The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1922-11-23
DAY NE:ARS
FOR ROAD
ELEVATION
Increasing Congestion and
Traffic Delays Cost
Hammond Dearly

BedIam reigned The sidewalks
were crowded and the street was
! jammed with motor cars banked
around a stalled street car. The
motorman cianked the gong impa-
tiently. Saxons sounded IN q great
volume OF discord and people grum-
bled.
An Erie freight was standing
across Holman. state. sibley and
Fayette street crossings. 1t was
the evening rush hour
A reporter elbowed through the
disgruntled crowd. He walked
up to q group OF men.
The Hammond Chamber OF Com
merce is being reorganiEed." he
shouted IN their ears above the din.
What do you think IS the most i'm
portant thing to be done for the
city7"
Elevate the railroads. OF course"
they shouted back.
some OF the big fellows say II
would cost too much money" he
answered.
Cost too much money" yelled
money! That's idiotic How much
money do you suppose these delays
cost. Look at the labor that is tied
UP right now. Ill bet there are
twenty-five truck drivers stalled on
these three streets. Didja ever
think or the loss OF trade at the
stores7 These crossings are a
nightmare to people. especially to
the women. Women are timid. why
these crossings drive business away
from surrounding towns that ought
to do all Of their trading here
Mother thing. The kids. Women
won't send their Kids down to the
stores. Fraid the kids Will get
run over.
"Look't Joliet Same situation
there Thy elevated. Now 1t looks
like a regular town. It is a reEu-
lar town. Used to be dirty. smoky
town. Looks like q city now.
Business men all prosperous. Say
that elevation was best investment
the city ever made"
Tho reporter moved TO another
group. His question met with the
same response.
Then the reported went to a pro
minent attorney who is also a pub
lie spirited man interested in the
welfare OF th4 city.
The people are right about ele-
vation." said the attorney. 1T
should have been done before the
war and as a matter OF fact all
the railroads except the Nickel
Plate had agreed upon plan.
This was in 1918. I believe. and
all the railroads we're represented
at meeting In the Chamber OF
Commerce. by their general super
intendents and chief engineers The
general superintendent Of the Erie
made a talk in which he said that
his road had recognized for years
tn necessity OF elevation through
Hammond and with that in mind /
had purchased land at Highland |
for its yards.
The Erie railroad will not oppose
the will OF the people OF Hammond +,
he declared. and we are ready to I
elevate whenever the city is ready. I
T approve OF the plan suggested for I
one north and south elevation to !
cross an east and west elevation" !
NEAR AGREEMENT
AT that time it was suggested I
that tn Monon. c. & O, Erie and
Nickel Plate unite to pass over the (
Michigan Central. The only sug-
gestion that was not unanimously \
accepted was that the Nickel Plate
abandon its present right of way
the city and run south in
stead of north OF the Standard Steel
Car plant. Joining the Erie.
The war came along and the ne
gotiations were laid aside Imrne-
1iately after the war the railroads i
passed through a period Of read
justment Not until recently have
conditions he,n right for reassum
ng the task. believe we should
Tot delay any longer
II the elevation of the railroads
s rightly done it Will not do one
cents worth of damage TO any
mans property The railroad en-
sinear's declared In 1913 that the
elevation OF the Monon. C. & O. I,
erie and. Nickel Plate would only
nave to be eleven feet with a three
DOT depression OF the sire ats under
=aih rrossing This has proved
he most satisfactory arrangement
n other cities, such as Fort Wayne.
indianapolis and Joliet
The greatest benefit Of eIeva-
ion. to Holman and State streets
you'd be the union station. The
lew passenger station serving Ave {