The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-02-09
BAPTIST TEMPLE.
Magnificent Church and Office
Building Contemplated.
Would Be Erected at Ninth and
Jackson Streets.
COMMITTEE AT WORK.
Now Considering Plans For the
New Edifice.
How to Build a Church and
Avoid Heavy Burdens.
COMMITTEE AT WORK.

The members of the First Baptist
church are considering the proposition
Of erecting a new church on their prop
erty at the corner of Jackson and Ninth
streets, Just east of the state house
and north of the Santa F'e Office build
ing. The present church is becoming
old and no longer suited to the needs
of the church, and the trustees have
appointed a committee to consider
plans for erecting a new edifice. Jesse
Shaw is chairman of the committee
The site is one of the most valuable
IN the city. Facing the state house
square as it does on the side nearest
the business portions or the city, and
directly opposite the office building of
the Santa F'e Railroad company, makes
II an exceedingly desirable location.
There are four lots. $50 feet deep, in the
site, and it is estimated that they are
worth from $4,000 to $4,000 each.
Robert Stone, who is one of the ac-
tive members of the church. thinks that
the site IS too valuable for a church
building alone, especially for church
that IS by no means wealthy, and he
proposes plan whereby he believes a
new building may be erected without
imposing a heavy financial burden on
the members of the church, and after
the edihce is paid for it will yield a
steady revenue towards the support of
the pastor and carrying on the church
work.
1t would be my idea" said Mr.
stone IN discussing his project, Ito
build a church with offices in the east
end and upper stOries-combining a
church with an office building. The
fremont Temple, in Boston, is built
on this plan There is a church in St.
Louis built in this way, as also in the
Central Avenue Methodist Episcopal
church of Chicago The plan has work
we'll with both of these churches.
There are four lots in the site, max
ing tract 100 by $50 feet. II is worth
from $1,000 to $4,000 1 would make
the building four or five stories high,
reserYing nearly all of the ground floor
Tor the church auditorium. This would
make the auditorium 100 X 120 feet in
Guiding the Sunday school room which
1 WOliG place in the west end. arranged
so that it could be smut off with fold
1ng doors, so that the auditorium could
be made smaller when desired, as the
First Congregational church is now
The building should be a hollow
square above the first story, and the
center OF the church auditorium, be-
meath the opening, should be arched
with glass, which would give the
church light from above as we'll as
from the sides. From the second story
up the offices would be arranged around
the hollow square, and the inside office
rooms would have just as much light
as the outer ones
The east thirty feet of the building
would make offices from the ground
floor up. This would give an oppor-
tunity to put the entrance FOR the Off
ces on Ninth street near the alley.with
an elevator near the entrance. There
should be a large entrance to the
church auditorium on the corner, and
also entrances on the sides.
The basement should be made a
good height SO as to allow plenty Of