The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-05-19
TO GIVE $4,000.
President Ripley of Santa Fe
Makes Offer to 7. N. C. A.
VIII Be Used For Construction
Of New Building.
MAKES ONE CONDITION.
1t is That Local Association
Must Get $4,000.
Plans For the New Building Are
Not Definite.
MAKES ONE CONDITION.

President F. P. Ripley Of the Santa
Ee has promised the sum of $4,000 to
the Topeka Railroad z M. c. A. to be
used in the erection Of a new home for
the association, and suitable site for
the same provided $4,000 be raised by
the people Of Topeka. For the site
lease Of fifty years at a rental Of 81
year has been promised.
The officials of the Topeka railroad
Y M. @. A. have been hopeful that such
an offer would be made them and are
confident that the conditional sum
which President Ripley has named will
be raised. They viii set about this part
of the task Of getting the new home at
once and it is probable that in a short
time work on the structure viii be be-
gun The offer which the company
makes is about three times as much as
any that ever went to the association
cause on the Santa Fe system.
Through all the years Of expansion Of
the Santa Fe the Y M. c. A. has car
ried on its work among the men in a
little two story building at the corner OF
Fourth and Adams streets The quar-
ters have been far too email for the
work which the institution was doing,
and the move for a new building comes
especially timely. About month ago
the building caught fire and since it has
been impossible to use the upper floor
promised to ship-lap the burned roof,
thus making temporary provision until
the new building is ready for occu-
pancy.
Plans regarding the size of the new
structure are indefinite, but it is prob
able there win be a building modern in
every way for the use of the men, The
basement win likely be fitted up with
complete bathing and toilet equipment,
tub and shower bath; pair or more
of good shower baths, and swimming
pool. There viii be q wing with a good
gymnasium which also will be used
as a lecture hall The first floor viii
contain attractive reception room. par
1oTs, reading room and library, social
rooms and office. The second and third
floors viii have class rooms for educa-
tional work and dOrmitories.
In the reports Of General Secretary T.
T. PrOut it is shown that in Bible study
alone the association is doing the work
of q Sunday school, having 27 classes
with an average attendance of eight
scholars, the total attendance upon all
sessions for the year from May l. 1901,
to the same time this year being TO-
522.
In educational work the institution
has as many men enrolled as the great
railroad associations in New York or
Philadelphia the former having d
building valued at $225-0OO and the lat
ter $4,000. And as compared with the
organizations of that name in CincIn-
natl and Buffalo the figures of the To
peka association are far in excess
George d. McDil, international Sec
rotary, with headquarters at Omaha, is
I'm town and is assisting General Secre-
tary PrOut in furthering the plans for
the new building. Mr.. McDiu will prob
ably devote considerable of his time to
this work until the details are all in
hand. Mr.. PrOut has had much expe-
rience in raising funds for new build
ings, having done a large part of the
work in connection with the erection OF
the elegant new home which the Ar
gentine association has. He thinks
there win be little difficulty in getting
the required conditional sum
A meeting of the board Of control of
the Y. NJ G. A and the board of trus-
tees of the railroad department of the
Y. M. G. A. was held this morning and a
committee was appointed to take charge
OF the work Of raising the $4,000 that
must be provided by the city to secure a
railroad Y. M. c. A building The com
mittee is composed Of Harold Chase,
Harry Morgan, Jesse Shaw, W. c. Gar
vey, w. G. Boone and Joseph Ost A
meeting Of this committee is called for
tonight to discuss ways and means to
collect the required amount of money
and the plans will be put into execution
at once.