The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1917-08-14
Us. STEEL
BEGINS It's
OPPOSITION
" P. Gleason Seeks to Shut
Lake Michigan OFT from
the People.

a special message 10 the Gary Park
Board took the first steps to get the
people of Gary the right to have some
use OF their seven miles OF lake front.
The mayor urged the acquisition OF
two tracts 20 and Too acres. respect
lively. in the northwest and northeast
parts Of town
A significant response 70 the mayors
plea FOR the people was message
from President w. T Gleason q the
board who lie also general superintend-
ent OF the Gary steel plant. suddenly
suggesting a great inland park in the
Little Calumet marsh.
"ls this marsh park plan mnde TO
hiocR fac lake front plnn'r the mayor
asked supt. Gleason, who denied the
charge.
At4hou~b Gary has over seven miles
- lake frontage, Ii Ia entirely owned
~-,tb 1hr exception OF two acres oS
e. United states steel Corporation
The Deople of Gary have neither the
Vs. NOR the sight of their lake, save
- the saloonkeeper's two acres, In the
northwest part of town and tucked
away past network Of tracks or
railway yard
. harhor. which it reserves solely
g. +ho mpe of it's own craft, but has
at act aside for human use one foot
- tho entire seven miles. Where the
frontage Is not occupied by mills It Is
tar the most part given over TO the
storage of coke. coal ore and lime
stone, Not a bit is 20 be had for pup
liz use. even by the women and chill
dren.
HUMANITY MESSAGE
A. Tohnson's humanity message
"a. accepted and the board decided
- would work for lake front park,
hn+ where the park is TO be was not
s.ated Heretofore the board. under
steel domination. has sought to get
rarx at Miller, miles away from the
center OF the city and in another town
The mayor now proposes that two
erau portions Of Garys lake front
be acquired for the people
GLEASON EXPLAINS.
e,+ Gleason explained that the
corporation had reserved the land Tor
its own use and told of all the smoke
and dust inconvenience of having q
lake front park IN Gary. although they
have one in Whiting, Hammond and
south Chicago. not 10 mention the
Illinois Central girded lake front OF
Chicago. Gleason expressed hopes OF
once more getting park at Miller
GLEASoN's PROPOSED PARK
President Gleason wants TO have
4oo-acre tract in the Little Calumet
marsh. bounded by 29th and saith
avenues and Grant street and Broad
wav. If the Burns ditch is ever built
this land. through which the Little
will - raHlQ a
from it's present worthless swamp
state.
Gleason pointed out that the soil
there is black. that it would afford
chances for golf links. geological gar
dens. baseball fields. lagoons. etc
This land Is now owned BY the
Tolleston Gun club of Chicago. John
Gunzenhauser and Fl. and A. H. Hau-
gan. 1t has an assessed valuation of
500 an acre Mr.. Gleason suggested
that Harrison Street boulevard could
run through the proposed park. and
he pointed out it's central location
as well as the need of buying it now
while the land is cheap. No estimate
was given of the cost or OF the price
OF Improvements.
A resolution was passed asking that
the council issue bonds to acquire the
mark Commissioners Gleason. Borman
and GIueck voted for it. bu tMrs Ray
did not. saying that she withheld her
voting privilege
President Gleason also explained
how the $4,000 bond issue Is being
spent for improvements at the various
parks.
MRS. RAY SPEAKS.
Park Commissioner Ray said after
park plan might involve the city into
a bonded debt running into the hun
dreds OF thousands. which would in
cidentally block any lake front plans
and prevent any steps toward munich
pal ownership in the way of acauir-
ing the gas. water and electric light
utilities of Gary, which are also run
~ the steel Trust.
Mayor Johnson's message reads as
follows.
ITO the Honorable Park Commissioners
Of Gary. Indiana.
Greetings:
For years the city OF Gary has beer
r1alxf~g an effort to secure lake front
PARKS and bathing beaches for the
people OF the city. without success
Eleven years old and city of some
$4,000 people. there is SIS yet no re-
lief in eight for suffering public
other cities, larger and smaller
have their lake front psrks; theii
bathing beaches which are crowded
daily throughout the summer season
but Gary has none. Laws have beer
made TO cover such conditions as exis
here. where huge manufacturing inter
eFts have secured control OF almos
tie entire lake front. but as Yet Il
has been impossible 20 give the people
Of this city what they need and de
rnaad.
Il therefore desire TO call to th'
attention Of this body the fact tina
il is possible for them to secure thes'
parks for the city OF Gary under tn,
Park Board law passed by the 1s1
Legislature of the State of Indiana
and most respectfully urge action I,
this end.
Believing il to be to the best in
terests OF all concerned. request tina
this board secure. either by condemna
ton or by purchase. 100 acres Of tn
northeast quarter OF section IS. an,
turn it ever TO the people Of Gary a
free public park on the lake front
This will care for the people Of tn
central and eastern parts of Gary 70
he