The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1911-04-21
SIDES
ARE GIVEN
HEARING
Hammond. Ind. April 20.

dammO nu, IND, April ~
Prominent citizens of Hammond are
still fiocking to the support of the
fight that is being made against the
closing of johnson street. and letters
have even been received from nom
residents who are interested in prop
erty on the north side and who have
read in THE TINES of the effort that is
being made 10 close the street.
For instance, Judge Johannes Ko-
pelke of Crown Point, who owns va1ua-
BILE property here, said this morning,
II want to say that 1 am opposed to
the effort that Is being made to close
Johnson street. / approve of the full
publicity that has been given the mat
ter by THE TIMES, and think the
paper should be commended for making
public the facts SO that the property
owner can take steps to protect his in
terests
Il went to the trouble to write
letter to Mayor John D. Smalley in
which I stated that while the building
of another bridge over the river might
not be feasible at the present time the
people of Hammond should look to the
future and prevent an action which
would forever prevent the opening OF
another street to the north side"
William E. Russell of Hammond
stated that he is opposed to the closing
of the street. He says that when he
Holman street bridge was recently out
of commission he found what a long
way it was to the north side via Calu-
met avenue or Burnham avenue. and
the need of another bridge was never
more apparent to him.
DIR. E. NJ. Shanklin stated that he be-
lieved the future development of the
city would eventually make itneces-
sary to have another thoroughfare to
the north side, and that he is opposed
to the closing OF the street He point
ed to the fact that there is room for
enormous development on the north
side and that when it finally takes
place two streets will not be enough to
carry the traffic between the north and
| the south sides of the city.
j. ]. RUIZ stated today that he is
| opposed to the closing of Johnson
| street. He declared that it will not be
long before another thoroughfare be-
tween the north and south sides of the
| city will be needed.
BETS Presents His Side.
None of those who oppose the clos
| ing of Johnson street are disposed to be
hostile to F. s. Betz. They admit that
Betz is one of the big men of the city
and that in building up the big institu-
| ton on the north side that he has done
much for the city, They believe, how
ever. that Mr.. Betz can find some othei
means OF expanding his plant and tina
he is asking too much to close the only
street that could be logically opened
to the south SIDE
In fairness to Mr. Betz. who is on.
| of Hammond's most enterprising men
the general public should know jus
| what is involved in his project and
should be acquainted with the plant
that he seems to think makes the clos
| ing of the street absolutely necessary
/ According to an interview which
Betx gave THE TIMES last evening, h
has long had in contemplation the es
tablishing of a new industry in Ham
mond What this industry is he doe
not state. except TO say that 1T will
necessitate the handling of large ton
mage of freight. and will require
building 500 feet long, 100 feet wild,
and three stories high.
Must Occupy street.
Mr.. Betz states further that in orde
to establish this new industry here il
| Hammond 1t is necessary for him t,
have adequate trackage facilities. HI
can find no other place to extend track
northward, except to run them nortl
on Johnson street.
Betz also admitted that one of TIL
objects he hae in view in vacatini
johnson street is to make his plant
contiguous. He declares that it is i'm