The Topeka state journal., 1916-04-08
Time TO AWAKE
TOpekans Are Asleep at the
Switch of Progress.
Must Have New Hotel Accom-
mOdatiOns or Suffer.
MODERN fire. PROOF HOSTELRY
Is One of the Greatest Needs of
Topeka Today.
We Can Get 1t if We but
Loosen Purse Strings.
Humphreys Hotel Company
AbandOns GIen-WOOd.
MODERN FIRE-PROOF HOSTELRY

1t is about time that some of the
wealthy people of this city interested
in Topeka's growth and progress,
awake to the fact that it is up to them
to do something in this capital city
of Kansas, becoming one of the great
est convention cities in the country; to
awake to the situation that we have
got to have a good modern, fireproo<
hotel in this city or we will grow
slowly or stagnate and other cities like
Salina, Wichita and Hutchinson will
go ahead of us.
Wichita already has a prospectus
out and is working for a modern hotel
to cost about 100000 or 100000 all
complete, including land building and
furnishings.
The history of towns of our size and
smaller is that when they get a mod
crn hotel well conducted, the town re-
ceives a wonderful impetus and begins
to take on new life. This is true of
Sacramento, Cal, city very similar
10 Topeka, capital of of the state,
about the same distance from a large
city, San Francisco, and without any
special tourist trade to depend on.
Six years ago, Sacramento had the
same population that Topeka had at
herself, built permanent roads and n
first class, fireproOf hotel She now
has two modern hotels and third one
better than Topeka's best hotel. Sac
ramento now has a population of
from 900 to 10000 and attributes
her great growth. from the time she
awoke to the fact that she had poor
hotels and poor roads and must make
a change in both directions. Stockton,
Cal, a city of about 10000, has had
the same experience.
What Is Needed.
There is not a fireproof hotel in To-
peka; in fact, there is probably not one
in Kansas. Topeka is becoming
great center for conventions and trav-
cling men would stay here longer and
come oftener if we gave them hotel
to their wishes
We are unable. even now, to credit
ably take care of the conventions and
almost weekly gatherings we have. 1t
is all right for instance, to entertain in
private homes the masses of the teach
ers who come here to the big cOnven-
ton, but the teachers of national and
state reputation, the superintendents
and principals of the higher schools of
the state, the members of the faculties
of the colleges and universities, and
the officers of the association want to
stay at a hotel and good one. The
hotel should be the central place of
meeting and the committees should
meet Inere, out tneSe peOple are un-
able to get accommodations in our
present hotels.
The State journal knows this and
knows it is causing complaints. If the
reader wishes to know names and
dates he can be supplied.
We have good hotel men here but
they haven't the buildings in which to
do business. George Morrow of the
Throop is a good hotel keeper; and
there is probably no better hotel man
in the country today than Horace g. 1
Humphreys of the National; he has
spent his life at it and understands
the business, but he can't get the
building. There are probably no bet
ter meals served for the price any,
where than Mr.. Humphreys serves
every day at the National, but he
hasn't the building or the rooms that
travelling people and visitors and home
people want.
Capitalists over the country are be-
ing attracted to the great opportunity |
here for a hotel that is worth while. |
Correspondence has been received !
during the last week from those inter
ested, saying that they will put up
such a real, modern hotel, if Topeka |
will provide, as an evidence of good |
faith one-half of the money needed |
There has been too much money
spent by the people of means in To- |
peka in outside ventures; too much |
going into oil wells and gas of an un-
certain future; into cement plants out
side of our territory; into marble !
quarries in Colorado, into alfalfa and
investments away from this city. when |
there are opportunities waiting here |
at home. Some of our capitalists may
well be content with a home invest |
ment of four or five per cent that |
would beat many of their outside in |
vestments.