The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-04-20
The Tenth Avenue Improve
ment Proposition
Meets With General Favor With
Property Owners.
BISHOP MILLSPAUGH
Says Bethany College Won't
Stand in the Way
If the Friends of the School
Will Help 1t Out.

Bethany college will not stand in the
way of the Tenth avenue paving propo-
sition, providing the trustees can see
their way clear to pay for it, and means
will doubtless be provided to this end
With the consent of Bethany, for the
college holds the key to the situation,
Tenth avenue west will become one Of
the finest streets in the city.
The local members of the board of
trustees of Bethany are men who are
interested in the welfare and improve
ment of Topeka. They believe in max
ing Topeka an attractive place to live
in. At the head of the board is Bishop
Millspaugh, who is recognized as a pub
lie spirited citizen. In speaking of
Bethanys attitude with reference to
the paving proposition Bishop Mills
paugh said today:
THE trustees of Bethany do not wish
to stand in the way of public improve
ments They do not desire to be pug
nacious when the welfare of the public
is under consideration. The only Ques-
ton with us is whether the requisite
funds will be forthcoming with which
to pay for the paving. We are ready
to lend our aid to everything for the
good of the city, and if the friends of
Bethany are willing to come to our res
cue we are heartily in favor of the pro-
ject.
Bethany will receive no direct bene-
fit from the paving, but in the interest
of the public who would be accommo-
dated L would like to see the paving
built. We were called on by a commit
tee consisting of Mr.. Edward Wilder,
Mr.. w. H. Barnes and DR.. A. H.
Thompson, to see about the matter, and
we gave them to understand that if our
friends properly appreciated our efforts
in this matter we will not oppose the
paving.
Bethany is not a money making in
stitution. If we did get any money
ahead we would pay it right out again
for improvements. In the past few
years we have paid $4,000 for sewers
alone, but Notwithstanding these ex-
penditures the school is more prosper
Gus today than it has been for six
years. The hard times were extremely
hard on Bethany, but we passed through
them and the school is much better now
than it was We are just beginning to
see daylight again now, but 1 would
not wish to hamper the school by plac-
ing another big burden upon it without
seeing how it was to be paid for but
if the citizens of Topeka will help US out
we want the paving to be put down.
Bethany has brought hundreds of thou
sands of dollars worth of trade to To-
peka, and has never received anything
from the city except what has come
through the day pupils and from a few
gentlemen who have assisted in raising
our Indebtedness.
Il have felt a little grieved over be-
ing forced by the city to pay for a new
brick walk along the south side of the
college grounds. We had built a good
cinder walk along there and took pains
to keep it in good repair. 1t was a bet
ter walk than 1 have in front of my
huose, but a petition was circulated for
a new walk along the street, and when
1 came home after a trip away I found
that our cinder walk had been torn
away and brick one put down in it's
place, and Bethany had to pay about
$500 for it.
"Our share in the Tenth avenue paw
ing will cost about $500 or $4,000. We
will have two blocks to pave and the
street. 1t will be a heavy
burden for us, but if our friends show
proper appreciation of our efforts we
will not oppose it,
With Tenth avenue paved as it is in
tended it shall be, it will be as good a,
drive there is in the city all the way
from Kansas avenue to Christ'S hos
pital, a distance of twelve blocks. The
local members of the board of trustees
of Bethany, in addition to Bishop Mills
paugh, are Avery Turner, j. w. Farms
worth and C. j. Brown.
The paving would be paid for in an
nual installments, extending over a
period of ten years and not in one year
as with sidewalks.