The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-02
d. HI. Huntington VIII Make
New Parking Station.
Tear Down Old Building at
Fifth and Quincy.
LEASE SETS A RECORD HERE
Lessee Can Do Whatever He
Wants With Property.
He May Make Outright Pur-
chase at Any Time.

The three lots, rs Dy 100 feet, at the
southeast corner of Fifth and Quincy
s cts, on which stands one of the
Oldest dwellings in Topeka, has been
leased for ninety ninety years, by D.
H. Huntington of the Topeka Auto
Parts company from Joseph Groll. 315
West Sixth street. The lease was filed
July %. 1919.
Huntington intends to tear down the
present building and erect in its stead
a handsome up-to-date auto filling
station. On the rear of part of the lots
will be established an auto parking
station, the first of its kind in Topeka
Hereafter. instead of owners leaving
their cars standing on the street,
where they are exposed to damage.
liable to theSt, and. are in the way of
traffic, they will be able for a nomi-
nal sum. to keep their machines in
safe and secure place during business
hours.
When a car is parked, its owner
will receive a claim check and the
car will be locked and the key given
returns for his car, he will find it
nicely wiped off. the radiator filled,
and other little attentions given to it,
the cost of all of which is included in
the original fee.
Many Wants Reservations.
Notwithstanding that work has
scarcely commenced on the new en-
terprise, Huntington is already
swamped by applications from promi-
nent business men for the privilege
of having their cars taken care of,
he says.
D. H Huntington deals in new and
second hand parts for automobiles.
and in all kinds of auto accessories.
He also deals in metal junk. His
present place of business, 5O4 Quincy
street, directly south of the above
mentioned lots, is to be thoroly re-
modelled and greatly improved at the
same time as the other improvement
are being carried on. Huntington is
young man. he has lived in Topeka
eight years. For five years he was in
charge of the news stand at the Rock
Island depot. He is a Scottish Rite
Mason, Shriner, and an Elk.
The lease from Groll to Huntington
is said to be the first ninety-nine year
lease ever recorded in Shawnee coun-
ty. The document which covers clever
| closely written pages of legal cap
provides for every possible contin
gency that human foresight can an
ticipate, and the lessee can do any
thing. with the property except t.
transfer the title. He can sell the lease
borrow money on it, mortgage il
build and tear down at his will. Thu
lease is binding on the administrators
executors, assigns, successors and heirs
of both parties for ninety-nine years
Has Right To Purchase.
The lessee has the right to purchase
at any time at price to be agreed
upon by arbitration, he or his heirs
may also renew the lease at its ex-
piration, at a price to be determined
by three arbiters. one chosen by eacl
of the two parties to the contract and
a third chosen by the other two arbi-
ters. The rent is a little more than
$1,000 a year.
The owner of the lots. Joseph Gron
| came to Topeka in 1870, and he and
his wife first saw the property frorl
a window of the Fifth Avenue hotel
then the towns LEADING hostelry, and
Mrs Groll at that time expressed q
strong desire to be the owner of it
Groll did not buy it then but kept his
eye on it, and later got hold of it thru
mortgage that he secured from the
wreck of the John D. Knox bank,
which failed during the middle nine
ties.
The old house standing on the lots
IS one OF the very early Topeka resi-
dences, and stands in what was once
the fashionable part of town. 1t is
built of stone plastered on the outside.
except the kitchen, the walls of which
are of sand brick laid in a curious
wooden frame work. much after the
manner of the old timber and plaster
houses still occasionally seen in Eu-
rope.
Wood Black Walnut.
All of the wood used in the house is
black walnut and probably was sawed
from trees that grew along the Kaw
There are six fair sized rooms, three
upstairs and three down. 1t was said
that a secret passag eway ran from the
cellar OUT some distance to the side
of the hill, thru which the occupants
could escape when the place was at
tackled by Indians. Indications of this
tunnel have recently been discovered.
The allegation that the place was
once a hotel run by a French man is
partially borne out by the discovery
under the wallpaper, of a business card
dated 1888, advertising room and
board at $3.50 per week.
To Be New Wichita Manager?