The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-07-02
Would Connect Heart Of
Chicago With Heart of the
Calumet Region.
ORDINANCE ASKED FOR
Plan Promoted in Chicago, But Sup
posed To Be Financed in
New York.
(specLaI to Lake ceunty Ttme..l

Chicago. July Eff an ordinance In
troduced in the Chicago city council
last night becomes a law within ten
years. the heart of the Calumet region
viii be placed within nfteen minutes
aight of the heart OF Chicago by an
underground passage. There Is no
doubt that the plan the approval OF
which is sought. is = part, possibly the
main part. OF the one suggested soma
time ago TO connect Gary with tha
Twelfth street terminal by a tunnel un-
der the lake.
According to the promoters who ara
men more of influence than capital
but who claim to have ample backing
in the latter respect-the proposition
is to build a subway from Evanston to
the Indiana state line with branches
reaching out east and west. This much
would be covered by the ordinances
asked of the Chicago city council bat It
is understood that IN the event Of the
passage Of the ordinance permission
will be asked OF the Indiana authors
ties to extend the subway so as TO tap
Gary and the adjoining Industrial set
Elements.
Chicago Men Promoters.
The name of the company Is the Chi
eago subway Arcade and Traction COM
pany and its representative in the coun-
ell last night was Alderman Dunn.
Williom Penn Nexon, former Collector
of Port in Chicago, is the president $.
D. Gookins, secretars and Edwin +.
Getchell. John NJ Even. Dwight Il. Per-
kins. and Samuel NJ. Rowe the directors.
Son OF Col. GooIxius.
- s y. 6sookins- fs-as-son ef Coll Gooixins.
originator OF the subway scheme, and
who died suddenly three years ago
while on business visit to New York
City. Edwin +. Getchell is a real es-
tate dealer at 204 Dearborn street.
John NJ. Even is president OF the John
NJ. Even company 74O The Rookery.
engineers and builders. Dwight H.
Perkins is an architect employed by tho
city board of education. Samuel NJ
Rowe is a member OF the firm OF Rowe
& Rowe, Monadock building.
Those men do not say they are re-
pared to furnish the money necessary.
They gave out, however. there was
plenty OF money in New York waiting
to finance the company IL the necessary
ordinance could be had, and the story
in the council chamber was that either
the Belmont or the Ryan interests. and
perhaps both. We're back OF the plan.
The ordinance grants the company a
franchise to build and operate subways,
arcades. and tunnels under the streets
of Chicago. The subways are to be
eighteen feet wide b. thirteen feet high
and placed as near the surface as pos
sible. In them can be carried electric
railways. electric wires. conduits tor
any purpose. and pneumatic tubes. The
main terminal station IS to be on the
part of lake front between Randolph
and Monroe streets. controlled by the
city. and other stations are to be
placed throughout the city wherever
the board Of control thinks proper.
Access 10 outer HarbOr.
The company is to have the right to
enter into leases and contracts for
trackage in its subways with any COM
pany operating street interurban. or
elevated cars inside or outside the city.
and if at any time an outer harbor is
established. it's subways are to have
access to the warehouses to be built on
the lake front
The routing OF the subways and the
fixing OF stations is to be determined
by a commission Of seven members OF
whom two are to be named by the
: council committee on local transpor-
tation two BY the mayor and three by
the company. one Of the compapys
three is to be chief engineer and presi-
dent of the commission.
Inc ordnance aSkeu Tor nus q LGA1~
/ tative municipal ownership clause
Mr.. Nexon Explains.
! In an explanation Mr. Nexon said:
The companys plans have been sub
mitted 10 the best engineering author
titles in America and endorsed by them.
Its financial plans likewise have been
made certain Of success by an under
:. writing guarantee from New York and
other eastern capitalists. 1t is pro-
posed to give Chicago the best SUBJ
way system in the world BY the en-
listment OF private capital at reason
able profit, with ample provision for
city ownership. The plans provide for
the highest type Of modern construc-
F! ton, avoiding the demonstrated flaws
lin the other cities which have built
subways-
2. differing from the New York sub
7. way, the Chicago plans provide for the
T carrying Of all underground pipes and
: wires in accessible galleries. The
; central system OF subways IS for pass
Il engers exclusively