The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-11-05
viii Present Its. Garfield Park
Petition Monday.
Signatures of $50 Tax Payers
Appear on the Paper.
PRICE WILL BE $4,000.
Tax on Each Lot Will Be Very
Small Sum.
To Be Placed in Charge of City
Park Commissioners.

At the meeting of the city council
Monday night a petition will be pre-
scented to the mayor and city council
from the taxpayers of the First ward
asking that the necessary steps be taken
to acquire Garfield park as a public
park for the city, assessing the same to
all the property owners of the First
ward.
A short time ago A. W. Knowles. vice
president of the Bank Of Topeka, adj
dressed q communication to L. A. Ryder,
councilman from the First ward, offer
ing to sell Garfield park, including
everything on the grounds, to the city Of
Topeka for park purposes for the sum
of $4,000.
The State Journal published recently
a full statement of the matter, creating
considerable comment and resulting in
a strong effort on the part of the resi-
dents Of the First ward to secure this
public park A petition has been cir
culated among the taxpayers and will
be formally presented to the city coun-
ell.
Garfield park consists of about twenty
acres of land on Kansas avenue, joining
the city limits on the north A num-
Der of years ago fifteen acres of this
park sold for $1,000. Later the park fell
into the hands of Marshalls Military
band and they expended about $4,000 in
improvements. The people of the First
ward feel that The purchase price OF
SIS, 900 is very reasonable, and they should
have every encOurag cement from the en-
tire city for the efforts they are making
to secure this park for the use of the
public.
The committee which circulated the
petition met with great encourage
ment and they make the statement
that only five of the business men re
fused their signatures and they offered
no violent opposition to the project.
In addition they have secured num-
Der of letters from nonresident tax
payers encouraging the purchase.
In creating a benefit district Of the
entire ward the price per lot on an
average will be small and the cost OF
$4,000 not burdensOme. The lots VIII
be assessed according to valuation,
improvements not included, and from
present indications the time will not
be far distant when the city viii ac-
quire this new park
The petition which will go to the
council is as follows;
1--WE, the undersigned taxpayers of
the First ward of the city of Topeka,
respectfully petition your honorable
body to take the necessary steps to
declare a benefit district of the First
ward. appoint necessary appraisers,
and do all things necessary to acquire
Garfield park as public park to be
decided to the city of Topeka and be
maintained by the city park fund. The
purchase price of said park to be S.
900, to be paid by assessing all prop
erty in the First ward as provided by
law"
Among those who have signed the long
petition which viii go before the council
Monday are the following;
Charles Curtis. ]. B. Belts, John M.
Baird. oscar Krauss, George Young, G.
G. Nicholson, Otto Kuehne, Hanley Bros,
Forbes Bros. i. c. Arnold, SHAWNEE
building and Loan association. J. b.
Marshall. J. J. Schencl1. w. c. Steele,
IT. NJ. Cline. J. II. FOUGHT. D. J. Hath
away. NJ. T Campbell. Willis Norton Co,
Thcs. Page G. w. Petro, H c. Bowen;
J. NJ Wilkerson. John NystrOm. Fred
Buechner. L. A Dolman NJ c. Holman,
L. A Ryder, H. w. Euler. Oscar BischOf.
J. P. Berry, A. Sheetz. d. T. Gabriel II.
NJ Steele. ". s. Bergundthal, A. J.
Brnudft- Erad AInrns and Chas. s Elliott.