The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-08
CURRE-TT COMMENT.
Important or Otherwise.

we WONDER WIN II Will CEASE "
be o. lar t. throw obstacles in the
way of neeC ID new buildings in To-
peka. 1t has been popular years,
to the knowledge of this paper. for
members of the Chamber of Com
merce to -''-ow impediments in the
way of Topeka's growth.
This may seem a harsh statement
but it is nevertheless gospel truth.
Everybody can see the VIGOROUSLY bad
hotel condition in this, the capital
city. This paper has been trying for
many years, two years with the North
American people, to induce them to
build a hotel here, commensurate with
the standing and needs of this city.
Yet the Chamber of Commerce has
not yet turned a hand to aid in this
proposition, to which the best people
of Topeka have, as individuals. sub
scribed $165.OOO.
The Chamber of Commerce is
splendid in it's Red Cross work, it's
united war drive, and yesterday, with
great enthusiasm, it decided to raise
$4,000 for a Salvation Army building.
Nothing could exceed the interest and
success of the Chamber of Commerce
in putting over the liberty loan drives
and all war work propositions. Yet,
when it comes to this great CONNER
cia1 proposition, the Chamber of
Commerce does nothing.
The city of Topeka lacks $4,000
of subscribing the 5000. 900. according
to the agreement made by some of it's
individual and most influential citi-
zens. to secure the half million dollar
hotel.
Query. Is there any reason why the
Chamber of Commerce should not
take up this drive for $4,000 and put
it over in Q week or two, and over
subscribe it, IKE the Chamber of Com
merce has helped to over-subscribe
every war proposition? Now we. have
a peace" proposition, a commercial
proposition.
The hotel will be built anyway but
the Chamber of Commerce should get
busy and help; instead of helping, its
members and at least two directors
are holding back and hindering the
work.
One of these two directors is at
tempting to defeat this proposition
and moving heaven and earth to
prevent this new hotel from being
built. for which the site has been
taken over, the excavation completed
and on which work will e resumed
as soon as all danger of freezing is
over.
This will not only be a half million
dollar hotel, but it will. according tc
plans agreed upon last Tuesday al
| Omaha, be a million dollar hotel.
Does the Chamber of Commerce
know of any bigger thing it can dc
now than to secure this $35, 900 i'm.
mediately to make this a million
dollar hotel? The money could bt
raised in a days time if the Chamber
of Commerce would go at it right
| Furthermore, it is not a donation.
| is a per cent preferred stock propo
sition. If a man subscribes $1,000, h,
gets per cent cumulative preferred
stock. The hotel business is profit
| dDIOs IL d real uOlel Is conducted. L
the Chamber of Commerce would hell
this enterprise instead of throwing OBJ
stacles in its way, the hotel would
probably have been under roof today
| In fact, it was first planned to oper
| the hotel to make it available for thi.
session of the legislature; but mem
| bers of the Chamber of Commerce re-
! fused to assist and INSTRUCTED the
! work and the government in the in
| terest of winning the war stopped it.
The North American hotel is backed
| by the Bankers Realty Investment
company of Omaha. This investmen
| company subscribed and paid $500 il
cash to the knights & Ladies of Sc
curity land near and west of Topeka
of Commerce subscribed $500
Thirty-three thousand dollars wa
raised. The writer paid $1,000 of If
That is for the knights & Ladies
great Home west of the city, WHEREOF
is now completed. a handsome fire
proof three-story dormitory, will
slate roof. This is now occupied. Thi
is only one of five more dormitorie
to be erected on the 800 acres of tn
K. & L. of s.
The North American Hotel com
pany. thru the Investment company
announced over year ago, when i
gave this sum of $500, that it hat
come to Topeka to stay and wanted
to take part in subscribing to anything
Z that looked to the welfare and growth
of this city.
L Has the Chamber of Commerce eve
thanked the North American Hote
company? Has the Chamber of Com
merce ever helped to raise singl
dollar for this hotel? Isn't thatsshab
by treatment?
But the Omaha people have S
much confidence in what they believ