The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-28
IMPROVE COURT HOUSE.
Commissioners Will Get Elevator in
Shape-Other Changes.

The work of doing over. what was
done before, by another set of county
commissioners is being undertaken by
the present board. This includes among
other things the immediate installment
of a workable elevator and the secur-
ing of more basement space in the
county court house.
when the building was built in 1895
f. appears there were no competent
architects in existence" said a. COM
missioner going over the basement work
this morning. He was referring to a
great waste space of some 80 by 40
feet on the southwest corner just north
o. the poor commissioner office This
space Is parIitioned into four rooms,
two of them blind rooms and the others
lighted only by low windows into the
alley Evidently they were intended,
as a sort of excuse for their eX1stance,
for the janltor and his family to live
in. 1t is said one janitor did live in
the dungeon for few weeks.
To Remodel Rooms.
The proposition now entertained Is to
tear out the partitions. make some big
doors and windows, and convert the
great dark hole into a big well lighted
office suite either for the assessor or
the poor commits sioner. The probate
Judge who also is the juvenile judge Is
Loudly clamoring for more space as
his work requires room for three
clerks. 1t is one proposition to give
! i'm Assessor. Haynes office in addition
snd move Haynes into the present more
c. mmodio1s poor commissioners Office
downstairs and make of the new quar-
tiers an office and store room for the
poor commissioner.
But aside from the architectural
shortcomings displayed in the court
house, that is on the inside of the
building for no fault can be found. wit n
the outside, except that its four walls
face onto a number of streets which
should never have seen it, there is a
vast amount of the lack of business
ability displayed in the expensive and
complete system of hydraulic machine
~ which runs the elevator.
All Have to Climb.
The elevator was installed in 1895. as
near as can be determined from the
records which were not dated but found
between some other dates. 1t was used
two or three days some one has volun-
tee red. Ever since. the Topeka bar,
their clients the taxpayers and the
prisoners. and every one else includ-
ing the old soldiers and widows who
cone for pension vouchers have been
forced to climb
The claims for this magnificent col
lection of mechanical junk are found
CT the records to total $3,52S. And that
il is but junk is attested by the fact
that it was shown to junk men this
morning. The commissioners, who hope
&c redHZe a little on II as OlQ JUNK.
One steam pump, perhaps, can be
sold as machinery and some of the
1s rye pipes can be used again as can
also the cables to the elevator All
else, the experts say, are antiquated
patterns of engines and as such can de-
1isnd no market value whatever.
Tanks Built in Walls.
Among the vast array of machinery
sre two large water tanks, one closed.
the other open, which were actually
built under the court house. There is
no opening by which they can be gotten
cut They were placed there with the
foundation and are now lost unless a
wall be torn out. In all, the equipage
for hydraulic power for that one little
elevator looks ike that it was means
for a saw mill.
But then the commissioners can not
get the electric power system installed
free The little motor the Kimball
company have agreed to put in for 81
900 will be set in a corner out of ev-
erybodys way but it will run the ele-
vator at a cost of about $500 a year
while the other system ate up a farm
a day. And then too if the commits
sioners ever get tired of that luxury
the electrical motor may be of some
value
The contractor for, the new elevator
sSys visitors at tire court house can
ride up and down August 1, 1910.