The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1913-05-13
TOD SAILS
FOR THE OLD
CONTINENT
Head of East Chicago Co.
INDUCES in "reminiscences
as He Comes to Region to
Look Over Pet Projects
Before Going to Europe.

Robert e. Tod, president of the East
Chicago company. together with his
wife and daughter Katherine, sailed to-
day from New York on the Crown
Princess Cecilie the North Lloyd Ger
man steamship line. for Hamburg. Mr..
Tod and his family will tour Europe
making a trip to the Scandinavian
peninsular and Greenland, and do not
expect to return to this country until
about Sept. 10.
Mr.. Tod spent the latter part of last
week in Indiana Harbor and East Chi
cago. making an inspection of his pet
project the Indiana Harbor- East Chi
cago canal. and incidentally looking
over the territory hereabouts, gen
orally.
Talks On Canal.
| In speaking of the Developments IN
! and around the Twin Cities which have
recently attracted country wide atten-
ton, Mr.. Tod reverted again and to the
canal, of which he is the acknowledge
ed father. 1t was with pardonable
pride that he called attention to feat
ures of It's Improvement and develop
ment which made the greatest impress
sion him during his visit just con-
lcluded One of these was a sounding
|
west branch. opposite the Schlesinger
property in what was Lake George. and
the other was the sight of an immense
| steamer tied up at the Standard Oil
docks just west of the forks. where it
was taking on cargo of that COM
panys product.
| These things started a train of
reminscence in the mind of the presi-
dent of the East Chicago company, and
or being pressed for facts he related
some most interesting early history
concerning the canal and It's inception.
! Dug the First Ditch.
1t was Mr.. Tod an the late General
Terrence who laid out the route of the
canal. both these gentlemen having
been connected with the Calumet Canal
and Improvement company which own
ed all the property on which East Chi
cago and Indiana Harbor are located
together with great deal of adjacent
territory. Afte rthe route of the canal
had been definitely laid out, Mr.. Tod
took personal charge of the practical
end OF digging the first ditch which
was later to become a channel for the
floating of the deepest draft vessels or
the great lakes.
A dredge was purchased from the
Knickerbocker Ice company, which wa.
at the time anchored in Wolf. and with
Mr.. Tod experimenting the work, they
dredged their way through Wolf Lake
: into Lake George. and thence OF
! through to the forks and to Lake
Michigan on the north east, and tn.
: Calumet river on the south.
: Lots of Trouble.
Remembering the difficulties expert
enced in floating the small craft il
' Wolf Lake at that time, it will
great satisfaction that Mr. Tod few
days ago. lowered a long pole from tn
deck of the dredge New York. into tn
most recently dredged portion of tn
canal near the Schlesinger tract, an,
found seventeen feet of water befor
touching bottom.
! Mr.. Tod lived in Chicago from 1873
until 1892, during which time he wa
daily visitor to this territory. an
never for a single day did he lose Sigh
of the main issue in the development
: of this region, the future ship cana
!, He foretold at that time with remark
r able accuracy, just what the canal wa
: going to do for the manufacturing in
!, terests of the whole Calumet region
! and so long as he interested himself i
the canals progress, 1t was a liv
t issue. For some years following thi
! period, he became so deeply involve
: in other affairs. and for a time lost tn
o keen personal interest he had tnerera
!, fore exhibited in this territory.
II Period of Quietude.
IS During this period the canal projec
!. Jagged. 1t was in fact practically g
a a standstill. During this period
= inertness the East Chicago compan
y absorbed the Calumet Canal and In
d provement company, and a few year
t. Mr.. Tod again took the helm. as pres
dent of the new company. Almo.
!, simultaneously with Mr. Tod's takin
hold, the canal project was revive