The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-20
ALL Is NOW ARRANGED.
Plans For the Building of the
Auditorium
Agreed Upon at the Council
Meeting Last Night.
Mayor Fellows Will Name a Commit
tee-He Delivers His Inaugu-
raj Address.

The city council took hold of the au-
ditorium proposition last night and did
its share toward making an organiza-
ton to raise the fund and erect the
building. In a short time Mayor Eel
lows will appoint three members of the
city council TO act with the "auditori-
UNI committee, p which is to be made up
OF the three counciImen, three members
or the Commercial club and three citi-
zenS to be named by the joint commit
Gil.
This committee will have full charge
OF everything connected with the build
ing OF the auditorium. 1t will be neceS-
sary for the council to approve formal
~ everything done, but the committee
Wall be the real managers and will look
after all the details of the business.
a committee consisting of Edward
Wilder, Samuel T. Howe, Otto Kuehne
ana Il. S. Brigham, representing the
Commercial club, appeared before the
council to urge the appointment of a
committee by the mayor to assist in
looking after the details of the con-
struction
Mr.. Wilder said in expfana ton of the
plan proposed by the Commercial club:
The Commercial club had a full and
interesting meeting last week and some
progress was made. The club decided
70 ask for the appointment of three
gentlemen by the mayor and council to
act with a like committee from the
Commercial club and three gentlemen
10 be selected by the six named by the
council and Commercial club.
I'VE are not acting for the city of
Topeka, Commercial club or any other
organized body, but more particularly
for the state of Kansas. The auditori-
UNI VIII seldom be used for a Topeka
audience. Its building is, however jus
tilted in view of the interests involved
and therefore this committee should be
broad in its scope.
There is no want of respect for this
council when we ask that this building
should be managed by a committee to
be made up as suggested. But you are
z political body, and you know what
that means. This can be made sue
cess by having it run on a purely bust
ness basis. 1t must be managed in
purely nOn-partisan manner. Therefore
this committee should be Independent
and purely nOn-partsan so that we may
secure for Topeka the advantage that
led US into this question:
Samuel T. Howe said that the Com
mercial club realized that before any
thing can be done there must be an or
ganizatiOn
Otto Kuehne said that he was salts
fed that the plan to have non-parti-
san committee of nine was much the
best.
Councilman Burgess said:
L am taken very much with the plan
suggested by the gentlemen, but there
must be no conflict between the ordi-
nance and such an action. The plan
proposed is certainly a good one if ii
Mr.. Wider-It was not intended by
the Commercial club to take anything
out of the hands of the council We
understand that what is done must be
ratified by the council and we do not
intend that the council should part
with it's right to supervise. The coun-
Gil will not care to look after the de-
tails. 1t is better to have well digested
plans prepared for your approval than
to have them in an indigested form. You
don't want TO be called together every
few days to discuss the details of the
building.
Councilman Drew-It seems to me
that the plan suggested conflicts with
the ordinance passed by the council.
City Attorney Bird read the ordi-
nance and said that it did not.
Councilman Stephenson moved the
acceptance of the proposition of the
Commercial club The motion was af-
terward Withdrawn and the following
resolution drawn up by Councilman
Nettels was adopted:
Resolved, That the mayor appoint a
committee of three members of the
council, which, together with a like
committee from the Commercial club,
shall select three or more prominent cit
liens, and the aggregate committee thus
composed, shall have power to deter
mine upon the size and character of a
public building to be known as an au-
ditorium, to prepare plans and specifi-
cations therefor, to devise ways and
means to raise the necessary funds, to
erect and complete said building; all
acts of said committee to be submitted
to the mayor and council for ratifica-
ton and approval"