The New Student's Reference Work/Topeka, Kas.

Tope′ka, Kas., capital of the state and county-seat of Shawnee County, is built on both sides of Kansas River, 67 miles west from Kansas City and 300 from St. Louis. The surrounding country is a rich, rolling prairie. It is a large milling-center, and has manufactures with a yearly output of $10,000,000. It also is an important railroad and distributing point, being served by the Santa Fé, Rock Island and Union Pacific main lines and a branch of the Missouri Pacific. It has electric street-railroads, broad streets and handsome churches and buildings. Among the public buildings are the capitol, United States government building and the state asylum for the insane. Besides these Topeka has two handsome buildings belonging to the Y. M. C. A., and the railroad Y. M. C. A., a splendid auditorium and 71 churches. The free public library has 10,000 volumes, the Kansas Historical Society library 40,000 volumes, and the state library 28,000 volumes. The public-school system is excellent and includes high and manual-training schools, while among its schools of higher learning are Washburn College (Cong.), founded in 1865, having 720 students; an Episcopal college for women; and a Roman Catholic seminary. Topeka was settled in 1854, and became the capital in 1861. The city owns the electric street-lighting plant and its water-works, while the Topeka Edison Company furnishes light, power and heat for commercial and domestic uses. Topeka is also supplied with natural gas, which is distributed for domestic and manufacturing uses. Population 43,684.