The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-11-16
HELP Topeka.
Our City Can Have a Hundred
Thousand People
If We Are Determined to Get
Them.
LET US ALL UNITE
To Bring Small Manufacturing
Plants
Scattered About Over the State
to the Capital.
CITIZENS ORGANIZE
To Urge Kansas Industries to
Move to Topeka.
Give Them Business Talk and
Work for Them
And in Certain Cases Provide
Sites For Buildings.
CITIZENS ORGANIZE
To Urge Kansas Industries to
Move to Topeka.
Give Them Business Talk and
Work for Them
And in Certain Cases Provide
Sites For Buildings.

There are number of people in To-
peka, and it is quite large, too, who
really believe that our city can not grow
to any great size because it is "too close''
to Kansas City. which already has the
advantage of numbers and railroads
Have these people ever seriously
asked themselves why Topeka can't be-
come large city? Proximity to Kansas
City is no reason. While Kansas City
may excel US in many things, we may
excel her in others, which will add popu-
lation and wealth to US. There are
dozeus of large cities ''close to each
other" in the United States which do
not seem to injure each other. Mime
apolis, with $4,000 people, is only ten
miles from st. Paul with $4,000.
Milwaukee, with 1000 people,
is only 80 miles from Chicago. Dallas,
Texas, with $4,000 people is 80 miles
from Fort Worth with 10000 Houston,
Texas, with 10000 people is 50 miles
from Galveston with 50,O00 ST. Joseph,
Mo-, with $4,000 and growing growing
rapidly, is about 60 miles from Kansas
City
Strung along on the New York Cen
trsl railroad are cities ranging from 5O,-
900 to 100000 within an hours ride of
each other.
Ohio is filed with large cities near to-
gether. Columbus with 10000 is mid
way between Cleveland with 25O,O0O and
Cincinnati with $50, 900.
In the New England states Hartford
and New Haven with big populations
are nearly as close to Now York as To-
peka is to Kansas City. All over the
country are examples of large cities close
together
Ia some towns a certain line or lines
of business build 1t up. while in the
neighboring cities something else gives
the place its prestige and population.
Topeka now has $4,000 people
It has reached a point where
it must grow; it will continue to grow,
but how fast or how slow will depend on
the energy or enterprise of its citizens.
Kansas City may reach 100000 popula-
tion in ten years; at the same time To-
peka may be made to attain 100000.
How are we to bring this about?
By all working together, every citi-
zen of Topeka joining arm in arm with
every other citizen to bring capital and
people here. Certain lines of industry
are successful in Topeka, particularly
the milling of wheat. If 7 Touring mills
shipping their product to Europe are
making money in Topeka. IA will do
the same Encourage other millers to
locate and build here, and the more that
COu6 bu6 uOE6 Will continue 10 come
Topeka is already known as milling
center and it can be made the milling
center of the southwest.
Des Moines, H., which is now a pros
porous city of 10000 population, was
largely built up by the removal of small
manufacturing plants from other locali-
ties in Iowa, encouraged by the citizens
and the newspapers of Des Moines
II there was d box factory. d mattress
stove, woolen or vinegar factory running
along precariously in some little town in
Iowa, the proprietor was urged by the
commercial organizations and citizens of
Des Moines, to remove to Des Moines.
where he was given every encourage
ment.
These were not unknown concerns
from the east, who were given big
bonuses to come to town and Hboom"
some outlying addition, but were manu-
featuring concerns whose owners under
stood their business, but merely lacked
capital and customers.
They were known to the business men
of Des Moines who had every opportuni-
ty Of studying the capabilities of these
manufacturers in the smaller towns
through direct business contact with
them. In nearly every instance the re-
moval of their establishments benefited
the owner
Scattered all over Kansas are small
factories of various kinds that should be
brought here where they will be more
centrally located, where there is good
railroad service and where they can he
more directly brought to the knowledge
of the people of Kansas
An organization of Topeka citizens
should be formed to bring these manu-
factories here; not by giving them sums
of money, but by promising them bus!-
ness, and speaking good words for them
all over the state, 'Iegging for them" to
use the slang phrase, and in some cases
providing a site for them close to rail
road facilities. Don't bring unknowns
from the east with big bonuses, but take
care of our own Kansas people whom
we know. Help them to come to To-
peka and build up thriving and pros.
porous business This will help them
and help us.
Form a One Hundred Thousand club
for Topeka.
II you want ALL the news subscribe
F. 81.