The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-01-02
1T is TO BE DONE.
The Journals" Suggestion
For Voting Bonds to Build
An Auditorium Which Shall
Also Be
NEW CITY HALL.
This InSures the Building Of
the Hall Uptown
And Ought to Please All Glasses
of People.

The auditorium will be revived. There
| will be a special meeting of the associa-
tion Tuesday evening when new life will
be injected into the question.
The legislature will be asked to
authorize the city to vote from $4,000
to 500, 900 in bonds to build a city build
ing.
The new plan will also include the
sale of the building now owned by the
city and situated at the corner of
Seventh street and Kansas avenue and
the use of the proceeds on a new city
hall which will be credit to the capital
city of Kansas.
The proposition is to have the first
floor used for convention hall and the
council chamber and city offices the
second floor.
The building will be in an accessible 10
cation convenient to the hotels and
business of the city.
Briefly stated these are the plans OF
the Auditorium association as amended
and at the meeting tomorrow evening
they will be thoroughly discussed.
Some of the members of the city
council have already expressed their
approval of this plan For at least ten
years there has been more or less talk
about a new city hall but though sew
eral offers have been received for the
city property nothing definite has ever
been done. The present city building is
not ornamental. 1t is a business house
pure and simple and should not be the
property of the city. There has been
more or less objection because the city
leases to outside parties the two store
rooms under the building in competition
with other property owners and if a, new
h building is erected there will be no
rooms to rent for any purpOse-it will
be a city building and hall and nothing
else.
At the meeting of the city council to-
night the $4,000 in the coal hole fund
will be applied on the vi2duct bonds
and this will leave the auditorium fund
in a depleted condition. Less than $500
was collected to build the auditorium
though over $4,000 was subscribed. 1t
would not be necessary to collect the
subscriptions if the plan to be proposed
is adopted.
The building belonging to the city can
be sold fc- about $4,000 and if $4,000 in
bonds are voted that would make
fund of 100000 which should build a
good city building and one that the peo-
pie of Topeka would not need to be
ashamed of.
Major T. ]. Anderson said today: ITO
peka must have convention hall The
needs of the city demand it and in fact
it is almost necessary in order to main
tain our position in the state. The clos
ing of Hamilton hall has left us strand
ed so far as a place for big gatherings
is concerned. We have nothing to offer
the next state convention.
THE plan now under consideration,
It seems to me, is an excellent one. A
new city building is needed and needed
badly. The old building should be sold.
The convention hall should be used for
public gatherings only and there would
therefore be no competition and the
opera house owners could not object.
The building will have to e be in a
central location and 1 think that the
people would rather have the conven-
tion hall in a central location if it is
possible to put it there.
The right way to build an auditorium
is by taxation. In that way the burden
will fall on those who should bear il.
If it is built by subscriptions a few
people will bear the entire burden and
the whole city will receive the benefit.
This is not fair and if the building is
erected with money received from tax
on the property every tax payer will
have an interest in it and it should be
1.-THE city park location was chosen
before because it was the only one
available. We were not in a position to
purchase site and by erecting it in the
park the site would cost nothing. I be-
Heve that every one would prefer TO
have the building up town, but we did
not feel that under the old conditions
it was possible to build it there
I'VE have had no figures made and
I have no idea what the proposed build
ing would cost but it should be large
enough and the auditorium should seat
at least 1000 people. The second story
would be used for the city offices and if
it was necessary to have third story
it could be used for a lodge room or
something of the kind.
1.-THE legislature would not object to
passing a bill to give Topeka a chance
to vote this proposition. This is the
only solution can see for question
which has troubled us for many years
and the time has come when it should
be solved
Following is the notice of the meeting
sent out:
AUDITORIUM MEETING.
An important meeting of the auditor
ium board will be held at Commercial
club rooms on Tuesday evening, Janu-
ary 3, at o'clock. A proposition will
be considered along an entirely new line
and it is hoped that every member of
the board and members of the city
council and citizens who are interested
in this much needed Improvement will
be present. w G. STEPHENSON
T. J. ANDERSON. Secretary.
President