The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-06-14

a part was Short said Mrs. Gage. in
| speaking of the history of the tract,
so that the quarter which Mr. Gage
pre-empted contained only 102 acres.
We have the original patent for the
| land signed by President Buchanan,
| who was president at the time Mr..
| Gage pre- empted it. Later he pur-
| chased 70 acres next to il, and considered
| it all as one place. 1t is the east so
| acres of this tract that goes to the city.
The west 80 acres was sold to a syndi-
cate several years ago.
Mr.. Gage set out trees across the
south side of the entire tract and
across the west side, before he sold any
of it. 1t was his intention years ago
to build a house out there for sum-
mer residence, and with this end
in view he set out large or
chard, leaving a space in the center
for the house and lawns. This IS on
the eastern portion which goes to the
city. Mr.. Gage also set out evergreen
and shade trees to beautify the grounds
There is a grove of elmS near the lake
which are now quite good size. The
orchard has been bearing for a number
of years, but people from the city gen
orally kept it stripped of fruit.
Coal was discovered on the land a
number of years ago, and it was from
the shale that came out of the mines
that the lake was built. 1t was not
Mr.. Cages original intention to build a
lake. He wanted to put the shale to
some use. and so started to. have it
graded into the ravine where Seventh
and Eighth streets would pass through
if the city were ever extended that lar.
Between these two places there was
fine spring which never went dry, and it
occurred to Mr.. Gage one day that the
grades would shut off the outlet for
this spring. The thought of the lake
then came to him. to be fed by the
spring, and he set men to work grading
it out. For weeks there were several
wheeled scrapers at work on it. The
bottom of the lake is as smooth as a
floor. and in its deepest part it is about
u feet deep. The spring is not sufh-
cient to feed it entirely. but the surface
water makes up the deficiency The
spring keeps the water fresh, and it is
generally SO clear that one can see the
bottom.
when Mr. Gage was in Michigan a
few years ago, he noticed the beautiful
water lilies which grow in the lakes
there, and he had quantity OF them
dug up and shipped out here He plant
ed them in the lake. and by this time
one end would have been filled with
them had it not been for people from
the city who would drive out there and
pull them out. There have been good
many lilies there. however, both this
year and last year.
There is a good sized two story house
on the property, located near the Sixth
avenue entrance.
Gage park can be reached by either
the Sixth or Tenth avenue roads. As
soon as there is a demand for it the
City Railway company will extend
line out there, but this will not be done
this year
THE company has not considered the
proposition" said c. c. Baker, presi-
dent of the railway company, today 1t
is safe to say that when more improve
mentS are made at the park so that
people will want to go out there line
viii be built. 1t will not be done in
the near future, however as the street
railway company has all the improve
ments 1t can stand at present in the
way of paving. The pavements which
are now proposed will catch the COM
pany for five blocks of single track and
five blocks Of double, making fifteen
blocks in all 1t costs the street car
company three times as much to pave
as 1t does individuals, and the company
has to pay for it all as it goes along
and cannot pay for it in installments
for ten years. The paving now pro-
posed will cost us $4,000. For that