The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-07-09
ARE We ASLEEP?
People Show Lack of Interest
in New Railroad.
A Few Public Spirited Citizens
Hold Meeting.
WHAT 1T ALL MEANS.
New Line of Railroad Just
Within Our Grasp.
Will Lack of Few Dollars De-
feat lit
WHAT 1T ALL MEANS.

The adjourned session of the Topeka
and Southwestern railway mass meet
ing which was held at the Commercial
club rooms last night was anything
/, but success as far as awakening in
terest in the project is concerned
There were two or three reasons for
the apparent lack of interest on the
part of the members of the CONNER
cial club in the meeting but the CLUB
came in for the full share of blame
FOR the lack of interest.
When the meeting was called to or
der half an hour after the opening adj
vertised, Chairman Holiday could
have counted only bakers dozen of
representatives of the Commercial club
not including of course a brace of re-
porters who were there because they
had to be and Colonel G. Washington
jackson who was there for the same
reason. Two or three stragglers came
the speakers who confined most or
their remarks to why doesn't the
Commercial club do something"
Though the affair was called by the
Commercial club as a mass meeting
for the purpose of discussing the To-
peka and Southwestern railway pro-
position there was at no time more
than thirteen mebmers of the club
present Two of the board of nine di-
rectors were present: w. H. Davis and
G. K. Holiday. who are behind the
Topeka and Southwestern project. The
club has been a headless affair since
w. F. Jensen resigned number of
weeks ago.
Vice President Pierce was not pres
ent but he had valid excuse as he
Is exalted ruler of the Elk lodge and
presided at one of the most important
meetings In the history of the order in
this city, last night. Secretary Poole
was present at the meeting but he Is
drawing $50 per month for attending
the meetings of the club and could af-
ford to spend the evening in this way.
The Topeka Commercial club boasts
of a membership of PA and of this
number more than 200 were absent and
those who were present are interestd
financially in the building of the To-
peka and Southwestern railway. The
few who were present and spoke dur
Ing the evening expressed themselves
forcibly on the attitude of the Com
nercial club at a time when the back
ing of such an institution is most
needed.
Raps Commercial Club.
G. w. Crane spoke first and for few
brief seconds confined his remarks to
the Topeka and Southwestern project.
He said: II am sorry that l could not
be present at. the meeting at the roof
that 1t is just as well that l was not
for I would have in all probabilities
made fool of myself.
THE same old faces are here tonight
that / have seen at the meetings from
time to time but no new ons, and 1t Is
new ones we must have IL this road is
to be built. 1t seems to me that there
are interests in Topeka working
against the construction of this road
and IL seems that these same interests
dominate this Commercial club. Your
finance committee has worked faith
fully on this project and as a matter
of necessity has thoroughly investigat-
ed IL from every standpoint and we
have backed it with our money.
II was one of the founders of the
Topeka Commercial club and have al
ways contributed to it and lent it
whatever support could command but
want to say right here that am
about through with it, For some rea-
son IT seems to be dominated by those
who are opposed to building this road.
II seems that in the board of directors
Nc have a number of obstructionists
and the matter should he looked into
and II the club cannot stand for the
interests of the city rather than for
those of corporations or individuals 1t
is time that the organization is dis
banded" t-..-
Mr.. Crosby's Straight Talk.
r. H. Crosby said: ''If the Topeka
Commercial club amounts for anything
and stands for the interests of the city
now Is the time that II should come for
ward and do something to aid in secur-
ing the Topeka e. Southwestern rail-
way which will be worth hundreds of
thousands of dollars to the city. 1t
should either endorse this project and
get behind il or come out hatfooted
and kill it The lack of action is a
disgrace and an outrage and / cannot
help but blush when l think of the
action which has been taken by this
club in letting the matter die for lack
of attention
al F. Richter. who lives at Council
Grove made the statement at a recent
meeting that If we had permitted the
road building to have been commenced
at the other end OF the line that ten
miles of road would have been con-
structed by this time. And that by res
idents of a town of less than 5000.
Think of it.
..The building of this road means the
expenditure of a million and one-half
dollars and yet we are sitting idly by
and allowing our opportunity to slip by
1t will take less money or exertion
than any big thing we have ever at
tempted We raised $4,000 as a dona-
ton to secure property for the Santa
Fre shops, and did 1t with ease and now
we are about to lose this road just for
the lack of paltry $4,000.
Topeka people do not seem to real
ize what this road means to the city
and the great value that it will be and
Ali that we have asked the Commercial
club to do is to bring out the people
so that we can demonstrate to them
that they are not to be gold bricked
and that this is not confidence game.
we want a mass meeting, people to
talk to, so that we can convince them
OF the value of the project but the Com
mercial club has been wet blanket to
the entire proposition from the time it
was first brought before it..
"If this Commercial club wanted to
help this proposition a committee of
bankers could be appointed who would
investigate the proposition and after
finding as we have. that it is all right