The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-09-05
oBERLIN IS IMPROVING.
Two of the New Features. a Modern
Opera House and Electric Lights.

Opera House and Electric Lights.
Oberlin, Kan. Sept 5.-For a town
of such poor railroad conveniences, the
continued wonderful growth of Oberlin
is phenomenal. There isn't an empty
building in the limits While her people
witnessed the construction of no less
than $50 residences and business houses
in the last y months. A live, progress
siVe mayor with city council full of
enterprise behind him, who have at all
times been in sympathy with the pub
lie Improvement. which in conjunction
with an active commercial club COM
posed of the progressive business men,
public sentiment has been aroused so
that the people, one and all, have taken
hold enthusiastically in helping to make
a greater and more beautiful Oberlin,
the queen city OF the Sappa valley.
Oberlin today has close to 1000 popu-
lation. It must be remembered the
town is the terminus of stub line OF
the B. & NJ. railroad, which branches
off the main line at Republican City,
Neb. And if the town gets all the rail-
roads surveyed, chartered and project
ed, Oberlin will be the railroad center
of northwest Kansas.
Among the many attractions which
the people of Oberlin boast. is her dur
/ a BILE cement sidewalks and the famous
new hotel, named the Benton-Smith,
4 one of the largest and most modern
west of Topeka. To complete and fur
nish this new hotel entailed a cost close
{ on 10 4ED,UDU. w. l.. EuDdnk Is the pro-
prietor. Nothing was left undone by the
owners of this hotel to make it modern
! and frst-class in every detail.
Work is progressing on the new
modern opera house, which will cost
/ not less than $4,000. The Decatur
high school building will be another
valuable improvement for Oberlin. It
is being built at a cost of about $20,-
600. At the State university, Wash
burn, Ottawa, Baker and other col
/ leges there will be found the young
men and women of Oberlin and De-
catur county in large numbers They
rank we'll in their classes, and are liv-
ing witnesses to the first class educa-
tional standard of Decatur county.
| With the fine new opera house, which
| will have a seating capacity for more
than 500 people. and the high school,
now in course of erection, where grad
yates from which are admitted to any
college in the state, are improvements
any city may well be proud of.
Oberlin is also installing an electric
light plant in connection with the city
waterworks at a cost of $4,000. The
same boiler used in pumping water fol
the city will be used to furnish cleo
trio lights as we'll as the heat which
will be used to warm the opera house
And after all. be it to the credit OF
Oberlin people, it is said all these new
public improvements, together with
the modern residences completed anC
in course of erection during the las
twelve months, are being built with
out the aid of borrowed money! Mer
of money from Oberlin and Decatur
; county who have accumulated theii
money by years of toll and successful
business investments are doing this
Nor is this all: the records show tina
only a few mortgages are being re
: corded in Decatur county.
Trade has always been good il
| Oberlin Fewer business failures hav
been reported than in many places
and business men are unusually pros
porous and report a large increase il