Hammond Times, Volume 7, Number 160, Hammond, Lake County, 6 December 1912 — Page 1
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THE LAKE COUNTY TIMES LIGHT SNOW FLURRIES. COLDER TODAY: SATURDAY FAIR. EVENING EDITION ONE CENT PER COPY. (Back Numbers 2 Cents Copy.) VOL. VII., NO. 160. HAMMOND, INDIANA, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1912.
$100,000 FIRE IN
SOUTH CHICAGO
South Chicago was visited by a great fire this morning and the fierce gale threatened to destroy the business part of the city. The Calumet Furiture Company block at 40-43 East 92nd street was the scene of one of the worst fires the city ever had. Scores of Hammond, Gary, Whiting and East Chicago people on the street cars of the Green Line had their attention called to the disastrous blaze. The origin of the fire is unknown. The basement and first floor of the building was occupied by the Calumet Furniture Company. The second floor LIMITED MADE FAST RUNS THEN The passing of the Twentieth Century Limited, the Lake Shore- New York Central's 18 hour flier between Chicago and New York. recalls the spirited rivalry for speed honors among Elkhart engineers who piloted the world-famous traln over the Michigan division steel race course. Most of the record shattering runs were made in 1909 and early in the year 1910. Again and again a minute or more was clipped off the speed mark for the 133-mile division stretch, in record-breaking bursts of speed that marked the Century as the world's fastest train. A little more than a year ago this
train speeding practice came to an end
when company officials placed a limit on the speed to be maintained between Toledo and Elkhart. This precaution was taken by company officials to prevent the possibility of a serious railroad disaster such as marked the operation of the Pensylvania's 18-hour train. Four Pilots Are Rivals. Engineers John Gulmyer. "The Flying Dutchman." Sam Cawley, Si Long and G. D. Hunter were strong rivals in (Continued on Page 4.) KILLED BY TRAIN (Special to THE TIMES.) Lansing, 111., Dec. 6. J. Koning, 83 years old, returning home alone over the Grand Trunk railroad through the rain and the darkness, was accidentally killed near Lansing last night. Workmen going to the brick yards found the mangled remains of the aged man this morning, and for lack of temporary identification they were taken to Harvey. Mr. Koning had gone to an auction yesterday and Instead of going to his home he went to visit with the Baker family. He made his home wltjh his son-in-law Cornelius Blokker, and his visits away from home were not unusual. When he did not return home last night, this was not thought to be singular, as he did not infrequently extend his visits to a day and a night. PAROLED MAN FOUND IN SALOON Judge Becker Thinks Paroled Prisoner Had no Place in Taproom. When parole agent Hay of the Indiana state reformatory dropped into Hammond to see how the paroled prisoners are getting along he found Arthur W. Ebert in a saloon. Kbert was at once arrested and was taken before Judge Lawrence Becker. There he attempted to explain that he had given his wife his money every week and that he had not violated his parole. Judge Becker said, however, that Ebert's looks belied his statements. He said that he bore all of the appearances of dissipation and that a term in the reformatory at Jeffersonvllle would do him a great deal of good. Ebert pleaded to be given a chance but the judge told him that he had already had all the chances he was going to get. He was sentenced to from one to seven years for wife desertion and was today committd [committed] to the reformatory. Reiter Back Monday. It is Judge Ross for three days and then it will be deputy prosecutor again. Judge Reiter will be back to take up criminal work Monday. SUBSCRIBE FOR THE TIMES.
consisted of offices and living rooms while the third floor was used for lodge purposes. The entire building was practically gutted, it being estimated that three-fourths of the stock of the Calumet Furniture Company was destroyed by the. fire and water. At 8 o'clock this morning a 4-11 alarm was received by the South Chicago departments, twelve companies responding to the call. The flames had gained considerable headway before they were discovered, causing a stubborn fight with twelve companies on the scene, the large number of leads of hose, blocked street car traffic on 92nd street for several hours. At noon today the fire was reported practcally [practically] extinguished. SHERIFFS MAY LOSE MILEAGE Appellate Court Holds Mileage Fees Should Be Turned Over to State. County sheriffs over the state of Indiana are much interested in a decision recently handed down by the appellate court. The decision has a direct bearing on the disposition of fees collected by them. According to the ruling of the court, all mileage fees shall be turned over to the state and do not belong to the sheriffs who have been drawing the fees. The ruling was in a case carried to the appellate court from Brown county. In their opinion the court recites that the mileage is not a reimbursement for expenses, but pont out that the supreme court of Indiana has held that it belongs to the state, in many counties the fees colected for the work done in the county clerk's office for the board or commissioners have been retained by the sheriff. If it is finally held that the intent of the law is that all mileage collected because of work done through the board of commissioners and the auditor's office should be turned over to the county treasurer, then the sheriffs office will have its remuneration so reduced as to make it a much less desirable office. Mileage fees for the posting of roads and election notices and for taking insane patients to the Eastern Hospital for Insane at Richmond, have been collected by the sheriffs. MIDNIGHT FIRE BURNS BIG BUSINESS BLOCK Fireman Is Injured in Blaze at Logansport That Does $50,000 Damage. Logansport. Ind., Dec. 6. Fire of unknown origin, starting just before midnight, practically destroyed three buildings occupying half a square in the business section of this city last night. Fireman Gus Moretaur, stationed at engine house No. 4, received severe injuries when a heavy hose nozzle fell on him as he was mounting a ladder to climb to the third floor of one of the burning buildings. One leg was broken and it is feared that he sustained internal injuries. The blaze was discovered on the third floor of the George W. Funk building, and soon spread to the McShale-Mc-Johnson building on the east and to the Winfield block on the west. HORSETHIEF SENTENCED Chief of Police Peter Austgen of Hammond recived a communication from Logansport this morning stating the A. W. Burton arrested in Hammond on a charge .of horse stealing, plead guilty in the Circuit Court there yesterday receiving a sentence from 5 to 15 years in the Michigan City prison. This is Burton's second term having served one sentence on the same charge. Several years ago he was held by the Gary police on a charge of horse stealing and although he was thought guilty, nothing could be proven against him and he was released. Burton is related to respected residents of Logansport according to the communication, but met his downfall by gambling. Burton is a man apparently 50 years of age. Chief Austgen received much praise from the Logansport police for their aid in capturing Burton. SUBSCRIBE FOR THE TIMES.
SENTENCED
SECRET REALTY DEAL DISCLOSED Con Talty Becomes Owner of Moxee McGregor Place.
Who owns the Colonial hotel? Moxee McGregor did, but Con Talty does. That is the answer as revealed by the real estate transfers in today's paper. McGregor sold the place to Talty for $3,100. There were other transfers, as follows: THORNTON. Freltags 2d sub, lot 18 s w 18-36-15. incumb, $S00, Oct. 21. Grace M. Dickman to Jacob Benjamin J 1,300 Hammond, Snydacker, & A. 111. add. lots 1 and 2. block 3. Nov. 29, Moxee McGregor and hus band, M., to Cornelius A. Talty. ,100 Hammond, Snydacker & A. 111. lots 22 and 23 8-36-15, Nov. 21. Fred W. Berwanger to Mary K. Berwanger, Hlmmond, Ind 1.500 Mayor K. M. Wosezinski of West Hammond was apprised of the latest move on the part of the real brains of the resort keepers in West Hammond and merely remarked, "As long as I am mayor of West Hammond Talty will not dare to open a resort In this building." It is also noticed that Fred W. Ber wanger has deeded to his wife certain West Hammond property. It is believed that a great many other trans fers are likely to grow out of the pres ent closed condition of the town. Wfit Hammond Treasurer Sued. Julius W. Loewenthal, owner of sev eral assessment bonds of West Hammonds of West Hammond, filed a peti tion for a writ of mandamus against August Kamradt. Jr., city treasurer of that city. 'in the circuit court yesterday. The petition asks that Kamradt be ta an ' commanded ,to apportion pro ra municipal revenue received by him from May 1. 1912, to April 30, 1913. Chicago Record-Herald. Mayor Wosezinski stated today that this suit had been started by Attorney S. K. Markman of Chicago. He de clared that it was an effort to embarrass the present administration. On the other hand, Markman claims to represent the plaintiff in an effort to force the city to stop prefering creditors. 20 SAtoofiriifivr QUIT BUSINESS Hammond Is Now Bailiwick Containing 143 Buffets and Saloons. Twenty saloons have gone out of business in Hammond during the past year, according to a statement made by Jimmy Trost this morning, who is in charge of the city saloon licenses. Upon making a careful investigation of the records yesterday Mr. Trost said that there will be exactly 143 saloons doing business Jan. 1, 1913. Last year at this time there were 183 saloons in Hammond, which shows ! a considerable decrease In 1912. The only given reason for the decrease is that the saloon trade during the past year has been very poor, some of the saloonkeepers stating that they barely took in enough to live on and pay for their government and city licenses. Not much of a decrease is expected In the next year as it is estimated by Mr. Trost that fully 75 per cent of the saloonkeepers in Hammond own their own property in which their business is located. No new saloons will be permitted to open up according to the law which was recently passed. At present Hammond has nearly 100 saloons more than the law permits, 43 being the ' number according to the population basis. The present law allows one saloon to each five hundred population. They Try Again. A second attempt was made to hnrr larize the residence of John Blaul. 1302 ! Koberts avenue, at Robertsdale last night but the thieves were scared away before an entrance was gained. The first attempt to break into the house occurred on the evening of November 27. On the evening the robber entered the house by prying open the pantry window and after thoroughly ransack ing every nook and corner downstairs, : went up stairs into the bedroom, where : Mr. and Mrs. Blaul were sleeping, Mrs. j Blaul heard the robber as he entered the room, but not being able to see j what weapon he had, she was afraid to ! make any noise. Unable to restrain herself Mrs. Blaul caled for help, the I robber making his escape by the kitchen window which he had left open. MAN KILLED AT GRIFFITH (Special to The Times.) Griffith, Ind., Dec. 6. The west-bound flyer on the Erie this morning ran down and killed an unknown man near the depot and cut him up quite badly. Coroner Smith of Gary was notified of the occurrence.
HnSilT BEEN ICIOED
New North-South Thoroughfare to Connect Hammond With testern Industrial Communities Still Up Before Illinois State Body. , f. ' The Illinois warehouse commission is still considering; the matter of ordering the railroads .to erect a viaduct over urnham avenufe,1 In West Hammond. If this is done 4" -new north-south thoroughfare will j6 built which will connect Hammond) aiid the industrial communities of urnham, Hegewiseh and Irondale. Mayor X. M. Vlf osczinskl. Clerk Mankowski and seiveral of the city aldermen appeared before the commission in Chicago and argued in favor of the construction of the viaduct. It is also understood that certain traction interests are in favor of the plan to construct the viaduct over the tracks at this point. The commissioners have set a date for taking up the matter and previous to that they will view the site of the viaduct and secure engineering advice as to th-a teasiblllty of the project. This is regarded as one of the most Important moves that has been made in a long time and the people of West IIa,nrnond are 'vltall.,' Interested in w tiat is one. i. At, present Wei' Hammond has no gateway to the uity ot Chicago except through Hammond. It will never be anything tut a pCc'rfei in the may until it does set an Independent entrance into tne city. r i And llmmoii(! needs an additional route to Chicago At present Sheffield, avenue, the roughest street in the world, is the only means of going to Chicago. umDn cacu - ; MAY END SOON Valparaiso, Ind., Dec. 6. Rapid progress is being made in the retrial of the Leeds will contest case, and it Is now expected the plaintiffs side of the case will be concluded by next Monday. Efforts are being made to show that Mrs. Leeds was insane at the time of the making of her will and that her condition was Induced by worry and indignation over her son's marriage and by spiritualism. Sues for Divorce. Paulina Ponczak has started an action for a divorce against Felix Ponczak. The couple were married Jan. 27, 1901, and separated March 7. 1903. She names Mary Kuss of Gary as the corespondent in the case. They have one child of whom she asks the custody. The defendant was earning $4 a day. The case was filed by Attorney Sproat. E. G. Seeks Damages. Charging that streams of sulphuric ! acid squirted out of a "dead head" pipe ' which he was Instructed to repair at j the plant of the Grassolli Chemical j company and burned htm severely, John McNab seeks damages from the i company of $20,000. He was employed j under Foreman E. J. Meyer. The case was filed by William Price of Gary. The Furniture Disappeared. Charging that after he had furnished a home in which she could live, Stella Reed took away all of the new furniture he had bought and removed it to her mother's home, William B. Reed seeks a divorce. The couple were married Oct. 19. 1912, and separated Nov. 28, 1912. That gave them a little over a month of married life. The case was filed by McMahon & Conroy. Nineteen Days to Christmas Dec The Early Shopper Is the Friend of the Tired Shop GirL SHOP TODAY.
PLAN NEW ELECTRIC LIGHT COMPANY
Dissatisfied Crown Point . Business Men Meet in Conference. (Special to Thb Times.) Crown Point, Ind., Dec. 6. Several Crown Point business men with sufficient capital at their command have been in conference for the last three or four days incident to the running of a second 'electric light plant here, their plan being to buy the juice from the Gary & Southern interurban plants and distribute it as needed among the consumers they may secure in this city. They have made a thorough investigation into the practicality of the proposition and claim that they will be able to furnish current and power for less than an eight cent rate, if business enough can be secured. The plan looks plausible -as they would not be encumbered with expensive machinery and operating expenses but buy the current direct from the mannufacturers. The man behind the proposed new venture wisli at this time to have their names withheld, until their plans are further matured but there has been enough done at this time to warrant the statement that Crown Point will in all probability have a competing electric system within a few months. HOFFMAN EXPECTS TO LOCATE INJW PLACE Enterprising State Street Haberdasher Will Vacate Hole in Wall. Lawrence Hoffman, the State street haberdasher, expects- to be located in j new ana larger quarters noi iar irom his present business place which he facetiously termed a "hole in the wall." Remodeling work is now under way. in the Long frame building, on State street, for the new store, Hoffman having -eased the room which were formerly occupied by J. Ia Rae for a real was used as a dining room for the Long restaurant. Beautiful and expensive fixtures hav been ordered for the new place, and Mr. Hoffman expects to be in business there by the first of the year. Despite the small room In which he originally opened his haberdashery, Mr. Hoffman has built up a good patronage, and he has hundreds of satisfied cusj tomers who will be glad to see him in his new location. YOUNG PEOPLE GIVE SHOW Home talent composed of young folks in St. Paul's German Lutheran church gave a nice little entertainment at the school hall last night and will repeat it again this evening. The quality of the talent is surprising and It Is hoped that some time In 'e 'future it will be seen on a larger stage. While Ed Goehrlnger, who Is known to hundreds in town as "Woggles," The Times' demon printer, is not the whole show, he alone is worth the price of admission as he Is a card by himself when acting naturally. All who took part are worth of commendation. The program for the evening Is as follows: CJuarette "Evening." by the brothers. Theodore, Henry. Christ and Eldward Gnehringer. Dialogue "Soil Mann Noch Lehrer Bleiben." Lehrer, Ed Eggebrecht; Max. Floyd Kuhn; Frau Rumm. Miss Lillian Fedder: Herr Rumm, Paul Pardunn. Duet "We Should Not Talk of Our Neighbors," Miss Lillian Fedder and Ed Goehringer. Dialogue "A Thanksgl vine Lesson." Mr. Prescott. Paul Parduhn: Mrs. Prescott. Miss Lillian Fedder: Mary, a maid. Miss Hattls Genrtch; Tom, a Servant. Floyd Kuhn. Quartette "The Story of a Tack." Dialogue "Xante Strumpf." Paul Kinde, Edward Goehringer, Walter Rutz. Song "Was der Mensch Alles Braucht." Do Not Like Price. The Gary lawyers say they are somewhat exercised over the campaign that j is being made by Attorney William j Price of Gary for the office of city judge. They are demanding that the ! democratic organization give him to j understand that they will not stand for the Lake County Bar association, and is making considerable headway by a systematic campaign among the foreigners in Gary. He Was Fined. After being released yesterday morning on a charge of drunkenness, Georpre Gerlack, 27" Hickory street, Hammond was arrested again last night and taken to the Hammond central station where he was held until this morning. Gerlach seemingly did not appreciate leniency, so City Judge Barnett Imposof a fine of $11.00. No funds was marked up on the arrest sheet so it will mean 11 days at Crown. Point for George.
Latest
(Special to Thb Times.) Washington, D. C, Dec. 6. Judge J. B. Peterson of Crown Point, Judge V. S. Reiter of Hammond, William J. Whinery, Frank Gavit of Whiting, W. B. Van Home and Attorney Glazebrook of Indiana Harbor were today admitted to the supreme court bar. They are on a visit to impress congress with the advisability of doing something for a Lake county harbor. The hearing before the rivers and harbors committee in congress was continued until 10 this morning. A committee is meeting with individual members of the Indiana delegation and the river and harbor committee. '
SEWAGE
DISPOSAL
PROJECT OUTLINED Municipal Plans To Be Concentrated on Ulm Tract East of Columbia Ave. and North of River.
Hammond's half million dollar sewage disposal project Is under way, and plans for the same were made public today for', the first time at a meeting of the boardof public works. Colncldently the board entered into an oral contract with John W. Ulm of Chicago for the purchase of a 12-acre tract just east of Columbia avenue and north of the Grand Calumet, which is considered ideal for the concentration fol other municipal projects there. Among these are the sewage pumping station and disposal plant, a garbage incinerator, municipal docks, a pumping station to supply the amalgamated cities of Hammond, East Chicago and Whiting, and possibly a municipal lighting plant. Board Goh Over Contract. The discussion before th board this the city's new sewer system and sewage disposal plant which must be built without further delay. According to the oral contract between the board and Mr. Ulm, the latter is to be paid $3,000 an acre for the 12.18 acres in the tract, pr a total amount of $36,540. It was agreed this morning that the first payments shall be made in installments, with $6,540 as the first, and the balance in annual payments of $5,000 each, interest to be paid semi-annually. W. S. Shields of Chicago who is rec ognized as a reputable engineer with a large experience, had been retained several months ago by the city as consulting engineer to assist City Engineer P. J. Lyons in working out the plans for the city and hie laid these before the board this morning. Councilmen Eggers, Sturm, Kahl and Markmueller were also at the meeting. Inverted Syphon System Used. Taking the Ulm site as the central point- Engineer Shields' plans showed the future location of the deep sewer system. The inverted syphon systm an old and tried engineering scheme is relied on to bring the south side sewage under the Calumet river to the pumping station, which will be located on the north side of the river. It was apparent from Mr. Shields' plans and remarks that he considered the amalgamation of the cities of Hammond, East Chicago and Whiting, and their co-operation as the ultimate solution of the sewage problem of the region. Only in that way, or by extending the Calumet avenue north main could i Robertsdale be taken care of, and one of the questions which the board and the city council will have to solve is whether the future fate of Robertsdale's sewage disposal lies in the amalgamation or in the extension of a deep sewer clear through to Robertsdal.e Adapted to Any Solution. The strong feature in Mr. Shields present plan is that it adapts itself practically to any of the solutions. The engineer lias planned the deep sewer lines to run as follows: An east and west main in One Hundred and Fiftieth street from the eastern city limits to Calumet avenue. A north main in Calumet avenue extend- ! lng to Root street, a main on Root street west to Sheffield avenue. There ! is also to be an east and west main in ! Hoffman street from Calumet avenue to Hohman street. The south side system provides for a main in Calumet avenue, and an east and west main in Michigan avenue, from Hohman street to Columbia avenue. As for the dimensions, the plans provide for an eighty-four-inch sewer at Columbia avenue and One Hundred and Fiftieth street, a diameter of 81 inches at the distillery, 78 inches north to Hoffman street, a five-foot sewer to Root street, and a 48-inch diameter for the two lines leading from Calumet avenue to Hohman street. The south side Calumet avenue branch is also to be 84 inches at the mouth, while the Michigan avenue main is to be 54 inches in diameter. According to Mr. Shields' plan, it wTl not be necessary to rebuild the Hohman street sewer for a main sewer, as the proposed Hoffman street main will take care of everything south of Gost-
Mew:
J lin street, while the territory north of Gostlin street can be drained into th6 Root street sewer. The building of the deep sewer system will give the local sewer system the efficiency for which' they were originally intended. Mr. Shields said that the plans which he was submitting today did not provide for a depth deep enough to go clearn to Robertsdale. He said that If Hammond desired to take care of Robertsdale he would advise building; an entirely new trunk line from Robertsdale south, which would come down about half way between Columbia avenue and the eastern city limits. The Robertsdale problem would not be at all important wer it not for the fact that by permitting Robertsdale to empty its sewage Into Lake Michi gan. It is polluting its watr.jupply as fe)l. aa that -of Hammond, but the development of the territory should in a measure control the future of the city in this respect. With reference to the Schlesinger Steel plant, Mr. Shields said that he had discussed the sewage problem with the officials of the company and that they had promised to take care of the surface water due to rainfall if the city would take care of the sewage. The engineer said that under the present .plans, with no larger sewer than he was proposing, even Robertsdale's dry weather sewage could be taken care. After giving the outline of the system, Mr. Shields devoted some time to a discussion of the plans for the pumping station and the sewage disposal plant. The plant is to be equipped with pumps which is to take care of only the dry weather sewage. This sewage is pumped Into a twelve settling tanks, eaach of which is to be large enough to hold a million gallons. In the set tling tanks, sludge constituting about 60 per cent of the sewage is rerrfbved. From the tanks the sludge, which is now odorless, is removed to the sludge beds to dry, end it can then be used as filler and also as a fertilizer, although its fertilizing qualities are weak. Mr. Shields advised the city to go slow, however, in expending money on expensive sewage filtering beds, because, he said. It will be only a matter of a few short years when experiments now under way will greatly reduce the present cost, if not revolutionize the present processes entirely. In the meantime, h5 pointed oyT the city owing to til fact that its neighbors will then be wor.se offenders than Hammond will not be asked to pour an absolutely pure waste water into the Calumet river. The system which the consulting engineer would introduce would eliminate all odors, whether the sludge be in the tanks or on the drying beds. Mr. Shields made a very positive and a very interesting assertion with references to operating the pumping station. He said that a garbage incinerator would develop enough steam to run the pumping station. He went farther and showed how, according to the advantageous locatkm of the site, this garbage could be brought to the riant on scows and on the railroads, as well as on the wagons. The plant itself is to be about 600 feet from the river bank, and consequently a slip leading to the plans would provide good dockage sites. The dry weather sewage flow is estimated at 10,000,000 gallons daily, but the plant is to be equipped to take care of ten times this amount in the case of near hloudburst. The inverted sypht-n system under the river was also explained and liecomes possible, because the south side system five fet higher than the north side system. Speaking of. the centralization of the water supply for the amalgamated cities, Mr. Shields said that the water station, as well as the sewage pumping station could be operated by the same power. M'HIE-S. TOn. CO. r.VION SCOLT SCRAP hn cauxh the conanmrm. They know good quality. 2 ox. for Sc. -Adv.