStCd0 VI AV-
miles"
.rhe item, referred to the repairs being
made at the Thompson plant, and when
questioned concerning the matter today,
Mr. Evans was very emphatic in deny
ing that he has anything to do with the
Thompson pant. He said:
1T is true that was out there at
the plant repairing some brickwork in
the chimney. I was hired to do this by
a man whose name is Henry, believe
1 do not know who he is, or where he
lives. 1 do not have any idea what he
wanted the chimney repaired for l do
not know who owns the plant. l do
not know whether Thompson is In town,
but he does not own the plant any more.
That old crematory is very gooG
plant when it is run right 1t
will burn up the dead animals without
a bit of odor, and is the best plan for
d;srosing of the city's refuse that we
ever had. The place where I am going
to dump my refuse, if the council
grants me scavenger's license, is on
the Kuehne farm, opposite Calhoun
bluffs, and five miles from town. l will
build a chute, and put everything in the
middle of the river current. The nearest
house is Mr.. Kuehne's. and he does not
make any objection He rents me the
use of the land.''
There is a very prevalent rumor that
Thompson and Evans have formed
partnership and will operate the old
crematory, provided they can get a
1t is certain that the crematory has
been put into first class condition re-
Gently, and is all ready for operation,
except a few repairs on the steel smoke
stack from which a piece has broken
off A big pipe has been laid under
ground leading out into the river, and
the barrels will be dumped into this
and washed out. Dead animals will be
burned Somebody is evidently getting
ready to do business at the old plant.
The fact that Evans, who claims to
have no interest in the plant, is work
ing out there, would indicate that there
may be some truth in the rumor that
he and Thompson will try to get a license
to run the plant. Some believe that if
the council grants the license for which
Mr.. Evans has applied, he will use the
old crematory to do the work.
The reason for the secrecy is that
there is so much opposition to reopen
ing the old plant that a plain, out-and-
out proposition to get a license for that
purpose would be beaten in the council