The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-09-11
WORkMEN BEGIN
TODAY ON HOTEL
BUILDING SITE!
Teams, Scoops and Plows al
Ninth and Kansas Ave.
All Excavation VIII Be Com
pleted in Ten Days.
GATHERING MATERIAL At K, C,
Foundation FOotings VIII Go
Down to Bed Rock.
Reservations Already for Din.
ner on the Opening Night.
All Excavation VIII Be Com
pleted in Ten Days.
GATHERING MATERIAL At K. C.
Foundation FOotings VIII Go
Down to Bed Rock.

Topeka's new 100000 Hotel Kan
san is under way today.
| Workmen, teams plows, scoops
went into the big hole at Ninth and
Kansas avenue this morning for pre-
liminary excavations. Frank Bech-
telheimer, in charge of excavation
work, expects to put a full crew of
twenty teams on the job Tuesday
morning. All of the preliminary
work will be completed today. Then
lit will be a question of fighting time,
weather and transportation in COM
Ipletion of the big new hostelry.
Excavations will be completed in
item days. Estimates today by Earl
Jennings. construction engineer for
1.-THE Pratt-Thompson Construction
company, general contractors, were to
the effect that wcrkmen would begin
making footings som etime next week.
Piers on Solid Rock
Foundation footings will go to bed
rock. The eleven floors of concrete
and stee-ten floors above basement
Twill be built on footings sunk thru
the bed of blue shale which underlies
Topeka. Piers will rest on solid rock
Activity at Ninth and Kansas to-
day drew interest from the big free
fair because of the state wide demand
for a modern. fire proof hotel on the
site. Topeka pride in the enterprise
bubbled Saturday night and Sunday
following unexpected announcements
that every dollar for completion of
the big hotel had been provided. The
nubn1ns civic pride went to open en-
thuSlaSm today when actual work was
begun in keeping with promises OF
the construction contractors.
A dozen details preliminary to rush
ing the hotel to completion were
worked out with clock precision. Fol-
lowing rental of a site at Ninth and
Quincy for storage yards. city permits
were secured for excavations and use
of a portion of abutting street space
for construction activities.
Pumped Water Sunday
Actual work in preparing the site
really began Sunday afternoon when
force of men from the city water
department began draining the bie
hole for today's work. The big pump
was in action several hours Sunday
. afternoon.
This morning a force of men be-
gan tearing down bill boards. Another
crew with teams, plows and scrapers
charged on the site to prepare for the
final excavations.
Another bunch of men went to work
IN kansas City this morning, assemb-
ling construction equipment, steel and
work. Building materials will be sent
10 ISpeka as rapidly as transportation
equipment can be secured.
: Request for Reservations
Some of Topekas enthusiasm and
! earnest reception of the news that the
clty's dream of a big hotel at Ninth
and Kansas avenue-the biggest fin
est, best appointed hotel in the state,
? IN fact-was shown in telephone calls
which came to Mosby & Mosby, lessees.
saturday night and Sunday Mosby &,
2 Mosby received and filed more than
lou requests for reservations for din
ner at the opening night celebrations
State papers and news services gave
TopekaS big new enterprise a big
, boost. They asserted that assurances
5 of the prompt construction of the
= Hotel Kansan meant a return of the
t city to her former position as conven-
ton center of the state and midwest.
largest in Kansas.
2 Even in Topeka there was slow
realization of the Importance of her
new 100000 project. The hotel, state
hotel records show, will be the largest
in Kansas. 1t will also be the most
expensive. best equipped, best ap-
pointed and most conveniently located
hostelry in any Kansas town. In To-
peka there was an almost una nimous
rejoicing over the news that the en-
terprise had been financed and is a
: reality.
: Some idea of ability of the hotel
; to handle crowd is shown in the fact
that already arrangements are being
made to care for nearly $500 guests
at an opening night reception. On
the roof garden alone tables may be
provided for 1900 people. The main
banquet room-arranged to be used
a for convention hall where meetings
r arc desired in the hotel proper-wil
accornT odate 500 diners. The general
: lobby floor dining room and private
party dining rooms will provide table:
: for nearly 500 additional guests.
: There wiz be 500 guest rooms iT
1 the hotel It is by odds the larges.
: hotel in the state.
4 Detailed Plans Soon.
In few days detailed plans for the
. hotel Will be submitted at the city hal
/. by the Pratt-Thompson company when
= they apply for a formal building per
u | nit. 1t is likely that the buildine
| permit will call for an expense oi
100000 actual construction. The re-
naming 100000 is divided practically
! equally in cost of site and furnishings
| tracted to provide not less than 81 50,
< 600 worth of furnishings and equip
n ment.
+ I'VE don't expect to lose a day or ar
4 hour in rushing the hotel to compile
$ tion,' Earl Jennings stated today
: The work will be pushed just a.
e rapidly as human effort will make
e possible
= 1t is the plan of the contractors t.
0 complete the steel superstructure b,
y the first of the year. Most of th'
o steel will be fabricated on the materia
r lots near the building site.
a The contract calls for completion O.