The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1922-10-30
To BUILD
CALUMET
AVE. LINE: [:
Will Spend s134,990.0O If
JltneyS Are Abolished

Mayor Dan Brown today made
PUBLIC written proposal signed by
Leonard A. Busby. president OF the
hammond, Whiting and East Chi
cago street railways, wherein the
traction company promises to make
Improvements TO cost s134,SsS.o0 IL
the city council will bar the jit-
neys on streets within four blocks
OF a street ca line
The in cments promised by
the street ways include FREQUENT
service a Inc on Calumet avenue,
double tracking on Conkey avenue
and installation of one-man cars.
Mayor Brown has called a meet
ing OF the city council for Thurs
day Nov 9th. to consider the prop
osition which has been found salts
factory by the board OF works and
the transportation committee of the
city council.
The Kiwanis club. the Rotary
club, the Chamber Of Commerce.
Manufacturers Association, East
Hammond Improvement Associa ton.
Eleventh Ward Improvement Associ-
alton. Clearing House. Holman
the State Street Improvement AS
sociation have been notified by the
mayor to have representatives at the
meeting
Busby's Statement.
The following is the written
statement signed by Mr.. Busby:
October 25. 1922.
To His Honor, the Mayor and the
Board OF Public Works. Hammond.
Indiana.
Dear Sirs:
On Friday. October goth. we had
an extended conference at your Of
flee with reference to the street rail-
way situation in Hammond. There
were present the following:
The Honorable Daniel Brown.
mayor.
A. ]. Swanson. chairman, Board OF
Public Works
Jacob wiker, member. Board Of
Public Works
r. c. Dietrich. member, Board Of
Public Works
j V. Keeler. alderman. first
ward chairman, transportation COM
mi'tse
James \ Malo. alderman. eleventh
ward
Y r Bridge. city civil engi-
neer
c. Z. Lawrence, general manager.
Hammond. Whiting and East Chi
<oago Railway company.
H B Fleming. chief engineer.
Chicago surface lines.
"a Busby. president Hammond.
whiting and East Chicago Railway
company.
After a conference lasting about
two hours, in which the present
street railway situation IN Ham,
rnond was discussed. and the COM
pany's proposal be put in writing
This letter is written in accord
ance with the mayors request
Present street Railway Situation
In Hammond
The present street railway situ-
alton in Hammond Is understood by |
everybody. Additional new cars,
better service and additional tracks |
are needed. but the company is un- |
able to furnish these improvements
under existing conditions. The un- |
restricted operation of jitneys and |
motor buses has brought about this |
result. The question for the people |
for Hammond to decide IS whether |
they prefer to rely On jitneys and |
buses for transportation. or
whether they are willing - put the |
street railway company in position !
to render good service.
We believe that the street rail-
f-Y - In
and social life and to the develop |
ment and growth OF any large city. !
and that 1t is the hest system yot |
devised for furnishing local trans
portation; that the interests OF the |
community are mutual. that what
ever tends 20 preserve and uphuild |
and strengthen the street railway !
system is of direct public benefit, |
and that whatever Injuries the
street railway system or tnterfe-es
with its ability to perform service. /
Injuries the community.
We think experience has demon
strated that the jitney and motor
bus are incapable of replacing the
street car in meeting the demands
of city nsportation; there is no
iitney system and no motor bus lines
in any large city in this country
that are operated as economically or
at as low d rate of fare. or that
are capable OF meeting weather con-
ditions at all seasons of the year
as street railway lines.
We believe taht the inevitable
effect of jitney and motor bus COM
petition IS TO take from the street
railway the cream of the business
the short-haul and fair weather
travel-and TO leave 70 the street
railway company the long haul. in
terchange and bad weather traffic.
and that the addition of q large
number of jitneys and motor busses
always adds 10 existing street con-
eestion, and always operates to the
detriment OF the street railway
service.
We all know that in the city OF
Hammond AT the present time the
practically unrestricted operation of
iitneys and motor busses in direct
competition with tho street rail-
way system has operated directly
10 the detr1ment of the public. and
has resulted in the inability of the