The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-05-13
The Steel Trust Will Put in
It's Own Public
Utilities.
IS SATISFIED
Gas and Electricity in Less Than
Year-Temporary Water Sup
ply in Month.

May H. 1907 will be looked back
upon as one of the most important
dates in the history of the now far
famed steel city of Gary for last Sat
urday afternoon the board of trustees
passed four franchises in which the
rights to the principal public utilities
were granted to representatives of the
United States Steel corporation.
The franchises are said to be fair to
both the grantee and grantor and not
only include ample protection to the
city, but are liberal enough so that the
various companies will not be hindered
in the development of the utilities they
represent.
Saturday was franchise day with 4
vengeance. While the meeting of
week ago had been tense with poten-
tial outbursts of Indignation on the
part of some of the citizens of Gary
the meeting last Saturday was just the
opposite.
The citizens were reconciled to the
fact that the interests of the great
corporation which gave birth to their
city were Identical with their own and
when certain changes in the franchises
were agreed to by the representatives
of the steel company they were passed
without a dissenting vote.
Franchises Pass without Comment.
| The meeting was called to order with
all of the board members present. In
various parts of the room sat the three
or four representatives of the steel
company
After the franchises were read they
were passed with little comment and
less formality. The franchise provides
that the gas and electric plants are to
/ be in operation in less than year
and the water works are to be corr
pleted within three years, but the com
pany expects to furnish water from
temporary wells within a month and
electric lights and gas will be available
within two months. The completion
of the plants that will permanently
supply the great future population OF
Gary will require longer period OF
time.
The action of the board will now
make it possible for the workmen tt
continue the work of erecting tht
power station, laying the mains cables
and conduits and Will result in the i'm
mediate purchase of other equipmen
which altogether will cost several mill
ions Of dollars.
Born Under Lucky star.
Gary is fortunate in having beer
brought in to existence by such
wealthy corporation, for there are feV
Of the mushroom cities that have sprunt
up in this region of marvellous indus
trial development that have not had t
pass through that period of chaos dur
ing their development in which ever
the municipal necessities such as fue
and Illuminating gas, water and Slec
trio lights and adequate transporta
tion facilities have been secured onl,
after wears of waiting and at an enor
nous cost
Following the adoption of the fran
cbises President E. ]. Burlington, o.
the part of the United States Stee
t corporation. thanked the trustees 70
their action.
franchise was also awarded to III
Goshen. South Bend & Chicago Electri
5 Railway company, which concern we
represented by Mayor Darrow of La
Porte.
) The franchise had been drafted afte
careful consideration and provides 10
trunk line through the city, the rish
Of way of which crosses five street:
This line will not be local one, bu
will operate between the cities 10
which the line was named.
The city of Gary has safeguarded il
! rights and although the franchise wa
granted for fifty years, there is
clause providing that the city ma
. compel the line to elevate at an
, time.