The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-01-02
LOOKS BAD INDEED
Plan of Forcing Paving Through
Tennesseetown.
Would Compel Many CoIored
Residents to Sell.
PASSING OF SHANTIES.
Better Glass of CoIored People
Now in This Locality.
Buchanan the First Street City
Hopes to Improve.

A plan is being talked of by which it is
thought that a large portion of what is
now known as ''Tennesseetown' will be
wiped out of existence and its place taken
by white settlers. The scheme amounts
to nothing else than game of freeze
out in which paving contracts will be
the lever which will move the negro set
tiers from their present homes.
1t is proposed to secure paving petitions
for several important streets passing
through Tennesseetown, which will take
in enough blocks outside of the negro set
Element to insure a. majority of signers
for the entire strip. In the face of the
combined opposition of the negro residents
eral streets through there can be paved,
haf f woad the be f6 s4 fon o
the present settlers there 70 retain their
and move to some other locality.
These proposed paving petitions count
who own lots in Tennesseetown and rent
to negro tenants. 1t is claimed that these
gro population to desert that part of town
in order to put themselves in position to
One of the pavement extensions which
an street between Tenth and Thirteenth
There are five blocks in this extension and
it passes through the heart of Tennessee
ing to the city, because it would connect
the pavement already laid on Buchanan
Fifteenth to Twentieth and that which
Will be laid next spring from Thirteenth
to Fifteenth.
town can be paved in the same way it
is figured that nearly the whole district
would be depopulated by the colored cit
liens now living there. The second street
might be either King street or Twelfth
street. running east and west, or Lane or
Lincoln, running north and south.
Indications are that the Buchanan street
pavement is likely to be pushed to an is
sue before long. On this street the city
owns large tract of land right in the
heart 1PnnRSSaaT0NNn where Buchanan
school now stands. This tract would be
of valuable assistance in carrying the pc
tition through.
The six or eight blocks which are known
as Tennesseetown have long been the prin-
cipal negro. settlement of Topeka The
negroes took up their abode there at the
time. of the emigration 80 years ago.
At that time it was out in the country.
Now it is one of the most desirable res
idence portions Of town It is entirely
settlers. Year by year the lines have
been drawing closer around Tennessee
been made on the territory formerly oc-
cupied by the colored people. Many white
families now live where once negro shan
Meantime the negroes themselves have
been improving rapidly. A better class of
houses has been erected and the less de-
toughS'-have either reformed or moved
to other parts of town, where they were
less under public inspection.
There is immense tracts of high land at
the western limits of TenneSSeetown
known as the Metsker tract. This tract
has never been plated or taken into the
city. 1t lies between IOwman Hill and
Washburn college, and but for the fact
that it abuts on Tennesseetown would
doubt have long since been opened up and
Metsl1er tract are afraid that it would be
hard to get good prices for the land
long as Tennesseetown exists in such
close proximity.