The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-25
PLAN A new HUME
Santa Fe to Build Offices for
Mechanical Department.
VIII Be in the Present ShOp
District.
HAVE LITTLE ROOM.
Old Quarters Outgrown by the
Increasing Force.
The New Building Will Cost
About $4,000.

Plans are being made by the Off
Gals of the Santa Fe for new build
ing to be erected somewhere within
the limits of the Santa Fe shops which
VIII be used as an office building by
the different mechanical officials. At
the present time the different officials
or the shops have their HEADQUARTERS
scattered ar some of the offices are
new using two or three buildings.
many of which are quite a distance
apart.
In the new building all the different
mechanical officials viii have their
quarters John Purcell, superinten-
cent or the shops. who has a large
clerical force; n. NJ. Rice, general
Storekeeper of the Santa Fei H. w.
Jacobs, assistant superintendent of
motive power. who is in charge of new
methods and the bonus system: w Fl.
Powers. chief chemist: B. T. Payne,
nti power accountant; j. H. Nc
Goff. mechanical superintendent; T.
u. Layden, engineer of tests: F. w
Ihomas, supervisor of apprentices:
these and many other offices will be
brought together in the same build
ing. and the work Of the mechanical
department of the shops will be
greatly facilitated by the new building.
AT the present time the small two
story stone building at Crane and
Adams street. which was built several
years ago. is crowded with eight or
ten different departments This is at
the west end of the shops The of
fees of the shop superintendent are in
small frame building at the east end
of the old shops, which is entirely too
small for the needs of this department
and which since the construction of
the new Branner street viaduct is al
most below the structure.
The. old machine shop building at
the northwest corner of the shops is
now being fitted up for temporary
quarters for some of the offices. a
few of the offices have already been
quartered here. and the tower of the
building has been used for over a year
by portion of the force of the as
sistant superintendent of motive
power, whose main offices are in the
old stone building at Crane and
Adams street. The entire second floor
of this building is now being fixed up
as temporary quarters for this depart
n.ent: Until year or two ago this
building was used as an extra store
room for old wheels and iron.
Under the present arrangement it is
almost impossible to communicate
with the different offices except by
the telephone exchange which has
been installed in the shops within the
last year. 1t is almost impossible to
go from one department to another
without great loss of time on account
of the many gates and tracks which
intervene
Just when the new structure will be
built is not known, but the plans are
being perfected and the work will
doubtless commence within few
weeks. The plans will call for a
building large enough to accommo-
date all the offices and to allow for
the growth of the different depart
ments. The entire force of H w. |
Jacobs, assistant superintendent of
motive power, has Increased nearly !
threefold within the past three years. |
The improvements will cost about
$4,000.