Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 October 1907 — MRS. CONRAD VS. PINE VILLAGE [ARTICLE]

MRS. CONRAD VS. PINE VILLAGE

Union B. Hunt, chairman of the state railroad commission, conducted a hearing in the Lake ! Village school house in Newton county Wednesday, to ascertain the claim the people of Lake Village have to require the Chicago, Indiana & Southern railway to erect a station there and stop some of its trains there. O. W. Hotchkiss, general manager of the railroad was on hand, as were also T. J. Cook, the general passenger agent, Geo. Hanneur, superintendent, and other officials. They were represented by Lawyer John R. Peterson, Of Crown Point, while the people of Lake Village and vicinity were represented by Attorney Will Isham. Testimony was taken to show how much business is done at that point, and it was quite well established that the best land id Lake township is near the Village and that there is greater business possibility there tjjan at any point between Indiana Harbor and Danville, 111. Mr. Hotchkiss and others thought the people at the Village should be willing to walk ovev* to Conrad to get their freight and to take the trains, and all the people looked over at his private car on the side track and wondered why he did not leave it over at Conrad. Mr. Hunt stopped the hearing in order to take a train back to Indianapolis, when Attorney Isham had a string of witnesses on hand to testify ior the town that. would have taken all day to listen to. He gave each side an extension of time to prepare affidavits, and took the matter under advisement for a few days. This is really a fight between the town ot Lake Village on the one hand and Mrs. Jennie Conrad, the founder of the town of Conrad on the other. Mrs. Conrad wants the trade forced to her station, and it is supposed that she made it a condition when she granted the railroad right-of-away thru her 5,C00 acres of land thatrthe trafrrbe run thru the Village without stopping. The railroad commission is to correct things of this kind and it is thought a favorable decision for the people will be forthcoming from Commissioner Hußt.