The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-08-30

much about the Long building and its
progress toward completion. The Long
building, If laid on its side, might be
set inside of the Garden City plant
and there would be much room to
spare. The sugar plants greatest
height soniy six stories. to be sure,
but it is 700 feet long, not including
$50 by 70 feet Of sheds and a. NAM
moth warehouse. And it all is OF
structural steel and brick. In the con-
struction are 1000 tons of steel, three
million brick, $4,000 barrels of cement
and 5000 yards of sand The ma
chinery weighs 5000 tons and the
steam power is 2.700 horse. It is the
most perfect sugar plant in the world
and It will cost, when the wheels are
ready to turn, one million dollars.
In addition, the company has an
other million dollars invested in lands,
pumps. wells, bitches, farm improve
menIS and dumps, or will have before
the next season opens Its land hold
ings are $4,000 acres between Garden
City and Lakin and beyond on both
sides of the Arkansas river. This in
GUIDES $500 acres where the construc-
ton OF a reservoir is contemplated.
This tract is a natural depression, lying
between Deerfeld and Lakin, and
when properly damned it Will form a
lake thirty feet deep in places and will
hold water sufficient to irrigate $4,000
acres of land. Work on this reservoir
will begin September 10.
With Mr.. Ernest Every of the
sugar company, I rode by automobile
through IS miles of the company's
lands, going and coming, on Tuesday,
and it is a garden, green with beets
and alfalfa, or brown or russell with
kaffir and sorghum, all the way. IN
terspersed are four room cottages of
wood or cement, which the company
has established on eighty acre tracts
for tenants. Besides the house, there
is q vi dr77iIT h1 m m
The improvement cost $1,000 for each
tract So far the company has fifty
tracts thus improved, and next season
there will be more. The windmill fur
nishes a water supply, and in addition
there is the main supply from the
company's pumps and bitches, and
later on the big reservoir. These pumps
are stationed at convenient intervals,
and each turns out 1000 gallons
minute.
Altogether it is a scene of prosperity,
Industry and hope unsurpassed by any
other section of Kansas, or of the United
States. Land values are advancing, up
land as well as lowland- For when the
water comes, the upland is no less fertile
and productive then the lower benches
of the valley, and sooner or later the
greater part of the land lying within the
divides which confine the valley, will
be subjected by the application of water
to the uses of the peculiar agriculture
pIOnLaDle IN that altitude.
The sugar plant VIII be in operation
by October 10, or perhaps earlier, and
it is proposed by the local population, If
they can enlist the aid of the state po-
iitical committees, late in October, to
celebrate the event. I use the word
event advisedly, for surely the pro-
ductiOn of sugar in commercial Quanti-
ties in Kansas, after all the ridicule.
doubts and misgivings of skeptics, viii
be an event in the history of Kansas
worthy Of cOmmemoratiOn. To the cele-
bration it is proposed to invite the gen
eral public of Kansas. the two United
States senators and the representatives
IN congress of Kansas and neighbof
states, the governors of these states, the
state officers Of Kansas and the candi-
dates Of the several political parties now
before the people of the state for cleo
ton, the mayors OF the cities OF Kansas
and of Missouri and Nebraska, the state
senators and the Republican and Dem
the Kansas legislature, the members of
the several state committees, the presi-
dent, secretary and members of the
State Historical society. and lastly the
president of the United States and w. J.
Bryan.
'sThe railroads, especially the Atchi-
son, Topeka & Santa F'e, which has done
so much to point the way for the estab-
ishment Of this great industry in the
state, are expected to help by giving low
travelling rates and extra train service.
popula ton, but without the aid of the two
state committees and others in charge
Of the several political parties, the s.f-
fair would not be successful, and X
IS UP to them to decide"