The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-02-14
WILL HAVE PARKS
Commission Already at Work on
Elaborate Plans.
How Topeka Will Receive the
Finishing Touches.
MAGNIFICENT SYSTEM.
No Section of the City Will Be
Overlooked.
City Park to Be Extended to
Rock Island.
Central Park Matters-Gage
Park to Be Improved.

Topeka's new park commission is not
losing any time in getting to work. 1t
was appointed only last week, but it
has already organized, and if given per-
mission to carry out the plans which it
has already formulated, Topeka will
have a park system under way within
a year which will be unsurpassed by
any city of like size in the country.
Here is the system as planned by the
board at present:
The city park enlarged by taking in
the entire river front from Kansas ave
nue. to the Rock Island bridge.
Small parkings at each corner of the
Kansas avenue bridge.
The immediate Improvement of Gage
park.
The purchase of the blocks between
Thirteenth and Fifteenth and Fillmore
and Clay streets, containing II acres.
and its immediate improvement as
park
The Improvement of the park in
Martin and Dennis addition
The purchase and Improvement of
tion of Sixth and Eighth avenues in
Parkdale. and other small tracts in
various parts of the city.
The additional improvement of the
small parks at the intersections of
Huntoon and Harrison streets. and
HuntOon street and Western avenue.
The commission held it's nrst meeting
at the office of NJ. A. Low at the Rock
Island depot on Monday afternoon Mr..
Low is president of the board by virtue
of his appointment as such by Mayor
Drew. Edward Wilder was elected vice
president of the board, and NJ. c. HOl-
man was elected secretary.
discussion of plans ensued. Mr..
Low stated that if it was proposed to
put small amount into parks each
year that he could not put in his time
as a park commissioner and would re-
sign, but if the city is willing to estab-
liSh a system of parks he was willing
to spend his energies towards building
it up.
Some of the other members expressed
themselves in the same way. MI
Wilder said that if a little was spent
each year there will be practically moth
ing to show for it at the end of six or
eight years. while if the parks are put
in good condition to start with, it will
require very little to keep them up and
the present generation will have a
chance to enjoy them.
In view of this condition the commits
sion decided to ask to be allowed to
establish the system of parks as out
lined Before making this request, how
ever the commission will find out the
approximate cost of the improvements
which it wishes to make, and formulate
a definite plan of procedure, so that the
city may know exactly what to expect
The first thing that will be done will
be to improve the city park. This park
has been in existence ever since the
city of Topeka was laid out, but it is
no more of a park now than it was 40
years ago. What is known as THE Is
land just below the Rock Island
bridge, can be condemned and added to
the park and it is the idea of the COM
mission to build a sea wall out in the
river from the end of the south ap-
proach of the Kansas avenue bridge to
the outer edge of "The Island" The
space between the wall and the present
shore will be filled in and terraced /
down to the wall Along the wall
drive way will lead up to the river
winding among trees and flower beds
Rustic bridges can be built here and
there and ample play room for children
will be provided. 1t is probable that
the entire space from the river to the !
Rock Island depot, and from Kansas
avenue west to the Rock Island w
will eventually be added to the park. /
This will include the old waterworks |
property, Turner Garden, and the prop
erty now occupied by the Parkhurst- |
Davis Mercantile company.
Aleng with the city Improvements, |
the little parks at the corners of the /
Kaw bridge will be made. It is not /
the intention to purchase the lots sur
rounding the ends of the bridge but |
simply to beautify the land immedi- /
ately adjoining the approaches with
flower beds and blue grass. This will I
make the bridge very attractive and I
will be observed by every stranger that (
comes to the city
The city already has the nucleus for
a park at Fillmore and Thirteenth (
streets in the lots which were donated +
by Dr.. J. c. McClintock for park pur- I
poses. Running from Thirteenth to
Fifteenth streets between Fillmore and +
Clay there is a depression, which, it is
said, can be easily converted into an T
artific al lake. At the request of Mr. t
Low, Mr.. Wilder and others a land I
scape gardener who was recently here /
from the east made plans for a park
on this property
I'VE can work wonders in making a I
park there within a year." said Mr. I
Wilder in discussing the matter today /
"and IN three years we can have a fin |
ished park
But I think we should improve the |
city park first of ALL That is where |
the majority of the poorer people of /
the city can reach it easily, and it is t
more for them than anyone else that I
parks should be established. We want /
a place where children who are COM I
crowded houses can go and roll on the |
grass and have a good time, either by I
themselves or with their mothers. /
have been in Topeka IS years and that |
park is not in as good a condition now
as it was when 1 first saw it We /
have always been talking about doing /
something with it sometime in the fu- I
ture but we have never done it. Now I
I think it is time it was being i'm
proved.
TT will take some time to turn |
can be done in time. l think the best +
thing we can do the coming year will be 7
to build two archways over the en- /
ira TreS-nOt chean wooden affairs bllt +