The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-01-26
Camp Funston To Have a Real
Great White Way.
Theaters, Shops, Cafes and
Amusement CenterS.
WILL ATTRACT SOLDIER BOYS
Entertainment and Chances for
Trade and Pleasure.
Including an Arcade With
'Fifty-TwO Booths.

The wholesome pleasures of city life
have not been available to the thou
sands of soldiers. in training at Camp
Funston. Inasmuch as it had not been
considered advisable to locate Camp
Funston near a city,. it has been de-
cided TO bring the city to Camp Fun
| ston. In the heart of the camp, easily
accessible to the greater section OF
the quarters of the men, there is build
ing the newst Kansas city, the Zone.
It is true that the new city will not
be administered under the plan of
Kansas municipalities, but the author
ity for the well being of the Zone will
not be lacking. The Zone has city
| hall but it is a city hall without a
politician. The administrative officer
who corresponds to the city mayor is
Lieut.. D. B. Foster, head of the de-
partment of camp 'amusements and
activities. Under Lieutenant Foster,
whose office directly superintends the
development of the Zone, there is
springing to life, almost by magic,
boulevard whose shops and conces-
sions will suffice the better nature
and necessities of every soldier. NO
longer the long, drab evenings of mo-
notonous barrack life spent in bunk
fatigue. The Zone will find a direct
response in the hearts of normal, red
blooded men whose craving for other
associations is natural result of ardu-
Gus hours on duty. Within thirty days
it is believed that the Zone will be
running.,fu swing. its cafes, shops
and theaters thronged with soldiers,
pleasure bent.
The Zone is city that is different.
Yet its type of architecture is uni
form. 1t follows closely the usual
Worlds fair style. At the present time
licenses have been granted to 101 con-
cessionists, but the number of places
doing business will be considerable in
excess of this figure, since there are
many individual firms that will oper-
huge arcade alone, will house fifty
two booths. This building in itself
will combine every conceivable kind
eff shop. Finished off in cream with
dark panelings, it is an attractive
place. indeed. All of the buildings are
to be erected by private individuals
and firms. Immediately upon their
completion and occupancy they auto
matically become the property of the
United States government By the
terms of the contract they are leased
under a five-year clause, which, if de-
sired, may begextended- The govern !
ment is protected in its arrangement
with it's lessees. Should any firm or
best interests of the soldier body, the
contract with such firm may be can
celed.
Many widely known firms have
taken advantage of the opportunities
of trade offered by the Zone to open
branch stores hese. Among these
Wolf Bros. Carl Hirsch & Sons, the
Schneider Arms Co., and the Frank
lin Ice Cream Co. are examples.
Armour & Co. and the Richard But
Ter Produce Co. have plant, here. The
two banks that have been operated by
Kansas City andA Junction City bank
ers> have pooled their interests and
opened for business on the 18th in a
splendid building on the Zone 1t will |
be known as the Army Bank. of Camp
Funston. The new institution has the /
approval of the war department. and
has applied for its charter. K. Wor- |
NELL victim of the late tragedy at |
Camp Funston, now well on the way |
to recovery. will serve as cashier. VIM
Hutting, president of the National Re-
serve bank of Kansas City, is president
and Merritt Jeffries. vice president of
the National Reserve bank of Kansas |
City. is vice president.
Camp Funston soldiers are gratified |
lace Stock company, on the 18th. The
opening bill, Seven Keys to Bald |
Pate Geo. NJ. Cohan's great play.
drew crowded house in spite of the
fact that the show had not been ex-
tensively advertised. The company |
New York City, where it has played
with great favor for long period |
The company features its plays rather
than its artists, but it's leading lady, |
Miss Dana Disboro/ and the leading |
man. Mr.. Harold Doty. have a wide |
circle of admiring patrons in the cities |
in which they have played. The thea
ter is under the house management |
of Maurice jerks. Music is furnished |
by a ladies' orchestra and there are
concerts each evening before the rise
of the curtain. The theater has a |
rf t.
didly arranged. Beautifully iliumined |
and has a we'll appointed stage. The |
Morgan-Wal players will stage |
new play each week, plays that have /
met with wide approval wherever |
billed, many of them ada pied from |
the more poplar works of fiction.
But. soldiers are no different than |
civilians at heart. They like variety /
MackinSon, Donnegan and Dubinsky |
are opening a high class vaudeville 4,
house on the Zone and will feature |
artists from the country's most not
able circuits. A movie theater is also /
on the cards and is expected to open,
shortly Other attractions for the !
recreation of the soldier include pool |
and billiard parlors. shooting galleries
and clean cafes.
1t is we'll known that the national
army enlistment has drawn to the
cclors a host of men who have made
their mark in civilian life The period /
between the ages of = and 8 is that
in which ambitious young men ex-
h-bit the signs of ability. indicative of
a life of promise and useful acti. .ty.
Such young man is Private LOIS Al
Pesman of the Quartermaster's corps,
whose poster Come to the Zone,
Camp Funstons Great White Way" is
to be shortly reproduced in colors.
Private Pesman was employed as a
commercial artist in Kansas City prior
to his Enlistment He has drawn a
number of cartoons that are extremely /
clever.
The Zone has its own individual |
power plant built at a cost of $50, 900. |