The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-03-23
TO BE IN THE CITY PARK
City Council Passes the Ordi-
nance Providing Auditorium.
Citizens Required to Raise ST.,
500 to Which the City
Will Add $4,000 Through Vote of
the PeopIe-The New Building to
Comfortably Seat 5000 Peo-
pie and Will Hold 5000
When It is Crowded

The city council last night modified
the auditorium ordinance and passed it
without opposition.
The ordinance is in such shape that
it will give the people of Topeka an OPP
portunity to build an auditorium. 1t is
true that $12, 500 must be raised but that
is $500 less than was originally stipu-
lated by the ordinance. The question
of size and the details of the building
is to be left to the architects who will
make the plans that will be approved.
The building must seat 5000 people and
1t must be plaStered, lighted and heat
ed 1t must be permanent building.
The location is left open, but there is
no doubt about the ocatiOn-it will be
in the city park unless some public
spirited citizen gives it site. The or
dinance says that the building shall
be in the city park unless a suitable
site elsewhere is donated. A suitable
site would cost $4,000 and no one is
likely to donate it for the sake of hav-
ing the auditorium up town. Accord
ing to figures made by Architect L. NJ.
Wood the auditorium will cost COM
plete in every detail, $22, 500.
Edward Wilder, H w. Neiswanger
and r. S. Brigham of the Commercial
club were present when the ordinance
was called up. Mr.. Neiswanger made
a plea to have the ordinance changed
so it would permit the CITY to purchase
a site with the coal hole money
Mr.. Wilder said he was in perfect
harmony with the proposition to put
the auditorium in the city park 1T
seems to me-" said he, that it is the
only place an auditorium can be built
feel that every inducement we can Of
fer people to come here is a benefit to
the city and to the tax payers and to
the labOrerS'
Architect Wood was asked whether
his figures were not too low. No"
said he, they are high. They could be
shaded some''
The first section of the ordinance pro-
Vlding for the raising of $40, 600 was
amended at the suggestion of Council
man Stevens to read $12, 500 and the
amendment was adopted without oppo-
sition. When the section referring to
the location was reached there was a
long discussion in which the visitors
participated.
a. A. Rodgers said: you will find it
1um in the city park. II is no place for
an auditorium. The people will raise
that amount and more if you will put
it at the corner of Sixth and Monroe
Seventh and Harrison or some other
convenient location up town. Keep the
amount at $4,000. 1t is none too high"
William Green said: In my judg-
ment the proposition is right The city
park is the proper place and I believe
that the majority of the people in the
city are in favor of that location. We
can certainly raise $12, 500 to build the
auditorium in the city park"
Oscar Bischoff said: Il have been
making some inquiries and find that
people are very much in favor of an
auditorium and they are also in favor
OF having it in the city park. It is a
central location and you will find in our
large cities that the large fine buildings
are near a river. 1t is disgrace to have
a place like that known as the CITY
park. 1t should be improved and the
auditorium would be the first step in
the right direction. 1t should be a
place where the laboring man can take
his family and spend quiet hour. The
away from the noise and dust of the
streets and the park is in fact the
most desirab BILE location that can be
found. 1t could be built on the river
bank"
Otto Kuehne: ct sustain Mr.. Green
and Mr. B1schon- A building of this
kind should be in the city park 1t is
the proper place for it and then North
Topeka should be considered. We like
to have the people know that there is
such a place as North Topeka
H. c. Root also spoke in favor of the
city park a location.
r. S. Brigham said he would person.
ally rather have the building up town.
but he would rather have it in the CITY
park than not at all. Il don't want to
see this fall through" said Mr.. Brig
ham. We have had too many pro
tunity and one that should not be neg
lected- The building in the city park
would have tendency to clear that
part of the city of the disreputa bile
characters who have gathered there"
]. B. Billiard, H. Clarkson and NJ. D.
Henderson also spoke in favor of the
city park.
Councilman Skinner tried to have the
section amended specifying the CITY
park as the location and leaving no al
tentative in the proposition but the
amendment was lost on tie vote
At the suggestion of Mr.. Wilder the
section describing the building was
amended into general description so
that the details might be agreed upon
When the plans are accepted.
The ordinance was then passed with
but one opposing vote, Councilman Pat
tison of North Topeka who objected be-
cause the site was left Open