The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-02-10
ALL HANDS FOR IT
Every Effort to Be Turned at
Once
Toward Getting the $1O,85O of
Coal Hole Money
FOR THE AUDITORIUM.
Bill to Put 1t in the City
Treasury
Rushed Through in Haste, But
Yet Not Too Late
10 Get 1T Back for Use for
a Hall.


start the auditorium building fund. 1t
may be necessary to submit the Ques-
ton to a vote of the people, but that
can be done and the Shawnee county
representatives in the legislative are
ready to introduce the measure.
The bill to turn the SO, $50 in the coal
hole fund into the general fund of the
city treasury to be frittered away with
out the people knowing where it has
gone has passed both houses of the leg
islature and is a law. There is no I'M
doing that, but if such haste had not
been exercised in the passage of the
measure it might have been amended
so that the question of placing the mon
ey in an auditorium fund might have
been submitted without further prelimi-
narieS.
As it stands now there must be anoth-
er measure introduced and it must be
done quickly so that the question may
be submitted at the spring election
when there will be no extra expense.
Representative Larimer and McKeever
both said today that in their opinion
that was the proper method of proce-
dure and by that means the money
could be used for the purpose it should
be-the building of a permanent con-
Vention hall for Topeka.
Representative Larimer said: ''I am
sorry that this question did not come up
soon enough to stop the bill introduced
to turn the money into the general
fund. When it was first mentioned
made an effort to hold the bill up in the
senate but failed and I had to stand by
and see it become a law.
When the bill was first introduced it
was to turn the money over to the park
fund for the purpose of improving the
city park but some of the council saw
me and said that they had decided that
the money should be placed in the gen.
eral fund and 1 then had the bill chang
ed.
''Afterward some of the councilmen
suggested that it be changed to sinking
fund but 1 told them that there would
have to be some action taken by the
council and that was not done so the
bill went through as it was amended
turning the money over to the general
fund.
AS far as I am concerned, I am in
favor of the money being used in an
auditorium. That would give the city
something permanent in the way of a
convention hall. Every one realizes
that an auditorium is greatly needed in
Topeka, and l do not see how the mon
ey could be used to better advantage.
Il think that the way to reach the
matter now would be by a bill to sub
init the question of the disposal of the
money at an election. After the. people
vote upon it there would be a clear way
to use it for for an auditorium. I am
ready to introduce a bill making such
provision at any time, but 1 would
like to be instructed by the council"
Representative McKeever said:
Il am personally in favor of seeing
would be a good start toward the build
ing, and think that would be an ex-
cellent use for the money.
Il am ready to support a measure
looking to that end whenever it comes
up. I am of the opinion that it will be
necessary to submit the question at an
election, but that could be done with
but little trouble, as the election is not
far away"
When the Commercial club meets to-
night there should be a formal request
made for the So $50 of coal hole money
for use in building an auditorium. The
matter will come up in formal manner
before the club and a request from the
business interests of the city to use
the money in such worthy manner
would be supported by everyone inter-
ested in the welfare of the city.
The Commercial club was organized
to help Topeka, and it's opportunities
have been limited since its inception.
This is really the first opportunity the
club has had to make itself a power.
1t can help the city and it's members
are in favor of doing it.
Frank Durein, who owns the lots on
Fourth and Quincy $50 feet square will
present a proposition to lease the lots
for the use of an auditorium for $4O0 per
annum, the lease to run so or 100 years.
| No other formal propositions for the
sale or lease of a building site have yet
been formulated
1t would be better to have the build
| ing little further up town than Fourth
street, provided an auditorium site can
| be secured,