The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-03-29
NEED He LAND.
City gsuRciI Must Decide About
Tairteenth Street Park.

THE council meeting Monday night will
be a busy one and viii probably keep
the members until a late hour unless
they adjourn to hear the concert by the
Marine band. There win be great
deal OF routine business and some special
business.
The principal thing which will be con-
sidered. or, at least, which Will be
brought before the council will be the
question relative to the park located be-
tween Thirteenth, Fifteenth, Fillmore
and Clay streets For some time the
establishment Of this park has been
question before the park board and the
city council. The people who live in that
neighborhood decided that they wanted
a park at that location and they raised
money and bought equities on the land.
a mortgage for $4,000 was given by
them and was assumed by the city The
city already OWLS a small part of the
land which is on Thirteenth street and
they have had the street commissioner
fill a deep gully on that part There are
a few lots in TIE tract which are not
under control Of the city and they will
condemn these lots.
The last legislature was not kind to
cities of the first class and passed very
little legislation which was of benefit to
them, but they did pass the bill allowing
cities of the first class to create benefit
districts for park purposes and the city
now proposes to do that in the case of
the park in question.
Thirteenth and Fillmore which belong to
Mr.. Quinton and one lot on the corner
of Fifteenth and Clay which belongs to
the street car company These are the
lots which the city viii condemn. The
street car company is willing to give the
lot they have to the city for the benefit
OF the park, but they can not do SO
without the consent of the stockholders
Of the company It viii be condemned
and viii be assessed so low that 1t will
cost the city very little. The lots be
longing to Mr.. Quinton viii be assessed
at actual value and the city will pay
for them. The street car track cuts both
corners of the park but they have agreed
to move the track SO that it VIII not in
terfere with the park in any way.
The park commission and the people
who live in the neighborhOod are pushing
the matter and all of theicOuncn are in
favor of it, so there IS little danger that
it will not go through. There is some
objection by people who object to the
increase of taxes which the completion
Of the park will cause, but they are in
the minority and the chances seem to
be that the city will get the PARK and
will gradually beautify il.
The benefit district which will be as
sessed for the park fund win be all of
that part of the city lying west OF Kan
sas avenue and south of Tenth street
This is the present talk concerning the
park, but the council may change it.
The complaints will come before the
council and will be heard and consid-
cred either Monday night or Friday
night. The present council is anxious
to complete the deal for the park and
put II in such shape that the park COM
mission can go ahead with its work in
making it a pretty place. The present
council started the deal and as they will
know more of it than the next council
viii, they viii try to rush it through
The entire cost to the city for the big
tract will not be more than S12, 000