The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-03-19
FIELD To THE CITY
Remarkable Transformation of
Old Brooks Homestead.
Waste of Ground Becomes
Beautiful City Property.
MANY NEW HOUSES.
Thirty-twO Have Already Been
Erected.
Sold az Fast as They Were
Completed.

| With the warm spring like days and
the buzz and hum of the carpenter
| tools comes reminder of a perennial
| building boom Topeka is enjoying.
The bright sunshine and seasonal BILE
weather has added impetus to the
construction of business and residence
structures in the city but all through
the winter months there has been an
unusual amount of building in pro-
gress.
1t has been less than a year since
| the WestlaWn addition was placed on
the market and yet in this short space
| of time dreary waste plot of about
| fourteen acres of land has been turned
into one of the finest resident sections
| of the city and thickly dotted with
| homes costing from $4,000 TO $4,000.
This addition is directly east of
Christ's hospital and was formerly
known as the old w. H. Brooks home
stead and was handed down to heirs
and litigation ensuing it failed to de-
velop, but remained a barren tract of
land with the single exception of the
house in which its former owner re-
sided.
1t was in this condition when it was
purchased by George D. Lytle, who
came to Topeka with that purpose in
view year ago this month. AS soon
the fourteen acre tract were COM
pleted Mr.. Lyle commenced his cam
paign for populating that addition to
the city and pursued lines altogether
different from any ever attempted in
Topeka unless Potwin should be noted
as an exception. The tract was SUBJ
divided into 1873 lots. but none of
them were placed on the market I'M
til streets had been surveyed and paw
ed, walks laid, trees planted and lawns
graded and every lot marked so that
the prospective purchaser could know
his exact lines.
Then campaign of advertising was
comm enced which cost Mr.. Lyle in
the neighborhood of IS, 900 and went
to two Topeka daily papers, and a
large electric sign which lighted the
entire neighborhood was placed across
the street car tracks opposite the ad-
dition. One of the STUN bling blocks
encountered by the promoter was
when he attempted to have electric
light wires strung to Westlawn.
The electric light company refused
to set the poles or string the wires
until Mr.. Lyle would enter into a
bond guaranteeing them business
which would warrant the expenditure.
This matter was afterwards adjudicat-
ed without the necessity OF the bond
being executed and today there is but
one house in the entire tract which is
not lighted by electricity.
Contractors were then called in and
Work commenced on the homes SIM
ultaneously with the advertising cam
paign which has been so fruitful of re-
suits for the owner of the tract. The
private improvements made on the
property cost Mr.. Lyle $35. 1000 and
there were $4,000 of public improve
ments made before the first house was
ready for occupancy. This house was
sold before 1T was completed and new
contracts were let for houses in half
dozen lots which were disposed of as
a finished
before.
A lot and one-ha1f of ground or more
f 70 sach s aSd Eng bd the 9ts
has not the money to build, a home is
contracted for by the owner of the lots
purchaser must buy at least a lot and a
half of ground and agree to erect a build
Every house. so far built is as modern
human ingenuity and money can make
or ready to be. The sale of the lots was
rapid and satisfactory to the owner
land ad5oining the original tract on the
northwest and pursued the same meth
DDS with this tract as with the Wood
In the original tract of woodlawn 81
modern houses none of them with less than
months, besides ten houses of the same
description in the annex, nearly every one
owner. It cost ad Mr. LytIe nearly si5o.o00
been sold to their present owners. and
while he has offered to accept part pay
ments for them, there is but $5,117.01 due
the purchase price at this time.
Il consider this a most remarkable
showing said Mr.. Lytle, when one
takes into consideration the fact that 1
have at all times stood ready to take par
tiaI payments the properties. Every
body seems to have the money to pur-
chase the homes that they desire and all
of them demand that the properties must
be modern in every particular. 1 have
not attempted to make anything on the
cost of the construction of the house. for
1 bought the land at a low value and am
satisfied with the profit have made on
the sale of the lots.
Il can not see anything remarkable
about the growth of Westlawn. for the
houses are just the kind that the demand
is the greatest for at this time and are
modern homes in AL that the word con-
veys. Every house is wired for electric
lights and telephones and piped for gas.
and there is but one of them which does
not have electric lights and telephone,
and all of them are using gas for fuel
Westlawn is only sample of the build |
ing boom which is in progress in every
part of Topeka today and which has been
on ali winter whenever the weather con- /