The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-11-20
new SPIRIT.
W. j. Rerkowitz of Kansas City
Sounds Keynote
Which Awe kens Topeka to Re-
neWed Action
FOR "A GREATER CITY.
4 Large and EnthuS= astic Gath
ering at Roof Garden.
The State Fair the Vital Pres.
ent Undertaking.

Few people knew that the bright
lights on the roof garden of the Ma
tionaI hotel last night were the bea-
con lights of renewed prosperity in To-
peka-a warning of something newer
and something better.
s The Topeka Jobbers and Manufac-
turers' association met last night and
together with over so invited guests
and an imported speaker for the occa-
sion, the future of the city of Topeka
was moulded. Seldom in the history of
the city has such a civic revival been
held. There We're over 100 of the most
substantial men in Topeka at the BAN
quet last night. Every man left the
hotel after the meeting with a new
spirit and pride for his city.
The banquet was held in the roof
garden of the National-a very appro-
pirate place for the high spirit and as
pirationS of the patriotic citizens. But
there was no hitching a wagon to a
star. Everything done last night was
perfectly rational and even the high
enthusiasm failed to pipe dream the
ideas of the awakened men.
The roof garden was beautifully dec
GRATED for the event with American
flags and autumn natural decorations
of leaves, pumpkins, apples, corn, etc.
In one corner of the garden was huge
key surrounded with the growths of the
season and filed with sparkling cider.
The banquet itself was a well served
five course affair followed by cigars.
Halls ochestra furnished music dur
ing the entire evening. This constitu-
ted the extent of the play" of the
meeting.
The meeting was called to order by
Robert Pierce and with few short
preliminary remarks he introduced
Samuel E. LUX, the chairman of the
Manufacturers association, who gave a
report of the success of the meeting
last summer when merchants from all
over the state of Kansas attended the
three days entertainment given by the
association. Mr.. Lux said in part:
About July 1 Mr.. c. P. Adams be
gan agitating among the jobbers and
manufacturers of this city plan for
entertaining the merchants of Kansas
in order that they might see our city
and become acquainted with US and
our interests. Those to whom Mr.. Ad-
ans impaired his plan were most IA
vorably impressed. A meeting was
called at once, and about 40 of the
iobbers and manufacturers met at a
dinner at the Throop hotel, when Mr..
Adams outlined his plan, which met
with the hearty approval of all assem-
bledSsSAn Organization was perfected,
a committee manned with instructions
to get busy and the dates selected to
hold the Kansas Merchants week were
July ID, 16 and II, concluding our first
Il feel that aside from entertaining
our customers here, that we have made
a most favorable impression upon the
business men of the state at large.
Topeka has had the reputation of be-
ing cold and ungrateful to the citizens
of the smaller towns, and surely this
entertainment we nave given has dis
PEELED much of this feeling. Again,
there were lots of merchants in Kansas
who did not have a very good opinion
of Topeka as a strong jobbing town
and the combination of the fifty job
bers and manufacturers in giving this
Merchants Week, has, in my opinion,