The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-06-12
Movement is Fathered by
w. G. Paxton and w.
H. Gostlin
OTHERS FAVOR PLAN
With Thoroughfare Eighty Feet in
Width, Stately Highway
Is Assured.

| mere Is actually a movement on
foot to widen East State street is the
startling information that was received
oy a TINES reporter today when w. G.
Paxton and W. G. Gostlin. two Of the
principal property owners on the street
admitted that they We're standing spon-
sors for the plan and that the matter
had been broaehed to the mayor and
the board OF public works.
When 1 thought OF suggesting tbe
matter to the mayor and the board /
expected TO be laughed at and took IL
Tor granted that these gentlemen would
take me for a pipe dreamer but to my
surprise l found that they were In
sympathy with my ideas and that IL
public sentiment could be brought to
j bear In favor of the plan, they would
do All in their power TO widen the
street said Mr.. Paxton today.
Surprised mt support.
With this encouragement" he con-
tinued, Il took the trouble 10 talk 10
several of the other property owners
on the street and with but one ex-
ception l found that. in a general way.
they favored the plan.
There may be varying ideas as to
how the street should be widened. but
there is no question that ii means
everything to the owners of property
not only on State street but Plummer
avenue and Sibley street as well to
have this great east and west thor
oughfare widened
With Hammond claiming a popula
ton of $4,000 inhabitants. 1t is already
apparent that its business streets are
badly crowded. Take a stroll down
Holman street or State street almost
any fine evening and it is as hard to
make your way through the throngs
as 1t is on State street IN Chicago"
Widen Holman street ImpractIeabIe.
Mr. Gostlin said today: There are
too many costly buildings on Holman
street to make the widening OF ii prac-
tcable and this is State streets op /
portunity. On one side of this street
there are but three or four permanent
buildings and on the othere there are
not very many more.
Other plans have been suggested. i"
continued Mr.. Gostlin. but my idea
would be TO take all of the width off
one side of the street and then let the
property owners all along the thor
oughfare pay the damages
Say State street was increased from
sixty feet to eighty or even more. what
beautiful business thoroughfare II
would make. Require the property
owners to put in good good wide side
walks and it would not be long before
State street in Hammond would be the
mercantile center Of the whole Calumet
region. Nearly all Of the business
houses on the street will be new They
Will be up to date In every particular
ana the result viii be that the great
volume of trade will be done there"
VIII Not Hurt Holman Street.
4 do not think ii would hurt Hoh-
man street for the city is growing so
fast that Holman street would more
than hold its own while State street
would take care Of the great territory
that is being built up in the eastern
part of the city.
4 have noticed that a really good
business street must be hanked on
either side with other streets that will
help to carry the traffic and will en-
able other business houses TO get In
near the center Of business activity.
State street comes up to these require ,
ments for it has Plummer avenue for
Its Wabash avenue and Sibley street
for its Dearborn street
Hammond is on the eve Of a great
future and its business men must rise
70 their opportunities. This city is ]
growing too large to be content with
me business street. In the future ;
when the congestion becomes great II
State street is not widened. it would J
Tot be at all surprising TO find that {
Calumet avenue had been well named
md that ii was destined to be the main
horoughfare Of the Calumet region
Mr.. Paxton and Mr.. Gostlin declare
hey are going right on feeling the
entiment OF the property holders on :
he street and il enough Of them in :
ticate their approval. steps will be
AIKEN TO get them together for the pur-
'ose Of deciding on plan OF action.
The cost of the Improvement would ;
iot be so great as might be imagined
nd IL is safe 70 say that with state
treet wide. well paved thoroughfare.
he increase in the value OF property
would more than pay the whole cost c
Z moving the buildings i