The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-07-25
North Topeka People Will Save
It to City.
BIG BENEFIT DISTRICT
By This Means Cost Will Be
Merely Nominal.
Beautiful Pleasure Grounds Has
Fallen Into Disuse.

North Topeka will purchase Gar
held park, at a cost of $4,000, and
turn it over to the city free of charge.
The citizens of North Topeka are
going to resurrect Garfield park, To-
peka's historic playground, which for
the past twenty years has been a IA
Vorlte of the park lovers of the CITY.
The proposition has been quietly
worked up among the business men
and property owners on the North side.
purchase price secured from the
Bank of Topeka, the present owner,
and the sentiment for the formation
Of a benefit district of the First ward,
which includes the whole of North
Topeka, is being agitated.
The need of a park on the North
side has long been felt, especially
within the last year or two since which
time Garfield park has been aban-
doned and amusements and interest
diverted out toward Vinewood. But
even with this condition, the ready
accessibility of the place still appeals
and scarcely day passes but there
are picnic parties under the trees of
the North side park.
Lost It's Popularity.
The waning popularity of Garfield
has made itself felt to the business
years past when Topeka held its band
| concerts, its Fourth of July celebra-
t1ons and its Grocers' and Butchers
plcnlcs out in the grove beside the
Soldier, the business men found it
profitable undertaking to encourage as
much of that kind of thing as possible.
1t put dollars in their pockets. The
crowds stopped on the North side and
Dought things. 1t brought out of town
people to that side of the river and
| they made purchases. It was found
to be a. good investment.
But the building of Vinewood park
and the Improbable operation of Gar
| feld under the MarshalTs band direc-
/ ton aided by the flood in 1903 all tend
ed to divert pleasure seekers into new
channels To bring back that old pat
intention of the citizens of North To-
peka. They are willing to spend some
money too to do it. After they have
paid for it they vii turn it over to the
city for management with the under
standing that the board of park COM
missioners will take care of and man
| age it as they do other city parks
The board will have an appropriation
of $4,000 a year, just double what it
| mas mad and there will be sufficient
funds to place the flower beds, the
walks and drives of the place in their
| former beautiful condition before the
| destroying hand of the flood came.
VIII Cost $1.75 Per Lot.
|
faith in itself is shown amply in its
unanimity of feeling that the park must
! be purchased and that they will put
up the cash necessary without calling
on any outside aid or soliciting sub
scriptions from any other part of the
| city. They want to do it all by them
| selves and they are going to do it
right. Though the project has not
been given wide publication all of the
more prominent business men and
| property owners have been made ac-
| Quainted with the terms and have been
| found lined up in its favor. In turn
| they have broached it to others and in
| discussing it they have said without
| exception that not the slightest oppo-
| sition has been suggested. According
| to an approximate estimate made by
| the city engineer there are 4,70O lots
in North Topeka, the purchase price
| of the park is $4,000, making an ap-
proximate cost per lot of about $1.75.
| The cost of making the appraisement
and the publication notice is borne by
| the city.
1t is generally conceded that the
price asked, $4,000, for the park is
reasonable. The deed calls for twenty
acres and of course includes all of the
permanent improvements which have
Eeen made. The permanent improve
ments represent upwards of $1,000
alone.
MarshalI's band expended $4,000 for
the casino. the fence cost $1,000, the
band stand, the settees and booths rep
resent another $1,000, while $1,500
| was expended in the creation of bi-
| cycle race track and grand stand.
| Through weathering action these have
| deprecated in value but their value
today is almost worth half the pur-
| chase price of the park. Included in
| the deed is the ownership of one-half
of Soldier creek.
An Uncertain Career.
| The park has undergone a vicarious
| career;it has had numerous changes of
| fotune and ownership. The Paramore es-
| tate which lost it to the Bank of Topeka
| on a mortgage owned it for a number of
| years. Foreclosure proceedings were in
stituted and the Bank OF Topeka took
| possession of a defaulted mortgage in
| 1897. In the fall of that year Marshalls
| band took possession, giving two mort
cages to the bank aggregating 1898. The
| band retained ownership until the year
| before the flood when the Bank of To-
| peka again took over the property. The
| bandHhad not been able to pay off the
/ mortgage, the receipts from the con-
| certs were not sufficient and all that
| was done was to keep up the taxes, the
| repairs, and the expenditure of consid-
| cradle money in the erection of the
4 casino.
| About four months ago Councilman
| Ryder proposed the scheme of the pur-
| chase of the park to his colleague in
| the council, Councilman Simms AT first
! Mr.. SimmS did not favor the PROPOSE
\ ton but on consideration decided to find
| out the sentiment of the people con-
cerning it. He failed to find any oppo-
sition or encouragement. He was led
| to conclude that it would be a good
| thine'
Councilman Ryder Active.
Since the first conversation Council
i man Ryder has been quietly plugging
| away. securing interviews and encour-
| aging the idea that it would be profit
| able simply as business proposition