The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-06-14

Topeka has an appetite that is al
was ravnous; she eats a pile ana
doesn't care who knows it. So vast is
the business of feeding the capital
city of Kansas. or any other thriving
business center, for that matter, that
only the transporters and the distrtb-
uters can really appreciate its magni-
tude-and even they can only furnish
estimates.
A few hours spent by one who is
possessed of spirit of curiosity in the
section of the city where produce is
largely handled reveals facts that
would serve as eye openers to the av-
erage citizen of Topeka
Take "spuds," for example. 1t is
estimated by local commission men
that $500 car loads of them are han
died here in a year. Estimated at
10000 pounds to the car, this would
weigh the enormous amount of TO-
100000 pounds, or $1,000 tons. 1t
would take fifty freight trains OF ntty
cars each to handle the potatoes. II
piled in one place they would easily
fill a bin 400 feet high. 900 feet deep
and 10 feet high. The potatoes han
died in twelve months in Topeka at
an average price are worth million
dollars.
But Topekans do not live entirely on
potatoes-"far be it from SUCH.
They have for their sustenance ev-
erything that the market affords
and the market provides food in large
variety.
Topeka Is Big Fruit Center.
Topeka is rapidly becoming recog-
nized as one of the greatest centers
for fruits and their distribution-for
the size of the city-in the country
Not only are the wants of the people
in the capital city supplied but it is
1la cd nv he
about a third of the state is supplied
with fruit in variety by the local ship
pers.
Ten train loads of bananas are han
died here in the brief period of IL
months-that is estimating fifty cars
to the train. The 500 car loads are
worth 100000. or $500 each.
Two hundred car loads of water
melons worth, $4,000 each, are ham
died. A large number of melons han
died in Topeka are grown right here
in this section of Kansas, but many are
shipped in from Texas and other
points.
Forty cars of cantaloupes are han
son. valued at $4,000. This does not
include the cantaloupes that the farm
ers bring into the local stores.
Three hundred cars of oranges, val
ued at $450,00O, are received in To-
peka. They come largely from Cali
fornia and Florida. Grape fruit is
getting to be no small item also.
Topekans have a great craving for
things sour. Seventy-five cars of lem
ons are brought to the capital city.
They are valued at $4,000 per car, or
a total of $4,000.
Even the pineapples that come |
largely from Florida and Cuba con-
stitute no small item in the list of
fruits handled Forty cars of them !
about a train load-are brought |
here annually. They are worth s36,-
900. Grapes constitute large item |
They are grown locally and are
brought from Michigan, New York |
and other points.
A rough estimate as to the amount
of apples it takes to supply the ap-
petite of Topekans and others who |
do business with Topeka commission
men IS ten thousand barrels-it may
be more and it may be less. but at
any rate the business done in apples
is immense.
What Topeka Eats.
It is difficult to estimate the mag
nitude of the vegetable crop. The
farmers bring tons of green things
to Topeka for the consumption of the
people. The commission men handle
hundreds of car loads of vegetables
One million and a half pounds of
onions it takes to supply the de-
mand of fifty car loads. Twenty-Five
car loads of tomatoes are handled by
the commission men. 1t is estimated