The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-11-24
Commercial Club Discusses the
Purchase of Fair Grounds
As a Public Park and Members
Favor 1t.
THE LONG GULLY
Running From the Rear Of NJ.
A. Lows Property
Is Also Proposed for Beautify-
ing as a Park.


Topeka may yet have a public park
worthy the name. The Commercial
club has taken up the question on which
the Journal dilated a year ago with
picture) and a movement to secure a
park large enough and fine enough to
serve all purposes will be started. It
will be necessary to have an act passed
by the legislature giving cities the right
to levy a tax for park purposes but
Major T. J. Anderson, state senator, and
w. c. Stephenson, representative from
the Thirty ninth district, are both mem
bers of the club and pledged themselves
to see that such an act is adopted by
the coming legislature.
No site will be selected until all the
preliminaries are out of the way. The
fair grounds has been looked upon as
the most available bat Edward Wilder,
e. w. Benedict and others object to the
site on account of its location. Mr.. Ben
edict wants to have the narrow strip
of ground containing about 20 acres
south of M. A. Lows residence on Fill
more street made into a park. This of
course will mainly benefit the residents
along there, and will not be public
park in the proper sense. e Others favor
the Keith tract which is a little larger
than the fair grounds; it is totally with
out trees.
The park question had been made a
general order for last nights meeting
and when President William Green ask
ed whether any one had anything to say
on the subject Of parks, Mr.. E. w.
| Benedict said:
Topeka has neglected it's parks more
than anything else. Mr.. Wilder does
not think that the fair grounds is the
right place for park and 1 agree with
him because the location is not what 1t
should be for a city park. 1t is too low
and the surroundings are not just what
| they should be. The vacant place south
| of Mr.. NJ A. Lows residence is just the
place for a nice park. 1t has excellent
natural advantages and two three
| lakes could be made without much trou-
BILE. The ground is nearly all owned in
| large tracts and I found by making in
| qu1r1eS that 1t can almost all be pur-
| chased a a merely nominal price. One
| firm offered IS lots for "a, 500. The Cen
| trail National bank owns a large num-
Der of lots and 1 am satisfied will do
! the right thing. Mr.. Low says that he
| will give the city a deed of the tract
| just across the street from his house
| which is about 120 feet square and will
| make an excellent entrance for this
| park. Martins hill is too far away
| If the park is centrally located people
| can walk to it"
| s. IT. Downs said: 'I do not know
/ that there is a place in the country ex-
! cept Topeka where the people have not
| cheerfully taxed themselves to provide
/
| I think we should not try to get park
| until we are able to get a good one. A
| park should have from 100 to 800 acres.
| l think we should start out to secure
| 300 acre park. To have a park of that
| size it will be necessary to go some dis
| tance out of the city, but that does not
| matter. Large parks are seldom in the
| heart of cities. If we took the money
| that we spend on our Fall Festivals for
a few years we would have the starting
| of a good sized park fund. The 1a1r
1 Grounds are not large enough.
/ Col. T. w. Harrison said: "I would
| like to ask Mr.. Benedict how he propos-
| es to raise the money to buy the park
| south of Mr.. Lows placer"
| Mr.. Benedict-We could raise most OF
| it in the neighborhood and then we
| would expect to get some help from the
| city.
Col. Harrison-Large parks are ex-
| pensive. I was in Dubuque where they
| have large park on a hill and asked
| how much it cost and they told me
| $500 OOO It would be nice thing if
| we could have a park on Martins hill
| and a boulevard leading to it, but it
would cost every cent of 100000 to make
Some one asked Chairman Scott Kel-
sey of the board of county commits
sioners if the fair grounds could be solo
| to the city. He said it could not be
| without vote of the people but thought
it might be leased.
| Major T. J. Anderson do not agree
with the people who say the fair
grounds is not a good place for a park.
| We have voted bonds in Topeka for al
most everything and we have no place
| where a poor man can lay his head and
rest without being charged for it. The
city ought to levy a small tax for park
| purposes and have a park board named
as they have it in other cities. 1t viii
be necessary to get an enabling act
passed by the legislature but that can
easily be done.
/ Joab Mulvane-Large parks are ex-
pensive to keep up as well as improve
| If we had a 300 acre park it would be
| quite a burden on the city to care fOz
it-in fact too much of a burden for a
| city of this size. We want a place OF
! comfort for the common people of the
city. Parks are beneficial to city
They have a refining influence and it is
the duty of those who have property to
provide them. I believe we can make
a good park out of the fair grounds
The surrounding property will take
care of itself if we make a park of the
| fair grounds.
A park committee composed Of S. H
Downs, James A. Troutman and Col
t w Harrison was appointed.
The location of Missouri Pacific de-
| pot and switching yards was discussed
| and the matter went over until the mex
meeting of the club.
Deignan Gets Watch