The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1909-05-28

SAYS MUST
Use LOOP
Board of Public Works Is
Deadlocked on Indiana &
Chicago Interurban Prop
osition and Negotiations
Are All About Broken Off.

Hammonds chances at noon today
for landing the Indiana and Chicago
Traction company, as an interurban
connecting this city with Indiana Har-
Dor. East Chicago, Hessville. High
lands, Grifft- Crown Point and Cedar
Lake. were practically NIL.
This regrettable state of affairs has
come about after three months of ne
gotiations because Jacob Schloer back
ed up by Peter Davis, members of the
board of public works, insist on COM
pelling the Indiana and Chicago Trac
ton company to use the Red line loop.
Negotiations between the city and the
interurban company have not been
broken off entirely, and there is stin
hope that an agreement can be reached
by which the whole city will be bene-
fitted.
In the meantime Messrs. Davis and
Schloer will do a lot of debating with
themselves whether ii is better to
make a record for the city administra-
tion by insisting on loop service. or no
franchise at all, or whether it would
be better for the welfore of the whole
city TO let the interurban in without
compelling them to use the loop. The
board realizes the gravity of the situa-
tion in which it places itself by refus
ing admittance to a company that has
agreed to every demand with the ex-
ception of the loop use
Company Wants Right to Loop Service.
we want the right to use the loop.
and we wanted il from the beginning,
siad W. ]. Riley, representing the in
tururban this morning" but we won't eb
forced to use, no matter how liberal
the terms of the Red line may be, for
we are looking into the future, when
we shah run three times as many cars
as the proposed contract between us
and the Red line now specifies. We alb
solutely refuse to tie down now and be
handicapped later because of this con-
tract. I have had the officials Of our
company on long distance telephone
this morning and they have absolutely
put their foot down on the proposition
to be compelled to use the loop"
The whole thing now hinges on the
two words shall" and may" The
board insists on the word "shalT' while
the company insists on the word may
Otherwise the franchise is satisfactory
to both sides
AAtAtl EDGEI
Personally. 1 don't want to stand in
the way to let the company into the
city" said Adam Ebert, president OF
the board of public works, after the
session this morning. "Of course if pos
sible, I would like to see them use the
loop but not so much that 7 would bal
out the company because of its refusal
| but Mr. Riley has led US to believe that
| n 14-ac opvfouS 10 41ca +bo Ioov, VIZ
were to have him. and consequently we
went ahead in the hope of bringing the
/ two companies to an agreement"
To this Mr.. Riley answered that h'
had insisted from the first on the righ'
to use the loop. but that he had never
I agreed to be compelled to use it.
we have agreed to pay half of thu
expense of building the approaches t.
tht Columbia avenue bridge and t.
stand for half of the maintainance O.
| the bridge when it is completed; to pay
! the unpaid assessments for our right O.
way on the streets and to pay for th'
widening of Oakley avenue; all in ad
dition to the provisions embodied ii
the Gary and Interurban franchis e
which the board says is a good one
What more do they want? AS far a.
we are concerned we are willing t
wipe Hammond from our map. for W.
can build directly south from East Chi
cago to Hessville, Highlands. Griffith
Crown Point and Cedar Lake" said Mr.
/ Riley. We would be satisfied to en-
ter Hammond over any other street /
that would relieve the situation, but W
will not promise to use the loop"
VIII Meet Tuesday Morning.
The board and Mr.. Riley will NEE
again Tuesday morning, in the hope 0
| getting the franchise in shape for tn
city councils session that same even
ing. But the council cannot take an,
action until the franchise has bee1
signed by at least two of the boar
members and a representative of til
company, of course. Adam Ebert i
willing to sign the franchise withou
the loop provision, and the questio
now is. who of the other two member
will join him for the welfare of tn
city at large
Wo+oh for, & Add1od Tnorc