The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-03-11
NOW,ALTOGETHER
For the Auditorium, and 1t is
Done.
The Bill Finally Passes the Leg
islature Last Night.
Let Topeka Citizens Rally as
One Man
WITH DIFFERENTIATION
That No Obstacle Shall Stand
in the Way
Of the Auditorium, That Has
Been Sought for Years.
HARMONY rs NEEDED
Of the Auditorium, That Has
Been Sought for Years.
HARMONY is NEEDED
Among Our Citizens in Regard
to Location.
Let the Building Be Uptown Or
in City Park
According to What is Best, Con-
sidering the Funds.


the house last night without a dissent
ing vote. It is being engrossed today
and will reach the governor tomorrow.
Representative McKeever called the
bill up at the opening of last nights
session Objections came from Burtis
of Finney and Fairchild of Kingman,
the latter demanding the house to pro-
ceed with the executive and judicial
appropriation bill, which is as a special
order for the evening session.
Upon being informed that the meas
ure which Mckeever was calling up for
final passage was the auditorium bill,
SO amended that it is applicable only
to Topeka, the objections were with
drawn and the bill was Immediately
passed.
The members OF the house without re-
gard to party voted unanimously for the
bill. There was not a single objection
or an explanation of a vote. All were
satisfied to support the bill.
Had it not been for the watchfulneSS
of Representatives McKeever and Lari-
mer, the bill would have been lost and
have failed to pass. 1t was knocked
around between the house and senate
so long that the people of Topeka had
almost lost heart. Mr. McKeever4 kept
his eye on the bill from the time it was
introduced in the house until the SEN
ate amendments were cOncurred in and
he and Mr.. Lariner deserve the credit
of the final success of the measure.
It's enemies were busy from the time of
it's introduction.
Now that the auditorium bill has
0verridden all obstacles and become
law there is nothing for the people to
do but decide what kind of a building
shall be built and its location. 1t is no
use to complain what cannot be done.
There is nothing that cannot be accom-
plished by the wide awake men of To-
peha if they once make up their minds.
They have made up their minds on the
auditorium question and the decision is
that Topeka must have a commodious
convention hall with the least possible
delay. All ideas concerning methods of
securing this end will be harmonized
and Topeka will have what has been
so much needed for many years.
The city council is disposed to have
the city park used for a site and Coun-
Gilman Nettels who suggested the pro-
position to place the building in the city
park is enthusianstic over the prospects
The council was disposed to- have the
citizens committee furnish a site and a
stipulated sum of money and have the
coal hole fund used to complete the
building. If the building is placed in
the city park the purchase of a site
could be avoided and the building could
also be made of wood which would
make the cost much less.
These are the things which led the
council to suggest the city park as a To-
cation. The amount of. money to be
raised would not be over $4,000 but
there would be practically no returns
from the investment
President Davis, Edward Wilder and
Samuel It. Howe of the Commercial club
would like to see the building placed in
the city park Mr.. Neiswanger thinks
that the proposition to have it up town
should not be abandoned.
Mr.. Neiswanger is still working ON a
plan to have the building in the busi-
ness portion of the city and the ordi-
nance which the council will pass will
be Alternative that if the club wishes
to build the auditorium up town it may
do so.
The estimate of the cost of the build
ing to seat 5000 people with store rooms
in the basement made by Architect H.
NJ. Hadley is $32, GOO. 1t is Mr.. Neis-
wanger's plan to have such a building
erected. A building to seat 5000 people
is hardly big enough
At the meeting Of the Commercial
club last night, A. B. Hulit made the
following suggestions:
why wouldn't it be a good plan to
build the auditorium that there could
be one floor used for a gymnasium and
club room, and then get the Topeka
Athletic association to go there They
would take plenty of stock and IN sure
it would be success There is now a
large membership, and under this new
arrangement the membership could cas-
lily be enlarged to one thousand. Then
too, young men have pride in being
proprietors. / think they would take
the stock in the building readily. This
seems to nee to be good plan Let a
building and loan association be organ
lied right here in Topeka and the T. A.
A. with interested citizens and the coal
hole money will build a fine auditor
ium.''
Edward Wilder said last night at the
meeting of the Commercial club:
THE more I think of it, the more pro-
per place I think the city park would
be for the auditorium But to have a
city building in connection with the
auditorium in my opinion would be dis
astrOus. l think the city park has
many advantages. There would be less
liability of fire and better air could be
gotten there"
The council will meet next Monday
evening when the ordinance sumitting
the question of the use of the coal hole
fund for an auditorium to the people
will be passed. The members of the
Commercial club have been invited to
meet with the council and it is hoped