The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1909-04-09
BANKER BELMAN
GIVES PRACTICAL TALK
Attorney L. I. Bomberger Told As
sembly How Amalgmation Might
Be Accomplished and Feared That
Average City Official Was Not Big
Enough to Forget Ambition.

citation indicated Enthusiastically last
evening that it favored:
l. The amalgamation of Hammond,
Whiting, East Chicago and Indiana
Harbor.
?. The open-door policy toward inter-
urbans by which they will be re-
ceived with open arms so long as the
rights they seek do not conflict with
those of other legitimate traction en-
terprises.
The crowd was slow in coming. but
by the time the routine business of
the association was finished the court
room was comfortably filled with rep
resentative business men, who seemed
absorbed in the topics under discus
sion.
Mr.. BeIman Talks.
The address of ". G. Belman on
Some Benefits of Amalgamation.v in
dicates that he has given the subject
considerable study. Mr.. Belman point
ed out the fact that the tendency now
adays in the commercial world is to
reduce what is known as the fixed
charges and by so doing reduce the
cost of the output.
In the case of commercial insti-
tuition the fixed charges would be the
rent, the lighting, the heat etc. In the
case of municipality the fixed charges
include the salaries OF the heads of de-
partments, the cost of erecting munich
pal buildings and expenses of this ma
ture.
Mr. Belman then pointed out that in
I'll
stitution or a municipality these fixed
charges are not materially increased
when several of them unite.
For instance, the cities of Hammond,
Whiting and East Chicago may all
sooner or later be compelled to erect
municipal buildings, in which the va
rious city departments may be housed,
if they have not already done 50.
A Good Illustration.
The city hall at East Chicago cost
| in the neighborhood of 100000. If
the cities of Hammond and Whiting did
not go in for more expensive buildings
they would each be compelled to spend
100000, making 100000 in all. But
amalgamated cities of the TOWNSHIP
could erect a 100000 city hall thai
would be twice as beautiful, twice as
useful and enough larger to serve the
purpose at two-thirds of the cost tc
the taxpayers.
That is but one example of the econ.
omy Of amalgamation. That same econ
omy would be practiced in having only
one set Of city officials and but on po
! lice. fire and water department for th'
amalgamated cities.
DR. H. c. Groman. chairman of tn,
committee on statistics, reported that a
vet his committee had done nothing H
made a few remarks on the desirabilit,
of amalgamation and pointed to tn
advantage it would be to the unite'
city to claim a population of $4,000 t
: 10000 people. A city of that size woul
be able to purchase supplies cheape
and could market its bonds much east
er.
Bombergcr Tells How.
Attorney l. l. Bomberger made on
of the most interesting talks of tn
evening when he spoke on the subjec
How Amalgamation May Best Be Ac
complished." Mr. Bomberger suggest
ed. first. the usual method Of accom-
+, plishing the much desired end Thi
was by the action of the city council
: he said when pubic opinion becam
: strong enough the city officials woul
be compelled to forget their own selfls
+ ! interests and in striving for the publ
: veal amalgamation could be effecte
. | by thepassage Of resolutions declarin
t for the union to be a fact.
: He admitted. however as did Mr.. Be
. man and many Of the others who spok
r that the average city official is not bi
5 enough to forget his own ambition an
h run the risk of sacrificing his sinecui
$ for the everlasting good of the peop
: he represents.
!. People Last Resort.
Consequently, the matter of amalg;
r nation will have to be taken direct
e TO the people. This will be done /
h first going before the state legisls
ture with special charter for tt