The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1909-12-28
new TRAFFIC
TO Be REACHED
Hammond VIII Be Center
For All Interurban Busi-
ness to Chicago.

Hammond is the interurban gate
way to Chicago, that is rapidly COM
ing to be recognized as one of the
great features of the recent amalga-
nation of the south side lines in Chi
cago.
Although Chicago has the great
est railway facilities of any city in
the world, it is far behind the times
as an interurban center for the rea-
son that it had been practically i'm
possible for interurbans to secure
franchises in Chicago.
MEANS MUCH FOR CITY.
Now that the south side lines have
ben consolidated 1t becomes more and
more apparent that the HAMMOND.
! whiting & East Chicago line will pick
up the passengers at the Hammond
terminals Of these interurban lines and
carry them into Chicago.
! This means much for Hammond. and.
/ Indirectly much for the other cities Of
the region. 1t is probable that the first
step will be to make the Red line one
/ of the best equipped and operated lines
of the whole system. In this way sub
urban traffic will be encouraged and
the value of interurban lines as feed
ers viii be properly developed.
MAY REHABILITATE LINE.
At the present time it is a we'll
known fact that dirty cars, a long ride
to Sixty-third street the necessity of
changing to the elevated trains at this
point and the comparative infrequeney
Of the service is responsible for the
fact that the local suburban trains are
patronized to greater extent than the
street cars.
Another possibility is the building Of
the Cottage Grove avenue extension to
Hegewisch. between Lake Calumet and
Wolf Lake. affording Hammond direct
connections with Chicago by way of
Hegewisch and Burnham. This route
would save forty to fifty minutes in the
trip from Hammond to Chicago and
would provide second feeder from
Hammond. the interurban gateway, to
Chicago.
HAMMOND IN LIMELIGHT-
An idea of the importance to Ham
mond Of this project may be had from
the following, which appeared in the
Chicago Triune this morning:
Regarding the immediate results OF
the consolidation Mr.. Cobe had the
following to say:
"One of the first results that the
public viii see from the consolidation
Of the south side lines viii be through
routes to Hammond OF course. the
fare will not be , cents. it would be
asking too much to carry passengers
from Evanston to Hammond for nick
eI; but It will mean a great saving
Of time to people travelling that way.
and eventually will mean more revenue
for the city.
Under the terms Of the ordinance, as
I understand it. the Chicago City Rail-
way company gives the city So per cent
of its revenue after operating ex-
penses and fixed charges have been de-
Quoted. Whatever arrangement is made
for the hauling Of passengers from
Hammond to the loop. or to the north
limits of the city. viii increase the rev
enues of the Chicago City railway.
and automatically a part Of this rev.
nue. will reach the treasury Of the city.
Just how the fare will be appor-
toned between the Chicago City rail-
: way and the Hammond line or the
South Chicago line in case a scent fare
y eNeHludily llslleutSu y d mater Aor
determination between the companies,
a but they will both feed the urban lines.
and that will increase the City rail-
! ways earnings.
HAMMOND BECOMES GATEWAY.
' With the consolidation and the estab-
= fishing Of a through route from the
loop district to Hammond, that city
becomes the gateway through which
viii pass to and from Chicago an i'm
mense volume of passenger traffic. The
net work Of interurban lines which
covers northern Indiana. southern
Michigan. and portions of Ohio. in a
n manner, viii become tributary lines.
: Thus far Chicago has derived little
: beneht from these interurban systems
O which, though they lie within a closer
(ContirCeo on page nIe-1