The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-01-22
STEPS TO Front.
City Council Assumes Balance of
Auditorium Seating Debt.
Commercial Club Has Already
Paid About 81, 800.
ABOUT $4,000 YET DUE.
Organization Made an Earnest
Effort to Raise the Money.
Compelled at Last to Admit
Failure.

President John e. Frost, of the COM
mercial club, accompanied by Major T.
J. Anderson, NJ. c. Holman and Edward
Wilder, also Of the Commercial club,
appeared before the city council last
night with the request that the city
shoulder the debt assumed by the Com
merciaI club when they agreed to seat
the Auditorium
BY a unanimous vote OF the eleven
members Of the council present, the
council agreed to assume the debt
President Frost briefly reviewed The
situation. He said. The Commercial
club last summer voluntarily undertook
to raise money to seat the Auditorium.
We made a strong effort to do So Tbs
entertainment arranged for the opening
was gotten up with the utmost care.
The members OF the club and the assist
ants worked hard to make the project a
success. We expected a large attend
ance and accordingly a large amount of
money to come into the treasurer's
hands As you all know the attendance
was not what it should have been and
the expenses of the entertainments con-
Sumed the greater portion OF the pro-
ceeds- Something like $500 was paid on
the seats as a result OF the Auditorium
opening entertainments. The club has
already used money taken from other
funds and paid nearly $500 and there
which nearly amounts to s., 100
we have used every reasonable eff
fort to raise the money but find it prac-
tically impossible to do so unless we
make a personal canvass Of the business
and other men on the street. We be-
l1eve that 1t is only just and right and
fair for the council TO assume the re-
mainder of the debt"
NJ. c. Holman. who was formerly pres
1dent of the club said. Mr.. Frost has
stated the matter in a perfectly clear
me to do more than reiterate his state
ments.
1.-The promise of the Commercial cluo
to pay for the chairs was a legacy to
me when I assumed the presidency Of
the club and is handed down to Mr.
Frost Tt is a matter Of much chagrin
to us that we have been unable to raise
the money. This is the first time any
thing has been attempted by the Com
mercial club when they fell down on the
undertaking. The city could well as
sumo the debt and in the payment of
the 81, 600 still due the amount per capita
would hardly be noticeable
Mr.. Wilder said that he did not come
to the meeting to make a speech and
that he had no interest in the affair 9TH
er than that It was an undertaking Of
the club and he felt that under ordinary
circumstances a promise once given
should be kept even by the Commercial
club But" he said, the agreement of
the Commercial club to furnish the
seats was in the first place in noWise a
proper undertaking for the club The
club had no spare funds Tt also has to
father so many interests that it is with
difficulty that it is able to maintain it.
self The seating of the Auditorium is
Of public benefit and it is no more than
Il Tlght and proper for the CITY to as
sumo the debt. There now ONLY remains
due on the seats the sum Of 81 O9S 49, .
Councilman Snattinger moved that
the city assume the debt. Several coun-
cilmen jumped to their feet to second
the motion. The measure passed unan-
imOusly.
ADVERTISING SCHEMES MUST BE
LICENSED.
The license tax ordinance passed the
council last night. The license tax i'm
poses a license of 800 per annum pay
able IN advance on all persons soliciting
advertisements in the city of Topeka fol.
other persons to be printed on cards.
dodgers, handbills, posters, mans.
pamphlets, or books for distribution in
business houses or in private residences
4 The violation OF this ordinance il nm
ishable by a fine of not less than $40 or
more than $500.
WANT PAVING Law TO STAND
Inc council instructed the MAYOR and
! city attorney to work to the end that
the repeating clause be stricken from
the Dill now pending in the legislature
44ntroduced by the representative from
kansas City allowing the CITY of Kan
sas City certain privileges in ordering
paving done. The present law is a very
SATISFACTORY one to the city of Topeka
ana II Is desired that the present law be
not repealed.
MINOR MENTION
/ The request of the Modern Woodmen
/ OF America for the use of the Audito-
I rum Tor ball on February IA was
/ granted The WoOdmen expect to use
/ the money derived from this enterprise
| TO pay the expenses of a. team to attend
! the national meeting at St Paul in June.
"A communication was received from
\ the mayor and the city council OF Wich-
/ tia thanking the mayor and city council
4 Of Topeka for the kind and courteous
4 treatment accorded the Wichita people
/ during their visit in this city in attend
7 ance on the Municipal league meetings.
/ The letter said: THE meeting in To-
/ peka last December was unquestionably
the most successful in the history of the
| league, and it is hoped its 1abors were
/ not in vain and that the legislature will
enact into laws the bills approved by
the league
The petition of the residents of the
4 Sixth ward for an electric light at the
I intersection Of Sixth avenue, Willow
street and Elmwood avenue was re-
ferred to the councilmen from the Sixth
ward The petition recites that this is
the highest point on Sixth avenue, and
that it Is five blocks west of the last
/ light. The petition also says THE un-
4 paved street between is the worst in the
city in a wet season, and is sometimes