The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-12-10

making a large room for that pur-
pose. Directly underneath the kitch-
en- is a cold storage plant, and Secre-
tary Prout gave up his old office
canned goods and other supplies.
Bought Equipment at Bargain.
The association was assisted to a
great extent in the installation of the
cafeteria by securing 2, remarkably
low price on the equipment. Secre-
tary Prout estimates that the equip
ment is worth easily $4,000 but it
became the associations property ct
the extremely low price of $500. The
equipment was originally purchased
for a hotel at an army cantonmenL
late in the fall of 1918. Before the
hotel could be opened, the armistice
was signed and the need of hotel
vanished. The equipment was placed
on the bargain counter by the owner
at 1000 Secretary Prout made d
cash offer of $500 and the offer was
accepted. Three hours after the bill
of sale was signed, Secretary Prout
says the former owner was offered
double the amount for the property.
Included in the equipment is re-
frigerator which Prout says is worth
easily $400 an electric dish washer
worth 5000. a coffee urn worth 5000.
a $175 cash register, a cigar case,
large range and baker besides all of
dishes There is SO much of the stuff
that the secretary isn't sure whether
he bought it or stole it, he says.
Other improvements Made.
Probably the most expensive part
of remodeIing the Railway Y. NJ. c.
A building was the placing of new
trusses and Orders in the roof. The
roof and the upper floors were sag
ging badly before these repairs were
made. The building was replastered
where necessary, all window sash we've
renewed, the heating plant was over
hauled, the building was completely
reWired and equipped with new light
ing fixtures, the plumbing was re-
newed and the bath facilities rear
ranged, a new ventilation system was
installed in the basement and the in
terror of the building was entirely
repainted and 'redecorated. At the
same time all inside sleeping rooms
were torn out to comply with the state
regulations. This reduced the number
of sleeping rooms to twenty-seven but
some of the rooms are very large and
are furnished with more than one
bed.
When it was decided several months
ago to remodel the building, the board
of directors was informed by the man
agement of the Santa Fee that the rail-
road company would contribute a dol
lar toward the work for every dollar
sources. But when the association had
managed to get $4,000 and reported to
the Santa Fe that the sum was its
limit, the railroad company not only
doubled the amount but very gracious
" contributed $4,000 more, making a
total of $4,000 which was spent in re
modelling and improving the building.
In addition to that the Santa Fe gave
the services of its engineers and archi-
tects in planning and supervising the
work.
Open to All Railroad Men.
The late Theodore Roosevelt laid
the corner stone of the "Y'' building
in 1903 and it was completed and
occupied in 1904. While open for all
railroad men and their sons, the asso-
citation receives most of it's member
ship support from Santa Fe employees
and is fostered largely in a financial
way by the Santa Fe railroad, on &C.
count of the benefits it's men derive
from the institution. Besides paving
70 per cent of the cost of the recent
improvements, the Santa F'e furnishes
the association light, fuel and water
and pays two-thirds of the salary OF
Secretary Prout. who has held the
position for the past twenty-five years