The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-10
ONLY $4,000.
Santa Fe Shop Proposition
Greatly Simplified.
Task of Commercial Club Made
Less Difficult.
COMPANY WILL WAIT.
Balance Forthcoming When
Bonds Are Voted.
Vice President Barr Generously
Assists Topeka.
NO MORE HESITATION.
Doubt About Proposition Has
All Been Removed.

The new Santa Fe shop project is
assured for Topeka. At a conference
between members of the various COM
mittees and Vice President Barr late
Wednesday afternoon, arrangements
were made whereby it will be necessary
to advance only sufficient money to
purchase the two half blocks necessary
for the shops which are to be erected
Immediately, with the understanding
that the balance OF the land will be
forthcoming when it is needed by the
company for the locomotive erecting
works and the frog and switch fac
tory.
This means that less than $4,000 will
have to be advanced by popular sub
Scription, and the Santa F'e company
will not need the balance until after
arrangements can be made to legally
vote bonds for the purchase of the site
This was the report that was made
to the Commercial club at its meeting
last evening by P. L Bonebrake, chair
man of the shop executive committee
THE committee called on Mr.. Barr
and Mr.. Nudge this afternoon" said s
Mr.. Bonebrake, land had a conference
with them about this shop matter We
found Mr.. Barr very agreeable, and not
at all indisposed towards Topeka. as
had been supposed.
I'VE first asked Mr.. Barr if it would
not be possible for the company TO
postpone the erection of these shops
chance to legally vote the bonds to
purchase the site. He replied that it
would be impossible, because the COM
Dany would have to build the black
smith shops and foundry as soon as
possible, for they are badly needed, but
| that the others could wait awhile.
THAT opened the way for this other
| proposition, and we asked him If we
| could not furnish the site for the two
/ shops which must be built at once,
and not purchase the balance until next
1 year after we have got an enabling act
through the legislature so that we can
vote the necessary bonds to pay for the
site.
To this Mr. Barr agreed but he laid
stress on the necessity of securing the
balance of the property when the time
comes. This reduces the amount Of
land for which we will have to ad-
! vance the money to about cne-third OF
the total amount. 4 do not know ex-
actIy how much money will have to be
| raised to secure this land, but pre-
| sumo il will be something over $4,000.
| The land is the two half blocks i'm
mediately east of the present car shops
| It is tract half a block wide and two
| blocks long"
oscar Bischoff, chairman of the COM
rnittee which appraised the lots on the
| site, was appealed to for information
as to the probable cost of securing
! these lots.
7 cannot tell exactly" said Mr..
Bischoff, but l think it viii be be
I
the two half blocks there are five lots
fronting on Seward avenue which come
in on this tract"
what effect will this have on the
subscriptions already made2" asked
Jonathan Thomas. I subscribed $1,000
on the superstition that we would have
to raise $4,000"
This is an entirely new proposition, -
said Mr.. RonebralSe, land I would sup
pose that the subscriptions made under
the old proposition would be declared
off"
ssNeIl then" said Mr.. Thomas. 1--WE
had better get right to work at rails
ing the 900. I will give $500 on that
Crosby brothers will give the same, .
said r. H Crosby
President Holman asked Judge Car
YER chairman Of the legal committee,
if there would be any doubt about the
legality of voting bonds to refund the
/ subscriptions advanced
None whatever, in my opinion" said
Judge Carver
rs it the understanding that this
money that is subscribed is all to be
paid back after the bonds are voted?'
asked J. S. Warner.
THAT is the understanding, said
President Holman
1T ought to be easy enough to raise
the money on that kind Of PROPOSE
, ton. 1 would borrow the money to sub
scribe to that If I couldn't get 1t any
other way" said Mr.. Warner.
At this point John VanVechten, who
had been appointed a sort of general
supervisor of the solicitors who have
been circulating the pledges to vote foI
the bond proposition, arrived and was
called on for a report. Mr.. NanVechten
said that it had been impossible 20 get
over all the territory, and that a great
many pledges were still to be gathered
in the territory which had been gone
over. because people forgot to sign them
when they were first left. Then, too
| all of the solicitors had not reported
! | the number of pledges they had Sc
/ cured. Mr. FanNechten produced 1.f2s
: | and enough more were produced By
! | members Of the Commercial club tC
bring the number up to over 1000
Some of the solicitors said that they
, | have large numbers still to collect II
the territory they have gone over once
The figures showed that the people
4 are practically unanimous for the prop
osition. except among the shopmen II
: the Second ward, few of whom ar'
: | opposing it because the Santa Fe com
: ! pany recently laid off a squad OF men
: Even in the Second ward the figure:
: show that 81 per cent. OF the voters
solicited signed the pledges.
In the First ward the number o.
: signers is over &c per cent, and in tn
= various other wards the per cent L
! about the same, with the possible ex
!. ception OF the Fifth. which may fal
= down to so per cent. Tt is great enough
: however. to show that the voters ar
: overwhelmingly for the bond PROPOSE
: ton to get the new shops.
= The circulation of the pledges viii b.
: continued until the entire city has beei
covered