The Topeka state journal., 1899-07-03
New City Hall to Be on Quincy
Street.
Twelve Lots Will Be Purchased
at Once.
EXCELLENT LOCATION
Room For Auditorium and City
Offices.
Action of Committee to Be
Ratified Tonight.
EXCELLENT LOCATION

The site for the new city hall has been
selected and the action of the special
committee will be officially ratified by
the city council this evening.
The site is at the southeast corner of
Seventh and Quincy streets and com
prises six lots which belong to Col
George w. Veale's homestead and six
lots belonging to w. F. Parker.
This makes y lots in all and makes
a somewhat larger site than it was at
first intended to purchase. But the in
tention to provide a place for the fire
department is responsible for the
change. The price for the u lots is
S19, 200 which is considered lew for prop
erty in that location.
The plan which has not yet been ap-
proved is to have the fire department
front on Seventh street and the city Of
fees and auditorium face on Quincy.
There would be a 25-foot alley between
the fire department headquarters and
the city offices and auditorium and it IS
believe that this would be enough to
prevent a possible stampede in the
event of a fire.
to leave an alley A. feet in width which
will serve as a street and will facilitate
ventilation. The frontage on Quincy
street will be at least 200 >feet so that
there will be ample space for this ar
ranSement without crOWdlng.
Another thing in favor OF this plan is
the fact that it will be necessary to or
nament but one front. Wtth the audi
torium in the middle of the block it Will
only be necessary to ornament the
Quincy street front Whiles if a corner
had been selected it would Ebe necessary
to ornament at least two sides
The site could hardly pc improved
upon. 1t is on a paved street and at
the same time is not on a. street car line
The street car line is less xhan a block
away and it Will thus afford all the ia
cinties without the Inconvenience of
having the noise which wOsIld seriously
interfere with the meetings IN the aud
it0rlum.
Councilman ]. S.. Warnee, one of the
originators of the plan adopted by the
council is enthusiastic. He said: L be-
heve that this is the best arrangement
that could be made. We .want city
hall and auditorium on high ground 50
that people will not have 50 look down
upon it. I believe that the property
should be left above the street just as 1t
is now and that will help out what will
have to be a rather low building The
location of the fire department on Sew
enth street will put it far enough away
to avoid any trouble in the event of a
fire through confusion and 1t viii at the
same time make an excellent place Tor
the fire department.
I believe it would be best to leave
a 45-foot alley on the south side so as
to allow people to get into the auditor
ium easily and also to furnish means
for ventilation. 1 believe that we will
have no trouble to do all th1S with the
money we have at hand. 1t will be
necessary to put about $4,000 IN the
fire department in order to give the city
such a building as is needed for fire
department purposes and this will leave
something over SIS, 600 to be put into the
city hall ard auditorium.
There were two votes in the commit
tee for the site at the southeast corner
of Ninth and quincy streets but the five
votes for the corner selected decided
the question and the minorit.- agreed to
make the report unanimous. COnse-
no opposition is expected at the |
meeting of the council tonight over the /
ratification of the report OF the COM |
mittee.
The members of the city cohncil show
a disposition to push the work on the
new city hail as rapidly IS possible. |
They realize what the people. want and |
are anxious 40 follow their v-ishes.
The actiOnf of the special scOmTn1ttee
meets with She approval of the mem
bers of the Commercial club which has
been booming the city hall project |
President r. S. Brigham said today:
The city LOuncil has show a degree
of wisdom that will cause future gen |
erations to look back upon them with |
pride that will establish a $ andard of !
prompt actic 4 and good judgment that |
future councils can we'll aft )rd to i'm |
itate.
I do not look upon the contemplated /
location of the fire department head |
quarters, adjacent to the auditorium, as
Objectionable but on the contrary as an
advantage siRce it will have a tendency
20 give audiences an increased feeling
of security.
That ancient relic of bygone ages,
the fire bell, will be done away with,
and with it viii disappear the posi-
bility of fright from an alarm that
would be noticeable in the auditorium"
The complete list of sites offered was as
follows:
West 20 fee- of lots 21S. 22o and 222 and
al of lots 224, 226. 22S. go, 252 and 234 on
quincy street, southwest corner Seventh |
John Martin property at southwest cor
ler of Harrison and Eighth streets, by
Phillips & Cbaney. Price So 0o0- Eight
Eight lots in Ritehie tract, between
Eleventh and Twelfth streets Price 81
90 Seven lots additional in tract, all for
s. .000 Also with three more lots in tract, |
otal for all $4,000. Offered by Leonidas
8ryson.
Six lots on southeast corner of Sixth
venue and Monroe street. Price $4,000.
offered by Cyrus K. Holiday.
Seven lots at southeast corner of Fourth
avenue and Jackson street, xnown as
Z 5aymarket. Price $500. Offered by
Robert Pierce.
Nine lots on southwest corn r OF Ninth
and Quincy streets Price $4,000. Six
OTIS for S11, CO.,. offered by Troutman and
Stone.
Five lots on northeast corner of Seventh
md Jackson streets. Price s y, 600, Of
cred by Frank J. Brown.
.ast corner. of Eighth and Quincy streets.
Price S14. 500. Offered by c. J. Webb and /
4. K. Wilson for Masonic bodies.
Six lots at southeast corner of Van |
Buren, and Seventh streets. Price 81. 600
With buildings OF $4,000 without. Offered
" W. F. Parker.
Three lots at northeast corner Seventh
Ind Quincy streets Price S12 900. Offered
~ r. 5 and " NJ Thompson One ad-
litionaI lot ad3oining owned by NJ. A Mil
Lots 2o6 ana. EOS Quincy street for 81, 600