The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-08
Glimpse Of the New Steel Bridge
Works.
First Establishment of the Kind
in the Field.
WILL BE ENLARGED.
New Machinery Already on Way
to Topeka
Already Has so Kansas Bridges
Contracted For.
FILL BE ENLARGED.

Amid the nerve SCATTERING noises Of
abe riveting machine and the other
paraphernalia of his new bridge works
George Skens, late Of Eliza BEETHOVEN.
Ill, has invaded the western field. For
four months past the Topeka Steel
Bridge works has been industriously fill
ing contracts from its establishment
near Twelfth and Madison streets, and
with the exception Of the immediate
neighborhood. Topeka is yet unaware OF
its existence This institution IS the
only one Of consequence Of its kind west
OF St. Louis or south of Des Moines. 1t
occupies a vacant tract adjoining the
Santa Fe yards south of the Twelfth
street viaduct Of the Topeka Railway
company.
The important thing about the new
Topeka steel Bridge works is that 1t IS
the first establishment Of the kind TO be
located in an important field where 1t
is bound 10 flourish and expand In the
past generation the middle states have
been hlled with permanent bridges and
the demand for them Is dying our IN
Kansas the days OF the wooden bridge
are over and the structures now being
erected are principally Of steel This IS
true whether the bridge is over river
or a dry wash" Shawnee county mas
erected dozens of steel span bridges dur
ing the past ten years and IS constantly
replacing WORKOUT wooden structures
with enduring iron. The field OF opera
tious for the steel bridge factory tx
tends north and west and south in
definitely. Mr.. Skeue. proprietor Of the
Eliza beth Steel Bridge works recognize
ed the change and deliberately abandon
ed his location in Illinois TO come wesr-
on April 20 the big frame shop began
work and has been busy ever since But
nine men are now employed in II, out
Mr.. Skene is still moving in machinery
from his Elizabeth plant Some new
machinery, on its way TO Topeka, was
caught in the June food and 50 dam
aged that II has not yet been set up.
From the exterior the shop looks ike
large Kansas hay barn. although The
piles Of raw iron and finished bridge
steel around 1t give an mixing OF the
business carried on within il. II is the
business OF the shop to cut and drill,
fit together and rivet the pieces OF steel
ready to be hauled away and set up
into the framework of a bridge. That
the shop has been busy is evidenced by
the piles OF finished work beside us
switch track
Andrew Caruegie's steel works Of
Pennsylvania furnish the material
which the Topeka Bridge works uses
1t IS unnecessary to mention that the
Carnegie works furnish the steel
which every other bridge works in the
world uses Mt. Sxeue is not seriously
disturbed Dy the freight rate SiLlALEOAA
that annoys most OF the other extensive
shippers in Topeka. He has no Mis-
souri, river competitor in whose favor
the railroads can discriminate. He nnds
more advauta geous shipping facilities in
Topeka than in his former location
where but one railroad entered his town.
When Mr. Skene announced his inten-
ton of leaving Elizabeth the Chicago
Great Western railroad. which hauled
his material and finished product, offer
ed considerable concessions in the mat
ter of rates, but it was too late.
At the present time Me- Skene has
eighty bridges contracted for in KAN
Eas forty Of which are now under con-
struction or completed. Ordinarily he
does not take the contract for setting
up the bridge but merely furnishes the
finished material from which the Srruc-
ture is nut together. He has now on
hand a million pounds OF material IN
which a considerable part of MS money
IS invested. The Topeka Bridge Works
EMPLOYS no travelling statesmen As yet
tbs esta bIfshneut has made no offers
for and received none of the work Of
repairing the Kansas river bridges Dut
viii be among the bidders for the busl-
ness in Shawnee county
In the past the commissioners OF
Shawnee county have experienced more
or less difficulty in securing sausrac-
tory prices upon work to be done for
them. The alleged combination of the
bridge manufacturing esta blishments is
county has been practically at the
mercy of the big bridge building con-
Germs and has had TO take the prices it
could get Mr.. Skene claim that owing
TO the better shipping facilities and his
nearness to the location Of the work ne
viii be able TO make more satisfactory
offers than the county has received IN
the past and ne viii make an effort to
land part of the county work to be
done this year.
Mr. SlSeue has been building bridges
. in Kansas for about six years, during
which period the business has grown
rapidly. In one year he expects to be
prepared TO handle any sort Of railroad
bridge work. He is thfrty-Eve years OF
age and has been in the bridge bust
ness for ten years. He has 5000 in
vested in his establishment here and
has sufficiently interested a number OF
Topeka men in his business that a
movement is on foot to organize a com
pauy through which the operations Of
the plant will be considerably extended
Mr.. Sksne's foreman is Frank Williams
who has been with him for nine years