The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-01
Kansas Voting Machine Com.
pany to Kansas City.
Unless City Commissioners Will
Purchase Machines.
ONE CONDITION MADE.
If Officials Renew Contracts
Made by Old Council.
Commissioners Must Act at Once
to Hold Factory.

]
If the board of city commissioners
purchase voting machines for use in
this city, Topeka will have an institu-
| ton employing 100 men within few
months and increasing in size as fast
as the orders for voting machines
come in.
| The Kansas Voting Machine COM
pany, organized and owned in Topeka,
has completed and placed on the mar
ket it's first output of voting machines.
| These machines are considered the
| best and most complete apparatus on
| the market in this country today and
| the company expects to build man.
moth factory for their manufacture in
the west.
But will the company build their
factory in Topeka?
This is the uestion. And it is a
question for the city commissioners to
settle. If the city officials have the
spirit of Topeka 1t is commended that
they will let the contract for these
| machines.
If the commissioners do not pur-
chase the voting machines, it means
that the Kansas Voting Machine COM
pany. factory and employees, will move
to Kansas City.
Kansas City Men Here.
Today a party of Kansas City bust
ness men and city officials are in To-
peka looking over the factory of the
kansas Voting Machine company and
making a study of the machine itself.
They came here with the intention of
placing an order for large number
of machines with the understanding
| that the company will move to Kansas
City.
Charles Hull, who is at the head
of the manufacturing concern in To-
peka, has made the city commissioners
of Topeka a proposition. He will
~, I,fe oft xr-i11 an
large the force, build a new site and
make the concern one of the big in
dustries of Topeka, if the city commits
sioners will renew their contract for
voting machines.
company was organized here and am
in hopes that it will stay here. But
if we receive such fiattering offer
from Kansas City together with the
machine orders you can see where 1T
will be a great temptation to leave To-
peka and make our headquarters
there. If the city commissioners will
purchase machines / will be satisfied
with the start it will give the company
and the factory Will remain in the city
of Topeka" sr
The city commissioners don't know.
what to do. Some of them want the
machines and others want to wait
Whatever contract we would make
with the Kansas Voting Machine
company at this time would be void"
said City Attorney Ralston this morn
ing Commissioner Holman is
stakeholder in the company and the
city laws will not allow contract
when an official is connected with the
other party
Commissioner Holman had the good
to the city at heart.
"If it means that we are going to
lose this factory to Kansas City will
sell my stock at once" he said. Il
don't want to stand in the way of an
enterprise of this kind. 1 believe the
city can save money on the machines
and know that the city can not afford
to lose a growing factory of this
kind. We need such Industries"
Don't sell out to your wife, said
Attorney Ralston.
mo, sir. By no MEANS" replied the
commissioner
Commissioners Bone and Tandy want
the voting machine company to send
a written statement of the advan-
tages of the machine and the terms OF
the contract to the city officials before
a contract of any kind be let.
It is known that both Mr.. Bone and
Mr.. Tandy are opposed to the voting
machine idea unless q number OF al
terations can be made.
Tt Is figured that the city can try
the voting machines for one year TO
see if they give satisfaction. An In
stallment plan of payment has been
Something must be done at once or
the machines, machinery, employees,
officers and offices of the company will
be shipped to Kansas City.