Hammond Times, Volume 6, Number 255, Hammond, Lake County, 17 April 1912 — Page 18

THE TIMES.

w-Uh the idea and knowledge of the fu-j ture clearly in mind that when com-; merctal Chicago grows to be a city from' ten to fifteen million Inhabitants, and it becomes necessary to move the belt railroad system still further out from the then congested territory, the costly improvements about to be made by tha. Vnited States government, would not be a loss, but would still remain perma-jent and intact, and be served by the three belt lines abova suggested, for the handling of all lake and rail freight. In other words, with the lake terminals located a; or nemr Indiana Harbor, commercial Chicago would have to grow beyond the present location of the K.. J. & E. railroad to actually congest the rail situation as it is today congested in Chicago proper. We attach hereto a map showing th location of the- belt railways mentioned and described In this argument. "(k) The Grand Calumet river should be provided with a navigable channel not less, than 150 feet wide at top, 100 feet wide at bottom, and 12 feet deep from the forks to the Indiana Harbor canal, and with three turning basins, for use by barges, lighters, etc." The Grand Calumet river has always . been regarded as a navigable stream by the Crsited Staves authorities. At the mouth of th Grand Calumet at touth Chicago, where the river has l.ecn improved, many large industries have located, and if the recommendation of Col. Zinn is carried out, it is but reasonable that numerous industries will take advantage of the Improved condition of the river and locate alone its entire frontage. In Inula na where this committee is most interested, we find a population of approximately i.j.000. This rfver when laken in connection with the Indiana Harbor canal passes through the center of this community which, is above everything else, an industrial community. During th year. 1811, the Industries located on .the ba.uk s of the Calumet river, from the forks to th canal, handled a total of 1,300.000 tons, while

plants located -cke to and within easy access, of Hie river, handled ' during the year 1M1,- a total of 1.480.000 tons, and the plants located at distances verying from one-fourth mile to two miles from the river, handled during the year 1911, a otal of 135.000 tons. Hnce, under present conditions, the improvement of the Grand Calumet river, as , above proposed, would give navigation facilities for. transporting a large percentage of the foregoing annual tonnage from said pjants. The foregoing

does not take Into consideration the growth of navigation for lighters, barges, and traffic of that character between the cities on the Calumet river. This part of the Grand Calumet river is also the necessary link, connecting the South Chicago portion with the Indiana Harbor canal, and is necessary to the fullest development possible of both of these portions. In order to make the navigable portion available and useful to the greatest possible, extent, ana to extend its benefits to the numerous industries located along the river, the same advantages of water transportation should be made available to the vast tracts of comparatively cheap land a'ong the present non-navl-gabie portions. A large amount of the

traffic upon the river would originate along the stream itself, as many of the plants located thereon are heavy users of the products of the other plants located thereon. The ultimate improvement of the river io this extent has been contemplated for many year.--, and the interest of the public with respect to encroachments and bridpes has been carefully conserved by the national government and local authorities, looking towards this

ultimate end. It is most probabl that no other proposed plan of governmental

participation in development of water transportation, presents so few obstacles, and yet promises benefits so widespread for the expenditure required, as this improvement of the Calumet river. '(m) A breakwater should be provided to protect the entrance to Indiana Harbor, Indiana." The harbor at Indiana Harbor, Indiana, has been constructed to its present condition by private means and turned over to, the I'nited States government without any expense to the government. So far as this committee Is informed the only money that the I'nited States government . has ever spent towards tl.e establishment of this harbor was an expenditure of something, like $60,0')0 in dredging out the shoals lyinjr off the, harbor entrance.

j The harbor has oe-n opened to naviga

tion for the past five seasons. In 1911 the incoming freight amounted to 500.000 tons, while the developments of the industries loeaU'd in this region will, during the year 1911. more than double that amount of in-coming tonnage, and the developments now under way will, during', the year 1912, originate ap

proximately 200,000 tons outgoing tonnage. To accommodate this traffic ap

proximately 150 vessels will have to en

ter and leave th harbor during the

year 1912. The foregoing statement we believe sufficiently shows the necessity for a breakwater to protect the entrance to this harbor, so that incoming and outgoing vessels may leave and

enter the harbor without being delayed'

by weather conditions. "(n) The Indiana Harbor canal should be maintained with a. width of 200 feet and a depth of 21 feet." What we have said above In ..showing the. necessity of a breakwater to protect the entrance to Indiana Har

bor, applies -with equal force to the j maintenance of the Indiana Harbor ca-J nal. The land or right of way for the

harbor at Indiana Harbor and. the canal

connecting it with the Grand Calumet river, was conveyed to the i'nited

States of America. The title to the above tracts of land was approved, by the attorney general of the Unite! States on Oct. 28, 19l0, and the secretary of war, in compliance with the provision in act of con

gress approved June 25, 1910, for and

on behalf of the I'nited States accepted the land so eohveyed on the 29th day of October, 1910. The land for the turning basin was conveyed by deed of Kast Chicago com

pany to the I'nited States government, dated Dec. 3. 1910, and recorded in deed record No. 166. page SSI. The title to this land was aprpoved by the. attorney general on Dec. 29. 1910, and the InnJ accepted by the secretary of war for and on behalf of the, United States on Nov. 23. 1910. Under permit of the secretary of war dated April 15. 1901, and amended by similar permit dated August 21. 1906, and as authorized by public resolution No. 31. approved June 13. 1906. a harbor 300 feet wide has been constructed and maintained upon the shore of Lake Michigan on the land conveyed to the United States by the deeds above mentioned, and has been used for five years last past for navigation purposes. The construction of the inner harbor and canal has been carried on under a permit of the secretary of war dated

March 14, 1907, extended March 14, 1910, and a channel has been excavated connecting La-ke Michigan with the Grand Calumet river as follows: For a distance of 7,330 feet front the end of '.he 300-foot harbor on the shore of Lake Michigan to the junction of the northeasterly branch of the canal, with the south and west branches of the canaj. to a width of 200 feet and depth of 20 feet. This portion is now being redredged to conform to the re-

Views of Inland Steel Plant.

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the government engineers. All rail-' road bridges are provided for by contracts in the deeds of conveyance, and the highway bridges will b constructed by the. local public bodies. . Th outgoing tonnaga referred to in the previous paragraph of this report, amounting to approximately 280.000 tons for the year 1S'.12, will originate upon the west branch of this canal at

its Junction with the northeasterly branch of the canal, and Inasmuch as the northeasterly branch of the canal has been completed to full requirements of the government, this committee urges that it ought to be maintained and kept open for this 1912 tonnage. Contracts have been entered into by

the property owners bordering upon)

the remaining portions of the. canal that has not yet been fully excavated to carry forward the necessary excava

tion during: the year 1912. "(c) The municipalities along the

Grand and Littla Calumet rivers and

port of Col, Zlnn'a report, upon "tht subject of improvement of harbor fa cllitiejf for Chicago and adjacent territory," this - committer submits that owing to the geographical location of the Calumet region, there are but few localities in the United States where so great an opportunity tor the development of shipping facilities exists s ia the Calumet region. Few localities

In the United States have a greater mileage of railroads or a greater number of railroads than this locality, and all of the railroads which enter Chicago, even from the. west, north and south, are directly connected with this region by three belt lines, while all railroads which enter Chicago from the eas't and southeast, pass ' Immediately

through the Calumet region. It only remains then io complete and maintain the water shipping facilities which this region has, to make it the Meal commercial community. , Col. Zinn's report is based upon the correct principle, in that it outlines a plan

quirements of a ruling of the chief o-f engineers made July 26, 1911. holding that the conditions as set forth In house document No. 1,113 will be met by the donation to the United States of a 200foot channel in which the central SO feet shall have been dredged to a depth of 20 feet, after which the same cross section shall be maintained by the United States. Over this northeasterly branch have been constructed six bascule bridges with draws of 65 feet, which are complete and ready for operation. Towards the southeasterly end of this branch a railroad 'bascule bridge is under construction which will be ready early in the year 1912. Adjoining it Is

contemplated a highway bridge Both of these bridges will have draws of 65 feet, and will offer no obstruction whatever to navigation.

From the Junction of the three branches of the canal the west branch Is excavated for half a mile, about 129 feet wide and about 15 feet deep. The south branch for half a mile is excavated 200 feet wide and about 18 feet deep, and from that point to the Grand Calumet river a distance of one and one-half miles it is excavated for a width of 100 feet and 12 feet in depth. The right of way for the canal is 200 feet wide at all points, and is contemplated to bring the entire channel of the canal up to the requirements of

the Indiana Harbor canal, should own!"0' bSed UP" the meTe needs of the

immediate present, but if the recommendations are carried out. It will not only take care of the immediate present but the future for all time to come, by reason of the adaptability of the plan for unlimited development, as the population and business ftf the region increases. Therefore, this committee has the honor to submit this argument in support of the report of Col. ZInn. relative to the "improvement of harbor facilities for Chicago and, adjacent territory." and request your honorable board to In all things approve said report In so far, at least as the same relates to the Calumet region. Respectfully submitted, COMMKRCIAL, CLUB ; OF INDIANA HA UBOR AND' EAST CHICAGO, ... By Chas. ,E. .Fowler, Committeeman. EAST CHICAGO CLUB, . .By Geo!.. VT. Lewis, Committeeman. EAST CHICAGO AND INDIANA HARBOR MANUFACTURERS'.,' ASSOCIATION, By A. G. LBudquUt. ' '. J X?ommiUeemat WHITING COMMERCIAL CLUB, By Beaumont Parks. Committeeman. HAMMOND MANUFACTURERS' ASSOCIATION, . By Jno. E. Fitzgerald. ' Committeeman. HAMMOND BUSINESS MEN'S ASSOCIATION By Wm. J. AVhlnery, Committeeman.'

and operate public docks at suitable intervals along these waterways for the shipment and receipt of local water borne freight." Regarding the above recommendation, the committee is able to say that the city of Hammond now owns lands available for dock purposes. Immediately fronting upon the Grand Calumet river. That steps have been taken by the individual property owners owning lands fronting upon the Calumet river to donate and convey to the United States lands sufficient to give the width required for the improvement of the river, in accordance with the report of Col.. Zinn. TJiat the committee has taken up the question of municipal ownership of public docks along the Grand Calumet river, and they are authorised to say that the officials of the city of Hammond approve such a step, and will In all respects co-operate In

the carrying out of this plan, while the cities of East Chicago and Indiana Harbor have contracted for two sites for public docks at convenient locations, one with a frontage of 300 feet, and tha ot.ber-.wlth a frontage of 600 feet on the Indiana Harbor canal. The dock property having a frontage of 300 feet Is also accessible for the" people of Whiting and . North Hammond (Robertsdale), and these sites for public docks in each of the aforesaid cities can be extended to whatever length Is deemed desirable. COXCLVSIOX. In concluding this argument in sup-

Are Yom A Conservative Investor?' i.' TTUnend XRJe (Gsiod Dnaflepesti Vow. We have Property Improved and Unimproved in the vicinity of every Industrial Plant in the Cities of East Chicago and Indiana Harbor. , DO YOU REALIZE4? - - That when the coming Plants commence construction operations every lot will raise at least 40 per percent on the selling price? Are Vou in on the Ground Floor? AGAIN REMEMBER That ttic decision of the board relative to the Canal will present farther facilities for Industrial Sites; again are you in on the ground floor? 0 - Opportunity knocks at your door but once. LOTS ON CHICAGO AVENUE WITHIN ONE AND TWO BLOCKS FROM BUSINESS CENTER OF EAST CHICAGO. 25 LOTS ON McCOOK AVENUE NEAR NEW SMELTING PLANT, $350 AND UP. SNAP ON CORNER LOT ON ALEXANDER AVENUE. SEVERAL OTHER LOTS ON SAME STREET. WE HAVE SEVERAL BARGAINS ON KENNEDY AVENUE, SOUTH OF CHICAGO AVENUE. IN OUR MICHIGAN AVENUE ADDITION TO INDIANA HARBOR WE HAVE 300 CHOICE LOTS FROM $200 UP. THIS SUBDIVISION IS DIRECTLY OPPOSITE THE BUCKEYE STEEL CASTINGS' SITE AND NEAR THE SITE OF THE BALDWIN LOCOMOTIVE WORKS.

MITH

802 Chicago Avenue

, INSURANCE

East Chicago, Indiana