The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-30
Topeka Factories Are Affected
by Famine.
Ice Companies Supply Is Nearly
Exhausted.
RAILROADS ARE READ
Have Enough to Last 40 or 90
Days.
Officials Now Satisfied That
Strike Is Inevitable.

Two Of the Topeka ice manufac-
tories are installing gas into their
plants IN anticipation of a lack Of
coal when the expected strike takes
place on April 1. They are the Mu-
tual Ice and Cold Storage company
and the Topeka Ice and Cold Storage
company.
The Peoples Ice and Fuel company
and the Wolff Packing company both
declare that they have plenty of fuel
on hand and will be able to get along,
according to present indications.
E. D. Benner. manager of the Mu-
tual company, said: "The conditions
right now in this city are very bad.
and VIII cripple some of the COM
panies which use a great deal of coal.
We are now putting gas into our plant,
which we think will take care Of US
all right. We have very little coal on
hand, but by other means we will be
able all right to keep up our business
and the demands upon US
A representative of the Topeka Ice
and Cold Storage company said; I'VE
have ordered gas put into our plant,
and the plumber will shortly com
mence work. Our coal supply is low,
present. But we viii fortify ourselves
with the help Of gas"
The Peoples Ice and Fuel company,
which deals in coal, does not antici-
pate any trouble. representative
said: I'VE are all right. There will
be no difficulty here We have all the
coal we need"
The same report comes from the
Wolff Packing company. One of its
representa- tives said. I'VE have about
J . - 4 Ea4r-n
now. ready for consumption. We viii
not have to use gas. There viii be no
trouble at our plant"
Both the Atchison. Topeka & Santa
Fe and the Chicago, Rock Island & "a a.
cific railway companies are fairly Well
supplied with coal which has been
stored by them in anticipation Of the
strike which seems to be inevitable on
the first Of April For the lasr SIX
weeks or two months both roads nave
t been piling up as much coal along their
lines as it has been possible to secure
and the result IS that they now nave
on hand a supply sufficient to last them
for from forty to fifty days without It's
being reDlenished.
1t was stated at the Rock Island Of
fees today that at the present time
about $4,000 tons of coal was stored
along the lines of the southwest dis
for fifty days and it was said that re-
ports from the northwest and ChOctaW
districts of the system were to the ef-
feet that a proportionate amount of
coal was on hand, that is enough to last
for fifty days.
According to information obtained at
the Santa F'e offices there is 10000
tons stored along the eastern grand di-
vision Of the system, or enough to keep
things running without replenishtng
the supply for forty days. On the
western grand division 10000 extra
tons is now stored. But this division
taps a coal territory which will not be
affected by the strike, and it is expect
ed that enough coal can be secured
from this territory to keep up the sup
ply needed by the eastern grand di-
vision when the amount on hand is
disposed of.
Both the Rock Island and the Santa
Fe have employed special watchmen to
guard their surplus piles Of coal from
petty or extensive thefts.
1t seems to be the prevailing opinion
among railroad officials here that the
strike is inevitable. although it is pos
sible that the date of its inception will
be postponed unit after April I, and
there seems to be q feeling that it viii
be q long drawn out struggle, but then
even strikers are uncertain and some
thing may develop which will prevent
It or bring it to a speedy conclusirn-
If the strike occurs, and whether it
lasts week, month or months It is
the opinion of railroad officials that it
will have a most serious effect on the
present prosperity in the west and
southwest, although the effect will not
be lasting.