The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-02-18

put into office buildings, business
houses, structures of a public or semi
public character. John r. Mulvane,
reputed to have been our wealthiest
citizen, was an admirable citizen in
many respects. He built up a great
banking institution here; he fostered
the Wolff Packing company and made
it a great concern; he aided the
Beatrice Creamery company and did
as much as any one man to make it
the greatest creamery in the world.
He did many good things for Topeka,
but of the 100000 of his fortune
there was no provision for many things
which Topeka needs, any one of which
could have been an added monument
to his memory, modern, fireproof
moving picture house, fireproof Of
flee block or modern. fireproof hotel.
He contributed nothing to the one
that is to be built this year and that
was begun during his lifetime. Mr..
Mulvane did a large amount of good
and his memory is revered. but he
left the bulk of his estate to a son,
whose recent loss Topeka now mourns.
There are some other things which
need checking up. AS rule our de-
pots are unattra ctive. and have not
the pleasant surroundings of those in
smaller places. The most attractive
station is that used by our smallest
railroad. the Missouri Pacific. The
Union Pacific station and the Santa Fe
station, both great railways-trunk
lines-are unworthy of the business
Topeka gives them; but here is hoping
for better things when the government
lets go of the railroads! Speed the
day.
What's the matter with Topeka?
The above is not all, and yet this
newspa per is conducted by optimists.
Topeka has probably more good roads
and highways on paper and fewer on
the ground than any such important
community in the United States: but
give us time and We will correct this
thing. We have been building good
roads into and out of Topeka, on
paper, for a generation
We have beautiful parks and play
grounds and charming homes and fine
people. the best on earth, but our state
house grounds, in the heart of the city,
are sites for dandelions and junk. Wit
ness the old iron safe that has dis
figured the plat for two years at the
very entrance to the beautiful state
| capitol.
I don't like to say so. but we have
too many business, or commercial,
slackers.
While the writer would like to have
gone in on the ground floor in that
Elmhurst oil deal at Florence, about
which the papers are printing such
fabulous stories these days, not that
he is greedy for the money, but he
would like to have gotten his hands
on it and used it in helping the new
hotel, building a fireproof opera house
and moving picture structure worthy
| of Topeka's thousands of patrons.
where they could be comfortable and
absolutely safe from fire; an adequate
| taxi service, equipment and housing,
and probably throw in a monument
or two in our parks for Tecumseh,
chief of the Shawnees, or John Brown,
or possibly Myra McHenry; but she is
rot dead yet.
| What's the matter with Topeka?
| Topeka newspapers need more adj
| vertising, not mol to help pay the high
| cost of paper, or for selfish profit, but
| to help our stores do more business.
| Look at the advertising columns of the
! Topeka papers today, this morning
ana evening; scarcely an inch of de-
| partment store advertising on this
| beautiful day almost the opening of
spring. The Kansas City papers are
| full of advertising and they come to
our city, blanket Topeka's trade terri
| tory in Kansas, and draw to Missouri
business and trade which belong to
| Topeka and Kansas. The Topeka
papers are favored with some good ad-
| vertisers, but not to be compared with
| other cities in our class. The advertis-
| ing rates are lower than they ought to
| be, much lower but we can't raise
| them now. The Topeka papers Inust
now depend upon increasing their
volume of business, not by increasing
| their rates. This is an unselfish state
| nent in the interest of Topeka stores
| Big advertisements from the big stores
help trade in all the stores.
| What's the Matter With Them?
| One candidate for mayor says~he is
running on platform of eight hours
| for street car patrons at Eighth and
| Kansas avenue. Every candidate fol
mayor sh ould have those planks in his
platform. Why should women work
nine ten hours and men only eight
| We had a shelter station at Eighth
| and Kansas avenue, an old one to be
| sure. 1t was torn down and nine
tenths of the public thought it was tC
be rebuilt. 1t was not. The public
| was fooled. An expensive under
ground station, fine. convenient. to be
sure, was built. Other cities locate
these comfort stations in the base
ments of corner buildings and have ar
| inexpensive outside entrance-Okla-
| homa City, for instance. 1t was gen.
orally supposed that Topeka would
have neat, tile roof, shelter for street
| car patrons at the point where trans
memorial. but we haven't got it yet
All winter, and during Indictment
| weather for months women and chill
dren have huddled into nearby door
ways, stairways and entrances. Eighth
avenue is a very wide street There is
ample room for neat shelter station
| either on the west side or the east side
of Kansas avenue at Eighth. The
Chamber Of Commerce could aid this
sort of thing, or urge the railway
| company, in view of it's free franchise
to build it or pay part of the expense
of building it. No need to elect q
mayor on those issues
What's the matter with Topeka
! We waste too much time and none!
] on libel suits and other suits brought
by those who violate the city, stat
and national laws for the safe guard