The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-03-02
WANT NO JUNKET
Another Outbreak Is Scheduled
for City COuncilmen.
Think 1t Extravagant to Send
Committee to Seattle.
PLENTY NEAR AT HAND
Believe Inspection Tour Should
Have Certain Limits.
Councilman Miller Declares 1t
Height of Folly"
PLENTY NEAR ATHAND

There is a strong sentiment in the
city council against the plans of City
Engineer Fulton and Councilman Drew
to go to Seattle for the purpose of in
speeding the garbage cre1natory at that
city in order that pointers might be
gained for the construction of the pro-
! posed crematory in this city.
This sentiment has broken out in the
last few days and today several of the
councilmen have expressed their views
against such a proposition. They feel
that it is a waste of money to send
committee to Seattle for the purpose
of inspecting a plant that is conducted
| on much too large a scale for the use
of Topeka.
The Seattle plant is one of those Gre
matories where the heat of the burn
! ing debris is used beneath boilers and
the electric light plant power secured
in this manner. But Seattle is a city
much larger than Topeka and they
have enough garbage every day to make
fuel for their boilers and for the con-
slant use in their furnaces.
! Then the councilmen feel that Seat
| tie is too far to send a committee and
pay their railroad fare and expenses
when there are hundreds of plants
(which could be inspected and used as
models of the crematory in this city.
Height of Folly, Says Miller.
ct consider it a foolish thing to do"
| said Councilman Miller this afternoon.
There are any number of plants
within a short distance of this city
that are far more practical and better
adapted to the needs of Topeka To
send this committee clear to Seattle
and around the country is the height
of folly and I do not think that it is
the right thing to do"
Mr.. Miller is of the opinion that the
plant in Denver. or Kansas City or
even Leavenworth could be investiga-
ted and found to be good model for
the proposed plant here.
IF they are determined to go some
distant place they should go to ILL
nois." added Mr.. Miller. There are
number of excellent plants in that state
and some of them are the most sue
cessfuI in operation today. 1 under
stand that Lewis & Kitchen of KAN
sas City have been putting in plants
around in the vicinity of Topeka and l
also know that they have constructed
some mighty fine crematories. / am in
favor of Investigating some of the new
| ideas they have installed.
Not Enough Money.
| 1t is commended offrthe whole that
| Topeka is only able to construct a GER
| tain kind of garbage plant for the
sum of $4,000. This amount was voted
/ by the people for the building of the
/ plant. 1t is also regretted that more
money was not voted because it is said
| that a city of this size should install
| at least a $4,000 plant.
| According to the facts and figures
| presented by F. G. Horseman, special
4 representative of the Lewis & Kitchen
company of Kansas City, city the
size of Topeka would hardly have
enough garbage to supply the heat to
/ the boilers at the electric light plant
This scheme has been suggested. It is
argued that in using garbage in this
manner it would have to be stored dur
/ ing the day and burned at night. This
would necessitate extra help, an extra
storage building and an expense that
could not be made up in the profits
of heat.
Councilman Miller has plan to con-
struct the plant in such a manner that
the result of a certain part of the gar
bage could be made into a fertilizer
and this fertilizing material could be
sold at an immense profit. A system
of boiling, pulping and drying tanks
would give the desired material which
could be placed on the market.
But, as a whole, it is the sentiment
of a majority of the members of the
city council that garbage crematory
should be constructed before the sum-
mer months SET in. Also that it is not
necessary for a committee to go to
Seattle for an inspection tour