The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1909-12-24
INTEREST
TAKEN IN
CALUMET
Big Realty Owner Across
the Line Indites Letter to
Times and Says That On
Gle Sam Does Not Lack
enthusiasm.

An idea of the interest that Is be-
Ing tzlxan IN the matter OF the i'm
prc~enent OF the Calumet river
through Hagewtsch, Burnham and
Hammond to the point where the In
diana Harbor canal joins tho Calumet
river. is indicated by a communication
which has been received by THE. TIMES
from c. II. Nichols. of c. N Nichols &
Co. OF Chicago, who own a large
amount OF frontage on the Calumet
river in Illinois.
In a letter to THE TIMES Mr.. Nichols
refers to an article which appeared in
THE TINES last Friday. This paper
printed on the same day an editorial
entitled, Hammond as a Lake Port"
which urged the necessity of immedi-
ate action on the part of the property
owners along the river looking to the
establishment of the proper meander-
ing lines so that the dock lines on the
river can be established
The following is the letter which Mr..
Nichols has written to THE TIMES and
is well worth careful perusal:
Due to Apathy.
Editor TIMES, Hammond, Ind:
Il have read very carefully an item
IN your issue of the nth entitled,
Apathy Kills the Project" referring
to the deepening and widening of the
Grand Calumet river through Ham
mond-
1T should be clearly understood that
this Indifference is on the part of the
people owning property adjacent to the
river and others who would be really
benefited thereby, and not at all ow-
ing to any lack Of enthusiasm or will
- -
war to make the improvement free OF
expense to the resident owners.
I'm fact, the government engineers
have, during the past year. been prod
ding owners, on the Illinois side at
least, to get together and deed to the
United States the ground necessary
for widening the river to $50 feet in
order that recommendation for the
requisite appropriation could be made
to the present congress.
History of improvements.
The situation is about like this:
In 1887 the government committed
itself to a project for improving the
Calumet river from South Chicago to,
I believe. point one mile east of the
corporate limits of Hammond, Ind.
Since that time each congress has
made an appropriation sufficient to
perform that part OF the work. Deeds
were furnished by the adjoining prop
erty owners. The government engi-
neeFs have reported repeatedly to
Washington that they have received
the greatest encouragement to con-
tinue the work by the officials of a
large number of factories which sprang
up as the work progressed.
Must Have Deeds.
The river is now deepened from
South Chicago to 122nd street to q
depth of twenty-five feet, and to the
Calumet Lake forks to a depth of sew
enteen feet.
From the Calumet Lake forks tC
the city of Hammond complete sur
veys have been made for a channel 25t
feet wide and arranging for two turn
ing basins The property owners along
that portion between the forks. above
referred to, and the Little Calume
forks, arranged for deeds which arr
now being delivered to the war de
partment
They employed some one to TAX,
care Of the details for them. That por
ton of the river from where the Lit
tie Calumet branches off. running
through the little villages of Burnhan
and West Hammond, is about to b.
taken up by the property owners.
Takes Twenty-Five Years.
1T has taken twenty-five years 70
the government to make these i'm
provements to sloth of those who wer
mostly benefited. 1t Is too late to d.
anything with the present congress
but If the people of Hammond Yves
Hammond and Burnham join hands an,
procure deeds from the owners to tn
government, they can have one gran
appropriation made by the next con
gress for completing the entire chan
mel from South Chicago to where tn
Indiana Harbor canal joins 1t. an
there is not much time left to &C
complish this task.
THE government would gladly max
the appropriation, and it would be we