The Topeka state journal., 1903-06-29
over 1000 CAME
st. Joseph Excursion Brought
Many People.
Was Also a Train Load from
Horton.
BIDDLE STOPPED THEM
Wouldn't Let Visitors on Asy-
Ium Grounds.
Said He Feared They Would Ex-
cite the Patients.

Twenty-Five hundred people from
Horton and St. Joseph spent Sunday in
Topeka They came on a special Rock
Island train for the purpose of seeing
the sights of the flooded district of
North Topeka There were two trains
in the excursion. There were really two
excursions as one traiBload came from
ST. Joe and the other from Horton.
There were thirteen cars in the st. Joe
train and nine in the one from Horton.
The two trains pulled into Topeka
about eleven O'Clock sunday morning.
Excursion trains run slowly at best and
the one from 81. Joe had taken snail's
pace all The way. Its occupants were
hot thirsty dusty and tired of sitting
stiu PiHng out of the train they hul-
ried UP the street. winking gaily at
soda fountain and hunting assiduously
for the place with the green blinds.
They found it,
Then for North Topeka. There was
time for "a turn un the North side before
dinner and they took 1T. Needless 10
say the North side left nothing To DE
wished for. 1t fulnlled all the promises
OF the advance notices and proved its-lt
tine most interesting sunday attraction
Topeka has ever been fortunate enough
lO claim From noon until p- nl-
North Topeka resOuuded with the tread
of excursionists' feet Tt had been an
nounced that at 2o'cl0ck the state house
would he thrown open for visitors.
Most of the people took time out to
visit "a lunch house or hotel some mad
their dinner with them and sat down
on the shady places of the state house
ground to empty the shoe boxes GUARDS
inside the building seized the unWary
excursionist and dragged him from eel
lar to- earret in gallant endeaNor 10
max. them enjoy themselves
At o'clock the building was shut so
there mi-ht be no interference With
the rights and privileges Of the regular
Sunday uighters. for whose occupancy
the s1alious porticos of the capitol
huildinr were erected. II is believed
thai ii few unfortunate sightseers were
locked into the building. as muliied
cries from the interior could be heard
from time to time during the night
All who happened to be locked in Will
De shipped home today at state OK
pcnse.
The only untoward occurrence of the
day was the refusal of Mr.. Biddle. who
S. superirtcudent at the state insane
asylum to allow the visitors to wander
Through the asylum grounds Untn
yesterday this place has peen some
thing of park and has been very
pleasant resort. Topeka is especially in
want of parks since the flood. and hes
narklsss .nha ahitants are making use %
every piece of green SOD and hlt on
shade 10 which they can gain access.
Nr. Biddle's refusal to allow the excur-
eiouists 10 wander up and down the
paths through the asylum grounds app
Ieared unkind and unreasonable
He says he did it on the PATIENTS
account. Mr.. Biddle was asked Why
he closed the grounds to the excursion
lists He said.
"The asylum grounds have becoms
such a resort on Sunday afternoons
that / have been forced to close them
up for the sake of the patients Tbs
presence of strangers in the grounds
which are leid out for the use of the
patients of tie institution excited
them. am afraid that I viii have To
keep the grounds closed on Sundays
during the remainder of the summer.
Several hundred people. mostly of the
excursionists, viewed the asylum build
ings from outside the fence and tola
the guards what they thought aboU
the management of the institution for
not letting them get closer. Then thew
went down town and some of the st
joe and Horton people went back to
take another look al North Topeka and
Kill time