The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1911-06-16
COMMUNICATIONS.


When the plans for tn development Of he New York Central lines in
the Calumet region are matured thu fact will begin to be appreciated that
this splendid system of railroads is the greatest asset northern Lake county
has outside of the Indiana Steel company.
So many big things have been done by the captains of industry who
that will be carried gu. in the immediate future, that it is impossible to es-
innate the development that will be brought about IS a result. Beginning
with tbs first of July the Chicago, Indiana & Southern railroad will run into
Evansville This in Itself does not seem to be of such great Importance until
the fact becomes known that a traffic agreement a beer made with the
Louisville & Nashville. of the weanhiest railroads of the south, by
which the freight trains, n eventually III passenger trains. of h C..
l. & S. will rn through to Pensacola. Fla, the finest harbor o the gulf
The strategic importance of this 10 may be appreciated when the
fact is known that this is the shortest route o the lakes to h gulf and
that the opening of the Panama canal will divert al enormous amount of
traffic to tn southern ports Indiana Harbor is the actual terminus Of the
c., L & 3. railroad. although it u into Chicago ove the Lake Shore lines
or thu shops While this is probably the nos ambitious project the road
has for its future development, others IRE equally important. Plans are
temporarily being held in allegiance which provide for the construction of
docks and slips along h Indiana rarbor n for h interchange of freight
from lake seams o railroad cars an vice versa
A freight transfer warehouse, the largest In the west, is to be built east
of Gibson. Only recently h nnounceme was made of the purchase of
a onehalf interest in the Indiana Harbor Belt railroad by the Chicago &
Northwestern and the Chicago, Milwaukee & St Paul railroads This will
enable these western roads to tap the great freight producing districts of
the Calumet region The Indiana Harbor Belt railroad is regarded as
one Of the best railroad properties in thu Chicago district. is n of the
few roads which is making money. There is hardly n industry OF i'm
sotancs in northern Lake county and western Cook county thai is not sev-
ed by the Indiana Harbor Belt railroad.
It is not an exaggerahon II state that more industries have been Il,
Gated in Hammond and the contiguous territory o ccou Of the Indiana
Harbor Belt railroad han by n other influence While som of the other
roads have been playing the pat of the pker he Indiana Harbor has pur
sued a broad liberal policy in its effort to develop the region. In in
stance the belt spent more money n putting n switches fol the purpose
OF accommodating a small manufacturer than that manufacturers plant is
worth. But this manufacturer will probably be originating freight for the
railroad for the next twenty years.
In spite OF all that has been done for the region, the ocai oncials are
impatient for progress. They are hoping for som big appropriations this
yea and II they get them the cities o. Hammond. East Chicago and In
diana Harbor will prosper Is neve before. And the strangmt thing about
the Indiana Harbor Belt railroad is the fact that It a evolved from
nothing. A piece of main track here and a switch there ws picked up until
finally the road was discovered to be one of the best paying PROPOSITIONS ,n
the region.
July first, when the first train runs through from Indiana Harbor to
Evansville, will be a great day n local New York Central circles II will
anticipate the time lot so very distant when THE Indiana Harbor & Pen
sacoa railroad will be a fact.