The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-05-16
Manufacturers Hold Ban
quet in Interest of
Former Rates.
many SPEECHES MADE
Discuss Needs of Better Street Car
Facilities in Hammond-Promi-
nent Men Present.

The manufacturers of Hammond,
twenty five in number, representing the
great interests that have made Ham
mond what it IS and will make this city
what it is destined to be, put their
feet under the festive board at the
Hotel Carleton last evening and after
discussing the various courses of the
splendid dinner that had been served,
they discussed matters of vital inter-
est to the industries OF this region.
1t was a representative lot of men
who took their places at the banquet
table at o'clock last evening. The
kind of men who have done and are
doing things for the advancement of
the city in which they have cast their
lot
The banquet was a delightful re-
past and was thoroughly enjoyed by
all the guests. The tables were taste
fully decorated, the service was perfect
and the menu was the equal of any
thing that has been served in this
city so far.
Good Fellowship Prevails.
There was the spirit of good fellow
ship that is always in evidence when
the inner man has been satisfied and
the smoke from the after dinner cigar
begins to fill the air. w. B. Conkey,
the president of the association, in the
capacity of postmaster, made the first
speech. and as Mr.. Conkey was for
several years the president of the Illi-
nois Manufacturers association, one of
the most influential and powerful or
ganizations Of It's kind in the country,
his remarks were full of valuable sug-
gestions.
Mr. Conkey is a smooth convincing
speaker and he explained how the IL
linofs Manufacturers association pre-
vented unwise legislation that was di-
rected against their interests and was
a power at the state capitol because
they acted as a unit and never resort
ed TO corruption to accomplish their
ends.
The principal topic of discussion was
the question of the Monons freight
rates which involved an increase of
from Sc TO $12 per car between here
and Chicago
Reads correspondence.
w. Thomas secretary Of the Manu-
facturers association then read the
correspondence that had been carried
on between the association and Presi-
dent w II. McDoel Of the Monon rail-
road, in which Mr. McDoel promised to
set a date when the committee OF city
olhcials and manufacturers could pre-
sent arguments in favor of the reten-
tion of the old rate.
John e. Fitzgerald, president of the
Hammond Distilling company. then
took up the discussion of switching
rates in the belt territory and gave
his hearers some valuable information
on the subject. He laid stress on the
fact that if the Monon's rate remained
in vogue all of the other railroads
would make a corresponding increase
and 1t would be a serious blow to the
manufacturing interests of the city.
A. Nj. Turner made a short address
in which he said that the manufacture
ers' interests were the interests OF al
of the business men, and in fact all
of the citizens of Hammond, for the
prosperity of the whole city depends
upon the prosperity Of the manufac-
turer
Street Chr Needs Broached.
Mr.. Conkey took opportunity tc
speak Of the need OF better car ser
vice and made the statement that his
company was the loser to the extent
of at least $500 per month because the
poor service did not make it possible
for his employees to reach their work
on time.
This statement was followed later in
the evening by one from w T. Doug.
las of the Standard Steel Car company
who said that his company would b,
seriously inconvenienced when 1t begar
operations next month if there was no
better facilities for transporting tn
employees of the concern to thei
work.
Mayor Lawrence Becker talked o
the progress the city had made to
wards giving the manufacturer bette
surroundings and told how the cit
would soon have three additional fir
stations distributed throughout tn
city for the protection OF the factor
districts. He told of plans for the bet
tering of the water supply by increas
ing the size OF certain mains and be
ginning the operation of the old pump
ing station in addition to the new ont
Speaking of the attitude of the Mono
railroad the mayor said he did not lik
to resort to coercion. but if 1t becam
necessary he would force this railroa
to creep through the city at a snail
pace and impose other restrictions up
on them that would make them com
to time.
Peter W. Meyn and Mr.. Dougla
made short speeches and the banque
was brought to q close when a vot
was taken to send a communication I
the officials of the Hammond, Within
& East Chicago city railway with tn
request that the service to the Stand
ard Steel Car company be improved 6
once IN order TO accommodate the en-
pIoyes who would begin work ther
next month.