The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1908-05-15
HOTCHK|SS MISSED BY
EAST CHICAGO COMPANY

The action of c. W. Hotchkiss in
stepping out of the East Chicago COM
pany yesterday is a matter of deep
interest to the people of the entire
Calumet region.
No one knows so we'll as the cap
tains of industry Of this locality, who
have had direct dealings with Mr.
Hotchkiss and have known of his
work, what a power he has been for
progress along substantial lines and
what a great part he has played in
maintaining the prestige of his part
OF the region as compared to South
Chicago to the west and Gary to the
east
1t is the big ideas of Mr.. Hotchkiss.
executed in a masterful manner, that
resulted in drawing the cities of Ham
mond, East Chicago, Indiana Harbor
and Whiting into a closer unity than
ever before.
Binds Cities Together.
It is Hotchkiss to whom the credit
belongs for binding these municipali-
ties closer together with bands of
steel and when eventually they are
all united under one governmental
organization to be known as the city
or Calumet, Hotchkiss will have proven
himself q most important IaCLOT IN
bringing about this result
A few years ago Albert De w Frs
kline. who was acting as president OF
the East Chicago company made a
contract with the Inland Steel company
which stipulated that the plant should
be given direct rail connections with
nearly all the trunk lines which cross
the Calumet district.
When Mr. HOfchlxfaS who az tho
time was consulting engineer for the
East Chicago company. made up his
estimates of the cost of making good
on the railroad connecting clause for
the contract, the directors received a
financial solarplexus jolt in the form OF
a report that the cost would be more
than s5o0.0 900.
Naturally there was CONSERVATION in
the camp for a time at least.
It was then that G. w. Hotchkiss
showed his mettle and hts genius as
an organizer. In that emergency Yves
born the scheme that had for it's OBJ
ject the putting together of the pres
ent system of belt lines which now
girdle the Calumet region and are con-
trulled by the New York Central lines
Indiana Harbor and indeed the entire
region was beginning to attract at
tention IS a coming industrial center
of national Importance. The freight
was a plum ripe for picking. The
Lake Shore line passed on the lake side
of the territory and the Nickel Plate
another New York Central line. passed
on the south side These two lines
came together at Grand Crossing from
which point the Nickel Plate trains
passed over the Lake Shore tracks to
the LaSalle street station.
Built Connecting Link
Hotchkiss' scheme was to build line
three and ene-half miles long from the
Lake Shore tracks at Indiana Harbor
TO the Nickel Plate line south Of the
Calumet river at Osborn.
It was a good plan and resulted In
a belt line from Grand Crossing to
Indiana Harbor thence south to the
Nickel Plate. thence to Hammond
Hegewisch, Stony Island and back to
Grand Crossing.
Incidentally the new line from In
diana Harbor to Gibson would cross
the main line OF the Pennsylvania, the
Wabash. the Michigan Central and at
East Chicago would come in contact
with the lines of the Chicago Terminal
and the Chicago Junction. belt lines
The new tine was built by the New