The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-03-28
Active Work on Melan Bridge
Extension Begins.
Grandson of General 'Jim''
Lane in Charge.
GOOD SLOGAN SERMON.
How Excelsior Springs, No.,
Brought in Outside Trade.
Rev. Cole Urges square Deal"
and Civic Improvements.

and Civic Improvements.
Active work on the extension of the
south end of Melan bridge began this
morning. A grandson of the late Sem
ator Jim Lane of the earlv Kansas
border war fame, is in charge. He is
Dan johnson of A. D. johnson & Co.,
of Kansas City.
Under his direction a temporary
wooden structure is being erected to
carry the traffic while the south end
Is torn up for the extension work. 1t
will extend from the west side of the
last span on the south side to about
q hundred feet southwest of the
bridge on Kansas avenue. The con-
struction of this trestle work will oe-
cupy about week. Meanwhile the
street railway will also construct
temporary span to their bridge for
the same purpose. From the. end OF
the bridge two hundred feet back the
extent of the future additional span,
the paving bricks are being stripped.
Fifty men are at work. Mr.. Johnson
thinks that the extension can be fin
ished within five months.
He is a pleasant spoken young man
of "a. and has a winning personality.
He attended the Colorado school of
mines and engineering at Boulder,
Colo He has been in contract work
With his father, A. D. johnson for
merly in the grain business in Kan
sas City. He is an old acquaintance
OF Thomas Page.
In his sermon on the North side slo-
gan Notice North Topeka Now" CIV
en- by Rev. ". I. Cole. pastor of the
North Side Baptist church. last night
10 the members of the Civic club who
attended the church in a body, the
preacher told how the merchants of Ex-
Celsior Springs. Mo. his former pas
turate had increased their outside trade.
He urged the business men of the North
side to do likewise by continuing 10
give every one q square deal. He also
showed how civic improvement would
Graw trade and the best kind of resi-
dents His sermon in a part follows;
Many people say about any PROPOSE
ton: 1t can't he done. 1t is always
the fellow who knows who says that,
hut go ahead and do it anyway.
-Four years ago in Excelsior Springs,
Mo, where l was preaching, there was
very little trade from outside towns.
The place is hemmed in by hills, and
the farmers on the other side of the
-,ills shopped in other towns. Four
young men broke the spell. They had
bought out hardware store, had in
vested their all, in the business For a
L lille it looked Giscouraging for them.
The other hardware sire was doing all
of the local trade. as the owner had
contracts with all the carpenters to
supply them with building material.
Finally at my ugGestion-pardon
personal reference-they rode out to the
farmers and brought their trade to
their store, by making better induce
ments than offered elsewhere. And the
farmers who came to Excelsior Springs
to buy hardware. remained to buy other
/ Kings. business developed so that al
though four years ago only one or two
teams were seen on the streets Satur-
day afternoon. now, by p. m. on Sat |
1rday, every available space is occu- |
pied by a team and wagon.
And this can be done on the North |
side.
Another thing: As 1 can see it, the |
population of the North side will be |
largely be made up of renters. By the |
property owners keeping their houses !
painted, repaired and improved, the |
best class of tenants can be induced |
TO live here. And the better the ten
ants will buy better groceries and dry !
goods. And through the noble efforts |
the Civic club is making I look for |
ward to see a bigger and better North |
Topeka"
The church was beautifully decorated |
with palms, ferns and flowers. One of |
the features of the musical program |
was a solo by Miss Florence Rowe, |
Lift Up Ye Heavenly Gates compos-
ed by W. NJ. VanNess. choir leader.