The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-12-15
LIKE
A PASTURE
The Playground Does Now, But
If TOpeka's
Commercial Club Can Get 1t
For the City
1T WILL BE TURNED
Into a Park With Trees and
Lakes.
A Bill to Be Brought Before
the Legislature.
1T WILL BE TURNED

The topeka Commercial club took an
important step toward securing suita-
BILE parks for this city at the meeting
last night. A motion was adopted IN
structing the committee appointed at
the last meeting to prepare a Dill IOr
the legislature providing for the eStap-
lishment of a park commissioner SyS-
tenn in cities of the 6rst-class and the
leasing of the present fair grounds mere
by the county, commissioners TO the
city for a period of 80 years.
The adoption of the motion followed
the report of the committee on parks.
This was presented by Mr.. 5. H.DoWnSs
chairman, and was as follows:
Your committee having made
careful and extended examination into
the subject of parks, by correspond
ence with the officers Of other cities,
have obtained much useful information.
In obedience to the resolution passed at
our club meeting the committee has
made inquiry of our county board about
the Improvement of our fair grounds
for park purposes, and find the present
commissioners are favorable to leasing
the grounds to the city for term of
wears, but express doubt about the WIS
dom of transferring the grounds to the
care of the city for purely and distinct
" park purposes. They seem to think
the grounds should be still kept for fair
and exposition purposes, but to improve
the grounds so as to combine the two
purposes of exposition and park en-
'bellishment.
Gently expended by the commissioners
in repairing and roofing the exposition
hall and other buildings now on the
grounds. Some $2.500 of insurance mon
ey, obtained from the destruction by
fire of the stock sheds has been expend
ed in repairing the remaining buildings.
The committee concur in the belief that
an effort should now be made by our
city authorities in conjunction with the
county commissioners to embeI1ish the
grounds for park purposes as mucn as
is practicable, and still preserve them
for exposition purposes. The committee
urge upon. the Commercial club the ne
cessity for continued effort to bring
about the requirement by the city OF
desira BILE park property While land
can be acquired at so small q cost 1t Is
thought by the committee that a pur-
chase should be made of a small tract
as a nucleus for a park. Much other
land can be acquired by donation, and
the cost to the city for the requirement
and gradual improvement Will scarcely
be felt by our citizens.
1--WE ought also to improve our city
mark and establish other small parks
throughout the city as breathing places
for citizens who can not get out TO a
more remote place
ssIt is hardly necessary to say much
about the desirability of parks, and
their beneficent influence upon the IN
habitants. and the real commercial val
ne to the city by having attractive pla-
ces which will draw multitudes OF peo-
pie, and contribute to their pleasure
when thew come. Their value is so uni
versalIy conceded that it is only QueS-
lion of cost for acquisition and main
tenance There are no taxes Whlcn
the people pay less grudgtngly than Tor
parks: ,--, 400 .,,,i+,,
the advancing procession of enterpris-
ing American cities, the inauguration OF
a park system, at once, Is imperative.
1.-The cost of acquiring the properly
for a system of small parks within the
city limits and large park OUTSIDE
need not be burdensome -,
1.-The present assessed value OF an
property in Topeka is So. Ss5,794. A one
mill tax would yield an annual income
of nearly IS, 600 This small sum. pru-
IDENTIFY expended, each year, would give
TOpeka a very desirable park system.
I'VE are advised by the county treas
urer and county clerk that the assess
ment of an average Topeka home Is less
than $500. A one mill levy, therefore,.
for park purposes, would cost the aver
age property owner only about so cents
per year.
that would enable cities of the hrst
class to acquire, hold and improve real
property for parks and parkways ana
Streets and boulevards thereto, within
the city by purchase, donation or con-
demnatiOn, and for ORGANIZING peneIt
districts therefor, and without the city
by purchase or donation, and for the
election of three park commissioners in
each of said cities, to hold office for
three years, one 10 DG G4GCNC0 Ce1SA
wear and for the levy and collection of
a park tax of 1 mill on the dollar Of the
assessed valuation each year, to be
used for acquiring and improving such
property and for improving parks and
Darkways now owned by such cities
All parks and parkWays owned by the
city to be under the control and super
vision of said park commissioners"
At the conclusion of the report the
matter of the city securing the fair
grounds for a public park was at once
touched upon by Mr.. P. / Bonebrake-
lie said: