The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-04

THE GRAN C0RNER
State Memorial Building Conn
mission Selects 1t.
Would Have the New Edifice
on This Corner.
THERE is A HITCH.
Owner Will Not Agree to Sell
Property.
Adjournment Taken With Cues.
Adjournment Taken With Cues
ton Up in Air.

The memorial building commission
adjourned last night after deciding by
vote of Ave to two to accept the
George w. Crane corner at Ninth and
Harrison streets In conjunction with
the three adjacent lots which are the
property of John Elliott. But this does
not settle the matter by any means
This property can not be purchased for
the SIS. 900 appropriated by the legisla-
tire for the purpose of buying a site
but the commission decided to check
the matter up to the Commercial club
to furnish the rest of the money neces-
sary An agreement was made with
George w. Crane that he would sub
nit the question of the price to be PAID
for the property to board of arbltra-
ton and this was approved by the com
mission but before the commission ao-
iourned Mr. Crane notified the COM
mission that he would have to with
draw his proposition as his wife would
not consent to a sale of the property
at any price and would not agree TO
accept the report of arbitrators. Nat
urally this left the commission up IN
the air. and an adjournment was Ia
ken subject to the call of the governor
without further action being taken.
It was reported that the question or
a location was to be left to the dlscre-
ton of the Commercial club but this Is
a mistake. 1t was suggested that the
site at Tenth avenue and jackson
street might be secured without the ne
cessity for delay by condemnation pro
ceedings but five members or the COTE
mission headed by Governor Stuops
and Bank Commissioner Dolley refused
| to consider this location for the pullu-
ling 1t was urged that while Irohl-
age of 200 feet could be secured mere
| 1; would be under the shadow of the
state house heating plant and that the
frontage would be on Tenth avenue ~
stead of on the state house square.
George Martin, secretary of the state
h,storical society. and Commander w.
| A Morgan of the G. A. r., argued IN
favor of this site for the reason that
liz might be secured without any delay
land claimed that the fact that the heat
linp n1ant was across the street would
mot damage the building but the other
members were obdurate and said they
would have the Crane corner or none.
If the Crane corner is secured IL mus.
be by condemnation proceedings ana
| this would cause no end of delay while
the question of the price. was threshed
out in the courts. This would propaDly
make the erection of the building I'M
possible before the legislature met
There has been no disposition on the
mart of the people who have property
facing state house square TO raise the
price and the fact is that the amount
aDpropriated is too small to buy a site
such as is necessary for the memorial
building A studied effort has been
made to create the impression that an
effort is being made to hold the state
up' though there is not piece OF prop
ertv of the size required fronting on
state house square that is assessed for
as little as the amount appropriated by
the legislature. The money for the pro-
posed building is part of the 100000
| appropriated by the federal govern
ment to paw old civil war claims and 1t
was hoped that a building might be
erected that would. be a memorial to the
old soldiers as well as a place where
the historical collections might be
housed and preserved The legislature
made the mistake of making too small
an allowance for the purchase OF a site
and there is disposition to saddle
upon Topeka the burden of making up
the deficit Whatever amount is neces-
sary would have to be raised by private
| subscriptions for it is a settled TACT
that the people who own the property
can not be forced to SELF for less than
il is worth
there will be no memorial building
erected until the legislature meets
again and Strengthens out the tangle-
The commission will not accept the
Lincoln school property at Tenth ave
nue. and Jackson street and that seems
to be the only one that. could be Sc
cured without delay and then the ciu-
zens of Topeka would have to raise
something like $1,000 to make up the
amount necessary to purchase 1T in ex-
cess of the $4,000 appropriated by the
legislature.