The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-04-16
One Hundred ExcurSiOniStS
Visit Local Factories.
TOpekans Surprised at Work
Done in Capital City.
BIG DINNER ENDS THE DAY
Another Trip, for Women Ex-
clusively, This Time.
Seven Captains Guide Visitors
to Points of Interest.

|
ment of samples and literature. 100
| Seeing Topeka First excursionists re-
| turned late today from an all-day tour
among the Topeka factories The first
experiment of the kind locally proved a
| decided success and there is already
| talk of holding other similar tours. An
| excursion will probably be arranged
| exclusively for the housewives of the
city to take place in the very near
| future.
The start was made at $50 o'clock
| this morning. The sightseers were di-
| vided into seven groups under as many
captains, and in automobiles they were
whisked around from one industrial in
stitution to another. The trip served rs
an eye opener to scores of Topekans
| many of whom had really little idea of
the importance of the manufacturing
enterprises of the city. Each group
visited different chain of factories
Tonight at $50 o'clock at a banquet at
| the Commercial club representatives
| from each division will tell of the
| things they saw.
The group captains were: L. F. Gar
hnghouse, w. w. Webb, r. K Hinkson.
Robert Billiard. s. J. Hodgins. III. s
Putney and E. L. Overton
Luncheon was taken at the CONNER
c1al club at noon, and at 2: 80 o'clock all
| excurslonlsts reported at the Wolff
lacking Co, where they were shown
over the plant which is becoming well
known all over the country for the ex
cellence of the products put out
Other establishments that were visit
eo IN the course of the afternoon were
the Seymour Packing company, one OF
the largest institutions of the kind i,t
the world; the Continental Creamery
company, which it is claimed is one of
the largest, if not the largest concern
or the kind on the globe and the Otto
Kuehne company, which has an enor-
nous out of town trade.
At lis o'clock a group of three auto
mobiles under H. S. Putney went
through the Capital Iron Works and
steers Fixture company's establish
ment on East Seventh street.
They returned in time to go with
the crowd to the Wolff Packing coru-
pany.
1t was not possible for the reporter
who was asked to cover the first
Seeing Topeka First event, to be ev-
erywhere at once, but a few interest
ing items were CLEANED along the route
taken by H. S. Putney.
Activity at Auto Plant.
There is decided activity at the
Smith Auto plant at the present time.
Machines are being assembled, but
what is of most interest to Topekans
IS that the management Of the plant
tirely new model of machines
The new type of machine is now
being devised by the expert mechanics
of the plant.
One of the most interesting of the
manufacturing plants visited was that
of the Volk company. ere pumps are
turned out that are shipped far and
wide. The firm is a comparatively
new one. To date 85 pumps have beef
sold. One pump run by a gasoline en-
CINE which was put IN operation fol
the benefit of the visitors, has a ca
pacity for lifting $50 gallons of water
a minute. The pumps are especially
adapted for irrigation purposes.
The Clipper Windmill Co. was an
otherd comparatively new Topeka in
dustry visited. This will be the third
season for the company The plant
employs 10 men, and the first year
in operation the output in windmills
was 500. The capacity of the plant is
5000 in year. The Currie Windmill
Co, which was also visited. has an
output of 1900 mills a year. At the
present time there are O men employ
ed, but this number is augmented oc-
casionally when the demand for wind
mills is strong. The mills are shipped
from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast,
and even to Mexico.
The STANDARD Agricultural Remedy
Co. is a firm that has growing bus
mess. Not in agricultural remedies,
for the company decided to discon-
tinue the manufacture of these rene
dies, but in sweeping compound for
and growing demand. The main in
gradients of the compound are saw
dust, oil and sand. The output in
March was $4,000 pounds. It is ship
ped all over the state.
The Cox Planning mill is a new con-
Germ that was visited. 1t was estab-
lished about month ago, and now
has orders far in advance. The spe-
1S-I& 20
screens. The building is a new. one.
being constructed Of concrete and
brick.
Big Contracts Secured.
The Topeka Bridge and Iron Works
is a firm that has let some big con-
tracts recently. A $250,000 contract
in Missouri will be completed within
two months. This called for the con-
struction of bridges along interurban
lines running from Kansas City to st.
Joe and from St. Joe to Excelsior
Springs.
The construction of a new tool shed
has been commenced at the plant IT
will be of corrugated iron material
and 90x30 feet in size. Last Novem-
Der and December the payroll of the
firm was $4,000 per month. There
are now 200 men employed by the
Adjacent to this plant is the plant
of the Read Supply and Metal Co.
This is another comparatively. new
firm, but one that mas an increasing
business. There is talk of enlarge
ment of the building. From 9 to 8
men are employed at the plant.
Last year $4,000 worth of cor
rugated iron culverts were put out.
The company also manufactures
road drag. The culverts range in
diameter from inches to feet.
The Crosby Roller mills were also
visited by the party in question.
A number of the principals Of the
citv schools and superintendent C. C.
Starr were among the excursionists.
The principals were: Miss Ina Har-
kins. Miss Lola Graham, Miss Ethel
Mccartney, Mrs Katherine Gentry,