The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1922-02-17
WASTE Of
MONEY IS
CONDEMNED
Mayor Schrage of Whiting 0p-
poses Plan to Spend Peoples
Money in Quiz

Ac% tnrvs Of that romantic comedy
OF many subeieties entitled THE CON-
n'on-Peopse versus ebs Corporstions
in re Rates last night unfoisea thA
final chapter Of its bizarre story wit,
gallant defenders OF the public veal
making much ado. verbally and vainis,
about the tyranny OF the telephone
company. the aot-afr or the gas corn
Pany, the shocking teniertty or tho
electric power company and the ss'i
OF the water company. As for the
street car company y--thaa organization
was dismissed with gesture os hop,
less abandon
TALKS FOR SIX HoURs.
When midnight carao al Ca-i Luu-
esren's restaurant six hours after tAe
drama opened. sorne 80 actors remain
ed OF the original cast OF 90, lnciae-
ing official families OF Whiting. East
Chicago, Carr, and Hammond. called ~
Mayor Johnson of Cary following a
like meeting IA East Chicago q week
ago. to discuss what concerted action
the four cities should take IL rghtsuez
the public utilities for radical ~rts n
rates Of their products. Il ~zs the
! LUZ RtSc VI Ll4G 5SEFlQDAE 20 GeLE mir z
now far the light should be carried
jointly, whether the cities should
unita to hire engineers ad accountauer
70 gather evidence FOR presentation ba-
fore shs state public service comnis-
sion. and how much mone- the tax
payers Of the cities would likely care
to spend without squ4wkfng. and To
arrange other details Of the bzftla OF
brains and intrigue.
HERES THE SAD NEWS
Yer, yes. and how did the sto,-
| end7 How did IL all co1ne out7 Te!i
US about tt?" This bre eathieSs appeal
Is heard from the gallery gods Who
were not there It might come. tor.
| from many who were there whicl-
may be taken for what it's worth.
| Well. you from Cary who kick about
the telephone rates and yeu from East
! Chicago who crab aboat the high cost
| OF foot-baths and eye-wash: aut you
! from Hammond who moan about gas
| and electric bills; and you from whit
| Ing. who pay most OF the taxes In the
county. and think it fashionable tn
keep in step with your bigger sister
c1tieS-to you ali this sad news.
DIssEN SION Is RIFE.
Last night the politico-ciyic attack
on the pubic utilities was throttled.
| AT the third meeting OF the municipal
ties d;ssenslon among the communities
| crept in. First evidencing itself
| when couucfir>en or The various cities
| bristied with thought OF financing I'M
vestigations Of utilities III another city
and In which they were not concerned
! then openly becoming an trreparaSle,
! rupture when Mayor Schrase OF WHIT
| ing said he and other Representatives
of his citw had no right to spend
| Writings money tn Hypothetical pur-
suit OF nebuiar purpose; and finally
ending when Senator Eejdi brought
| the crowd back. to earth with the re-
mark that $4,000. talked about as tho
amount needed to finance a prelininary
survey o. the utilities il the districs.
| wouldn't pay i hod-carrter to count
| the telephone poles IN one city. let
| alone four.
REDUCED EBon $4,000 To @4.ooe.
IN the last ten minutes before So
! journment ". =. McAleer offered .
! motion providing for a eenera4 preILnr
mary survey or tho utilities In tae
four cities. This 20 BE met with s
fund OF s. 900 to be subscribed totntly
by the cities.
On motion Of c. E. T1nkhar tFs
measure was amended to direct tbs
mayors OF the four cities 10 appoift
each a committee comprising city coun-
ciinen and ono repre- entative of
the local chamber OF commerce and =
disinterested third party.
/ Most or the delegatss from Eisst
Chicago. whiting and Gary had de-
parted. These in great part had he
come adverse to further 5ocke-ing
with joint iavesti cation.
OPPOSED TO PROPOSITION.
These were the men grown opposed
during tho progress Of the meeting e
heavy financial liability for surveys
and Investigations and who came 70
| regard the public service utilities IN
a more favorable light following ta1k9
by A. Murray Turner. Charles II. True.
and others. But they had gone for It
was near midnight. Only that score
OF men who wanted an investi CATION
were left. The motion as amended
was passed without opposition. Now
it's up to the MAYORS ami city counclis
TO carry on the fight. to appropriate
money And II possible TO meet t.
gether.
Mayor Brown presided. He intr
| duced Edward ". Bemis. Chicago. en-
| gineer. zccouutant. and noted invest
! gator of public utilities. who said f &
! organization could make a prelimina
survey for the four cities for $500
There is a bitter opposition 70 tlfe
appropriation Of any such money 1or