Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-14
Declares in Hammond, Ind,
Speech Country Lags Be-
hind Proper Schedule.
POINTS OUT FAILINGS,
HOPING FOR REMEDY
Chief Executive Leaves Vacation
Train to Dedicate Park to
War Dead.
BY j. RUSSELL YOUNG.

HAMMOND, Ind, June 14.-Warm-
ly praising the citizens of America for
their loyalty and patriotism and their
contributions to the wonderful adj
vancement of the United States, Presi-
dent Coolidge, in an address before
huge gathering near here today, de-
of this Nation depends upon the in
dustry, the devotion and the character
of the people themselves.
The occasion Of the Presidents ad-
dress today was the dedication of
Wicker Park, about six miles from
this city, in the heart of the famous
Calumet industrial district. This park,
which was dedicated as a memorial
to the World War veterans of Ham,
mond, East Chicago. and Whiting. is
intended to be future playground
for the people of these three thriving
cities, which are situated so closely
together as to strongly suggest that
they are all one big city. The Presi.
dents motor ride from the railroad
station at Hammond carried him
through these cities before the scene
of the dedication was reached. More
than 10 miles was covered during this
ride, and the President was enthusias-
tically greeted along the way.
AT the conclusion of the Presidents
speech he hurried to his special train
and resumed his journey to the Black
Hills, where ne is to spend the Sum.
mer.
Text of Speech.
The text of the Presidents speech
follows:
This section represents a phase of
life which is typically American. A
few short years ago it was an unin-
habited area of sand and plain. To-
day ii is a great industrial metropolis.
The people Of this region have been
creating one of the most fascinating
epics. The fame of it. reaching to al
| most every quarter of the globe. has
| drawn hither the energetic pioneer
spirits of many different races. all
eager to contribute their share and to
| receife in return the abundant re-
wards which advancing enterprise can
give.
"When your eminent Representative
in Congress, Will r. Wood. who has
long served this district with so much
ability and fidelity, supported by your
two distinguished Senators, called
upon me with a company of nearly 80
of your prominent citizens to invite
me to be present at the dedication OF
N1GhCI Tie dDDGdl
which this occasion made became ire
sistible. Here are communities in
spired with strong civic spirit NOV.
ing majestically forward. serving
themselves and their fellow men.
Here y life and light and liberty.
Here Is common purpose-working,
organizing, thinking, building for
eternity.
''While the North Township of Lake
County, Ind, may not pay tribute to
antiquity, it has q freshness and a
vigor that makes it all the more in
spring. When the Puritan and cava-
lier were settling on the Atlantic sea.
board, laying the foundations of our
Republic, this region was almost un.
known. A few venturesome explorers
passing over. it had left it to remain
the haunt of the wild life and the
savage tribes of the midcontinent.
For a long period it was claimed as
part of the French dominions. 1t
was not until the treaty of Paris in
1863 brought to a close the Seven
Years War that it passed under Eng
lish rule.
Northwest Territory.
"For century and n quarter 1t
remained almost virgin wilderness un-
til Congress organized the Northwest
Territory by the act of 1887 The
Pottawatomie Indians occupied this
locality until they were removed be-
yond the Mississippi in 1886. While
white settlers began to arrive early
in the nineteenth century, and as
early as 1888 stage route ran along
the bank cf Lake Michigan from De-
troit to CT tcago, this immediate local.
ity remained sufficiently unoccupied,
so that between 1855 and 1860 several
thousand acres of land were bought
for $1.25 an acre, and sufficiently wild
so that it is related that as late as
1884 one trapper caught az many az
1900 muskrat and mink along the
banks of the Calumet River. When Il
large plant was built in Whiting for
the refining and storage of petroleum
in 1889 not more than half a dozen
small houses were located there.
When George Fl. Hammond started
packing plant in the town which bears
his name, about 1873. the place had
few inhabitants. There were only
1,200 people in East Chicago when it
was incorporated in 1893.
From these meager beginnings
these three cities, which, with the viii
lagos of Munster and Highland. make
up the North Township, now have a
population of more than 10000 They
have become a great manufacturing
center of steel products, railroad
motor trucks, machinery,
refined oil and chemicals. Their as
sessed valuation is nearing $500, ,000.-
BOO. The value of improvements COM
pleted within the last year, now under
way and projected amounts to more
than 1926, 5,000,0 900. To the east is the
city of Gary, with it's immense steel
plants and a population thought to
exceed 10000 people and an annual
pay roll Of scores OF millions OF dol
ars. Such a rapid development. now
'ivaling many OF our oldest cities. is
difficult to comprehend. 1t is incon-
that it could take place In
any land but America.
Intellectual Development.
"Along with the growth of the ma
terial side of life has gone the growth
If the intellectual side of community
life. While factories have been build
ng, schools and libraries have fol-
owed. 1t is reported that a scientific
survey made of one of these cities to
determine what improvements could
De suggested found the standards and
of the public school
system so admirable that there ap-
,eared to be nothing to criticize.
Location has been of considerable
Importance in this development. This
lrea lies at the southern extremity Of
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