The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-05-01
- coI-NTRY CLUB.


/ took advantage of it and drove out into
the suburbs and into the country in all
directions A number drove to the Dud-
ley tract south of the city to the pro-
posed. site for the Country club. Others
drove to the Gage tract. the other pro
i posed site for the Country club. Those
who visited both places and inspected
them carefully as to view, conditions
and surroundings could hardly fail to
see the overshadowing advantages or
the Gage tract as a purchase for an
ideal country club place against the
rental OF the other.
The writer spent a large portion OF
the day at these two places, visiting
the Dudley tract twice, driving care
fully over It. and then later driving
iabout on the Gage place. The Dudley
spot Of seventy acres is smooth,
beautiful piece of rolling prairie, barren
! of trees, with a knoll on the western
side commanding a fine view to the
| west and northwest, and north. The
view to the north and northeast is
somewhat obstructed by higher ground
| and to the east by adjacent stables and
sheds The slope of large portion of
| the tract is toward the setting sun. The
! available tract is in the shape of a. let
| ter L and for golf links, owing to the
narrow stretch would require doubling
over almost the same ground. The end
of the Ouinton Heights car line is With
in about four blocks. The City Railway
company asks for its extension bonus
Of $4,000 and a guaranteed business.
The owners of the Dudley tract refuse
to consider the sale of any portion of
their land, even so small as an acre or
two. to provide for club house loca-
1 isrf1
and Kansas avenues is twenty minutes
Those who went up on the Dudley hill
Sunday were probably in the main i'm
pressed with the good general view
from the point, but a number have to-
day expressed their disappointment IN
several respects.
Those who drove over the Gage tract
were impressed with the decided advan-
tages of the latter.
At a meeting of the stockholders of
the club last Thursday the matter OF
1 Changing the location was proposed
with only a few hours notice. There
were about IS present out Of the 225
subscribers. OF those at the meeting,
it is doubtless true that not one-fourth
: of them had visited either of the pro-
posed locations, and consequently were
!, not able to decide from their own per
= sonal view point.
$ one of the objections which is quite
p generally made by the members since
= they have carefully considered the
It general plan is the fact that i large
o amount of money is to be expended
n upon rented ground. The estimated
d expenditure is about $175,0OO. The
e amount Immediately available for i'm
n provements, provided all of the 250
s members paid their 500 each would
T be S25, 700; dues at $24 a year would
i bring in $4,000 annually. or $4,000
?, in twenty-five years.
f To be sure much of this would be
Il for mere maintenance.
S This is a large amount of money to
i spend in improving the property of
s some one else without any provision
whatever for the reversion Of the i'm
t provements at the expiration of tho
A lease. Some of the older members
t have stated: I'm twenty-five years we
Il will be old men; why should we care %
L They forget that many of their in
vestments and actions of the present
10 look forward to the future for the con-
n sideration and happiness of their chill
j dren. The same thought should pre-
= vail in connection with the Country
t club, not selfish present interests alto
gether.
i The offer of Norris L. Gage for the
,. disposal of this tract by sale for $4,000
c covering ninety acres, twenty acres
Y more than would be available on the
!. | Dudley lease, is one of the most
= generous and attractive propositions
q that could be made to the association
il Mr. Gage would not make such g
g. proffer except for a more or less pub
Y lie use. Norris Gage is an estilnable
s public spirited and valuable citizen OF
. Topeka. We must regard him as a
e citizen, although he spends much OF
= the time away from US. His nominal
a home is in Ohio. He is a wide trav-
Y eler, mainly on account of his health
He is vitality interested in Topeka
II looks upon this as one of the mos
% beautiful towns in the entire country
a and he has been practically every
. where. He has shown his cordia
4 feeling in the donation of the Gaze
= park. in his recent liberal gift of 2
= handsome building to the Topeka
Provident association; and in man,
other ways known and unknown &
the general public. His latest offer t.
the Country club is along the sam,
= generous lines that have governed hi,
olner pubic spirited enterprises I
= demands most courteous and careful
= consideration before its positive re
- fusal, if refusal it must be.
Il
The requirement of the Gage ninet,
+ acres for the Country club would abso
+ lutely guarantee the success of tn,
Il organization. It would put in its hand
/ tangible real estate tract which to
- day is worth nearly double the sfir17
. lated option and which will increas
u in value every years. This for man
e ~ 49,, ne u "ilich
d ~ e'sS oYslls cage PARK airead