The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-04-29
GIVES HIS REASONS.
Why Norris Gage Opposes Railway
Switch in Gage Park.

Why Norris Gage Opposes Railway
Switch In Gage Park.
Editor State Journal:
have been requested, though the
request was not made directly by the
management of the Topeka Traction
company the right to extend its Eighth
make loop in the park to be used for
turning cars. My reply was that.
neither as one of the grantors of the
park to the city nor as the nearest
heir OF the other grantors have 1 the
right to grant such request and that
the city government has no right or
company or person the use of the park
or any part thereof except for the pur-
poses specifically set forth in the con-
ditional grant which the Gage heirs
made to the city for. certain public
uses. If 1 had the right 1 should GER
tainfy not grant the request.
Ultimately Topeka will be the center
from which will radiate the tracks of
several interurban traction companies.
To permit one company to invade the
park in violation of the terms of the
conditional grant to the city would be
. bad precedent to establish.
l am informed that the trustees OF
Washburn college refused to allow the
traction company the right to use
their grounds for terminal purposes
and W for turning the cars was
then made on the adjacent street At
Vinewood. though the traction COM
pany owned the ground the manage
ment did not invade it to make a loop
but turned the cars on an adjacent
street. They can do the same at Gage
RI Vsnr f0A n
city of Topeka as a trustee to be used
by the citizens of Topeka and vicinity
for park purposes only and am in
formed by my attorneys that any citi-
zen of Topeka or its vicinity at any
time in the future. by appropriate
legal process, can GUST any traction
or other company or person from the
park when it is being invaded or used
for any other purpose than those set
forth in the original grant,
have been severely reprimanded
in q letter received by me from the
manager of the Topeka Traction COM
pany for having appeared in the news
papers on this subject of the invasion
of Gage park.
My excuse for SO doing is that I
fully informed of his or her right In
tithe matter. information which I Sc
cured from competent legal authority
| at some personal expense.
Naturally also, 1 felt much interest
| in the park as one of the other grant
ors and myself have paid out seven
thousand dollars in money in making
! improvements in the park. since we
gave the same to the city, which ex-
penditures have been gratefully ac-
| knowledged by the city authorities
and the public at large.
The Topeka Traction company, now
owned by a wealthy Illinois corpora
| ton. has no rightful claim for special
favors from Topeka. The charter un-
der which it Is operated was granted
when the. city was being run under
the old form of ward city government,
Some of our, wfsest and most public
spirited citizens appeared before the
city council and protested in vain
against some Of its terms. For the
purpose of allaying public suspicion
an apparent concession was made by
the company by the insertion of q pro-
vision which pretended to give the
| city percentage of its earnings when
the same should become excessive. but
| it was SO worded that 1t never has nor
ever can be of value to the city how
ever excessive its earnings may be-
come. Full five cent fare is allowed,
although in many cities of this coun-
| try six, seven. in some cases even eight
| tickets are sold for % cents. much to
| the benefit of laborers, clerks, teach
ers and school children. 1t has been
IOunQ tndC tH1S TcOuCtiOH WHICH 10
only taken advantages of by regular
| patrons stimulates new business which
| in the end equalizes in part il not
| wholly the apparent loss.
| Archie Williams. influenced by a
keen foresight and an interest in the
! welfare of the city, arose from sick
bed to appear before the city council
and thus secured the adoption Of a
provision which permitted interurban
| trolley cars to enter the heart of the
city over the city tracks upon well
understood and equitable terms such
as prevail in other cities but upon fin
al passage this provision mysterfously
disappeared.
| 1 have felt it a duty to aid in pro-
tecting the patrons and owners OF
Gage park from the proposed invasion
by a company so well able to take care
| of itself and also to point to the weap-
on which every citizen has at his CON-
mand to protect the park from any
Improper use Of the same in the fu-
ture.
| NORRIS L. GAGE.