The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-19
PLACE FOR CREMATORY
w. l.. Osborn Secures Location Near
Old Starch Factory.

After much difficulty, the Topeka
Crematory company. which is trying
to secure a 20-year franchise from the
city, has purchased a location for its
plant. conditional upon the granting
of the franchise.
The plant will be located about a
| mile east of town, close to the old
{ starch factory, and not far from Shun-
ganunga creek. 1t will be in the cen
I ter of a grove. and far enough from
other houses so that it Will not be
offensive either to the eye or nose.
/ And the crematory people claim that
| it could be located right in the center
! of town and not be offensive.
The new plant will be only snort
distance from the Santa Fe railroad,
and the plan is to at once bulld a
switch to the plant, so that coal can
be taken direct from the cars INTO the
furnace room.
Later on, it is probable that all the
garbage cOllecte din Topeka Will be
loaded onto fiat cars somewhere near
the center of town. and taken out to
the plant in carload lots. This would
save the company an immense amount
of wagon hauling, and would probably
be a profitable move, especially later
on when the business of the company
becomes heavier than it now is.
The site which has been selected and
on which the company has an option,
was selected after considerable diff
other locations in contemplation, but
whenever the owner was informed
what use was to be made of the land,
he was apt to stop the deal without
any further ceremony. There is a
prejudice against crematOrieS, for
some reason. A year or two ago, when
the city was trying TO find a location
for the proposed desiccating plant, a
great deal of difficulty was encounter
ed. When the people in any locality
discovered that fha tory was
about to be located in their vicinity
they would raise a protest which
would drive the city council in full
retreat.
The crematory company went about
its work quietly, and it's officers have
refused to say anything about their
location until they had the deal all
sewed uD in contract form so that it
could not be stopped.
Docs the owner of the land know
the purpose for which it is to be
used? % was asked of w. L. Osborn, the
head of the new company.
"Oh, yes, it was all explained to him
and he is satisfied to have the plant
there" was the reply. cit will not be
any annoyance; we expect to burn
everything up in a perfectly odorless
and sanitary manner. Our location so
far from the river makes it absolutely
certain that the garbage will be burn
ed; we have no place else to put it The
location near the Shunganunga will
things. The location which we have
selected is further from town than the
present location, but L suppose we will
have to put uD with a little longer
haul. Ultimately, I expect we will
load the barrels on fiat cars. and have
them hauled out to the plant. But for
the present the hauling will be done
with wagons.
I'VE are ready to begin work the
moment the council gives us the neces-
sary authority. We have the money in
the bank to do the work We expect
to take about $4,000 worth of material
from the old crematory down the
river, and move it out to the new loca-
ton. The present crematory site Will
be entirely abandoned. The machin-
cry for the rest of the plant can be
shipped at once, and we will be ready
to start business within a month or
two after the franchise is granted.
Il feel confident that we will be
able to reach an agreement with the
city council in this matter. The city
needs somebody to take care of its
garbage. and we have substantially
complied with all their demands. We
have selected our location a long dis
tance from the river, and want to give
the city good service
There will be a meeting of the
board of health probably Tuesday or
wednesday evening of this week at
which the board will try to reach an
agreement with Mr.. Osborn about the
terms of the proposed franchise. The
franchise will then be ready for pre-
sentation to the city council at the
meeting Thursday night.