The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-07-08
Whiting Attorney Gets the
Gary Plum and Says he
Will Build Road.
NO HOT AIR TIE UP.
New Lake County Street Railway
Magnate Says Franchise Is
Not For Sale.

In speaking of the action Of the
trustees OF the Gary town board in
awarding the traction franchise TO
Frank Gavit Of Whiting, instead of to
the subsidiary company Of the United
States steel corporation. Kemper K
Knapp OF the firm or Knapp Haynie
& Campbell, who are the legal repre-
sentatives of the steel corporation
said:
"Of course we are disappointed that
the board did not award US the fran
chise we asked for. 1t was part of
our plan for the upbuilding of Gary
TO make it's public utilities the best in
the world. However, this matter is
not vital TO the interests of Gary for
the United States Steel corporation is
not in the business of building street
railways. In fact If we could have
been convinced that an outside corpo-
ration would give Gary the service
that we intended to give the city we
would gladly have favored the grant
ing of the franchise to that company"
In an interview with a representa-
tive OF THE LAKE COUNTY TIMES at his
home in Whiting yesterday. Frank
Gavit. who made the successful bid for
the first franchise rights in Gary,
seemed pleased with the action of the
board and confident in his ability to
give Gary a street railway system
that would be as modern and up-to-
date as there is in the county.
Gavit Talks.
MIR. Gavft said: From the start the
members of the Gary hoard have said
they would give the company offering
the best terms the traction franchise.
and 1 set about to get the franchise.
Il kaew TO begin Avith..stllat Gary
would be a compact city and / figured
that 1t cost a great deal less to haul
the average passenger in Gary from
one point in the city to another where
people are getting on and off at every
block than it does. for instance on the
Hammond. Whiting & East Chicago
line where a ear load of passengers
are hauled say from Hammond to East
Chicago or from East Chicago to Whit
ing with no intermediate stops.
For this reason I figured that I could
carry passengers for five cent fare or
for practically three cent fare when
eight tickets are bought for a quarter
This was the principal bono OF con-
tenton. said Mr. Gavit, "and officials
of the steel corporation insisted that /
could not give the service al those
rates
"As to service l will say this" con-
tinued Mr. Gavit Il believe it to be
good business policy to give the best
possible service. 1 think the Hammond
line would find it much more profitable
TO give good service than to run the
cars the way they do"
Gets But Three Streets.
The franchise that Mr.. Gavit has Sc
cured is on only three streets. Broad
way, through its whole length; Fiftl
avenue and Eleventh avenue through tx
Toleston
The fare is 10 be five cents with SD
tickets for quarter for the first hv,
years and eight tickets for n quartz,
after that Universal transfers are I,
be given not only on the lines of this
company but also on the lines of an!
othor company operating in the city.
Interurhans are to De permitted t,
use the lines Of the company upon tht
payment of two cents per passenger. o
any other sum that may be fixed b!
arbitration.
one important clause in the farm
chise is the provision that after nv,
years the city shall be paid per cen
of the net profits of the company Th
company is required TO pave Broadwa,
to a width Of twenty-six feet and tn
other streets foot on each side o
the outer rail
The line on Broadway must be com
pleted as far as Hobart avenue within
eight months and the whole line mus
be completed within a year. In al
there must be constructed five and one
half miles OF track.
No $1,000 oGer.
Mr. Gavit was compelled to pos
$4,000 TO insure the carrying out Q
his contract The story in Chicag
paper to the effect that the steel cor
poration offered Gavit $1,000 for hi
franchise as soon as it was granted
was discredited by both Mr.. Knapp an
Mr., Gavit.
1t is generally believed that NJ
Gavit does not intend to build the lin
himself but has formed an allianc
with one Of the other three companie
which were attempting TO secure til
franchise.
Mr. Gavit was asked pointedly aboy
this yesterday and stated that he wa
positively standing alone in the mai
ter He said he was not tied up wit
the Hot Air" people or any other con
pany and had no such move in cor
temptation.
Il am going to b,nld this line my