The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-12

An advertising Plan.
"An effort is being made by the club
/ to do away with a lot of promiscuous
advertising. A plan has been adopted
on the recommending of the enter
tatnment committee, and the business
men of the city are urged to try the
should be placed before the people of
the country in attractive and artistic
advertising. and if one-half the money
annually expended IN a hundred and
one other advertising schemes be ex-
pended along the lines suggested by
the committee, it would contribute
very much to our material welfare.
There has already been subscribed
for the carrying out of this plan $780,
this to be under the control of the adj
vertising and entertainment committee
of the club.
Freight Rates.
1.-THE most important work under
taken by the club has been to secure
such freight rates as would enable our
JobbeTs and manufacturers to success
fully compete with the cities on the
Missouri rivers, and while we have not
secured all we asked for, the confer
ence with the traffic officials of the
Santa Fe and Rock Island roads, re-
suited in some concessions of very ma
featuring interests. OF more import
ance than the concessions secured, was
the declaration by Mr.. Morton and his
SubOrdinateS that the roads would pro-
tect the industries already established
In the matter of rates and lend what
ever assistance they could in securing
new industries for the city. The bust
ness men of Topeka fully realize the
importance of the railroads; how great
ly they contribute to our prosperity,
and are loath to resort to extreme
measures to enforce their demands.
preferring to present their grievances
and arguments to the officials and
trusting to their sense of justice and
fairness. to secure what we are justly
entitled to in competition with our
neighbors. We believe that the time is
near at hand when the jobbers and
manufacturers in Topeka will be placed
on an equal footing with Missouri river
points, in the matter of freight rates.
The Northwestern Railroad.
1.-THE organization of the Topeka.
Frankfort & Northwestern railroad
which was promoted by the CONNER
cial club and resulted in voting the
maximum subsidies allowed by law in
between Topeka and Frankfort, was
evidently a prime factor in causing the
Union Pacific to occupy the field. The
building of the road will open up a new
field tributary to Topeka, and it is
hoped that the Union Pacific viii COM
mence active construction in the spring,
if they do not, we are assured that the
local company is in position to bald
the line with the aid of the subsidies
already voted.
"One of the pressing needs of this
city is the building of this line and a
milling in transit rate from points on
the line west of Topeka. The Missouri
Pacific should be asked to include To-
peka in their schedule of milling in
transit rates.
The Council Grove Electric Line.
This project was also fathered by
the Commercial club. Subsidies to the |
amount of $1,000 per mile have been vo-
ted in Auburn and Dover townships of
this county; in all the townships on
the proposed line in Waubaunsee coun- |
ty and an election IS now pending in |
Council Grove and Warren township in
Morris county. Mission township in
this county, ought to help the project |
and failing to do so, an amount equiv
alent to the $500 per mile of line in the
township, ought to be secured by sub
scription. Under the law, the city OF
Topeka is entitled to vote $4,000 for
right of way and terminal facilities and
ought to do it. The road would prove |
of vast benefit to the city Of Topeka. |
The stockholders met in this room last |
night and elected a strong board of d. /
rectors who believe that the project can
be financed and the road built with the
active cooperation of the business men
and the property owners of this city.
Let US as individuals put our
shoulders to the wheel and build the
Council Grove road
Permanent Roads.
THE building of the West Sixth ave-
nue. road has demonstrated that good /
macadam road can be constructed at
cost. The county commits
sioners are to be commended for the |
action they have taken and should be
encouraged in any reasonable effort
they may make to give us permanent
roads, leading from Topeka to all parts
of the county. With good roads Of this
sort and q half block of land secured
by this club on which good sheds are
erected for the protection of farmers
teams from sun and storm and always
free of cost, we believe will
result in an increase in the quantity OF
the produce they will bring to Topeka
and a like increase in the merchandise
they will carry away. Let the Com
mercial club take care of the farmers
trade and make them comfortable
when they come, and they will come
more frequently.
Natural Gas.
Next in importance to the freight
rates is cheap fuel for manufacturing
purposes. It is a foregone conclusion
that natural gas will be piped to Mis-
purposes, and Topeka must have it just
as soon as our neighbors. 1t is hoped
that something definite will result from
the several applications for a franchise,
liberal with any company that will give
as a sufficient supply OF natural gas at
! rate low enough to induce new indus
tries to locate here. It is hoped that
cease until we get the article, either
through a pipe line or the product of
0ur own fields near the city.
The WaterworIxs.
1.-THE contamination of the purchase
IF the plant of the Topeka Water COM
oany by the city, only awaits the per-
lection of the title by the water COM
oany. This club has put itself on rec
ord as favoring a strictly business
mana cement of the works entirely re-
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