The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1906-10-27
no MORE GROWING PAINS.

There have been two strokes of real
statesmanship on the part Of as many
Hammond city administrations that
are relatively of as great Importance
to this city as a Louisiana and an
Alaskan purchase were TO the United
States years ago
A few years ago far-seeing city
council became convinced of the fact
that the cities of Whiting, East Chi
cago and Indiana Harbor We're execut-
ing flank movement to the northwest
and the southeast that would result in
the isolation of Hammond and the linn
iting of it's opportunity for growth.
In an effort to prevent this city from
being forever cut off from Lake Michi-
gan and to prevent the loss to Ham
mond of Wolf river as a possible har-
Dor and outlet to the lake from the
Calumet river about eight square miles
of territory which lay to the north Of
Hammond, were annexed
The encroachment of Whiting was
prevented, and several hundred people
who have since located in this terri
tory. have been added to the population
of Hammond.
Rohertsdale. the fourth ward, has
been given free delivery and a park,
and has profted in other ways as
result of being part Of the city to the
south.
When Writings flank movement to the
north failed a new one was attempted
towards the south that was calculated
to eonfine Hammond to its present linn
its and prevent its growth in an east
erly direction.
70 tIa
territory seven miles long and two
miles wide, would have required a pc
ocular development to populate its
fourteen square miles of territory, and
IT was again seen that it would be
necessary to annex a large portion of
territory towards the east if the city
was to prevent the latters annexation
by progressive neighbors.
There was a scramble between East
Chicago and Hammond to exercise the
privilege Of benevolent assimilation"
but the railroads did not like the ex-
cesive rates of taxes that seemed to be
the rule in East Chicago. and were able
TO muster enough strength to prevent
that city from annexing the desired
territory for the next two years.
This was Hammond's opportunity,
and the city officials were not slow in
taking advantage of il. The railroads
favored Hammond. and the annexation
Of section FIVE and half of section four
followed.
It was the failure of East Chicago to
secure this much desired territory that
has made the recent talk Of annexation
OF more consequence than ever before
East Chicago is now the city that is
surrounded. 1t is thanked on the north
by Whiting and the lake, on the west
by Hammond, and on the south by
Hammond, and by reason of the recent
territorial aggressiveness of Gary it is
hemmed In on the east.
Completely surrounded by other cit
les. 1T will be necessary sooner or later
to cast it's lot with either Hammond OF
Gary The business center Of Gary i:
nine miles from the business center o.
East Chicago, while the business cen
ter of East Chicago Is only two miles
from the business center Of Hammond
The only solution OF the problem theT
IS the annexation OF East Chicago by
Hammond and together the two cities
strategically located as they are, with
q substantial development to begir
with, will outdistance even Gary, will
its hundred million-dollar project a.
the nucleus.
Hammond now has within its cor
porate limits. in addition to what
had some time ago, a strip of land hal
a mile wide. extending all the way Z
the township line at Gibson and a stril
a mile wide half that distance TIL
annexation of this territory preclude
the possibility of any further attempts
of East Chicago TO encroach on the ter
ritory south of the Grand Calume
river and east Of the city Of Hammond
but the present administration doe
not propose TO take any chances, an
before another year passes steps vii
be taken to annex all Of the broa
acres between the big and little Calu
metmet rivers, and between the stat
line and Hessville
With this amount of room in whic
to expand. Hammond need not have a
many growing pains as it has had j
the last few years of its remarkabl
development.