The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-07
Topeka MAY Be
OUT OF ICE IN
A few HOURS!
Railroad Strikes Will Put City
on RatiOns Soon.
Coal Shipments Must Be Re-
ceived by Plants.
STORAGE FOOD MAY SPOIL
Millions of Dollars Worth En-
dangered Here.
HOusehOlders May Have To
CurtaiI Supply at Once.
SOUR MILK AND RUNNY BUTTER
These Are Some of the Less
Disastrous Prospects.
Topeka Plants Are Using Up
Millions of Dollars Worth En-
dangered Here.
HOusehOlders May Have To
CurtaiI Supply at Once.
SOUR milk AND RUNNY BUTTER
These Are Some of the Less
Disastrous Prospects.
Topeka Plants Are Using Up
Coal Reserves Now.

An ice shortage threatens Topeka.
1t Is imminent Within forey-eight
hours the ice manufactures OF the city
may be forced to close down. Millions
OF dollars in food stuffs win be sub
5ect to almost immediate spoilage. The
householders OF the city will be in such
discomfort as has not been known
since manufactured ice was first ped
died in the streets of the city il con-
ditions get worse
The only alienation in sight is the
immediate delivery in Topeka of coal
in carload lots-and this relief is not
sure by any manner of means in view
of the strike situation on the railroads.
Practically every concern in the city
which manufactures ice either for sale
TO the public or for the preservation
of food reported today that the stock
OF coal on hand was but barely suffi-
cient to maintain refrigeration at its
present standard for the next forty
eight hours.
AIny Close Plants.
One concern reported that the coal
or hand would barely tide over thirty
six hours. The City Ice Delivery COM
pany will be forced to close down with
in forty eight hours unless coal is re-
ceived and the city at large will be
without ice.
However, It is thought that the ra-
consumer at so many pounds per fam
lily may be put in force Saturday and
D that the situation may be tided over in
that way until next week. But II the
threatened railroad strike develops ac-
cordiug to present promise the city of
Iopeka-and every other city in the
United States-will be faced with the
absolute necessity of making out as
best 1t may without ice in any guam
tity.
Robert Billiard of the city Ice De
livery company said today that forty
eight hours is the limit at which his
plant can run without the receipt OF
more fuel. Billiard said that he has
received no shipments of the neces-
sary fuel for some time and that re-
serve stock Is practically exhausted.
Eight cars have been on the way
to him since July IA but so far there
Is no promise of delivery And the
railroads promise no relief of any
kind in the way of delivery.
Use Expensive Coal.
Billiard said that even now he is
using some coal of the kind the aver
ageN householder uses to heat his
house. This coal-lump and NUTS
expensive and is not especialIv fitted
for manufacturing uses. But RiiiarS
says he will keep his plants operating
Just as long as he can obtain coal of
any kind. He sees the end OF this tho
in very short time. and then IL is
A-9 uPii'4Oh tAdt lne city VIII be with
out ice.
This condition also holds trne for
the plant operated by Richard Hold
gins, the only other concern in the
city which manufactures ice for the
citizens and delivers 1t thru the CITY
Ice Delivery company.
An ice famine means to the avera sc
citizen the eating of soft runny hut
ter and the necessity of doing without
milk except the canned variety. This
far his imagination takes him but no
farther. There is a certain amount of
discomfort in the necessity OF going on
this sort of food and the emolurnents
which make for the enjoyment. of city
life.
But runny butter and sour OF
canned milk, the necessity of drinking
uncooled water and such like is but
a small portion OF the discomfort the
householder will have to get aione
with.
Ment UnObtainabIc.
Meat of any kind-fresh. cured oil
saited-will be unobtainable withir
five days after IL becomes impossibI,
for packing and storage plants L
maintain refrigeration. Ice cream
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