The Lake County times., 1918-03-11
GROWTH OF:
HAMMOND
INEVITABLE
Facts Brought Out Before
Public Service Commis-
sion by Roscoe Woods In
dicative of Population In
crease.

The survey Of the industrial develop
ment Of Hammond made by Roscoe z
Woods. secretary ana treasurer Of
Hastings. WOODS s, Co. and presented as
evidence in the hearing before Public
Service Commissioner John A McCardle.
reveals some startling and interesting
facts regarding the immediate future Of
Hammond.
In this survey West Hammond and
IIegewisch are included for the reason
that the state line Is not a barrier in
the commercial relations of the neigh
boring cities across the lene and they
contribute TO Hammond's transportation
problems just as much as though these
communities were within the Hammond
corporate limits. In fact the Western
Steel Car and Foundry Co. is no farther
from the business district of Hammond
than the Standard Steel Car CO.
Two years ago Hammond industries
employed 9,34s men.
Today these industries are working to
capacity with 1871 men.
Within the next year or two these
Industries viii expand to employ 1895
men
There is the pyramid Of progress. To-
day Hammond industries are employing
1888 more men than they were two
years ago. As soon as enlargements and
extensions now authorized are made
Hammond industries viii be employing
7,2S4 more men than they are today.
In estimating the population. based
on the number Of men employed IN the
industries it is the rule to figure a pop
ulation of four 10 every man employed.
Applying this rule Hammond and its
neighboring cities had 55,372 people TWO
years ago. This Is approximately cor
rect
Today on a basas Of 1924 men en-
ployde Hammond should have popula-
tion Of 5O9ef including its neighbor-
ing cities. OF course it hasn't quite
this number for the reason that it is
usually some time before the families
OF men employed are brought in and
homes can be provided for them. 1t
takes a little while to absorb the other
three people who come into the commun-
ity with the one man that is employed.
Now turn to the future. RESPONSE
bic officials Of the various industries
have been interviewed and they claim
that within the next year they will be
employing 20 600 men. This means that
as soon as the trailers that viii come
into Hammond IN the wake Of this army
of employed have been absorbed that
Hammond and its western neighbOrs
viii have a population Of 10000.
And this does not take into eonsidera-
ton the large increment to the popu-
lation that viii oor1e. a1wavs has come
st Chicago. In East Chicago
there is enormous industrial develop
rnent in progress as a similar survey
would show
Now it Will be noticed that fully $500
or 5000 Of these new men to be employ
od must be accommodated on the east
side Of Hammond. Hammonds south
side will also receive Il tremendous de
veiopment as a result Of this great in
flux of people.
In view Of the fact that there are no
sewers. sidewalks or pavements east
90 Columbia avenue and south of stand
ard avenue. most Of this development
viii take place in the territory between
Calumet and Columbia avenues and
north of the present city limits.
Thus it may reasonably be expected
that all of the vacant property on the
southeast side viii be built up in the
next five years and that points to the
urgent need of a street car line on Cal
umct avenue TO help bring about the de
yclopmeut.
The survey made by Mr.. Woods does
not take into consideration industries
employing less than ten men. 1t fol-
lows:
Standard Steel Car CO. =. G. jerks
Survey OF Industrial Development Of
Hammond.