The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-04-01
commercial Club Is Working in
Interest of Topeka.
Organization Will Push the
NJ Semf-Sentenial Celebration.
AID FOR FACTORIES.
President Kelley of Club Dis
cusses His Pet Plan.
Many New Homes Being Erected
in City.
ID FOR FACTORIES.

When asked what he considered the
greatest asset Topeka possesses, w. ].
Berkowitz, of Kansas City, who recent
ly spoke before 100 of the business men
OF the city, stated in his opinion it
was the live Commercial club. Unfort-
unately there are those who knock on
this organization. but suffice it to say
that the club has accomplished much in
the last two years for Topeka. and ex-
poets to accomplish more in the next
few months.
The state fair management abandon
ed the idea of pushing the semi-centen-
maj event which was proposed by the
FORMER president of the association, J..
w. Going. This was done for the rea-
son that present indications are that
the fair will be so large in itself that
1t will require all the energy which the
secretary and the members of the
board possess. to look after the details,
and 1t was deemed unwise to take on
other responsibilities.
The Commercial club now offers in
an unofhcials way to undertake to man
age this great event which will be
SCHEDULED to take place while the fair
Is in progress.
THE club at an early date said
President ]. Will Kelley today. will
hold a meeting for the purpose of put
ting before the business interests of
the city the matter of arranging a cam
paign for subscriptions to defray the
cqst of a semi-centennial celebration.
1--WE hope to have a fine historical
kpSade each day of the celebration. No
Adeihite plans have been made, in fact
Z fie matter was just brought before me
"a few days ago. Such an event should
bring a great many people to the city.
To Aid Factories.
1.-THE club hopes to devise some
1T So -
tanned in Topeka, and others induced
to come to our city. My idea is to
raise say $4,000 a year for five years
to be used for the purpose Of assist
ing factories.
at would not be the idea to give
the money outright to the factories.
There could be a board of trustees to
handle the money, and this could be
loaned to bridge the enterprises over
the critical periods of their existence.
For example, we could have retained
the Smith Automobile company. Sites
could be bought for factories, which
would pay all taxes and insurance. The
title to the land would be retained by
the board, and If the company proved
q failure the land could at some future
time be given to some more worthy
enterprise.
"The board might hold stock in the
companies temporarily, but this would
be only in the nature of loan The
stocks could be sold at later date.
This is something that it will probably
take a long time to work out. talked
It over with Mr.. Berkowitz and he
considered it ought to be a good plan.
Topeka ought to be a better manufac-
turing city than it is.
This proposition of Harvesting the
Kaw may be great thing for Topeka.
1 believe it was a good move on the
part of the club to ask H. Won Shon,
the noted hydraulic engineer, to come
to Topeka to make an investigation as
TO the possibility of Harvesting the
KaW to advantage for the purpose of
furnishing power for manufacturing
concerns"
The building permits issued in
March in round numbers aggregated
$4,000. OF this amount $4,000 will
be expended in the erection of 81 new
homes. This is an average cost of less
than $4,000 each, but it shows that the
working people of Topeka are de-
handing better homes, and is an in
dication of the rush season which is
predicted this spring by the contrac-
tors.
There has been a great demand for
building sites this week. One repre-
sentative of the Shawnee agency in
tine last few days has himself sold
-ssi,r lots on Wear avenue in Irving
place addition east of the cemetery
from s. Hull to E. Schlecter; four lots
On Sherman avenue in the same ad-
dition to L. M. Sheldon; two lots on
SHERMAN avenue to P. Shafer; two
lots on Sherman avenue to Ella Sha-
FER. six lots on Gilmore avenue in
irving Palce addition to Mrs Samuel
Macferran.