The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-03-21
ADOPT PINGREE'S PLAN
Municipal League Takes Steps to
Furnish Unemployed Work.
LET THE POOR RAISE POTATOES
mated for That PurpOse-A Commit
tee Appointed to Solicit 1t.

The Municipal league has given
practical evidence of doing something
which will prove of benefit and solve
night the league agreed to take steps to
secure the vacant lands in the city for
the use of the unemployed this season.
The plan adopted by the mayor of De-
troit will be followed and those who will
cultivate two or three lots will be given
che opportunity to do so and thus raise
enough vegetables and potatoes to sup
ply their families through the summer.
The committee appointed to make
report was composed of c. j. Evans, II.
r. Hilton and Mike Heery.
Mr.. Evans, the chairman, said, in out
lining a plan: ~ have made an estimate
of all the plated territory in Topeka and
find that there are about 10000 acres.
Last year the mayor of Detroit recon-
mended to the council this plan of put
ting the people to work and donations of
vacant land were requested. The use of
400 acres were donated for the season,
and apportioned among the worthy who
applied. The results were very crafty
ing, though the work was only COM
menced in June. Enough potatoes were
raised to supply 900 families. 1t is esti-
ducts of the land titled was $4,000.
''There are several plans for furnish
| ing work to the unemployed. The most
popular is to make some public i'm
provement like paving street or build
| ing dam This is called making work
because it is doing something that need
not be done. 1t is unproductiye labor
and the man who does it is a public
charge. Topeka has done too much of
that kind of work In the past and we
| have not recovered from the effect.
sThe question now is can the Topeka
Municipal league by adopting this plan
furnish 800 or 400 families with potatoes
enough to last them through the winterf
| We should go to work on this matter at
once. There is plenty of land here and
we can do something which will entitl g
us to the confidence of the people"
II. r. Hilton said that three lots of
ground thoroughly titled would furnish
any family with vegetables all summer
and enough potatoes to last all winter.
He thought the ground should be plowed
deep to insure the largest yield.
Geo. D. Hale said that mechanic had
applied to him for the use of few lots.
which he granted. He thought that
many people will be glad to get a few
lots to cultivate during spare time.
E w. Benedict said that several men
had applied to him for lots to farm, and
he thought the plan feasible.
Rev. c. M. Sheldon said that the plan
had been a success in Detroit, and he
saw no reason why it should not succeed
here. @While it does not furnish the
people with all the work they can do, it
| is better than nothing" said he, ''and if
we can do something we should do 1t,
and perhaps as we grow stronger we can
do more"
Edward Wilder said: "If plan is fair
and promises good results we should try
it, and this plan appears to me to be very
reasonable. As an old citizen of Topeka
l would say that even if there were no
positive gain other than to furnish peo-
pie with some employment l would be
in favor of it There is something else
however A stranger who comes to To-
peka will be much better impressed to
see the land cultivated than to see it rank
with weeds and sunfowers. If had
1000 lots l would be glad to let them all
to be cultivated"
w. G. Campbell then offered the fol-
with only Joseph Marshall, who waits
the city to build q bridge, voting in the
negative:
"Resolved, That a committee of five
be appointed by the president, to be
known as the agricultural committee, ,
whose duty it shall be to solicit dona-
lions of vacant lots and tracts of land in
the outskirts of the city for the season of
1895, for the free use of the needy fami-
lies of the city; said committee to appor-
ton such lands among the needy and to
keen an account so far "a possible of the