The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-10-09
SAYS BOARD OF REVIEWS
VALUATIONS ARE RIDICULOUS
Chief of Police Rimbach Asks for
Ten Additional Men and a Patrol
Wagon or Acknowledgment
Ordinances Passed for Ratifying
Contracts, Etc.

What is the matter with Hammondg
In an informal talk to the city council
at Its regular session last night, Mayor
Becker in unstinted words gave hia
opinion. The remarks bore the tone
OF one who Is being chafed between
public opinion and the lack OF fuGds
wherewith to compel the peoples
demands.
The talk was brought about BY q
proposition of Councilman Kane that
the city buy additional land for Doug
las park.
Hammond is in need OF many
things" said Mayor Becker. tsFor ex-
ample THE LAKE COUNTY TrMEs 0di-
torially cries for more street lights.
AS far as that is concerned. we could
have lights on every street corner IN
the remotest part of the city, but
where viii the money come from We
need a new city hall, parks. etc. but
where will the taxes come from 20 get
all these improvements for the cfty7
Valuations TOO Low.
Property valuations In Hammond are
entirely too low. From reports that I
get from all over the state. Of cities In
our class. last year. only two cities,
Ellwood and Jeffersonville. have lower
property valuations than here and In
Ellwood they are moving the houses
of the town. 1t is ridiculous to think
how our most valuable property is
valued at by the board OF review. Our
main street corners are valued at 800
foot, when in fact the owners would
not take $1,000 a foot for their hold
| ings. Hammond property is valued a
L uhn -
00o.O0O and could be stretched TO $780,
00O, 900"
! J. D. Smalley. city controller. read
the estimate submitted by each city
department to him for conducting sew
eral departments for the ensuing year.
The report was referred to the finance
committee with instructions to report
at the next meeting.
Among other things that the vari-
Gus department heads are asking for
are: Ten additional policemen and a
patrol wagon or automobile and a raise
of s5 for the patrolmen. by Chief Rim
bach and the board of police commis-
sioners.
Wants Assistant.
An assistant city attorney. with
salary OF $1,000 a year, asked for by
LeGrand T. Meyer, city attorney.
The report was referred without
comment with the exception that Harry
Eastwood suggested that more police
are needed TO which John Kane prompt
ly answered that in his opinion the
city was adequately protected. Council
i Gilman Schroeter's suggestion that the
| administration administer a pension
fund for the fire department, brought
about a remark from Mayor Becker
that for the present the department Is
not hospital an dthat first of all men
must be employed who are able to serve
twenty years before they are entitled
to pension.
Saturday Nov. 2, has been set by the
council for a special election at which
the voters Of Hammond may vote on the
board of education's $4,000 school
bond proposition for the Wallace school.
Messrs. J. Gavit and W. J. Whinnery
We're appointed as special election com
| missioners.
IN reading the ordinance providing
for the special election. Mayor Becker
discovered that it provided that the
bonds would be loated by the school
board of the city of Hammond. AS this
car be construed 10 read as a debt by
the city administration the mayor sug-
gested a change to read School city
OF Hammond" The ordinance was
passed with the change.
Contract an Eyesore.
The coal contract that the board
of public works awarded TO G. B. Stout
for coal for the pumping station al
1895 a ton for Paramount coal is be-
ginning to be an eyesore TO the coun-
: ell 1t was laid on the table for &
: second time. the aldermen wishing Il
: make a personal inspection OF the Goa
: now used and also that TO be con
!. tracted for. Three ordinances were
n passed, the first ratifying a contract
I for a supply OF 1900 feet OF six-incl
: water pipe by the Lynchburg Foundry
K company al the rate OF s34.60 per ton
L the second ratifying a purchase mad,
: BY the water department, Of tapping
4 machine from the A. b. Smith com
E pany for $3.50. The third ordinances
(. orders the transferring OF $500 from
e the general fund to the water fund.
e The council ordered the printing BIZ
t OF the annual report amounting 70 s22