The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-06-21
Reported Transfer of Belt
Line to Vanderbilt In
terestS True.
TIMES TOLD IT FIRST
Although Repeatedly Denied by City
Newspapers They Are Now
Forced to Admit It.

AS was announced in THE LAKE
COUNTY TIMES three weeks ago and sub
sequently denied by some OF the Chi
cago papers, and by a number OF the
parties concerned in the deal the leas-
ing with the right to purchase the out
er belt line of the Chicago Junction
Railway company by the Vanderbilt in
terests. was practically closed yester-
day in New York, and the vast traf
fic which originates in Chicago and
surrounding country will be controlled
by the New York Central lines.
Supplementing the deal is the leas-
ing for a term Of ninety-nine years
of a part of the tracks Of the Chicago
Terminal Transfer Railway company.
which forms the connecting link in
the complete inner belt railway system
which the Vanderbflts are securing.
President John A Spoor of the belt
road yesterday confirmed the lease and
declared that before the end OF the
year the outer belt line which his
company now owns and operates, would
pass entirely into the possession of the
New York Central lines.
Has Long Leases.
The line known an the outer belt of
the Chicago Junction Railway com
pany consists of 24.S miles OF tracks
owned by that company, and 13.S miles
owned by the Chicago Terminal Trans
fer Railway company and over which
the Junction Railway company has a
ninety-nine year lease. The trackage
owned by the Junction and the juno
TONS lease of the Terminals tracks
are being leased to the East Chicago
Belt railway. which was constructed
and owned by the Lake Shore and
Michigan Central roads.
Mul ContEsasse xsurelansanx
The annual rental IS APPROXIMATELY
/ $3.50, 900, but before the end of the
year the East Chicago Belt Line road
will purchase the tracks from the
Junction company for about $4,000. 600.
The tracks which are to be purchased
extend from Franklin Park to Summit
The tracks of the Terminal then take
the belt line from Summit to Blue Is
land and then the belt line is complet-
ed by the functions own tracks on
through Riverdale, West Hammond
Hammond Whiting and South Chi
cago.
To Circle Chicago.
The completion of the new inner belt
to Gary, Ind is by the East Chicago
Belt from Hammond through East
Chicago to Indiana Harbor and thence
to Gary by the Indiana Harbor road
1t is also understood that arrange
ments will be completed whereby the
Vanderbilts will secure a lease of the
Terminals tracks between Franklin
Park and haywood. making the circle
about Chicago so complete that ever.
road entering it must cross the bel
lines at some point.
The outer belt line of the Wander
biIts extends from Zearling, III, cas-
to South Bend, Ind, and is crossed b!
nearly every railroad entering Chicag,
except those from the northwest, an,
it connects with the Chicago, Indiana
& Southern at Schneider. Ind.
The lease. which will be to the Eas
Chicago Belt line and its successors
, will be supplemented by a secon
lease. which the East Chicago belt vii
$ secure. giving 1t the right to operat
- its trains over the tracks of the Chi
2 cago. Indiana and Southern to Gar
and reaching the many industries o
e the Calumet district. AS soon as thes
D transactions are completed the nam
I of the East Chicago belt will be chang
. ed and an organization will be substi
= tuted which will control the entire bel
situation.
e Great Arms Reach Around.
'' The Vanderbilts selected c. W Hotch
kiss. now general manager Of III
Chicago. Indiana and Southern roa,
to carry out their new Chicago ter
minal scheme His first work was tn
:. arrangement for constructing the the
Indiana Harbor road with a view I
> connecting the new outer belt wit
the Vanderbilt lines at Chicago. Afte
this was done the Indiana Harbor wa
extended TO Danville TO reach the cot
o fields and the Big Four.
Extensive terminal improvement
Il were completed al great cost at Il
. diana Harbor, which was created as
n lake terminal for the road. still lat
the road was extended 10 Gary. Int
/ where the Vanderbilts knew Il
Il United States Steel corporation ";
Il planning to erect great steel plant
u and where scores Of great industri
H. were destined to locate. Then the Ea
'e Chicago belt was built. and Ii
Il brought the property thus far acQui
ed into connection with many indu
tries and 10 a connection with Il
Chicago functions tracks.
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