The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1910-09-07
SIDE
WINS BATTLE
FOR PARK
City Council Takes Action in
A Appropriation for I'm
provement Assn. Long
Fought For Breathing
Spot.

After long -drawn-out campaign for
a much needed public Improvement. the
East Side Improvement association and
the east side residents in general won
their battle for a park in their neigh
borhood The Hammond city council
at its session last night took final ac-
ton on the appropriation for tha- pur-
chase of a park consisting of nearly
twelve acres and costing $4,000 an
acre. Mayor Becker assured the large
delegation of the East Side Improve
ment association, which was present.
that he would sign the ordinance If the
council saw fit to pass it. Council
man. Hover was absent and Messrs.
Moriarity and Kane cast the only dis
senting votes.
The passing of the ordinance was not
without a popular stage setting.
Land Too High Priced.
There was first of all the reading of
a remonstrance signed by a few more
than hundred taxpayers who objected
on the grounds that the park would be
unsanitary. not properly located, ana
too high in price. Councilman John
Kane was the spokesman for the re-
monstrators, basing his argument on
the premises that the property cost IS
er said only a word, which was to the
effect that where there were one hun
dred signers against the park, there
were 500 signers for 1t.
Mayor Becker took his cue from John
Kane and explained himself in his char
acteristic manner.
Mayor Becker said that he thought
the price OF $4,000 an acre reasonable.
He said that the 1a51d4faada been sold TO
Joseph o. Morris on contract at ST.
500 an acre, and that the city could
not expect to get it for less and that
it must also be taken into consideration
that there would be a reasonable ins
crease because of the interest on the
investment.
The east side park was a political is
sue IN the last campaign. The east sid
ers had their dagger out for me an
arm long" said the mayor, "and nego-
tiated with the other candidate Then
they came to me, and l promised them
1 would sign an ordinance appropriat-
ing money for park. Now this is di-
rectly against my own private inter-
ests, 1 am in the real estate business
myself, and would naturally prefer to
see the neighborhood of my property
improved. But I'll sign this ordinance
if the council sees fit to pass It,"
BeiIby Answers Charges.
James r. Beilby, an active member
of the East Side Improvement asso-
citation, answered some of the charges
made by the demonstrators against the
east side park project. He said that
he was approached by a man who did
not know him and who undertook to
tell him things about conditions in
the east side, among other things the
stencil from the river of which the re-
| monstrators knew in fact nothing. Mr.
Beilby says he has occasion to trav-
ell through the district twice day and
| that he was acquainted with the con-
ditions whereas the man who approach
ed him with the remonstrance admitted
| that he was not acquainted.
Other members of the association
! also addressed the council, and wher
| the ordinance came up for final pas
/: sage it went through with a whoop.
| The east side showed its appreciation
/ of the favor granted by passing around
a box of Ed. Simons best. La Vendors