The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-12-18
They ARE HARD HIT BEGIN new PLANT
Increased Prices Telephone Compeny Starts
Keep Phone Men Broke. Work This Week.
Small Companies Need More Building VIII Be Completed by
Revenue, Says Kreage. July l.
HALF OF THEM BREAK EVEN TO SPEND MILLION DOLLARS
Many Industrial Entire Outlay Exclusively for
Raise in Rates. Topeka Service.
Good Impossible Until State Offices to Remain in
Wages Are Hiked. Central Bank Building
Building VIII Be Completed by
July /.
TO SPEND MILLION DOLLARS
Entire Outlay Exclusively for
Topeka Service.
State Offices to Remain in
Central Bank Building.

Actual construction work on the new
Bell Telephone building on Jackson
street. between Eighth ana Ninth
streets, commenced this week The
building is to be completed by July
1. 1921. Murch Brothers. n contract
ing firm OF St Louis, have been .
awarded the ontract.
WIN Spend Million Dollars.
The structure viii cost about $780,
eco. Adding this to the equipment
which it will house. means the begin
ming OF an expenditure of approximate
ly one million dollars in Topeka by
the telephone company within the next
year.
The entire outlay will be exclusives
" for Topeka exchange service. The
general offices Of the company for the
state will remain on the upper three
floors OF the Central National Bank
building. where they have been To-
Gated for over two years.
The present exchange building of
the telephone company will be ANAL
Samated into the new structure. which
when completed will have a frontage
on Jackson street of 100 feet. The
new park win have a depth of 100
feet. The company owns six lots on
jackson street, which will leave an
open space of 20 feet on the south.
This is to be beautified with flowers
and shrubbery into a garden and recre-
alton spot for the benefit and use of
| the employees.
Three Story Structure.
The present exchange building will
contain three stories as at present, and
the new building two stories, but both
will De the same height They will be
/ joined with an entrance lobby of t.rer-
I ty feet, reserying sufficient space for
stairways and elevators. The founda-
| ton will he sufficiently heavy to carry
several additional stories. should the
company at any time wish to enlarge
the structure.
An ample, well lighted and specially
larr2pged basement in the new building
WIFI given over to a filing room,
engine and boiler rooms. a refrigeraf-
ing room and mems club room.
District offices.
| The first floor of the new building
will be used for the terminal. battery
room: toll service observing and the
| district offices
The switchboard from which Topeka
| gets its service will be housed on the
third floor in a space OF 59x99 feet.
and this room will be equipped with
special lighting and ventilating fea-
| lures.
The present building will be merged
into the new structure and rearra n xe.i
materially. The first floor will be 1e-
voted TO the commercial offices and
quarters for the local manager, and A.
J. Mackey, district manager on the
second floor will be the rest rooms.
locker rooms and cafeteria for the
operators. The toll operating board
will occupy the third floor. The pres
ent storeroom back of the excha nge
building will be used as a store house
for supplies, and the basement will be
converted into a garage. Back Of the
new building an up-to-date machine
Shop will be constructed for the care
and repair of the company's motor
/ vehicles. A large drive or turnway for
4 entrance into the garage and for a
filling station will be constructed Of
concete.