The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-04
Figur ing on Klein Tract Be-
tween Lake Street and Greek.
WANT MEETING PLACE
Working Men Feel as Though
They Should Get Together.
mo More Personal Freedom, -
Says Councilman Miller.

A park In the Second ward-this is
problem that has been on the city
slate for twenty-five years Further
more it is problem that has re-
ceived some very unsuccessful
answers. But if the present plans are
carried out the sponge can be applied
to the slate and the Second ward will
have their long cherished hobby full
filed.
There is a movement on hand to
establish a real Second ward park-a
park where the 1aboring men of this
district in the city can spend their
Sundays and their evenings and not
find it necessary to dodge "Keep-off-
the-grass" signs and "Keep-on-the-
walk warnings. This proposed park
will be situated at the old Klein park
site between Lake street and the
Shunganunga just north of Third
street.
A park on the east side according to
the wishes of the people will be diff
ferent than anything else in the city.
The Second warderS want something
Notwithstanding more than a
beauty spot and spotless garden.
They want a real playground, a real
resting place and a gathering point
for the people, their friends and
strangers.
| There is a peculiar old fashioned
southern spirit existing in this ward.
The people are of the class who re-
quire and demand a pleasure and a
recreation one day out of the week.
The average laboring man or
mechanic needs this sort of a thing in
his daily work and with the establish
ment of a park in the Second ward he
will get all of these advantages.
It is claimed that the Santa Fe peo-
t.y,lo ms q hard time tn nrOoura
shop men on account of the fact that
Topeka is under the strict adherence
of the .'blue laws It is said that a
iworkingman, wants his freedom one
! day in the week and there are larger
cities where he can get it without the
present restrictions. With a good
park in the east side the shop men
are going to have meeting place on
| Sunday and will not find it necessary
| to resort to the railroad yards or the
| hotels.
| At the present time there are no
| gathering places of any kind in the
Second ward. 1.-THE working man
does not have thing in this ward
Gilman Miller. eff he finally ends up
J at the hotel during a Sunday and as
4 a pastimel engages in game OF check-
ers. the. police come swooping down
1 and makes an arrest l nave seen ar
rests of this kind made and it is an
Injustice to the man who has but one
day in the week to enjoy his personal
| liberty
Proposed Park of % Acres.
| The Klein park site comprises about
| 22 acres. There are two large groves
which could be fitted up in fine shape
for benches and picnic grounds. Then
| there is a large level field we'll adapted
| for playground baseball and football
fields and an athletic field. Near the
| lower end of the tract the ground
| slopes into natural basin. This could
be filled with water and made into a
| beautiful artificial lake There is not
a better place in Topeka for park OF
| this kind. e'akS7fst
/ The people in the Second ward do
] rot want a bunch of cfnder walks
tlue grass trimmed like barber. ex-
pensive plants and shrubbery- They
want lots of shade, plenty of good
heavy hay like grass, good water and
rlenty of room. To find park where
it is not necessary to be on dress pa
| -ade before a person feels right IN
entering, is what they are looking for
and what they have found in this new
| tract.
This park can be purchased at
| $1,000 an acre. This is the price
|