The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-21
Commissioners and C. of C.
Asleep to .AirpIane Opportunity.
Little Being Done To Provide
a Landing Field.
AUTO DEALERS ARE BOOSTERS
They May Have To Raise
Money Among Themselves.
Big Lawson Company Anxious
To Come to Topeka.

AlthO those who have been pushing
the proposal to raise money for the
rfentaI of a government aviation field
at Topeka have not given up their eff
forts, they announce that little sue
cess is being met with either among
city officials ormembers of the Cham
Der of Commerce: other cities with
the opportunity offered Topeka have
not only provided fields in accordance
with the governmental requirements.
but have started at once to put the
fields into shape for mail plane land
ings. But Topeka Is still tagging and
is being branded as a city far behind
the United States government in pro-
gressiveness.
Both the city commissioners and the
Chamber of Commerce here have wig
gled out of the proposal to put up
$4,000 for the rental of field and as
the matter now stands it seems that
private individuals or associations will
have to come forward and take the
matter in their own hands If anything
is to-be done.
Commissioners Do Nothing.
The city commissioners refused to
provide the money for leasing and
then the Chamber of Commerce un-
dertook to underwrite the costs But
the owner of the Cowles field, the one
designated by Colonel Morrow, refuses
to sell off his dairy herd and turn over
the field unless he Is given a five-year
lease. The Chamber of Commerce so
far has failed to meet his require
ments, and it is not thought that he
will consent to a lease for any shorter
period.
About the only business men who
have shown any desire to help To-
peka get on the airplane map are the
members of the Topeka Automobile
Dealers association. Not only have
they subscribed the. money quota Il
lotted to them to raise money to lease
the Cowles field, but 1t is stated that
if the city commissioners ard MEM
bers of the Chamber of Commerce
continue to block the citys oppor-
tunfy the auto dealers will take the
matter into their own hands and will
raise the money required to get pos
session of the field. In the event this
is done, they will lease the field to the
city for a dollar a year.
City MUST Make Contract.
This will have to be done so that
the city can enter into a contract with
the goyernment-the latte refusing
to do business with private firms or
individuals. In leasing the field to
the city for a dolla ra year the city
would have to agree to keep the field
in condition for flying, but as this
would entail an expense of only about
nifty dollars a year, it is not thought
the city commissioners would allow
such small sum to keep them from
giving the government a field on which
to land mail airplanes.
The Lawson. Aire Line company OF
Milwaukee that will soon establish a
transcontinental air Transportation
service from New York to San Fran
cisco with planes that will carry TWEEN.
ty-six passengers, is still trying tC
find out whether or not Topeka will
be able TO accommodate the big plae.
If they come here. However, no as
surance can be given of this, and un.
less something is done it is very prob.
able that the Lawson people will give
up the idea of making Topeka
stopping point.