The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1918-07-16
FRANCHISE
Up BEFORE
CITY DADS
What City Council Will Do
With Street Car Fran
chise Which Is Drawn Ac-
cording to Government
Instructions May Be De-
cided Tonight.

The United States government plans
for Increasing the transportation facil-
titles for war workers employed at the
Standard Steel Car plant. have been in
ovorporated in franchise ordinance
ans presented to the board OF public
WORKS BY the legal department Of the
Hammond. Whiting & East Chicago
railway company ard at meeting Of
the city council this evening it is ex
pscted that the ordinance VIII be act
ed upon.
The reports OF Mayor Brown and W
J. Winery who were sent TO Washing
ton on the mission to get relief for
housing and transportation have es-
tablished beyond question OF doubt
that the plans for better street car
service. including line on Columbia
avenue. are government recommenda-
tions believed by the war department
necessary to aid in winning the war
The government stands ready to loan
the street car company $500. 600 TO make
the improvements. As these street car
extensions and improvements which In
clude ten new cars viii cost a hundred
thousand dollars more at war prices
than during times Of peace IT is easy
TO see that the stockholders of tho
country viii not be seriously offended
IL the city council refuses to do a 5 the
government directs II the city coun-
ell tonight has the effrontery to vote
down the franchise ordinance embody-
ing the governments plans because Of
pique. the street car company viii have
something to work on N case It secret
iy does not desire to make the inn
provement In view Of the fact that
the company must pay back the s3o0.-
600 to the government with interest
it Is not difficult to understand why It
might prefer 70 let things remain as
they are.
East Siders IN attendance at a meet
ing OF the board Of directors Of the
Hammond Chamber OF Commerce last
evening withdrew their opposition to
the plan for line on Columbia avenue.
Wilus r. Ford expressed the senti-
ment n the East siders.
IL the building or a street car line
on Calumet avenue would hinder the
plans Of the government in this war
for a minute We wouldn't have a street
car line on Calumet avenue under any
circumstances. not II we had to walk
for twenty years" he said.
George HannaUeFs MEMBER or the
board of directors gave his opinion.
II venture to guess the people who own
the street car line wouldn't dream Of
the extensions now If the governmen mt
didn't lead them on" he said The
street car company can never get its
money back on that 100000 and the
stockholders would probably be tickled
to death II we'd queer the game"
TIT is simply war proposition" said
y F. Fitzgerald. There IS no other
business now but war If YOU realize
the demand for steel you would know
that it would be impossible to lay a
mile Of track unless the government
cid it to get out war materials
Whether the council will decide to
vote on the ordinance tonight or send
il to the committee is not known. bat
1t was stated al the city clerks office
that il VIII be introduced
An attendance OF interested citizens
is expected.
II the council adopts the government
ordered ordinance It viii repeal the
one presented a week ago by Attorney
Mcmahon and passed. which called FOR
lines on both Calumet avenue and Co
lumbia avenue.