The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-07-24

| who remain in the general offices are
| badly crowded for room.
In addition to these conditions
there is a growing demand for larg-
er forces in the different departments.
| and these conditions cannot be met
| with the present crowded capacity of
| the general office building. The gem
| eral offices now employ over thou
| sand people and this number Will be
| increased as soon as the new building
| is ready.
Another 100000 Office Building.
| Another Improvement in the Santa
| Fe's equipment here, will be new
| building near the Santa Fe shops
which will be used as an office build
| ing The location for this structure
| has not been determined upon, but 1t
will likely be on the outside of the
| shops somewhere in the neigh borhood
of Branner street which will be the
center of the shops within a few
years.
This building will cost 100000,
| and will be built of pressed brick.
The building will be four stories high
and will occupy a ground space of
so by 100 feet. All the offices of the
shops with the exception of the store
house department will be quartered
in this new building.
The plans of the building have not
been completed, and it is not likely
that work will be commenced before
next spring, as the Santa Fe has
many other improvements which de-
mand immediate attention.
At present the offices of the diff
ferent departments of the shops and
the mechanical department are scat
tered over the northeast section of
the city. The office of the shop su-
perintendent is located at the inter-
section of the railway tracks and
Branner street. The office force of
the superintendent occupies a little
building which is by far inadequate
wit fhn 4I,.- i.
The old stone building at the corner
OF Crane and Adams streets which was
erected for the mechanical department
a number of years ago is now crowded
to its utmost capacity. The assistant
superintendent of motive power, the
mechanical superintendent, the chief
chemist, the engineer of tests, the cleo
trical department. the motive power
accounting department, the bonus de-
pdrtment, and many of the other offices
of the mechanical department, which
are located in this building will be
transferred to the new building.
Many of the employees of the motive
power and bonus departments are now
occupying temporary quarters in the
tower of the old machine shops, and
these will also be moved into the new
building.
Then there are several departments
which are located in the passenger sta
ton which will be moved. This building
Will be one of the greatest improve
= eIlts which the Santa Fe has an
ncuncel i'll many years.
For New Oil House.
Another new building which the
Santa Fe Will add to its present plant
in Topeka will be a, new oil house. so by
100 feet which viii cost the company
$4,000 This building will be located
within the present shop district and
work viii he commenced as soon as the
bids are received and the contracts let,
the plans having already been approved.
This building will be built near the
present oil storage building, which is
in charge of the store department The
old buildiTg is far too small to pro-
rerly accommodate its demands.
The erection of this building Will be
followed by an expenditure of from
$4,000 to $15,000 which will be used to
erect d second story on the present oil
house and also to build connection
between it and the storehouse. By this
arrangement the present office room of
the store department will be increased. |
New offices will be fitted up for the |
general storekeeper and the fuel de- |
partment which is now located in the |
passenger depot will be moved to the /
new rooms, and the entire department
then will be centralized. The station
cry department which is now quartered |
in the freight depot and which is virtu- |
ally under the direction of the store de- |
partment. will be moved to the new
rooms which will be fitted up in the |
basement of the present oil house |
With the removal of the present store |
house Offices to the old oil house. the |
of the storehouse which is |
now taxed to capacity will be material |
ly increased.
The new oil house building will be
modern in every way. 1t will be built |
of reinforced concrete and will be made !
fire proof-this feature be-
ing demanded through the purpose OF
the building. There will be two stories
both of which will be used entirely for
the storage and transfer of oil. The
lower floor or basement will be given
over to storage tanks, eleven in num-
Der each of which will have a capacity
Of 10000 gallons. Three other tanks
with a capacity of 1000 gallons will
also be placed on this floor which will
be used for the storage of boiled oil
of other tanks, which viii be of
lesser capacity and will be used for
paints
Another feature of the equipment viii
be the installation of thirty-tive spe-
ciaIIy designed automatic pumps,
which will be used for conveying the
oils and paints from the tanks in the
These pumps are self measuring, AMI
register not only the amount in the
-ankS, but the amount being removed
Is we'll These pumps will be located
IN the upper floor. Some of the re-
naming space will be used for the
storage of dry paints and other ma
erials. This Will leave only small
portion of the building, the remainder
being occupied as offices by those in
,harge of the building.
It is thought that this Improvement
will be completed and will be ready
or the use of the store department by
January 1, 1910