The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-04-14
BOMGARDNER THE UNDERTAKEN
ROtarian Funeral Director Tells
of His Business.
Some of the Many Features of
a Snappy Meeting.

w
was one of the most interesting in the
| comparatively brief existence of the
organization. Rotarian Patten was the
host at a comp1im entary dinner serv-
ed by members of the force. George
w. Hart presided, H. w. Bomgardner
gave the business talk, David Bowie
told of the Rotary spirit and DR.. F.
A. Rooster gave a brief sketch of the
| life of Rotarian Bomgardner. Several
surprises were sprung in the course
of the meeting.
Rotarian Patten personally con-
Quoted an excursion through the plant
of the street railway company. At
the luncheon he gave a few interest
ing figures in regard to the street rail-
way company.
Facts About Street r.. II. Co.
There are As miles of track in To-
peka, he said. Thirty-six cars are
operated daily with 5 additional cars
in rush hours. More than 10,0O0,O 900
passengers are carried annually. The
plant represents an investment of
more than s2O0OOOO The pay roll is
$153,OOO annually. In the last ten
years more than 100000 has been
paid to working people. The annual
tax paid by the company is more than
$2S,4O4.14.
The concern employs more than
200 men regularly in Topeka and this
number is increased to between 800
and 500 in the summer while con-
Struction work is in progress.
Attend Ball Game
- Announcement was made that
Thursday, May 10. will be Rotarian
day at the Western League baseball
park. The Rotarians and their ladies
will attend the game in body. A
procession headed by a band will be
formed prior to the game and march
up Kansas avenue, en- route to the
ball park.
State Fair Meeting.
The state fair, Topeka, will be the
subject for diSonSSinn OF VI
meeting of the club, Wednesday, April
%. Samuel E. Lux, president of the
Kansas State Fair association. will
give a talk following which a discus
sion of the things that will help the
fair will be in order.
J. c. Holland, Father John a Muir
ply and E. H. Hosueland were ad-
mitted to membership in the club
today.
Special Guests.
As special guests at the luncheon
today We're Senator Joseph L. Bris-
tow, of salina; Chester Long. of
Smith, of Chicago, and DR. Martin
Dewey, Kansas City Rotarian.
Boost for Washburn.
Frederick Courtney Barber, of New
York, director-generaI of the Wash
burn endowment campaign, spoke
hind the campaign. 1T is refreshing
to come to town that admits it is
prosperous said Director Barber.
LAS a usual thing before a campaign
of this kind starts It is claimed that
the city is broke
Pay-as-You Enter
In order to give assurance that no
one would ride home in a jitney the
members paid in advance as they
entered the building receiving a trans
fer good for a ride to town.
Gave Away Street Car.
card hearing made from
the baby picture of George w. Hart
was handed to the members who were
asked to make a guess as to who the
picture represented. There were 16
correct answers. In a draw one of
these, Herbert West, was the lucky
man, and was presented with small
tartan Patten. Rotarian Hart made
an excellent presiding officer, the
place having been turned over to him
by George Godfrey Moore, president.
Hart pulled off some comedy stuff"
that was unusually clever.
At Point of Gun.
Charles Mitchell sat in an elevated
spot with a dangerous looking firearm
in hand with view of seeing to it
that no one exceeded the time limit
in speeding making.
Several unique souvenirs were Civ
en- away.
Herbert West, the Rotarian banker,
gave away a small bank with a coin
Ineroln. Attached TO 1t was a card
with this inscription:
"A precious coin to you 1 give,
To which if you will add,
Until the sum is dollars ten,
The gold can then be had
Unique Features.
In one corner of the room was a
modern telegraph office in operation.
kilograms were received by every
member present This plant was in
stalled by w. c. Carswell, and the
toll hi
ian Hart caused much amusement.
Each person present received a neat
purse, the gift of Ralph r. Peterson.
Ten kilo-watts of electricity was
H Purdy of the Edison company,
and likewise a Mazda lamp.
G. r. Harries stated that a special
Rotary train will leave Chicago July
10 over the Union Pacific and that
Topeka Rotarians will be welcome to
join the special the following day for
the trip to the Pacific coast.
The undertaken is boycotted more
sional man in existence, according to
H w. Bomgardner, the official Ro-
tartan undertaken, who read a paper
today before the members of the club
on the undertaking business.
Every living person having his
right mind" said Mr.. Bomgardner,
mot only uses his best efforts to cut
down our business but employs others
at large salary to assist in this mat
ter, and even our great commonwealth
makes large appropriation to enable
DIR. Crumbine to swat the fly in or
der that our business may be kept
down to the minimum. Even the I'M
dertaker himself with his modern
methods does well mis- part in main
tanning a low death rate in his COM
munity.
I'm practically every state in the
Union the undertakes and embalmers