The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-08-28
BIZ z. D. KEILAfANN.

Zen years ago. topeka erected a
municipal Inc1nerator for the disposal
Of its garbage The initial cost Of the
plant was $4,000 and during the
three years it was in operation It cost
the city many thousands more. The
inci1erator now stands as 4 monument
to city experiences. Topeka IS turning
its garbage into profit and the in
cinerator into a warehouse for the
street cleaning department
When Mr. Citizen sits down TO his
morning bacon or ham. he is eating.
Just as Ike as not some Topeka gar
ozge reclaimed thru the most mod
srn Of garbage disposal plans IN
other words. Topeka garbage IS being
turned into pork What was once
considered as nothing more than a
waste matter fit only TO be burned
Il now looked upon as 4 TaIuabls hog
food and IS being used AZ such Just
outside OF Topeka Is 4 drove Of z.50u
hogs which IS solving the garbage
problem and at the same time max
ing 4 handsome profit for its owners
who have taken upon themselves the
Job OF keeping the city free of the
offaI from Topeka tables and kitchens
Fatten Three Carloads n Week
Every week three carloads Of fat
tened hogs leave the plant for the
Kansas City markets Every week
brought to the plant They stay there
just $50 days On the average At the
end OF that time they are fat hogs.
ready for the Kansas City packing
houses The plant is Fading sta
tiou. fitted with every modern con-
veufeuee and invention known 70 the
animal husbandrynau- The differ
euce in weight between the new ar
rivals and the hogs which leave on
eastboUnd freight trains is accounted
for by Topeka garbage led 70 the
animals during their stay At the farm
The garbage is collected in the al
Isvs OF the city by 4 force OF men and
wagons who bring 70 the farm about
twenty three tons OF food per day
The reamstsrs who do the work are
paid By the ZieZIer Livestock COM
pany. which holds the monopoly con-
tract for handling all Topeka garbage
Officials OF the company estimate that
L costs in the ueiEhborhood Of 81 per
ton 70 collect and handle the garbage
As q Part OF the ration fed the hogs Il
zuuDIzurs tankaEa and shorts which
would cost IN the neIzhhorhood OF $50
Per ton at present market prices. OF
course not all this difference Is turned
70 actual profit By the company but
even the tvro at figures can see that
after death among the hogs and other
losses are eliminated a handsome sur
plus Is available fer the dividends and
| the enlargement OF equipment funds.
I II MATCH TIE company pSs-tA IL
stockholders a , per cent dividend
and On August 1e. another dividend Of
+ 5 per cent was paid. The company
was capitalized At $3.50. 900, OF which
stock only s6S.90e was sold The rest
Is lying IN the treasury. while profits
from the hog fztte1f1g business is pa
ing for the extensive improvements
now being made At the plant tnclud-
ing private loading yards concrete
[ feeding houses. concrete storage tanks
ard modern equipment for the iuocu-
Iatio1 and vaccination OF the animals
against disease
City Ahead by Sot Losing
/ The city government Is ahead BY
nearly s69-D00 each year On its con-
! tract with the company. that amount
having been spent by the city in pre-
v5oIzS years IN city e1GsavcrS 70 solve
the garbage problem The cIty's at
Temps 70 dispose o< garbage n a nan
uer both sanitary and satisfactory &C
the public and ~ the sane tine tr
keep within the annual budget failed
6isDzifv in ever instance
Ten yezrs ago Topeka garbage va.
i collected BY independent collectors.
farmers and others who had suzI
droves CT EoE gathered the zzrbagt
n open wagons and hauled II 70 thsh
pig pens. The system was really ID
system AZ all The homes in the city
were visited frreEuIzrir, the EzrbzZs
was hauled in the most unzanirzr1