The Topeka state journal., 1919-04-19
National Prohibition Means
Much to Topeka.
Keep a Million Dollars a Year
in Capital City.
HUNDREDS FOR WEEK END"
TOpekans in Altogether Too
Much Business" There.
How a Man Handy With
"Figgers" Figures 1t.

On July, I, when the nation goes
dry, Topeka will start Laying by''
neat little sum yearly that. according
to a man on the street, who picked up
a pencil the other day and began to
"figger." will aggregate a little less
than million dollars a year. Accord
ing to the aforementioned man of fig
ures. this sum is now being spent in
good, hard Topeka-earned money in
Kansas City by Topekans. Kansas
prohibitionists may disagree, with the
statement, for the statisticlan says the
money goes to the Golfers of John
Barleycorn and other expenses con-
nected with a trip to the wet city of
the west but let's go over the figures
they may be interesting, even If they
cannot be proven correct, in dollars
and cents.
Starting the story at the beginning,
as it were, the railroad fare to and
from Kansas City is $4.1S. This
doesn't include parlor car seats, oil
course but the average Topekan start
ing to Kansas City is generally SOBER
So much for railroad fare AT nome,
of course, the crusader to the wicked
city in Missouri would not think or
paying taxicab fare. But in Kansas
City's union station they do. II you
don't believe it, watch 'em IS they step
out the street entrance. Put Gown
rs cents for a taxi uptown rms De-
ing the budget of the average man or
1vonan who goes to Kansas City for
the evening about $1.5O should
cover a dinner with the usual relresh-
ments. Under pressure of the dinner
not to mention the refreshments, the
visitor thinks. 50 isn't too much Tor a
theater seat. Some seats cost less anu
some more. so put down $500 Tor tIlls
is an ION the average propositloll'
Now, Just as the loop hound-tne man
from Grand Rapids or any other place
in Chicagos contributing territory mas
a routine "for the evening"-so does
the Twelfth street moth from Kansas
The Costly Cabaret.
After the show this routine calls
ro,. a cabaret. Good exclusive capa-
rets in kansas City have a rule tnae
food must be ordered win refresh
Inents. If the out of town Vlsl OF 10
initiated he'll buy dimes worm "
notato chips and let it go at that. put
many don't. Anyway, potato chips OF
lobster. it's immaterial, as everything
in the total for cabaret, under present
Drices of stimulants, will run apoue
s5 from IL O'Clock to l a. m. II an
depends on the capacity-not pock-
etbook of the imbiber. II he can
read, the, refreshment list nationally
the price may be kept down, if not
but that's his business. Now comes
the hotel-$35O for q room, single,
isn't bad. if the desk clerk doesn't see
You before you get close to the desk: *
In the morning, breakfast at 70
cents 1t may be rather high for
Topeka breakfast, but this IS h u
put doww the .75 cents.
The initiated may think expenses
would end with a train back home
which is already provided for in this
budget But tho it may, in way, all
thru the expenditures run little items
for tips. hat stand girls, a little some
thing to bring home to the family
that is not food but can be swallowed,
and the dozens-yep, dozens-of other
little things that so many sons and
daughters could tell their pastors
about but don't If this spender is
conservative. yet willing to be sport
a little higher than the tin horn class,
SIS might cover incidentals