The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-09-18

right, and for the best interests of all
concerned There is not a man IN
North Topeka, who is not in favor of
building the City Hall. We all want a
City Hall built in Topeka, but we want
one built in the right way, and one
winch VIII be credit to Topeka and to
the state of Kansas. There are over
million and a half of people in Kansas
VINO are asking for an Auditorium, and
their request ought to be complied with
The city of Topeka ought to be in a
position to properly take care of the
large gatherings which come every year
TO our capital city, and to do this we
must have a suitable building in which
they can meet. That Topeka needs
such a building there is no doubt.
The people have decided to spend
$4,000 for City Hail. That sum VIII
not be drop in a bucket, compared to
what we ought to spend for a building,
such as should be put up in Topeka.
That $4,000 includes the cost of the
City Hall, municipal building and tire
department. In my opinion, these three
buildings ought never to be built to-
gether. Personally, and there are otn-
ers of the same opinion, even in South
Topeka, I am in favor of spending $751;
900 for the erection of a City Hall alone.
Another $4,000 for the municipal
building, and $4,000 for fire depart
ment and then we would have three
buildings which would be amply large
and commOdious for all requirements,
and at the same time, be credit to the
city of Topeka.
such buildings would have been
possible, I think, had the people gone
about this business in the proper way.
First, the people ought to decide on
such public improvements and have q
voice in all that is done, and second,
the 5000 more or less tax payers in To-
peka ought not to have to shoulder the
entire cost of such buildings, which
would be of untold advantages to not
only the people of Topeka but to the
state.
Popular subscription, and many 9TH
er ways could have been devised to
raise the necessary money, and be-
lieVe that $500, 600 could have been rails
ed for this purpose had the people
worked together, and had not become
antagOnistic, as has been the case. The
Auditorium at Kansas City is fair
example OF what can be done, when all
work smoothly together and the people
as a whole are consulted as to the best
way and means of making public i'm
prOVements.
THE people of North Topeka did not
oppose the building of the City Hall,
on any other grounds than these. We
wanted to have fair play and build
building which would be a credit to
Topeka, at the same time be the choice
of the people. AS regards the site for
the building, it may be said that we did
want it in the City park but we We're
willing to give up this choice of sites,
provided the majority of the people had
decided that it would be for the best
interests of the city to have it erected
somewhere else. We thought that the
City park would be an excellent place
for it as there we would have the sd
vantage of the surrounding grounds,
for hitching and other purposes. We
would have waived our choice for this
site had we had a chance to vote on the
site, but we did not have the chance
offered. This is the main reason that
the people of North Topeka objected
so strongly to the City Hall. We want
ed the people as a whole to choose the
site, to approve of the plans, to work
together in all that would be of public
interest to the citizens of Topeka.
Another thing, which have men
toned before, is the placing of these
three important buildings under appar-
built together When we build such
improvements as these we ought to
take plenty of time, and not go at this
business in a hurry. 1t would take but
little longer, and would have been far
more satisfactory, had we not hurried
so fast about this matter. There is no
haste A few weeks deliberatiOn would
be better now, than to put up small
building hardly suitable for the re-
quirementS to which it would be placed
Give US fair play, and let US all work
together in these public matters, and
the people of Topeka will find that
those of North Topeka will be working
with them in everything that is done
for the upbuilding of the city of To-
peka North Topeka is a part of To-
peka, and the success of one means the
success of the whole. Let US all have a
voice in the public matters and all work
together, and we will soon have a city
of which we will all be proud