The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-02-19
GETTING BETTER
But Real Estate Values in To.
peka Are Low
In Comparison With Those of
Davenport, Iowa.
TAXES MUCH HIGHER
In the Iowa City Than in the
Kansas Capital.
Topeka Values Are Sure to Go
Higher, No Other Way"

few settlers stopped, huddled their
tents together on the sunny west side
of the Mississippi river, on the Iowa
side across from Rock Island, ILL.,, and
called their settlement Davenport.
That was in 1872. Nineteen years
later a townsite company plated out
the prairie on both sides of the Kansas
river about sixty miles from its con-
f1uence with tie Missouri and named
this settlement Topeka.
Davenport with small population,
with fewer industries and less working
capital, yet has real estate values twice
that of Topeka and pays taxes on the
higher valuation and at higher rate
than does Tcreka taxpayers.
Today the Rand-McNally records
for 1909 show the population of Day.
export to be 10000, while that of To-
tistics of course are not up to the last
minute and While both cities have
grown and Topeka shows population
of over $4,000, the records were made
in the same year and will be fair to
both cities.
Davenport, while not the largest city
in Iowa, enjoyes the distinction of be-
ing the leading commercial center of
Iowa. A comparative statement of
some of the most important facts and
features of the two cities have been
arranged which will doubtless interest
every Topeka citizen.
In Davenport the most valuable
business property is located within
three blocks Of the federal building
and is valued at $4,000 a front foot,
exclusive of improvements and exclu-
sive of corner lots. In Topeka, the
highest priced business property will
probably not exceed 5000 a front foot
exclusive of improvements.
In the residence districts in DaUan-
port, property located from five to six
teen blocks from the business center IN
the direction of the city's creates
growth range in values from $40 down
to $50 a front foot. In Topeka, a line
thrown down in any direction, sixteen
blocks from the business center of the
city will find no such property values.
Sixteen blocks to the southwest in The
direction of Topeka'S greatest growth
and the best residence district will land
one in the middle of Elmhurst where
| lots are being sold at $40 to $14 a front
| foot, a price SIS to $40 lower than the
| corresponding location in Davenport.
Taxes based on the full valuation il
| Davenport are 100 per cent higher thar
in Topeka. The rate in the Iowa city
| is $40 on the 800 against s1.56 per S10t
! in Topeka. The most valuable business
property in Davenport is valued an6
assessed at $4,000 front foot against
| 5000 a front foot in Topeka.
| N. B. Burge is the man responsible
for the comparisons here given. He
obtained the information from the
Commercial club of Davenport and the
statistics were approved by two of the
leading real estate firms of the city.
Think of it!' began Mr.. Burge,
Topeka, the capital city of a great
state! With such low real estate val
ues. I'll tell you, Topeka is just
awakening. I have lived in Topeka
| for the past twenty-five years and
until about three years ago and for
fifteen years previous, not hammer
was struck in Topeka. She was just
sliding along. She had been crippled
from the boom days of twenty-five
years ago and is now recovering To-
day she is on her feet and forging to
the front. There will be more build
| ing done in the central business dis
| trict this year than in the past TWEEN
| ty years put all together. The little
hooks and corners of the city have
| been filed in and occupied and there
is but one thing left to do and that
is to go up and property values will
go with you"
| Davenport's real estate values have
| increased and here is list of indus
| tries located there. Three railroads
| a sawmill, agricultural implement
work, glucose factory. foundry, four
flour mills, a horse collar factory and
a machine shop. The Santa Fe, with
| all it's shops and Offices in Topeka is
| a bigger and better institution than
all Davenport's industries taken to-
gether and no mention is made of the
six Touring mills, the packing plant
| automobile factory, bridge works
Icreameries and hundreds of smaller
factories.
/ Is there any doubt as to Topeka's
/ future property values?
|