The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1921-05-11
ADDRESS
ON ILLINOIS
PROJECT


The immensity Of the project Of the
q. S. government for the development
of Iuiana harbor was brought out at
the weekly luncheon Of the Rotary
club at the Lyndora hotel yesterday
when the club had the honor Of being
addressed by Major skinner Of the en-
gineering division of the war depart
ment of the United states govern
ment Major Skinner brought out the
fact that the governments project re-
suits from the rapid Development Of
plans to connect the Great Lakes with
the gulf by a barge canal and also
the fairly immediate realization of the
project If ocean steamship transporta-
ton through the St. Lawrence water
way development
TIE water transportation facilities
Of the region We're roughly divided
into three classes
Ffrst-The development Of Indiana
Harbor canal. the Calumet river and
portions Of Lakes Calumet and George,
into barge canals.
second-The development or indus
trial harbors in Lakes Calumet and
George.
TBird-The development OF the
largest and most important project OF
all the commercial or transfer har-
Dor.
TIE Iuiana project is really the crea-
ton at the foot of Lake Michigan OF
port comparable with that Of New
York city, New Orleans. san Francisco,
Seattle and Hamburg. 1t is proposed
to bring about an actual contact be-
tween water and raI transportation
bv means Of two series Of piers, one
embracing the outer harbor, the other
embracing the inner harbor. Each Of
these piers viii be $50 feet wide. and
from one-half to three STARTERS Of a
mile long. and capable Of simultaneous
~ accommodating 442 vessels averag-
ing 500 feet in length
Trackage in connection with this
project IS alone capable Of handling
approximately 25.ooo freight cars at
one time Each pier is to be 50 ar
ranged that it win accommodate both
incoming and outgoing freight. the
freight being transferred from vessel
to cars and from cars to vessel. by
means of the latest freight handling
equipment the wharfage as ultimately
proposed to be capable of handling o.
500. 600 tons of freight at one time. In
fact, the plans az outlined BY the fed
eral government at this time call for
a development Of a harbor Of a ca
pactty greater than the combined ca
pacities OF several Of the largest har-
bors Of the world today.
OF course the ultimate development
Of this project reaches some years
into the future. but it is proposed to
initiate work as early as possible with
the idea of developing the project on
the unit plan. thus making the entire
project a self-supporti one It Is 20
be financed by an issuance Of bonds
on the property involved. to be ac
quirea BY Joint commission. which II
is proposed to organize.
This entire matter must be handled
IS an inter-state harbor commission
ana progress along this lno is SHOWN
by the fact that al the last session Of /
the legislature Indiana took the neces- |
sarv steps for the appointment Of the I
Indiana members Of this commission
and authorized its share Of an appro- (
prfatfon for the preliminary surveys (
TAe matter is now before the Illinois I
legislature for similar action and the !
entire commission should be appointed 4
and IL prepared for active work within I
1 few months.
Tie cooperation of tine United states +
is expected 70 the e2ten (
tbat tine outer brrakwaters VIII be
built with funds 10 be appropriated = I
congress.