The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-03-26
State Will This Year Sell
100000 Pounds.
PRICE IS SITS 4 HUNDRED
oable Plant Capacity After
April 1.
Fire in 1918 Cut Production
One-Half.

Every pound Of Irvine from the state
penitentiary output has been sold and
the prison will next month begin the .
working OF double shifts to take care
of orders already placed for spring de-
livery. The prison Irvine plant was
started late in November and 1,5O0, go
pounds OF flushed Irvine will be ready
for delivery in time for the 1914 wheat
At the present time sS men are being
worked in the twines plant, according to
w. L. Brown OF Kingman, chairman Of
the prison board. SieAl for the 1914
output out OF .t twi Inc. wes pSrchased last
the plant busy until the opening III
the harvest season. Irvine will this
year be sold for $7.75 hundred pounds.
as against quotations OF 1875 and $3.50
a year ago. Shipments are made direct
to dealers or to farmers organizations
in the big western Kansas wheat coun-
ties.
The daily output from tho prison
Irvine plant at this time 10 II, 600 pounds
q day. This production will be doubled
next month when tho prison manage
ment will begin the working OF night
shifts in the twine plant. Nearly 100
men will be taken from the coal mines
the first OF the month and will be used
as a night force in the operation Of the
plant.
Orders for 20 cars of Irvine for de-
livery this spring have been rejected
and no new orders for spring delivery
will be handled. according to Browns
statement. The total production Of
amount to 500. 900 pounds. or about Is
cars Of finished product.
Fire Cut 1914 Output.
| The big prison fire in April. 1918.
when the penitentiary Irvine plant was
totally DESTROYED. resulted in q short
4 a. 60
this season. At that time the state
lost a million and q half tons of finish
ed twine and a large amount OF sisal.
| Not until late In November was the
| Irvine plant rebuilt and : ready for
operation. The loss Of nearly seven
months in the operation Of the plant.
/! reduced the output for this year to
one-half the anticipated production.
With the new plant and equipment.
virtually doubling the capacity of the
plant. Brown believes that next year
tho state will be able to furnish be
! tween three and four. million pounds
Ct manufactured twine to Kansas
dealers and farmers Organisations:
Denies shortage OF Funds. ISIS
Browna denies as'repoFe that .sxhe
money to operate the plant for the
remainder of the fiscal year. The
report was sent from Leavenworth
following q meeting this week of the
| pEl1OH OOAEu 4AAlAlAs1u8.- ~,
Every pound of sisal necessary to
run the plant until the opening Of the
harvest season. is now in storage al
the prison and is paid for" said
I Rrown. I'VE will not need to borrow
ci7e dollar. Every pound Of Irvine that
/ can be produced IL now contracted fol
and we have rejected orders totallins
20 cars. This year we will sell the
twine at 1915 hundred pounds as
against a price OF 1926 and $3.50 re-
Ceived a year ago."
The state makes no effort to realize
a profit from its operation Of the
!.enitentiary Irvine plant. Deprecia-
tiCn at the rate of $40 a day il figured
IL basing a price on the seasons Irvine
output. This small margin in advance
| Of the cost of raw material. goes into
inc Irvine plant revolving fund and Is
used for replacing or repairing ma.
chinePv