The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-01-07
Mayor Becker Puts Out
Feelers to Test the
Public Pulse.
TAX RATE VERY LOW
Slight Increase Would Make Possible
Erection of Creditable Admin
istration Building.

Mayor Becker is feeling out" some
of the prominent business men of this
city for the purpose of determining
whether they would favor a financial
program that has as its object the build
ing of a $4,000 city hall and a $4,000
or $4,000 police station
Mayor Becker Is not prepared TO adj
nit that this question is being thought
out by him, and in fact. denies it.
However, a conversation between the
mayor and John n. Beckman which
took place in the offices of Gostlin,
Meyn & Company In the presence OF
LAKE COUNTY TIMES reporter conflicts
with the mayors denial The conver-
sation was according to this conyersa-
ton, the city's chief executive came
out unreservedly in favor of the pro-
| ject of building a city hall. Owing to
| the economical administration of the
city's affairs 1t will be possible to de-
crease the city tax levy from $2.70 this
year to $1.95 next year. total reduc-
tion of rs cents.
At the same time the mayor is said
to be cognizant of the fact that the city
hall that now does service as the seat Of
municipal government in Hammond is
a disgrace to the city and an affront
to all of the city officials who are COM
PEELED to have Offices in 1t.
For Indefinite Delay or Notf
Therefore the question that presents
itself is this: Shall the building Of this
much needed home for the administra-
tive and legislative branches be- de-
ferred Indefinitely and the public and
their officials be put to the inconven-
ience of conducting their business In
the antiquated structure that now does
service or will they approve Of raise
in the levy from s1.95 to $2.20 and be-
gin the building of new city hall at
once2
The mayor has explained that even
this program would not permit the ac-
tuaI building of the city hall until 1908
as the law requires that two levies
must be made and the first collected
before the building may be begun.
According to this program the first
levy would be made this year and col
lected next year and then after next
years levy is made, the work on the
new city hall could begin. Assuming
that the building could be completed
in a year, it will be seen that 1t would
be 1910 before the new city hall would
be ready for occupancy.
Growth Demands Prompt Action.
/
rapid in the next four years even Il
the city does not secure any more in
dustries than have already promised
to locate here that by the time the new
city hall could be built it would b'
like conducting the business of the city
in a cigar box to remain in the OLE
building. which is in bad repair and II
: few years would be practically un
. inhabitable.
Taking these facts into considera
ton the mayor is said to believe tina
financial program should be arranged
at once. with the idea of building tn
new city hall as soon as the law will
/ allow, He believes that it will be
great deal better to take time by tn
0 foreIock than to suffer the disgrace Q
occupying the tumble-down structur
for another four years.
Y Regarding the plans for the ney
n court house there has been nothin
;, but talk in a general way Of the ad
I visibility of this or that feature.
is generally admitted that the ne7
e building should cost at least $4,000
e and that all of the Offices of the cit
d officials should be on the main foo
d with the council chamber on the sec
n ond floor It has also been suggeste
d that there should be two stories an
n a basement, as there is in the superio
court house and that the police shoul
: occupy quarters in the basement. Tt
e mayor, however, is said to be of tn
: opinion that the city should build
police station separately and devote ii
building to this purpose entirely Il
suggests that the city Judge and I'll
chief of police have their offices In III
building and that one floor be devote
to the Jail. in which there should
separate quarters for the men. wome
and juvenile offenders.