The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-02
A SMALL START.
Had Big Ending in Case of Te-
pOka 10 Ter Works.
mr.. Bromich, the Builder, Had
Oniy SO.
BUILT $125,OOO PLANT.
WaS Eurned But He Promptly
Built Another One.
Now Ships Product All Over
Southwest.
BUILT S125,OOO PLANT.

Forty years ago. back in Birming-
nam, England, a young man learned
MS trade as boiler maker. Strength,
enthusiasm and love of adventure
prompted the young man to leave
England as soon as he had completed
his apprenticeship and start on a trip
around the world. In 1871 he landed
In Topeka, with nothing left but his
strength and enthusiasm and a ten
dollar bill.
This was Joseph Bromich. the
owner and builder of the Topeka
Boiler Works. He still had ideas left
and started in to execute them. How
well he has succeeded is known to
every person in Topeka and many
throughout the state.
From Ten to $125,OOO
From his ten dollar start Mr..
Bromich built plant which is now
valued at $125.0OO and has built
boilers and erected smokestacks in
every part of the state. On the night
or March 2. last. the entire plant was
destroyed by fire. The result of thirty
minutes The same undaunted de-
termination which had built that
plant prompted Joseph Bromick to be
out bright and early the morning af-
ter the disaster shoveling out of the
way the hot embers preparatory to
rebuilding the Topeka Boiler Works.
The splendid new plant stands COM
pleted better, bigger factory than
before.
He Never Stopped Work.
I've kept right on working
though said Mr. Bromich. Some
of the machinery was not injured by
the fire and we purchased new tools
and without a roof over our heads
or walls about US we filled orders just
the same. Within sixty days after the
fire we had erected this building
complete as you see it and were doing
more work than ever before"
On the same ground where the first
plant stood, the second was built. The
same size. a two story brick and
stone structure with a four story
tower where the smokestacks are sus-
metal is added. The plant and yards
cover twenty lots on Jefferson street.
Practically all the machinery which
is now being used is new. Massive,
modern punching machines thrust
highly tempered bits through sheet
steel three quarters of an inch thick |
as easily as a pin goes through paper; |
enormous rollers press and curve the |
sheets into arched and circular form, |
a ten ton riveting machine operated |
by an electrical current rivets crown |
and sides together and an electric |
crane with a capacity of twenty tons
whisks the completed boiler or smoke |
stack from the shop. loads it on a fiat
car on the factory's own switch and |
ready for shipment to it's destination.
Come over here" said the owner,
and he led the way over tons and tons
of sheet steel. a veritable floor of raw
material. 81 want to show you one
of the best and strongest angle iron
and bar combination shears in the |
United States. This machine was
shipped from Germany. 1t is made of
armor plate steel and bites off the
cold bar and angle iron six by six
inches and three quarters of an inch
thick like they were bricks of butter"
Throughout the busy, noisy shop
about fifty men are employed and are
kept continually busy filling the or
ders for stacks, pipes and boilers.
Some of the Work Done.
1--WE have just completed putting in
hree boilers u inches in diameter and
8 feet long at the municipal electric
light plant" continued Mr.. Bromich,
and I want you to see the job
He led the way where the finishing
ouches are being given to the fine new
.ity plant, where the three big boilers
ire capable of furnishing a 600 horse
power and electricity for 600 street
lights. The entire work of putting in
Re boilers, conr Getting the steam and
water pipes and testing the big ma
hines was done by employees of the
topeka Boiler company.
1.-THE work was done in 30 days." said