The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1921-06-03
Congressman vOstead Rushes To Jam New Dry Bill Through
Keller TAKES
ISSUE WITH
AID. MARTIN

Alderman j Y Keeler. chairman OF
the finance committee OF the Ham
mond city council. takes issue WAh
Councilman Martin in regard TO seN-
cral statements pu+ ported TO nave
been made in the recent council meet
ing held for the purpose Of passing
on the Ericsson water report AT
heeler denies having made the re-
mark that he did not know where the
money TO pay for the proposed in-
proyemcnts was 90 come from ana rs
also denies that any slurring remark
were made against the hammond
Chamber of Commerce.
Alderman Keeler said, Aldermen
Martin misquoted me in his speech be
fore the Chamber OF Commerce yester-
day. ] said, when Frank Martin asked
me how the money was TO be raised
for the new improvements to the wa
ter works. that the matter had been
taken care Of positively did Lr-
say that I did not know
Mr. keeIer further states that Mr.
Martin Is attempting to square him
SELF before the Chamber Of Com
merce and is willing to 90 TO any
length to do So Mr.. Keeler says
LNdT the statement l4kcA AiAE NsAta-iAtSNi
Of Comerce was ridiculed in the coun
Gil meeting is untrue and that the
council is willing to work with the
chamber for the betterment Of the
city, notwithstanding Martins effort
to create nl-feeling-
Alderman keeler said further, tina
IT would seem that Martin would have
use believe that ne is the sole cham
pion OF the people in regard TO nal
water works He has evidently over
looked the fact that we have a very
competent Board Of Public Works. |
and very able mayor. who have re-
sponsibNity in the matter. We also
have A finance committee. However, /
Mr. Martin is merely carrying out his !
customary policy in this matter, name
ly, TO use every effort in his power TO |
discredit the present administration.
"Nr Martins speech before the
Chamber OF Commerce was q political
speech. and was made for a political
purpose and it is wondered why the !
Chamber stood for it as they did"
Alderman Martin replied to the
statement of Mr. KeeIer and did not
admit an error in quoting his state /
ment, He said. alderman KeeIer IN |
forms me that 7 misquoted him at the /
Chamber Of Commerce yesterday and
claims that instead Of saying I don't I
know how the water Improvement !
was to be financed. he replied that the |
matter has been taken care of
Assuming that Mr.. KeoIer is cor 4
rect, why the secrecy about it7 II he 4
did know, why did he not explain what |
the plan was? Would not the aver
age taxpayers, ~ a member Of the
council, when asked to vote approval
Of the spending of hundreds OF thous-
ands Of dollars, feel entitled to know
just where the money is to come from .
In my opinion. the matter Of hnanc- I
ing this project should be carefully
considered before approving any con
tract with Mr.. Ericsson or anyone else.
[ am informed that the Ericsson CON
tract was not even submitted to the
city attorney before the special meet
ing at which time the council instruct
ed the Board of Works to sign ii
This contract carries a possible fee Of
thirty 70 fifty thousand dollars Mr.
Ericsons services may be worth this
amount. but it is also my opinion that
none one in their sound mind would
sign or order signed such an instru-
ment without the most careful consid-
Grafton of the same
I have always thought it lust s
important TO safeguard the spending
Of the taxpayers money as I would
my own.
Ny motives in this matter 7 know
Will be attacked and mIsrep presented. /
but this is one OF the penalties OF
public life that must be expected /
However II the publicity given this
matter means that the city's Interests
Will be more fully protected, / viii bo
satisfied"
The exact action taken by the coun-
ell at the special meeting was 10
authorize the board Of public works
to enter into a contract with John
Ericsson. consulting engineer for the |
city Of Chicago. to act as consulting
engineer for Hammond during the con /
struction of the additions to the water /
works. with fee Of . per cent Of
the total cost of construction. Mr..
Ericsson was to have charge Of direct
ing the work