The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-30
Topeka Badly in Need of This
Public improvement.
As estate Convention City" Ac-
cOmmOdatiOns Are Needed.
MAYOR WILL HELP.
Green Says City Will Donate
Land and Protection.
Cost Would Be Small Effect
Larger.

II the Commercial club, or some civic
improv- lent association of Topeka will
appropriate the funds, the city officials
will donate for their use the land, and
the accommodations upon which to
construct in this city a series of COM
Portable Retiring rooms.
In speaking of the matter this morn
ing, Mayor William Green stated that
the necessity of a public place of this
kind was growing more important
every day and the number of COM
plants and suggestions that come to
the office of the mayor would prove the
need of such place in Topeka.
At this time there is not one place in
Topeka where visitors or country peo-
pie may retire upon natural impulses.
In the case of men it has been GUS
tomary to make hotels, restaurants and
other public places their re TT. In case
of women there is absolutely no place
where they may feel at liberty to make
known their wants.
During Convention Times.
Topeka is considered the Convention
City of Kansas. Every inducement
possible is offered by the people of the
city to attract state wide conventions
and conventions that Will make the
delegates friends of the city and her
citizens. There have been times when
there were 5000 out of town people here
for a convention of some kind.
In a case of this kind, Topeka has
offered place for toilet purposes.
The hotels are few and far apart. The
restaurants have very slim accommo-
dations and the other public houses
rather restrict their rooms to employees.
In most cases the hotels frown at their
toilet rooms being made public resorts.
Under conditions of this kind pub
lie retiring room for men and one for
women would serve to place Topeka on
a par with any large city in this re-
spect. Modern cities find it impossible
to create enough retiring rooms for
public use and to find the room and
the location is the principal trouble.
In Topeka through the suggestion of
Mayor William Green it is very prob
able that the city government would
promptly furnish the location, the prop
er water connections and the police and
sanitary protection to such a place. A
portion of an alley on any of the main
thoroughfares would gladly be donated
for a cause of this kind.
Mayor Green Would Help
II would do all in my power to help
along such a movement" said Mayor
Green this afternoon. Il am sure that
the city officials and council would also
donate the available and necessary
space for such a series of rooms and it
would be done at once. There are a
number of alleys just off from Kansas
avenue or even next to the streets that
could be altered in such manner that
Topeka has been in need of a public
place of this kind for some time. When
/ think of the hundreds of delegates
who pour into the city every month for
conventions and the hundreds of rural
people / always wonder if something
cannot be done for their accommodate
ton. l could assure the people who
take this matter up that the city could
furnish the land, the sewer service and
the police and sanitary protection and
If 1 am not mistaken the city officials
would do something in financial way
to further the good work"
Cost Would Be Low.
The cost of building such outhouses
would be small. They could be con-
structed of cement and brick and thus
made sanitary in every respect With
the proper location and police protec-
ton they could be made respectable
and would not attract street loafers
and others who make use Of the rail-
way stations.
The matter of such places has been
discussed a. different meetings of clubs
and civic societies but no action has
been taken. With such a volunteer
movement from Mayor Green on the
part of the city it is probable that the
matter will be given close and imme-
diate attention.
Topeka is far behind the times in
public improvements of this kind and
with the growth and increased i'm
portance something must be done.