The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-07-24
CONE TO OTTAWA
Keith Decorating Company
Seeks Better Freight Rates.
Unjust Discrimination Against
Topeka Was the Cause.
EMPLOYED 30 PEOPLE.
Business Was Successful and
Had Steady Growth.
Enterprise That Opened a New
and Profitable Field.
EMPLOYED 30 PEOPLE.

Because Of the unjust discrimination
against Topeka in the matter of freight
rates, Topeka has lost another import
ant and growing industry. The Keith
Decorating company, which has been To-
Gated in Topeka for a number of years,
has moved its entire plant to Ottawa.
w. H. Keith the proprietor. says that
the sole reason for his move is that he
can get better freight rates out of OF
tawa
The Keith Decorating company has
been located for the past two years in
Bennett fats. 1t has employed recently
about thirty men and women. The
growth of its business has been phe-
nomenal. and the character of the bust
ness is such that very few people really
understood what sort of decorating the
company has been doing. 1t has con-
fined its attention to painting floral de-
signs, ornamental borders, etc, on oil
cloth mats and covers for washstands.
Such articles are used extensively in
some hotels and lodging houses, and
also in many private families
There is a good proff3in the work,
and it seems that the field was a new
one and the demand for the product
good. A man named Langdon estab-
lished the business in Topeka about 1--WE
years ago He was first located on
Kansas avenue south of Tenth street
He employed only two young men be
sides himself Gradually the business
grew. ana he worked up quite a trade
in decorated oilcloth. He moved several
times into larger quarters. and continu-
ally added more assistants.
About three years ago, W. II. Keith
Langdon, and soon after moved into one
room at Bennett flats Soon afterwards
he spread out and occupied another
ROOM and subsequently enlarged again,
and took in two more rooms, so that
when he finally was forced to leave To-
peka, he was occupying a 75-foot 'front.'
age on Twelfth street. and a 50-f0ot
building fronting on Western avenue In
five years the business had grown from
practically nothing to a strong concern
employing 80 hands and paying out
thousands of dollars year in wages.
1t is understood that so profitable was
the business, that Mr.. Keith estimated
that when he left Topeka his plant was
worth $4,000 a year net.
Finding that he could increase his
profits materially by getting out of To-
peka, and securing cheaper rates on his
freight. he decided to move his business
to Ottawa, and now the large portion of
Bennett Flats which he occupied is va
cant
1t is about time for the business men
of Topeka to get together and force the
railroads TO modify their rates and
cease their unjust determinations
against Topeka. 1t was only by a close
shave that Topeka retained possession
of the big Kuehne picking works last
winter and now the Keith Decorating
company has absolutely gone.
If the business men of the city would
organize themselves into a strong and
determined body, pledged to throw
their entire business to the road which
would give Topeka proper considera>
ton, it would tend to straighten out
the kinks from the red tape which in
wolves the freight officials of the roads
which reach Topeka. As long as the
shippers of Topeka will submit, the
railroads will continue to hold up the
town for every cent there is in it.
1t is not an experiment in bringing
railroads to time. Lincoln, Neb. Sc
cured everything it wanted in the way
of rates by the formation of a bust
ness mems league, and delivering tc
one road the freight shipments of the
entire city Topeka is town OF
enough Importance to make it's inf1u-
ence felt when united to give it's entire
freight business to some one railroad
line.