The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-22
WILL DRAW PLANS
First Action Taken in City Re-
firing Room Matter.
Church Brotherhood Holds Con-
ference With Mayor.
GREEN GIVES IDEAS.
Mayor Would Have Rooms Under
City Parkings.
Plans to Go Before City Council
in a Few Days.

The interest in the retiring room
proposition in Topeka has gained so
much ground during the last few
weeks since an article appearing in
the State Journal that the church or
carnations as we'll as the civic clubs
and societies around the city are tax
ing up. the matter with the originator
of the idea, Mayor William Green.
Not long ago the Brotherhood of
the First Baptist church represented
by Robert Stone, Judge West and
Charles Eldridge called upon the may
or and stated that they had been ap-
pointed by the church members to
look up the matter of placing retiring
rooms in different parts of the bust
ness district of the city.
Their conference with Mayor Green
resulted in a nucleus of the sentiment
in favor of the matter and gave the
first impetus to the accommodation
of the visiting public in Topeka by
the installation of retiring rooms in
the down town portion of the city.
Mayor Green has promised the
brotherhood of the church that ev-
erything possible will be done by the
mayor and council of the city in help
Ing out the movement and giving
Topeka an accommodation that will
fill a long felt need and will relieve a
situation that has made this city
handicapped in the successful carry
ing out of its claims as the "COnven-
ton City of Kansas
The Baptist brotherhood has prom
ised to take up the proposition at
once and at this time the suggestions
offered them by the mayor have been
placed in the hands of architects and
the plans and estimates of placing re-
firing rooms over the city will be
drawn up at once. When drawn up
they will be taken before the city
council by the mayor and presented
to their approval.
Mayor Green's first scheme, as ap-
pearing in the State Journal some
time ago, was to set aside a certain
portion of the alleys in the business
district and construct in these places
concrete OF brick retiring rooms for
the men and women. 1t was planned
| to make these outhouses sanitary
and permanent.
Since studying over the matter, the
mayor has come to the conclusion thai
another scheme would be much more
appropriate and would be far more
practical.
Under the Streets.
| I. is now planned to build four re-
firing rooms along Kansas avenue. One
| at Eighth avenue and Jackson; one a
Seventh and Quincy streets: one a
| Sixth avenue and Jackson. and one
at Fifth and Quincy streets. Two o.
| THESE rooms WOULD De IOE men anl
| two of them for women. OF course
the number of rooms and the situation
all depends upon the cost of thei
construction
The idea of the mayor is to hav,
these rooms down under the parking
| between the sidewalk and the curb
There is a large amount of waste spac,
| in this area on account of the wid'
streets in Topeka and it would be
small matter to excavate down int
these parkings, and construct the re
ltiring room in this place.
The roof of the room would be GOV
Tered with the prism lights that ar
used in the sub-sidewalk space occu
pied by the store rooms of a numbe
of the business houses in the city. Tn
lights would be level with the stree
and would not disfgure or hurt tn
looks of the street or the walk. Tn
rooms would be all cement or bricl
with cement veneer and would be SAM
tary in every respect.
st would be in favor of having
man whose duty it would be to keel
I these rooms in a sanitary condition
wash them every so often with a hos
and see that there is always order am
respect in the vicinity. The city woul,
also offer all police assistance in keep
ing these rooms respectable
The reputation of Topeka as a ICON
vention city, has become national il
it's scope and among the many &C
Communications that are offered and tn
many advantages that are given tn
city could not complete its list withou
| retiring rooms. There is no place II
Topeka where a visitor for a day, tn
ut-of-town shopper or the conven
ton delegate can drop in for retirin,
| purposes. There are no other cite
in Kansas with accommodations of thi
kind and Topeka is planning on taking
the initiative.