The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-03-31
ficatiOns" Near Topeka.
Mass of Stone and Cement
Commands Entire Country.
IT is A MYSTERY TO THEM
Attorney Employed to Look Up
Reason for Works.
Masonry Foundations Part Of
Old School Is RumOr.

w
house, upon a hill commanding all of
Topeka and the surrounding country
there is a '.fort''-a military base need
ing only the mounting of guns to make
it complete. The heavy masonry Is
there, the necessary excavations have
been made and fifteen hundred men
equipped with three-inch guns could
safely entrench themselves and de-
stroy Topeka overnight.
These facts will not surprise army
officers. They already know them and
have been investigating. Within the
last two weeks moro than one army
expert has visited the fort" quietly
and made observations. The fact that
there is something doing in the fort
line developed thru an investigation
that is being made by ]. j. King, To-
peka attorney. He has been looking
up the history of the immense ma
sonry foundations-fou built
of fiVe-foot stone set in solid concrete.
All King has learned is that possibly
the foundations were constructed for
an impractical water plant. Certainly
if that was the purpose it would have
proved impractical for the fort" is
three or four miles from water in any
sufficient quantity.
Ole residents in Topeka late this aft
ernoon say the fort" is simply
foundation of a contemplated Metho-
dist school. At any rate the mystery
has been investigated by army Off
GERS.
1t Covers Road.
a visit to the site of the fort today
disclosed the fact that while it is with
in a quarter of a mile of two roads
the masonry is scarcely visible from
either road; that it is upon an emf
nence that commands Topeka per-
fectly and the further fact that the
only other point in Shawnee county
from which guns could be trained up
on it is Burnett's mound. 1t disclosed
also that behind the excavation and
the masonry is a clump OF evergreens
of various sizes making a perfect
screen for telephone and signal sta
TONS
The excavation runs north and
south, parallel with Topeka It is
about 200 feet long and rs feet wide
with a level floor, deep enough at all
points to hide standing man On the
west side is merely a low stone retain
ing wall above which the ground
slopes away The business end of the
fort, if it is a fort, is all along the east
side, facing Topeka.
In the center on the east side, is
masonry base 80 by 80 feet at least
nine feet high above the floor of the
excavation. How far it goes into the
ground has not been determined This
big base has hollow center AT the
top its different sides are six feet wide
and at the bottom they are twelve feet
wide. There IS a passage way on the
west side leading into the hollow CEN
ter Ammunition stored in the center
would be comparatively safe from
harm.
Six Smaller Bases.
Thanking this big central base are
SIX others of the same height They
are about five feet apart and are
fronted by earthen entertainments. Mil
1tary men, discussing the masonry,
have questioned whether the six small
er bases were intended for mounting
guns or as breastworks 1t is possible
that there are heavier bases buried
under the floor of the excavation
upon which guns might be mounted
behind the stone piers.
There may be some logical explana-
ton for the existence of this big ex-
caVatlon in hill top and the immense
amount of masonry but military men
are interested in it because of similar
layouts found in other parts of the
country since the European war be-
gan They want to know all the facts
about it Their investigation has been
made quietly. The place has been
watched for visitors. The only traces
found in the last two weeks have been
some number eight tracks. They were
found on several occasions
Some of the Investigators have
looked for we'll They have prodded
around in the ground but ii there is
a well it is we'll covered with stone
1t has not been discovered. If it is a
fort or intended ever to be used for
that purpose. there is a well conven-
ienty located, military men say
It's a Perfect Fort
One army officer who visited the
place threw up his hands when he
walked over the brink of the excava-
ton and saw the layout.
Its perfect" he said.
Then he stood on the big stone base
and looked towards Topeka.
Il didn't dream" he said. that
there was a point near Topeka with
such strategic value. With three-inch
guns mounted here an enemy could
blow every window out of the state
house dome and destroy Topeka in
twenty-four hours"
Less Grain Than in 10 Years
XVashing tOn March 31-The ex-