The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-09-21
PLANTS IN ACTION
First Test of City GarbageCrem-
at0ry Made Today.
Thirty Tons of Waste Consumed
in a Short Time.
SUCCESS FROM START.
City Officials Well Pleased " 18th
Days Performance.
Commissioner Holman Appeals
for More Trash to Burn.

Consuming dead horses, broken
bricks, glass bottles, and tin cans as
though they were so much waste pa
per, the fires in the new city crema-
Tory were started on the preliminary
test OF the plant this morning.
More than thirty tons of waste mat
ter picked up from the alleys of the
city were burned and 1t was proven to
the city. officials that the claims of
the Lewis & Kitchen people of Kansas
Saty that the plant would consume
forty tons of garbage day are true.
On account of the newness of the
plant, the brick arches, the furnaces,
etc, the fires were not turned on AZ
full blast and with a smaller fire than
usual the crematory was able to do
away with thirty tons of trash.
1t is believed by the city officials
that the Topeka garbage plant, just
completed and placed on test by the
constructing firm is one Of the best in
the country-and it is the only one of
it's kind in the west The Lewis &
Kichen people, through their repre-
sentative, red Horseman, have given
the city officials a plant that is a sue
cess.
81 can say truthfully that we have
never had a contract filled so quickly,
so conscientiously and so honestly as
has been given us by these contractors
through their representative" said
Commissioner Tandy.
This plant is a model-and it will
serve as an example for similar plants
in other cities in the west said Com
missioner Holman who has charge of
the crematory work in the city govern
ment.
Now Wen Clean Up.
Few of the largest cities in the coun-
try have garbage plants-and in the
west such cities as Kansas City.
Omaha and Denver do not have these
plants In purchasing such plant as
they have at this time, Topeka will be
able to present the cleanest city in the
country-in the alleys as well as the
streets.
Commissioner Holman has provided
in his budget for next year garbage
collecting and dump wagons, teams Tor
this purpose salaries for men to run
the plant and the wagons and gen
eraI garbage system in this city. On
account of the taxes for the commits
sion form of government not coming
due until January the plant will not be
placed in operation until that time
Meanwhile the Lewis & Kitchen
firm of Kansas City, has arranged 10
make a thirty-day test OF the plant
before 1t is turned over to the city.
This test commenced today and with
the street wagons and teams doing
the work the plant is kept In running
condition all day.
Commissioner Holman appeals to
the people of the city to gather togeth-
er all of their trash and place 1t in
cans or receptacles of some kind and
leave it in the alley for the city col
lectors. It doesn't make any differ
ence what kind of trash it is-the
garbage plant can burn anything from
tissue paper to dead horses.
With a thirty day test on this plant
it is thought that the city officials will
be able to clean up Topeka for the
coming winter months. A thirty-day
clean up of the city's alleys will make
a great difference in the health of the
people and the sanitary condition.
In a few days Fred Horseman, rep
resentative for the Lewis & Kitchen
firm will give dinner in the garbage
plant for the city officials and news
paper men of Topeka. He will prove
that the plant is so sanitary that a
dinner can be consumed within few
feet of the burning waste of the city.
This morning not an odor could be
detected in the plant or. in the vicinity
of the crematorv