The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1910-09-30


week the heads of this institution came |
10 Philadelphia. 1t developed in the |
same old way that they were not able |
to convince that he would have re- |
liable service from them. We said to
them that we are now purchasing cleo
tricity from your lines at Chesterton.
and that you have been serving US
there since Jan. 1st. and that you have
not been able to give us good service.
said we have not been able to secure
many customers, on account of the
trouble we have had there with the
lights They said that they proposed to
put in a better system. We said to
them we believe there is only one thing
for to do. and that is. to build
power plant at East Chicago, large
enough to supply the entire wants of
the Calumet region in Indiana. and
that that is the only way that we will
be able to serve our patrons with the
kind of service that will make cleo
tricity popular in the towns which we
are serving, and I want to say right
here that this last interview has ended
all our relations with the South Shore
railroad in a business way
The Northern Indiana has now ap-
rropriated 100000 to build a power
house at East Chicago We have pur-
chased the land. the machinery is be-
| ing purchased, and we propose to push
this power house and power plant to
completion as quickly as experienced
men and money can push it. We be-
lieve we realize the wants of this
community and are going to meet
them.
I'VE understand from reliable
source that the South Shore railroad.
through their agents, are going to ask
for franchises in Hammond, Whiting.
East Chicago. Porter and Michigan
City. They have now franchise be-
fore the council at Chesterton.
I'VE do not believe the South Shore
company is acting in good faith, nor
have we ever believed it, They have
told us that it was necessary for them
to sell electric power in order to build
Up the earnings of their company for
the time being: that the earnings of
their street railroad were not sufficient
to meet the demands that they are com
PEELED to meet; that what they were
locking for was to make showing of
lgross earnings for their company. One
of their representatives has stated to
us that the fact of the case was they
had not disposed of their securities and
1T was necessary to build up gross earn
iings to sell these securities and this
lseefed to be the only available way
for them to build them up. We have
also been told that their representa-
tive and attorney propose to canvass
these towns in most spectacular way
that he proposes to shout TRUST
MONOPOLY" and THE INTERESTS
We understand from a reliable source
that their attorney has said that any
man who would go over this territory
in this spectacular way would get {
following large enough to pass a fran
chise in any one of the towns. and an,
kind of franchise that he saw fit, a.
, long as he roasted the Northern In.
; diana Gas & Electric company. 1 I'M
derstand that he proposes to come Il
! the councils and say the South Shore
Railroad company is simply bushes!
proposition. 1t has power to sell, ant
= proposes to sell it at great dea
: cheaper rate than the Northern Indian;
! is selling 1t. and that they propose no
only to give as good service tn,
Northern Indiana. but better service
, He is going to say to the people the,
, have a million dollar power house a
o michigan City-at least that is what h,
has told the people in Chesterton. TIL
o fact is that their power house a
a Michigan City did not cost half tina
much
: "At Chesterton he first presented
Y franchise on last Tuesday night, ask
: ing for a 25-year franchise. On Fri
= day night he came back and said h
d was willing to take a 10-year fran
e chise; in fact. he is willing to take any
d thing he can get in order to get int
It the field to force the Northern Indian
e to do business with their company; 1
e fact, he is willing 10 do anything g
Is this time, make any concessions fC
n the time being. to prevent the NORTH
ern Indiana Gas & Electric compan
p from building this new power house
! East Chicago and supplying this tel
T ritory with current, and compelling |
is to buy our electricity from this con
j. lpany.
" Now I wish to give the people
"a this territory a few facts in regard
lie the Northern Indiana Gas & Electr
v, oompany-facts just as they exist
u In the first place. two compani
"a cannot exist in this field. There is n
n q town in the United States that CO
n secure good service from competir
as companies. The only way TO get got
err service is to have one good company
r there is to be had in the field, and
this way the company mainta
We good machinery, keep their wires al
ct lpoles in good order and maintain
IL force of competent men to take ca
he Iof the public. If a competing fra
ry chise is given in any one of the
III towns. 1t simply means that the "
he companies cannot eXist-one compal
lis will be compelled to buy the 9th
ly company out Then the time com
ne when there is a double investment
ng the physical property, and history h
vn shown in the past that wherever tN
v companies have been In the field a
to built two plants, strung the wires a
l poles over the territory causing
to double investment that in the end t
wv consumer has had TO pay the bill.
he I'm every line of business, / belle
m that competition is all right. exec