The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1906-08-16
Plans to Dispose Acres Of
Swamp on Victims Are
Frustrated.
SHOWN AS BAIT
Poor and Illiterate Homeseekers
Swindled Into Buyings Lots
in a Wilderness.

When the Lake County Times
last Monday gave the true story of
the land deal that the New Chicago
Land company had perpetrated upon
some two hundred poor and litter
ate foreigners last Sunday in the
neighborhood of Liverpool, that COM
pany decided to draw into the back
ground temporarily.
Their fashy ads have disappeared
and it is probable that their agents
are now making a personal canvass
among the mill workers, the sewer
laborers and every other class of peo-
pie that are willing to spend the
last dollar to get permanent home
The Gary proposition has spread
through the central states and there
are few people in the laboring class
who have not heard of the opportuni-
ties that are supposed to be flying
in the air in the new steel town.
The Sunday papers have devoted
pages to the undertaking and, at
regular intervals the metropolitan
papers give space to the progress
that has been made The papers
in the immediate neighborhood are
giving the daily occurrences in the
city to be. The Polish, Bohemian
and the German papers. have taken
up the work of spreading the ideals
of the new steel town as well as the
Hazy Idea of Location.
English papers Any agent of the
New Chicago Land company, when
he approaches a probable victim,
finds ground that is partly cultivat-
ed. The listener has at least a hazy
idea where Gary is and all the agent
has to do is to tell him that the
land of the New Chicago Land com
pany touches that of Gary proper,
that factories are going up there
just the same way as in Gary. The
land, however, that is to be sold,
does not touch Gary. 1t lies in sec
tion 19 between Liverpool and Lake
Station, is a wilderness of swamps
and sloughs through which Deep
river slowly meanders on its way.
The homeseekers last Sunday were
brought out on the Fort Wayne and
let off in the neighborhood of what
was to be New Chicago some ten
of twelve years ago. At that time q
factory was built there ostensibly
in good faith. 1t was, however
nothing but a bait The factory
was never operated at a profit pro
ducing rate and later went into the
hands of Frank Hall of Lake Station
One Plan Frustrated.
Hall had heard of the swindle il
which these two hundred people anC
their few earrings were involved ant
: decided to Go his share in order tC
Illustrate the scheme of the New
Chicago Land company. He knew
that the sehemers would lead thei
dupes around to the factory. OF
ground which did not belong t,
: them, and show them the possibili
l ties of the region. The factory wa
e to be used as q bait.
Consequently Mr. Hall put up
huge banner with the following in
: scription: The New Chicago Ian,
I company has no interest whatever il
! this property"
?. When the agents got off the traiI
with their people they did not knoy
of Mr.. Halls move. and proceede
to march the men for three mile
through underbrush and sIoughs TN
: til the factory was reached. See
e ing the sign an advance agent ra
: back and advised his fellow agent
!. that there was no use in proceedin
n any farther The would-be buyer
X were taken into another region, lis
d tened to the promises of the agent
e and two hundred of them bought lot
lat $50 a piece.