The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-29
The DRIVE STANDS
Plan to Vacate 1t Defeated in
City Council.
Will Leave the Beautiful Street
as 1t Is.
SMOOTHING 1T OUT.
Paving Situation Is Simplifled
by Official Action.
Eleven Blocks Are Allowed and
Four Rejected.
SMOOTHING 1T OUT

At its meeting Monday evening, the
city council saved The Drive and
turned down John D. Knox by a unani-
nous vote.
Pretty much all of the male popula-
ton OF Auburndale was present to pro-
test against the plan which Mr.. Knox
had proposed for the vacation of The
Drive, and the substitution for it of an
other street which he proposed to open,
and increase in the width of a third
street to afford more easy communica-
ton throughout that part of town. Mr..
Knox, and his son John D. Knox, jr.,
seemed tc stand alone in their desire
for the elimination of The Drive as the
main thoroughfare of Auburndale.
People who live in Auburndale frankly
denounced the plan as a scheme to de-
fraud property owners out of their
right.. They said that since the city
has taken into it's limits a considerable
tract of land owned by Mr.. Knox ad-
jacent to The Drive, that Mr.. Knox de-
sired to Vacate The Drive so that he
might have a better opportunity to cut
this tract up into city lots, and sell it
of As 1t lies now, it is split in two by
The Drive, and is in bad shape to be
plated as city property.
The Boston Syndicate, which handled
the Auburndale land speculation in
boom days. hired a landscape gardener
cost, it is said. of a great many thous-
and dollars This landscape gardener
planned the streets, and laid out The
Drive. No one win deny that the effect
IS very attractive. Take away The
Drive from AubuTndale" said one OF
the anti-knox speakers last night land
there is nothing left there worth looking
at" This statement will probably i'm
press good many people as being pref
ty close to the truth
It also seems that toror1oI7 Soma fool,
nicality, Mr.. Knox was able to claim
ownership to The Drive and to force the
county, by litigation, to pay him S87s
for the land in that thoroughfare when
Auburndale was still in the country
The fact that Mr.. Knox had been paid
for the land was urged as an argument
by the people living out there, and own
ing property there, as a reason why it
would be unjust now to allow it tC
revert back to Mr.. Knox
It is claimed by Auburndale people
that Mr. Knox tried to railroad his
project through the city council without
letting anybody know what he was try
ing to do. They claim to have discov-
cred what was going on only when tbs
streets and walks committee of the city
council came out there to investigate
the situation.
Councilman George Tincher, who rep
resents that part of the city is out Oh
town, and Councilman Swendson stated
when the Auburndale citizens had told
their story. and Mr.. Knox had told his
that Mr. Tincher's idea was to allow
The Drive to remain as it is until the
people out there are able to agree with
Mr. Knox upon some form of corupro-
mise which would be mutually satisfac-
tory As there seemed to be no possi-
bility of agreement, Councilman Swend-
son moved that the petition for the va
cation of The Drive be rejected. and this
was done witho out a dissenting vote
PAVING SITUATION.
As a result of an hours struggle
with paving petitions last night. ths
city council brought forth much con.