The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-03-12
Governor Leedy Signs the Audi
tOrium Bill Today.
Site for the Building Is Pro-
posed in City Park
Facing the Sidewalk Where
Patrick Sherman's House
NOW STANDS IN PARK.
This Would Bring the Building
Flush With the Street
And Make it More Accessible
Without Inj juring Trees.

Gov. Leedy signed the auditorium bill
this morning. and it will be law as
soon as published.
1t will require about $2O, 900 to build
substantial auditorium $50 feet by $50
feet at the city park. The city will
give $4,000 TO the fund, which will leave
the remainder to be made up by the cit
liens. The people of Topeka who know
that an auditorium is the greatest need
of the city, will see to it that $4,000 is
raised A large part of it may be Sc
cured by subscriptions, and the rest can
be raised by entertainments or some
thing of the kind.
L: M Wood, who is a member of the
MOdocS, suggests concerts and outdoor
entertainments.
When the Modoc club gave.Pinafore,
at Garfield, we took in 81, 700 in one day."
he says, 'and the admission was Onlv
10 cents at that. Why, we have made
several hundred dollars out of a CREASED
pig show on the Fourth of July If the
people are in the proper frame of mind
1t viii not be difficult to raise the money
to complete the building. 1 am sure
that the MOdOcs would donate their ser
vices and other musical organizations
would do the same. This is something
in which everyone in the city is inter
eSted. 1t is a public enterprise
Ralph Brigham, who is a member of
the Commercial club and of the
wide awake business men in the city,
sees in the plan to put the auditorium
in the city park way out of what ap-
peared to be a very difficult position. He
said:
Il was in favor of building the audi
torium up town, but l am afraid it
would require more money than could
be raised. 1t is much better to have the
building in the city park than to not
get it at all What Topeka needs is an
auditorium, and if a good substantial
building can be erected in the city park
am in favor of it, for we must have
an auditorium somewhere"
c. P. Adams, who was secretary of
the Pure Food show, said:
L believe in putting the auditorium in
the city park There are many things in
favor of it. In the first place North To-
peka has no public buildings, ana it is
no more than fair to the First ward to
have the building where it would be
easily accessible to the people of that
ward.
Then, it is in easy reach of most of
the people in other portions of the city,
and the city owns the park and should
improve it. This would be the first step
in that direction. The everlasting in
junction which is always bobbing up
when improvements are suggested
would be out of the question, for the
city has a right to erect park build
ings.
1T seems to me that the council is on
the right track and if they do not tie
the proposition up with too many lirni-
tations, the people will take hold of the
project and it will go through
A gentleman who has examined the
for the building would be where the Pat
Sherman house now stands. 1t would
then open directly from the sidewalk
and would Obviate the necessity for de-
StrOying any of the large trees. The
side next the sidewalk might be built
so that it can all be thrown open to al
low the people to pass out.
When the bridge is completed it will
make a larger space between the site
of the Pat Sherman house and the au-
ditorium might thus be near the river
bank and still not near enough to make
it dangerous. The plan for the i'm
prOVement of the park made last year
contemplated the building OF a retain
ing wall along the river bank.
The council committee and committee
from the Commercial club will meet to-
morrow evening to agree upon the ordi-
nance under which the proposition will
be 81 omitted to the people. The council
should at least be liberal. 1t is not to
the interest of the city council to defeat
the proposition by impossible condi-
tions. The auditorium is proposed for
the benefit of the city and not for any
class or individual.
Let the members of the council plan
wisely, and the people of Topeka will
carve their names in the corner stone of
the new auditorium. That ought to be
a glorious enough memorial for any
citizen of Topeka.