The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-04-09
Stronger Than That, 1t Is Diff
ferent, Elmhurst.
From Hills and Clutches to Roll
ing Building Place.
GRADING is FINISHED
Next Week West Twenty Acres
Will Be Ready for Sale.
Transformation Made in One
Short Year Is Remarkable.

Just one year ago a wire fence en-
closed the sixty acres of ground which
is now Elmhurst. The meadow larks
fitted back and forth from that
barbed support to the blue grass welt,
! warbIed an abbreviated medley of
1.-THE Irish Wash Woman" and CYAN
kee Doodle splashed down in the
luscious blue and green, delivered an
encore to the city cows unsolicited as
the sedate bossies buried their noses
in natures nectar.
From COW pasture to the mecca of
suburban homes, where beautiful resi-
dences are being built every day, from
high hills and great gulches 20 feet
of ground, is the transformation of
Elmhurst in one single year.
Yes, that was just one year ago.
There has been a wonderful change
there during that period. Man has
crowded the meadow lark out and now
makes a home and love to his mate,
instead of the bird.
A year ago that SO acres of land
was purchased by N. B. Burge and
his Elmhurst syndicate for $1,000 an
acre. Ten lots to the acre. some of
the lots selling for $500 a number,
brings the value of that land up to
erected on these lots cost not less than
$4,000 each end five to the acre brings
the value of improvements up to 49,
900 per acre. Now add just a little
$4,000 for the lots bare, $4,000 for
the Improvements bring the actual
value of that ground, where the
meadow lark built his home last
spring up to $4,000 per acre. Is that
accomplishment? Is that success? The
lark thinks so and has decided to mi
CRATE across the country to Wichita
and the primitive frontier or possibly
to Hutchinson and hide in the wheat
n a
Yes, and every level headed, appre-
ciative person in Topeka, in Kansas,
in the United States has had his at
tentfon called to Topeka's Elmhurst
and the most aristocratic building
place in the state capital, and has ad-
mitted and admired the TRANSFORMED
ton.
Has it required brains, push and en-
thusiasm {? Listen to the echo or the
dictation of clear conscience. 1t
has.
Last year dirty, filthy slough
posite side, 1t was a dumping ground
for the city n. B. Burge and his
syndicate began working on that very
slough. 1t was cleaned out, then filled
in with the earth taken from the
streets in other parts of Elmhurst and
today the water has been. diverted
down Huntoon street, then on Jewell
and denied the privilege to trespass
has been leveled, the street grade es-
tablished and graded and is the fin
est place in Topeka to erect a home.
Yes, suitable for people instead of
po1lywogs. Wonderful Transformation
that!
The workmen are scattering black
valley soil over the fill today and
man follows sowing grass seed. With
in three weeks, that ugly cash in
mother earth's face will be healed and
even the scar obliterated. Then the
west twenty acres of the Elmhurst
tract will be open and thrown on the
market.
Everyone who has seen Elmhurst is
enthusiastic about the place and if the
big boss will permit me to use it, am
too. Granitoid walks will be laid
on the streets. right to the spot where
the purchaser buys and builds. A
way up high and dry above the re-
mainder of the city, the man who lives
in Elmhurst will come down town to
his work in the morning with more
oxygen and enthusiasm and will find
his wife with a smile in the evening. |
And pardon me again, don't blame |
her.
The filing and grading will all be |
done in Elmhurst next week. Every |
thing will be ready for the home |
builder then. n. B. Burge has not at |
tempted to foist an unfurnished, I'M
finished living abode on the dear peo-
pie, The company has Smoothed out ]