The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-09-14
ON new CRUSADE
Commercial Club viii Boom
Good Roads.
Want Highways Leading to
Topeka Improved.
HOLIDAY HAS A PLAN
Would Turn Blddle Greek Into
Lake.
First Big Meeting of Season
Held Tonight.
HOLIDAY HAS A PLAN

An agitation for good roads leading
to Topeka VIII be started by the mem
beers Of the Commercial club this fall
and prosecuted vigort usly, for in the
words Of c. K. Holiday, president, and
Major 7. J. Anderson, secretary of the
club, good roads really mean more for
the general prosperity Of a city like To-
peka, which is the center Of an unusual
ly productive territory than anything
else"
At the first fall meeting OF the Com
merciaI club, which will be held this
evening. among the speakers will be
Frank HuIlum. formerly of Topeka, but
now making his headquarters in New
Orleans. He travels throughout the
country in the interests Of an iron pipe
manufacturing concern. and has become
impressed with the necessity of good
roads as means of increas-
ing the prosperity of city
Mr. Hullum IS in the city today and
has been prevailed upon by Mr.. Holiday
to attend the meeting of the Commercial
club tonight and make a talk on the ne
cessity of good roads. There is no doubt
but Topeka is far behind other cities in
this section Of the country in the mat
ter Of good roads, leading to it and
the Commercial club proposes to start
an agitation which will develop some
sort Of a plan whereby the reads tapping
the city will be improved until they are
as good as any roads in the country
Mr. Holiday also mas an ideae that one
thing which will be OF inmeasurable
benefit to the people of the city primarily
q s 4 place for their amusement, is a lake
of considerable size which will be avails
able for skating in the winter and boat
ing in the summer. Mr.. Holiday says
that such a lake can be created at
minimum expense by the damning Of
Biddle creek to the southwest of the
cemetery. He has the opinion of James
McCabe, the city engineer, that such
scheme is perfectly feasible and that
lake of good proportions could be estab
lished in that territory.
If such a dam was built and such
lake created the people of Parkdale
would offer I'D prayers of thanksgiving.
For every time there is the least bit Of
a good rain Biddle creek goes on ram
page and floods the low lands Of Park
dale Such a dam and lake as has been
suggested would conserve these waters
and stop the periodical overdows in that
section of the city.
Charles F. Curtis. congressman from
the First district, will address the
members of the Commercial club at
their meeting tonight and express some
ideas of his as to steps that ought to
be taken to stimulate the growth of the
city. It is Mr.. Holidays plan to call
on all of those who attend the meeting
TO express their lucas d1Od5 tie Same
line.
Although there has not been a regu-
lar meeting of the Commercial club
since June, its officers have not been
idle during the summer months, IN
looking after the interests of the city on
all sorts Of proposition and it Is their
belief that Topeka is going to enjoy a
greater era of prosperity and substan-
tial growth during the ensuing fall,
winter and spring months than It has
ever experienced
During the summer months the readf-
ness of the members of the club to re-
spond to any call in the interests of
the city, was evidenced when a special
meeting was called which resulted in
the raising Of 81, $50 to make up a diff
ference in the purchase price Of some
land desired by the Santa F'e for the
erection Of It's new shops. After this
money had been raised W. W Webb,
who controlled the land and the Off
Gals of the Santa E'e, were able to set
tie their difference as to its price. and
the money raised by the Commercial
club was not needed to close the deal.
But the spirit in which this money was
raised at a moments notice shows the
activity Of the members Of the Com
mercial club when the interests of To-
peka are at stake on any proposition
and the members Of the club intend to
work harder during the coming months
than ever before for a larger and more
prosperous city.