The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-02
MAY MOVE away
No Arrangements Yet Made to
keep Topeka Foundry.
Commercial Club Unable te Find
Acceptable Site.
HAS NOT GIVEN UP.
Owners Say They Desire to Stay
in Topeka.
Only Thing Necessary Is Right
Kind Of Building.

The efforts Of 0. A. Holcornb Of the
Topeka foundry and those of Major T.
J. Anderson, secretary of the CONNER
cial club, who has been working with
him in an endeavor to secure a new To-
cation for the iron works have been
unsuccessful up to date. Several pos
sible situations but none entirely salts
factory have been offered and while a
few more remain to be looked into
the prospect of housing the establish
ment to the satisfaction of the propri-
etors is not entirely encouraging. The
offer for them to move to Chanute still
stands and they say it is attractive.
I'VE ought to keep the Topeka foun-
dry in Topeka by all means if we can,
said Major Anderson today, and L
have not given up my efforts and hopes
of securing the right sort of building
for them. We can afford TO wait for
the construction OF a building if we
find someone ready to make an invest
ment in one who will guarantee long
time lease. I have taken an unusual
amount of pains in my search because
the Topeka foundry is one of the valu-
able institutions in a commercial way
to Topeka. Its Business is largely out
side of Topeka and helps the town out
on its record of shipments and re-
ceipts as we'll as showing up the bank
every year.
mir. Holcomb is DESTROYS of staying
near the business part of town and
does not want to build for himself. He
needs a piece of ground 100 by $50
feet CT therea bouts. and wants a spa
cious one-story building covering per-
haps a third of the space. The sort of
building he needs is not expensive and
some one might find very profitable
investment by locating him upon some
nv1r-i-
etors of the foundry want to stay in
Topeka and are holding off on a very
good offer to go down in the gas belt,
wholly on that account
Holcomb & Millice have built up the
Topeka foundry in the course of the
last 10 years, founding their business
on that of the old Capital Iron works
which was in the hands of an assignee.
One or two moves have been necessary
since then. About month ago the
property at the northeast corner of
Second and jackson streets was pur-
chased by the Schick Mattress factory
which proposed to move there and en-
large. The Holcomb & Millice lease
has expired and their removal is mat
ter of less than HObSOn'S choice. They
are now trying to relocate for a per-
iod of 20 years, or thereabouts, on some
suitable property. Chanute, which has
gas for fuel and is making a great fight
for more manufacturing establish
which the establishment could advan-
tageously locate there. But neither
proprietor wishes to do so as both have
been residents of Topeka for many
years.
Speaking of his present contemplated
removal Mr.. Holeomb said today:
Z I'VE have increased our business from
lar to year We have made living,
Tat is, have provided ourselves with
4clothes and food. We have put in a
few machines, but have accumulated
no fat or cash capital We have been
endeavoring by letters to a few men we
supposed possessed capital to erect US q
building, but as yet have received nc
favorable reply. We have advertised ir
the papers. We have interested the
secretary of the Commercial club, who
has also advertised, but without result
Our business brings into Topeka SIS, 00(
to $50 GOO. or in other words, three
fourths of our business is drawn from
outside the city. We do not interfere
with either of the other fOundrieS ir
town, as both our machine shop and
foundry occupies a different field. We
employ on an average fifteen men and
our pay roll is something over 81, 900
Neither Mr.. Millice nor myself wish Il
leave Topeka Our homes and oul
friends are here and we don't like t.
begin over again somewhere else. We
have not been able to find any new
location in Topeka that suits our needs
but we have not given up looking.
believe that it would paw some one as
an investment to build for US. as we are
ready to pay fair price for leased
ground and building. Unless we do dis.
cover something that we can use anC
that soon, we will be forced to take III
the offer made by Chanute and gC
away"