The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1912-03-19
ALDERMEN
ROUND[Y
CRITICIZED

Those public spirited. patriotic citi-
zens who are invested with the title of
aldermen, but whose main purpose in
life at the present time seems to be to
block thse city's business and impede
public welfare, failed to get together
again last night, although it was the
night appointed for the regular meet
ing of the city council
The aldermen dropped into the coun-
ell chambers at East Chicago one at a
time and then withdrew before enough
of them would get together to consti-
tute quorum. At ten minutes after
eight there were enought to have made
a quorum, discussing the situation on
the street corner, when another of their
number came along and tried to induce
them to return to the council chamber.
Alderman Joe French, 1t is alleged, re-
piled that 1T was too late" The same
representative of the dear pee-pul was
seen, it is claimed at about midnight,
still standing on the street corner talk
ing.
What their object might have been
In falling to meet, no one was able to
fathom. The concensus of opinion
| therefore seemed to be that ii was
merely a case of lack of appreciation of
their duties. There was nothing on be-
fore the council on which 1t was posi-
BILE for them to have disagreed, with
any intelligent reason. but there were
a number of ordinances which were due
to go to third reading and on which
action was necessary.
The trouble with the majority of
the specimens that are elected to the
Indiana Harbor and East Chicago
council seems to be" declared one dis
gusted citizen. that. their idea of be-
ing aldermen is not above the aesump
ton of the title and to get some fellow
a job on the street. They fail to appre-
ciate the Importance of the matters
which come before them, and that a
little business like dispatch is neces
sary in the transaction of public, a.
well as of private business"
| Some of the matters which demanded
immediate attention were the appro
priation ordinance to provide for tn,
building of the temporary bridge ovel
the west branch of the canal at Forsyth
avenue. the receiving of the waite
committees report and the city hal
boiler ordinance, together with mum
Der of other matters of more or less i'm
lportance-
IF these chaps had been given tn
opportunity to get the dockage promis
ed the city for the speedy construction
; OF $4,000 bridge, they would not be 3
llackadaisieal about it," was the com
ment of a business man interested 1
doing things in a business like way
i'You'd see them breaking their neck
In effort to cinch the transaction
But they do not seem to understan
that by their unbusiness like method.
/ not only may the city lose it's oppor
tunity of getting the property. jbut tina
they are blocking progress In the en-
tire region"
c. A. Westberg, vice president of tn
East Chicago company who is interest
ed in Fastening the construction of tn
; bridge so that the land company nee
lose no time in beginning work on tn
r west branch of the canal, said:
II can understand no reason VIII
these aldermen should not take
> Igreater interest in the transaction
1.-THE citys business. There positivel
I. can be no reason other than a lack {
l depreciation Of the Importance of wha
is at stake
: 1t was suggested that the mayor ca
out the hose cart of the fire depart
lment. man it with offices and use il q
a patrol wagon to bring in the re
icalcitrant councilmen who were hans
= ing around the street corners instead
lattending to their duty.