Hammond Times, Volume 4, Number 230, Hammond, Lake County, 29 March 1910 — Page 1

FAIR TODAY AND TOMORROW; , CONTINUED WARM.

THE

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COUNTY-

.VOL. IY.; NO. 230.

HAMMOND, INDIANA, TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 1910.

EDITION

ONE CENT PER COPY.

Walter Bennett of Hammond Butts Head Against Steel Bars in Effort to Take His Life

HIS FOURTH ATTEMPT Would-Be Suicide Had Taken Chloroform Three Times Before.

(Special to The Tianem.) Crown Point, March 29. Red tape which under the present system seems unavoidable so preyed on the weak mind of Walter C. Bennett who is at the county ' jail awaiting his deportment to the insane asylum -that he made a fourth attempt to commit suicide yeserday. Bennett was found in an unconscious condition on the cell floor after having nearly caved in his skull by hurling himself against the wall of the room. " made: three formes attempts. Last Friday Bennett, who was employed as a pressman in the W. B. Con-

key company plant, was adjudged In

sane In, Judge Prest'a court, it having developed that he made three attempts ' to commit suicide by taking1 chloroform, tie had three narrow esoapea, His condifjon of mind was brought, on ' by wBat He believed , to. be. an lacur-

xsmir-m-- -.Jieje .J.

stood alone in the., world, after his sis-

ter in Chicago- had died.' He Is-onlyl

24 years' eld. His condition -was not thought seriou3, but the thought .that he was locked up with prisoners and the fact that he was robbed of is free-

Will Run For Joint Representative

(Continued on page Ave,)

HER

BEAUTIFIES HIS REALTY

Purchases Two Lots on Sheffield Avenue, Which . He Will Convert Into Pretty Park and Aid the City Beautiful Idea.

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Otto Knoerzer, who is regarded as one of the most progressive of the Hammond manufacturers, is about to take a big step in the direction of the realization of the city beautiful ideal. Mr. Knoerzer has Just purchased ten lots fronting on Sheffield avenue, and Just south of Chicago avenue, which are to be converted Into a beautiful little park. The lots are now occupied by a number of cottages, but these are to be moved to ten other lots which Knoerzer has Just purchased on the north side. This is one of the first tangible results of the campaign that has been carried on In the Interests of the city beautiful. That Mr. Knoerzer should take an interest in beautifying his plant even though it Is located next to the railroad tracks Is proof of his public spirit. Conkey Wan First. The first person to take a step in this direction was W. B. Conkey, who came to Hammond several years ago and demonstrated that even a factory building can be made a thing of beauty. The park around his property is one of the most beautiful, from a landscape gardening point of view, in the city of Hammond. Instead of being a detriment to the neighborhood the W. B. Conkey plant actually Is an Improvement. Other manufacturers have followed ult, although they have not gone as far as Conkey did. The Reid-Murdoch people became convinced that the beauty of the surroundings of a factory contributes to the happiness of the employes and laid out a broad lawn. The grounds In the vicinity of this plant, however, are sadly in need of the atr (Continued on Pag: Two.)

VJ.f ' k I

CR

T

TO HIT CITY'S FOCAL POINT

The first Gary and Interurban car to make the trip to the corner of Sibley

and Hohman streets from Gary did so

this morning and the Hammond business men who were down to their places of business early enough witnessed the maiden trip of the car over that last few hundred feet of track to Its destination. . -,"'"'. Although that last few hundred feet of track may not seem important It cost over J10.000 to build it. The railroad crossings alone cost . $5, 000. The completion of the Gary and Interurban line marks an epoch lri the Interurban" develorjment of the rltv of

ifammond. It has resutled in almost

an immediate increase of business activity along the Tine of the new electric line. Many Hammond people : say It points to the necessity of encouraging the city council to put through other traction projects that are now on tap.

H. E. GRANGER.

mm

Hammond, Whiting & East Chicago ' Street Railway Co. Will Double Track State St.; Plans for Giving People Better Service.

The Hammond. Whiting & East Chicago Electric railway is becoming- very active in this region. Manager Green stated today that work will begin at once on the double-tracking of State street.. The company will not only double track the street, but it will pave it with brick to a width of sixteen feet. This will greatly reduce the cost of paving the street from Oakley avenue to Calumet avenue. State street is to become the most important strip of track on the whole Hammond, Whiting & East Chicago system. The two junction points of the line will be the corners of State street and Calumet avenue and the corners of State and Hobman streets. At State street and Calumet avenue on branch goes north to One Hundred and Fiftieth street and on to Eaat Chicago, and another branch is proposed, which will go east to the Standard Steel Car district and thence to East Chicago and Indiana Harbor under the Gibson hump. IilernrbiB Center. At the corners of Stateand Hohman streets there will be three important branches. One will go north to Robertsdale and on to South Chicago and Chicago, another will go west to Harvey and the third will go south to the Standard Steel Car company's west gate. Thus is will be seen that State street Is really ta be the trunk line of the company and will gather In the traffic from the branches which spread out like a fan at Calumet avenue and State and Hohman and State streets. That Is why the decision to double track has been made. The Hammond, Whiting & East Chicago people are now at work securing the frontage rights from the people of West Hammond along the streets that are to be occupied by the (Continued on pave five.) .

H OPPOSE ANNEXATION

Association of Hammond Business Men Take Steps to Fight East Chicago's ' Plan to Amalgamate the North Township Cities.

I. BECKER EXPLAINS STANDING

In an Authorized Interview IWith Times, Hammonds Mayor Explains His Position in Regard to the Question of Annexation.

GARY ELKS PLAti MCE MEETING

The Gary Elks will hold their regular meeting tonight and make preparations for their next meeting on April 4th at which time four candidates will be Initiated. , The local order Is now In a flourishing condition, seven new applications being received. J ' Next Tuesday night' District Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler, Worth W. Pepple will be present and , will assist in the installation of officers. After the Installation, the four candidates will be initiated. A buffet luncheon will be served at the close of the ceremonies.

GARY TAKES

TulE 0

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So as Not to Slight Whiting Gary's Council Meets Last Night and Annexes That Classic Vale

Supreme Court Justice Who Passes Away on Eve of Important Decisions by Tribunal

The Hammond Business Me'n's'Asso-

ettft -: IS -andTODTedryoppBed ter"a4

Jiexation.' It is equally true that rt undoubtedly favors amalgamation. The difference is in the method.- : At the meeting last night there were nl divergent views on the matter."' The vote on the question was unanimous. The opposition was general, and the association took steps to fight the proposition In the present form.- Its members will aid in the circulation of the remonstrance. The principal fact that was developed last evening is that Judge John H. GI1lett, who is representing the city of Hammond, has advised that no steps be taken to secure signatures on the remonstrance until the annexing ordinance has been published the required length of time. ' This means that nothing will be done, except to take the preliminary steps, until the two weeks of the publication of the ordinance has expired. Then there will be the greatest scramble for signatures that the city has ever known. Opposition Was Strong. The meeting last evening was attended by practically . all of the city officials and the mayor's appointees, excepting the councilmen. There were a large number of manufacturers and business men present. Every person called upon to speak was opposed to the action that was taken by the city of East Chicago, until after the vote on the question had been taken, when remarks were heard from those who are supposed to have views in favor of annexation. Had the debate not been so one-sided it is probable that the members of the

j association would have voted against

annexation. President John E. McGarry explained that Mayor A. G. Schlieker of East Chicago had not been asked to be present for the reason that only" members of the association were invited to the meeting, and that

(Continued on page 2.)

SPECIAL

lEHIG" OF

COUNCIL

I THE TIMES below gives the expression and opinion of the questions

of annexation and amalgamation as;

neid by Mayor Lawrence Becker of Hammond and given this paper la an authorised interview. (By Mayor Lawrence Becker.) "Where do I stand on the questions of amalgamation and annexation? "To begin with I am for amalgamation In a modified sense and at the proper time. I am decidedly against annexation by either East Chicago or Gary, according to the procedure adopted by either of the cities. An inquiry Into the motive for this position reveals a firm belief on my part that the"

law under which the annexation proceedings have been started is unconstitutional and, furthermore, to use a common parlance, I think that Hammond ought not to play second fiddle to any of the cities in the region. Says It Isn't Constitutional. "In the ttrst place I do not think that the sections of the law under which East Chicago and Gary are attempting to annex the different cities are constitutional. These sections of the cities' and towns' law are the provisions which were in the Indianapolis charter on. which the cities' and towns' law Is based. Indianapolis had these sections -put ,Jnto Us charter for the

yuitiuwi ui -4ioexins - several, email Us, bet that citjr never made "ijsa -of these provisions as far as I know. There is another section in the cities' and towns' law which provides that the question of the union of two or more cities can be arranged by the common councils of such cities entering Into an agreement as to a union and then such agreement must be submitted to a vote of the legal voters of each city, and if a majority of the voters In each city vote In favor of such union then such cities are consolidated. Notice of such agreement must be riven twenty days before such election. But the city of East Chicago Is not proceeding under this section. If the officials of East Chicago had had any desire to be fair and not take snap Judgment on the citizens of Hammond they would have Invited the common council of the city of Hammond to meet with them for the purpose of considering such agreement." Opposed to the Union. "Aire you unalterably opposed to a union with the city of East Chicago?" Mayor Becker was asked. "At this time, under the present law, I am opposed to uniting with the city of East Chicago for the debts of the city of East Chicago would become debts of the consolidated city as well as Its property, and the territory, comC Continued on page five.)

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CONFERENCE this mm

Gary Doesn't Want Any of Cities Annexed, But Intends to Protect Self.

Notice has been received by all of; the members of the Hammond city; council of a meeting to be held this evening. Most of them are wondering1 what the meeting Is to be held for. One of the councilmen said today: "I should think that they would let .us In! on this matter before they call a meeting. I am not disposed to go up and do the bidding of the crowd who called this meeting if they do not think that It Is worth while to let me in on what they are going to do." There Is considerable speculation as to what the meeting is called for, and there have been several suggestions that perhaps the Hammond city council proposes to annex the rest of the state of Indiana. '

Another Record Broken

U During the week extending from March 21 to March 26, 1909, THE TIMES printed advertising to the amount of

J During the week extending from March 21 to March 26, 1910, THE TIMES printed advertising to the

amount of.

In other words the increase in the corresponding week in one year

amounted to. ..

One week 1909

2022 inches

Corresponding week 1910

3557 inches

GAIN

1535

inches

tfDoes it mean anything?

In order that the city might be made still more imprevious to the attack of the dread disease "annexitis" the city of Gary further fortified themselves against the malady last night by gobbling up Whiting, this territory being contiguous by virtue of the annexing of East Chicago. After having viewed their work ot expansion, yesterday rnornln with, some degree of satisfaction, the city fathers found that Gary was still not Idimune from being swallowed up together with all of the newly acquired suburbs by insignificant Whiting. This made it necessary for the steel city to reach out its paternal hand and gather this prospering city within its fold. The city council wijl.have It distinctly understood that the fatluf to annex Whiting at the special meeting yesterday moraine was not Intend'

s a slight to' the.. oil city..f -

Washington, D. C, March 29. David Josiah Brewer, associate Justice ot the supreme court of the United States, died last night at 10:30 o'clock. as the result of a stroke of apoplexy. His death followed.;.within a , minute or two, before he could be carried to his bed. Mrs. Brewer was with him when the end, ame. Justice Brewer was 73 years old. Although he had not been" feeling welLfor.the last few days, the aged jurist was. up and out yesterday and apparently in the best of health and spirits. He was In equally good spirits at dinner and spent the evening reading. Justice ' Brewer essentially was a western man, and his sympathies were ' always' with the west. He dealt largely 'with railroad corporations, and. Indeed, with corporations generally. The death of Justice Brewer removes any possibility, of a deadlock 'of . the supreme court in the decision of the Standard Oil' and Tobacco trust' cases. These cases, will be decided now by a court of seven Justices, and the nearest to a division that is possible will be a vote of '4 t 3. On account of the continued Illness of Justice Moody, who has not sat with the courtIor nearly a year, atled vote of the eight remaining-members of the tribunal was possible. There has been considerable speculation upon this contingency ever

since it became apparent that eight Justices would pass upon the big cases. " -

trust

CHANGES

PENDING AT PRESENT

Several deals are pending which will result In a general shift in the business district of the city of Hammond. William Eisner ha3 rented the new busienss block which has just been completed by Louis Roth. The Wecatur restaurant has rented Eisner's old place, where much larger quarters will be available, and Matthias Boney has rented the place which Is now occupied by the Wecater. Extensive changes will be made In all of these places, and the business district will be improved and made much more up-to-date as a result. Matthias Boney says that he Is going to put in one of the best buffets In the cltj', and he expects to do a good business In his new location.

1 T'llSI nfTf Tlf r .... ., , , lAii. night when the clerk begus. Jt red., another annexation-; ordinance, with its incomprehensible . description of boundary lines. wagers, were quickly made up among: , the spectators as to whether the territory -about to be brought within the corporate limit. was Chesterton. Hobart or Michigan City, It never having dawned upon them that there was still some territory between Gary and the state line that had not been taken In. ' With the least possible exertion th council leaned back in their chairs and calmly ad3ed 10,000 people to the population of Oary. It reminded one of J.

(Continued . on Page Five.)

In the neighborhood of two thousand tickets have been sold, and while the proceeds are destined as a nest egg for the policeman's fund, the officers will spare no money to make' the affair complete. The hall will be lavishly decorated and special attention will be given to the comforts of the ladies. The Indications are that there will be an enormous crowd at the ball.

BREWERY MPffl

BUILDING

POLICE WILL DANCE TONIGHT

The atar, the emblem of the policeman,will decorate the entrance to the Hammond Athletic clubrooms tomor

row night for the big annual ball. A five-foot electric sign has-been made

purposely, for the occasion and will be j sites in -Hammond and will soon be

the landmark for guests at the balL.- J brewing beer here.

Now that the brewery of the Hammond Brewing company Is completed the contracts have been let for the construction of several other buildings which will make the plant . of this company in Hammond one of the most complete In the countryThe contract has been let to Contractor J. H. McClay for the construc

tion of a bottling house, 40x120 feet in size. This building will be of brick and will have a high basement, which will make it practically two stories high. A barn -with a capacity of twenty stalls will also be built. The dimensions of the barn will be 50x100. A new office, one story high and 20x30 feet in dimensions Is also to be built at once. . . The cost of the new buildings is to be $10,000. The Hammond Brewing company is securing several new saloon

GlIEHSIfJ. DfSCUSSiOfl

(Special to Tub Times.) East Chicago, March 29. Representative citizens from Gary and East Chicago met by appointment In the city hall here this morning and talked annexation. In a spirit of good natured rivalry each delegation applied , the pump hut little Information was given out by either side. The session which lasted about an hour adjourned at eleven o'clock, after arrangements had been made to get together again In the near future. The Gary delegation was composed of Mayor Thomas E. Knotts, Councilmen W. F. Feuer, Ralph Rawley, Domtnlk SamanskI, Emerson Bowser. They arrived promptly at ten o'ojock and said that the city attorney Harvey Curtis and M. N. Castleman would arrive later. Mayor Knotts a Sphinx. Of East Chicago there were present Mayor Schlieker, E. W. Wlckey, Abe Ottenheimer, C. I Kirk, and George'w. Lewis. Indiana Harbor was represented by W. B. Vanllorne, W. J. Riley. H. E. Lundqulst, and Charles E. Fowler. The session resolved Itself Into a round table discussion, Messrs. Knotts Schlieker, Riley. Ottenheimer, Wlckey and Feuer taking the lead. Mayor

Schlieker asked Mayor Knotts for his reasons In attempting to annex East Chicago. The Gary mayor stated that he had two reasons, but that he cauld not make any explanations at this time. Mayor Schlleker"s previous suggestion that each side choose an executive committee fro mthose present by ballot was sidetracked by Mayor Knotts' who suggested that this committee would not have any binding power anyhow. - Mr. Wlckey then wanted to know with' Just what degree of deflnlteness this committee could act. To this Mayor Knotts suggested that more definite action should be reserved for he future. Mr. (Continued on page five.)

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