The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1908-09-29
UNION BETWEEN TWO
IS NOT IMPOSSIBLE
Purchase of Local Line Would Elm
mate All Completion in Calumet
Region for South Bend Interurban
and Such a Deal Would Be Well
coined.

It was rumored about town today
that the Chicago, Lake Shore and
South Bend Electric Railway company
is negotiating with the Hammond,
Whiting and East Chicago Electric
railway for the purchase of the latter
company's lines.
The report is given credenee by
many of the business men of the city
who know of the plans of the interur-
ban company, but it is impossible to
confirm the rumor at the present time.
The following facts regarding the
deal between the two Is not impossible
and is, in fact, very probable.
Facts About c., l.. s. & s. b.
The Chicago, Lake Shore and South
Bend line is trunk line interurban.
its main line traffic.
It has built feeder line from the
main line to Indiana Harbor.
It made an effort to get hold OF 1he
Gary traction franchise.
1t has promised the people of West
Hammond that it will build feeder
line from Gary to Tolleston to Ham
mond to West Hammond to Hegewisch.
BY the purchase of the lines of the
Hammond, Whiting and East Chicago
company 1t would have a perfect sys-
tenn of connecting and feeding lines
and would have only to build GER
tain connecting links to make just the
loop from Gary through Hammond to-
Hegewisch which, is needed.
Through the purchase of the local
line all competition in the Calumet
region except that at Gary. would be-
eliminated.
The Hammond. Whiting and East
Chicago line would be much more val
liable to the Chicago, Lake Shore and
South Bend line as a. feeder than it
| could possibly be to the South Chicago
City railway.
On the other hand the Hammond
Whiting and East Chicago Street Rail-
/ way company has never been a huge
| financial success.
/ Run as an independent street rail-
way or as the tail end of the South
Chicago City railway it would take
much larger population in the territory
in which it operates to make it pay.
Long hauIs for scent fare is the
| defect in the proect for Hammond.
Whiting and East Chicago Street Rail-
way company, which has not yet been
overcome.
Street railways like railroads are
valuable for the connections with oth-
er friendly lines which they are able
to make.
The Chicago. Lake Shore and South
Bend line is the logical one to absorb
the local line for the reason that COM
| petition would be eliminated and co-op-
| Grafton would be natural.
When the report was circulated this
morning those who gave it credence
saw in the plan some prospect for bet
ter service in Hammond and the other
cities in which the line operates.
1t would be possible for Hammond
! people to make connections for Ham
mond at three different points on the
line: at Gary at the north Holman
street connection and at Hegewisch.
All of these points would be placed
within easy access Of the business dis
trict of Hammond It is likely that the
city of Hammond would grant the Chi
cago. Lake Shore and South Bend COM
pany additional franchises in Ham
Tnond for instance one on Calumet av-
enue from Conkey avenue to State
street. so that a lop could be con-
structed, while it is doubtful if the
present owners of the local line could
get any concessions whatever from the
city. The people of Hammond viii
anxiously await the confirmation of the
report