The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-05-08
BIG new BLOCK.
Independent Telephone Company
Will Erect One.
Three Stories High and Fifty
Feet Front.
COST WILL BE $25, 900.
New Switch Board to Be Erecte'
for $4,000.
Much More viii Be Expended
Putting Wire Underground.

The independent Telephone com
pany have purchased lots numbered
s12 and S14 Jackson street which face
on the state house square upon which
they will erect their new $4,000 tele-
phone exchange and Office building.
The lots are directly south of the Dew
lin property which is on the corner
and are occupied by a three story brick
and stone building which will be torn
down at once.
The new exchange will be three
stories in height fire proof and con-
structed of brick and terra Gotta and
when completed Will be one of the
finest buildings in the block. It is un-
derstood that $4,000 was paid for the
two lots upon which the new building
will be erected and that s25, 900 more
viii be spent in constructing the ex-
change and Office.
One of the latest things in switch
boards has been ordered and is being
built at this time which when installed
in the new building will be the most
complete thing of its kind in the west
This board which will be installed in
sections will accommodate between
nine and ten thousand subscribers on
Independent lines and its capacity will
be fifteen thousand subscribers if
party lines are used. The cost of the
switch board alone will be $4,000
when completed.
Work will commence on the new
building just as soon as the building
which now occupies the site can be
razed and the debris removed and It
is the hope of the mana cement of the
company that it will be ready for Or
cupancy by the first of November and
allowing for mishaps they expect to
be operating the telephone lines from
their new building by the first Of De-
cember at the outside The building
viii be as modern as can be construct
ed, and will be furnished with its own
light, power and heating plant The
upper stories will be occupied by the
exchange, while the lower floor will be
used as an Office and general head
quarters for the company.
All the poles on Kansas avenue are to
come down, as a majority of them in
the thickly populated district of the
city and the wires are to go under
ground just as fast as the work can
be accomplished; 10, 600 feet of under
ground conduit tiling has been ordered
ana VIII arrive within the next three
weeks when the work of placing the
wires underground will be commenced
and pushed until completed This first
order for tiling represents 35 miles of
wire which VIII be placed underground
and is simply a starter for the work
which is contemplated by the Independ-
ent company.
Not only will the wires on Kansas
avenue be placed under ground but all
wires in the adjacent streets will be
placed IN conduits as soon as the work
can be accomplished and then the work
of placing the wires which lead to the
thickly populated districts of the city
viii commence. 1t is more than likely
that all wires and cables leading to the
west and southwestern portion of the
city will be under ground by the first
of the year.
The contemplated improvements upon
which work will be commenced at once
will entail an expenditure of $500 600
which Will be expended through a
construction company which will be
formed from among the officers of the
present company.
Mr. ". P Hemphin. secretary and
treasurer for the company, returned
from the east this week where he has
been for some time studying the plans
which have been made for the new ex-
change and the conduit work, as we'll
as purchasing the material to be used
in the preliminary construction work
For short time the Independent
Telephone company will have two COM
pletely equipped offices in the city as
the old exchange will be used until all
connections are made and a test given
the new board and the office ap-
planes. None of the fixtures of the
present office will be used about the
new building as they have already been
04oPOSCQ VI, llllH dIIbuEEL0cDL OStn2
made necessary so that there will be no
telephones out of service at any time
When the change is made it will be one
board Of wires at a time and that after
midnight and the subscribers will not
realize when the change is made from
one office to another as far as the use
of their phones are concerned.
we have all of our plans perfect
ed, said Mr. Pankey. the president OF
the company, and do not anticipate
IL 4-4- IL
through with the improvements which
we have planned to make and which
we VIII comm ence within the next
three weeks we will have a plant sec
ond to none in the west and one that
the city may we'll feel proud Of We
have some other little improvements
in view which will greatly improve the
service about which we do not care to
say anything at the present time but
they will come as q pleasant little sur
prise to our subscribers
THE fact that we are preparing to
spend over 100000 within the next six
months on our plant and exchange
should set at rest the TumOrs which
have been set af1oat by designing par
ties that the Independent plant will be
absorbed by the trust. We are here
to stay and expect to continue to oper-
ate the greatest and most cornp1eta
telephone system in the state
Another supplement will be issued
some time this week as the printers
have about completed their work and
this win contain 800 names which will
be added to a new directory which win
be issued about the first of the wear
which viii make our directory one of
the largest in the west
We believe in the future of Topeka
and we expect to keep pace with the
growth Of the city This is one Of the
reasons that we have chosen centrally
located point for our offices and ex-
change and there is no doubt in nv
mind but what we will soon have use
for the full capacity of our new switch
board which VIII erhar, 1rv,,--1<+~.z