The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-04-04
NOT DISCOURAGED
Park Commission Has Not
Given Up the Fight.
Judge Clark Offers to Give ST.
900 Toward a Fund
TO BUY MARTINS HELL.
Would Be One of Ten to Raise
the Necessary Fund.
Mr.. Wilder Wants Another
Election at Once.
TO BUY MARTINS HILL.

"A meeting OF the board or park COM
missioners will be called within a day
or two by NJ. A. Low, president Of the
board to determine upon what line of
action the board shall proceed since the
park bonds have been defeated. It is
possible that the commission will ask to
have the proposition again submitted at
a special election when it shall be the
only issue, but before that is done,
there are other propositions for the
board to consider.
Colonel J. w F. Hughes, councilman
from the Sixth ward, called on Mr.. Low
today and informed him that Judge ].
T. Clark, of Potwin, offered to be one OF
ten men to purchase Martins Hill and
present it to the city free for park pur-
poses. If the commission can find nine
more such individuals Martins Hill will
cost the city nothing. This is the first
proposition which the board will con-
slider.
Another proposition is that those in
tereSted in Martins Hill purchase it at
the option which the commission has
on it at present, and hold it in trust for
the city until the city has developed
sufficiently to purchase it This would
not allow the park commission to spend
money on it at present but it would
save the property from being cut up in
to small lots and sold, which would pre-
vent the possibility Of making it into a
park.
I see no use in calling another cleo
tion," said Mr.. Low today, unless there
is good reason to believe that the pro-
position will carry. 1t is possible that
we may make provisions to buy Mar
| tins Hill and hold it in trust for the
city until the city wants it. I believe
/ the price at which it can now be OBJ
| tanned is much below what it is worth,
! but it cannot be held at that price very
/ long. The banks which hold it will be
/ compelled to sell it in small tracts
which would prevent its ever being
| made into park.
THE park commission has little pow
/ er in itself. The calling of an election
| will be entirely in the hands of the
council, and see no reason for doing
| it unless the council believes there is a
| reasonable show for the proposition to
| carry. The commission will have a
meeting before long to talk the matter
| over"
Edward Wilder believes that another
| election should be called at once and a
| vigorous campaign begun to put the
/ proposition through.
1T is simply a question of whether
/ the city wants parks or not" Mr.. Viii
der said today. IF it doesn't want
parks it has no use for a park commits
! sion. If we once get a reasonable vote
| on the proposition and the voters de-
| eide that they do not want park sys-
tenn, the park commission will have
| nothing before it. If all the city wants
is someone to take care of these little
| triangular parks around the city the
council would better hire a gardener tC
| do that work, but if a, system of parks
is wanted that will be of benefit to the
| city at large the park commission must
be given something to work with
| Il have heard it intimated that some
people were against the bonds because
| they thought the commission was inter
| ested in some particular piece of rea-
| estate. Then again it has been saio
| that we ought to have secured an OPP
nTlT
| will confess that did not like to secure
an option on James park myself, nol
| urge it for park purposes, for the rea-
son that l own 106 vacant lots within
| few blocks of that location, and Il
| might have given color to the charge il
| had urged the purchase of James
| park.
Il would be in favor of calling an
| other election as soon as it can be done
| and working up an interest in the mat
| ter. This will delay the matter great
/ ", because If the proposition had car
! ried Tuesday we would have been en-
abled to get the proposed parks into
| good shape this summer, but since we
viii have to call another election we
cannot do much until late. However
the sooner we get at it the sooner the
parks can be enjoyed by the city,
S. H. Downs, another member of the
park commission, believes that an eff
fort should first be made by the commits
sion to secure the purchase of Martin.
dlu IN trust Tor the city, ana II thl!
fails he would have another bond cleo
ton called.
With reference to calling election
Mayor Drew said:
81 do not know that it would be Wis
to do it at once. 1t might be better t,
wait another year. I believe the peopI
of the city want system of parks, bu
if a fair vote defeats the proposition w
can do nothing but stop. The election
Tuesday was not a fair test. The reg
| lStratlOn was VeTV small buf it wa
about 1000, and of these 1000 only 2,25
voted on the park proposition. That i
not a fair expression of opinion"
Blobbs-'Why don't you get mar
ried?'' Slobbs-s'I've been trying to 70
years" Blobbs-"Can't find the rfgh
girl, eh?" Slobbs-'W ell-um-I can
just find the right father-in-law"
your beautiful face is Photographic
| upon my heart, he exclaimed nassinn