The Topeka state journal., 1921-04-27
Ross Crane Sees Wonderful
Possibilities for Topeka.
Less to Undo Here Than in
Amy Town He Has Visited.
BLOW UP THE CITY PRISON"
1t Is Russia-NOthing Could
Be Worse, Crane Says.
Boulevard System of Planning
Body Is Approved.

All parts of Topeka. good and bad,
attractive and sordid, were visited by
the members of the city planning COM
mission this morning. with Ross
Crane, apostle of better homes and ex-
pert city planner. from Chicago. as
special guest of the commission. The
planning board members rode about
the city for three hours to get a COM
prehensive vision of the citys needs as
they might be Supplied thru the func-
tioning of the city planning board.
Topeka is a beautiful city in many
ways" Crane said. I'm many respects
it is not attractive. But it has less to
undo to make it beautiful than almost
anywhere have been" A large part
of his comment on the city was favor
able. but a few times his remarks were
caustic. When the motoring party
concluded its trip by visiting the city
jail, Crane said:
Renovate Jail With Dynamite.
This place should be renovated
with dynamite. 1t is Russia. NO Boil
shevik conditions could be worse"
The squalid bull pen" at the jail,
the dirty and battered police court
room provoked the comment from the
visitor, as well as similar remarks
from members of the planning COM
mission.
Holding up the battered backless.
stand, Crane said:
"A photograph of this should be
taken as proof of the need of better
furniture in Topeka"
The first stop on the party's trip
was at the bridge over the Shunga-
nunga at Lake street.
This is the first place where citi-
zens have been willing to show me the
less attractive part of their city first, -
Crane said.
Eavors the Boulevard
While they were at that point, Crane
became enthusiastic over the planning
boards idea of making a boulevard to
follow the Shunganunga and encircle
the city.
There are marvellous possibilities in
such a project" he said. You have
every natural advantage in making
such a boulevard. Both as a civic
beautifying and as an economic de-
velopment. such a boulevard would
have much value"
THE planning commission believesl
that such a boulevard could be made
into a beauty spot and at the same
time protect the people of the creek
district from the overflow" Robert
Pierce, president of the commission,
told Crane.
would be from the Kansas avenue
bridge over the Kaw, following the
river bank to Martins hill, then to
the East Side. following the Shunga-
nunga to the Sardou bridge thru to
North Topeka. 1t is one of the most
discussed of the proposed projects OF
the commission.
Adopt the '@Topeka Plan
The Topeka plan" came in for
much discussion on the motor trip
Such a plan probably will be made BY
engineers authorized to do SO by the
planning commission. 1t will be a de-
tailed drawing. not of actual condi-
uons, but of ideal conditions for To-
peka, and the endeavor of the plan
ming commission would be to make
the city comply with such specifica-
tions. by both doing and undoing"
in the language of Ross Crane. The
planning commission will not proceed
with any project before such a plan
is made.
THE boulevard along the Shunga-
nunga would be one of the most i'm
portant parts of the Topeka PLAN"
Mayor Corwine said. TT has been
pet idea of the city planning board
since its organization"
Fine Park System.
High compliments came from
Crane when he rode thru Topeka's
"Your park system seems better
balanced than in any city have Wis
tied" he says. Almost every part Of
the city has park. It is interesting
that they are so well scattered and so
accessible. Often parks are confined
to the better residence districts or to
the suburbs.
"Tnis is beautiful" exclaimed the
Chicago srtist-architect as the party
rode thru Gage park. He admired the
landscaping of the park, saying that
it was "cleverly laid OUT
Great" he said. when his attention
was called to the camping ground be-
ing provided on the edge of the park.
Camping grounds in city parks are
an interesting new development that
not many cities have reached"
As the party went. thru Potwin and
other of the attractive residence dis
tricts, Crane said:
A City of Homes
Topeka seems destined to be city
Of homes, and there can be no finer
destination" He praised the many
fine trees and the wide parkings in the
city. He admired Christ's hospital
and Its grounds. and said that Grace
cathedral was one of the finest
churches he had seen.
Ripley park won much favorable
comment. Crane said it was so inn
portant to have such a park in the
Industrial district
q have seen nothing better for the
purpose than Ripley park" he said.
''It shows enlightened management in
establishing city parks"
Tell of Topeka Friday. !
Cranes trip this morning with the
planning commission was preliminary
to the address he will give on Friday
evening at the city auditorium. the
last of his series of the Better Homes