The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-11-28
Chamber of Commerce Wants
Interurban on South Side.
Can Cut Thru Territory Not
Reached by Rail.
PROPOSES STOCK co. HOTEL
Frank WhitmOre Offers to Head
Subscription With $500.
Frank Curry Goes After City
and County Governments.

Granting of a franchise to the Helm
interests to bring their Topeka-Kan-
sas City interurban into Topeka will
undoubtedly play part in the plat
form of the new Chamber of Com
merce. That business men of Topeka
are watching every move of the Helm
interests in the trolley proposition was
evidenced at a group meeting at the
Chamber of Commerce today attend
ed by retail merchants.
While there will be a diversified
opinion regarding the nature of
franchise the city commission should
grant, there seems little doubt that
majority of retailers in Topeka desire
that the interurban run on the south
side of the Kaw river. Also, that it
cut thru territory south of Topeka,
not reached at present by rail j.
Will Kelley, secretary, spoke of the
interurban question as did a number
of others at the group meeting.
In seems that the propositions for
big hotei in Topeka good roads and
web of interurbanS are the most
popular in the minds of business men.
Today, Frank p. Whitmore, man
ager of the w. w. Kimball company,
made a proposition that the promi-
nent business men of Topeka sub
scribe stock for a hotel that will do
the convention city of Kansas credit.
He offered to head the subscription
with $500. S. S. Frank also urged the
building of a hotel.
Many travelling men have called on
me Saturday afternoon and found that
couldn't see them until Monday
morning." said Frank. almost al
ways they tell me that they would go
to Kansas City and stay over Sunday
on accounts of our hotels
The Sunday Exodus.
Frank Curry made the suggestion
that the lack of Sunday amusements.
picture shows and the like might be
one of the causes for the Sunday exc
dus from Topeka on the part of trav-
cling statesmen and others And Curry
also advocated the backing up of a
plan to establish the county govern
ment similar to the present city gov
eminent.
why pay a county treasurer $1,000
a year," he asked. why all this eX-
ira expense of election when the COM
missioners can be vested with power to
appoint men just as competent for less
money"
did you know Governor Capper is
going to make just such a suggestion
to the incoming legislatures" asked
w w. Webb.
Curry also took a "fall'' out of the
city commission form OF government.
He advocated the city manager plan.
only he would have the city manager
elected by the people rather than APP
pointed by a non-salaried commission
why pay commissioner of streets
a big salary to appoint a city engineer
and a street commissioner ?" he asked.
why pay a water commissioner to
appoint superintendent or the water
works." was another question asked
by Curry.
E. F. A. Reinisch urged the build
ing of boulevard in Topeka along the
Kaw river. He told of a pretty drive
planned by him, the ground of which
has in part been volunteered by the
owners. He suggested that the county
commissioners name proposed boule
wards as county highways. Mr.. Rein
isch also pleaded for the acquisition
of Bradbury hill, Twenty-third and
Tyler streets.
"It would be on par with Inspira-
ton Point at Denver ne said.
Commissioner Porter's suggestion
was short but probably met with most
spontaneous approval.
TT won't be long" he said, until
I will ask the Chamber Of Commerce
to aid in establishing a system of free
garbage hauling"
We're with you" they cried.
To Improve Topeka.
At the group meeting of bankers,
real estate men, mortgage loan and
building loan representatives Monday
afternoon, various ideas were brought
Z
| Commerce should do to improve trade
conditions and make Topeka a better
place in which to live.
Among these ideas were: Take bet
ter care of our streets; trim our trees
and provide for the planting of trees
on vacant tracts; improvement of
housing conditions, sewer and water
connections, particularly on the east
side; good roads and a modern hotel
seemed tC be popular desires.
Frank P. MacLennan, of the Kan
sas Reserve State bank, replied to the
two questions as follows:
1. Is there anything which you feel
the Chamber of Commerce might red-
sonably do for the improvement of
trade conditions2 Improve the roads
leading into Topeka from every direc-
ton and to that end urge the coming
legislature to amend the road laws 50
that the burden of expense upon the
property owners adjacent to the high
ways shall be lightened; and ask for
/ the submission of an amendment to
the constitution which will enable the
state to participate in road building"
2. What as suggestion do you be-
lieve the Chamber of Commerce