The Vidette-Messenger Centennial EditionThe 1936 special edition celebrating Porter County's centennial year . . . .
The following article has been transcribed from the August 18, 1936, issue of The Vidette-Messenger, published in Valparaiso, Indiana. This particular special edition focuses on Porter County's centennial celebration and contains a 94-page compendium of Porter County history up to that time.
Return to the index of articles from The Vidette-Messenger's Porter County Centennial special edition.
Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso,
Porter County, Indiana; August 18, 1936; Volume 10, Section 4, Page 15.
Chamber of Commerce Has Strong Record of Service In Behalf of Community
Organized
primarily for the purpose of promoting the economic, civic and social welfare of
the Valparaiso area, the Valparaiso Association of Commerce, formed on June 7,
1912, has developed into a real force in Valparaiso and a decided benefit to the
city. Previous to the incorporation of the chamber of commerce and organization
known as the Commercial club existed as far back as 1898. John Brodie was
president of the organization and others prominent in the club's activities were
W. G. Windle, Joseph F. Tallcott, Claus Specht and John W. Sieb.
This club died out, and later in 1909, the club was reorganized by Dr. H. M.
Evans, president; W. F. Spooner, vice-president; Edward H. Heilstedt, secretary,
and George F. Beach, treasurer. It was superseded by the present chamber of
commerce.
Directors of the chamber of commerce formed in 1912 were John F. Sievers, J.
Lowenstine, C. F. Specht, Leslie R. Skinner, P. W. Clifford, E. H. Heilstedt, J.
W. Sieb, James M. Sheldon and E. J. Gardner. Others signing the articles were
George F. Beach and William F. Spooner.
The first meeting of the chamber was in the old Dr. J. R. Ryan building on the
site of the present Loewnstine store. Later meetings were held at the Armory,
and then in the Schleman building on Washington street. Of recent years the
chamber has held its meetings in the Elks' temple building, holding its dinner
meetings at Hotel Lembke.
Attorney Edmund J. Freund was the first secretary of the present chamber of
commerce. Mr. Freund gave his untiring efforts to the club at little or no
remuneration. He was succeeded by Attorney P. J. Bailey, who served for a number
of years. Other secretaries were E. D. Hodges, Hubert M. Lackey, R. C. Breth,
Wallace Sutter, J. William Bosse and George Nelson, the present secretary.
Presidents of the club have been John F. Sievers, W. F. Spooner, Dr. H. M.
Evans, Edward H. Heilstedt, E. D. Hodges, Rev. Chester W. Wharton, C. L.
Maxwell, Harry R. Ball, Edmund J. Freund, Byron H. Kinne, John F. Griffin, T. L.
Applegate, Frank M. Clifford, Stanley B. Sink, Vernon L. Philley, Walter N.
Shook, T. O. Dillon and L. L. Howard.
The chamber has long been a force for betterment in Valparaiso as well as Porter
county. Among some of the early achievements of the chamber were the saving of
the Valparaiso and Northern railroad, now the Gary and Valparaiso interurban by
preventing the junking of the Gary Connecting line between Woodville and Gary;
support of the county agent movement whereby Porter county is served by such an
official; establishment of a bus line between Valparaiso, Kouts and Hebron and
backing the move whereby the Valparaiso County club came into being.
The association was responsible for the establishment by the Jahns company of
LaPorte of bus lines back in 1921 between Valparaiso, Kouts, Wheatfield,
Westville and Tremont. When the subject of a hotel for Valparaiso was broached
in 1922, the chamber took the lead and signed a contract with the late Charles
F. Lembke, where the latter built the present Hotel Lembke. The same year the
chamber with members of the Rotary and Kiwanis clubs fostered an automobile camp
at Brown field.
In 1923 the chamber took an important fight to prevent Chicago, Gary and
Michigan City interests from taking Porter county's lake front for state park
purposes. The chamber made a valiant stand against the plan to take over nine
miles of lake frontage by the state. Only three miles were finally taken and the
remainder was saved for industrial expansion. Another action of the chamber that
year was the elimination of the S-turn on Lincoln Highway, at the Malone bridge,
east of the city.
Inauguration of the playgrounds project and entertainment of 112 Canadian
farmers were among the highlights of 1924.
When the question of a gymnasium was advocated in 1925 the chamber placed its
entire strength behind the proposition, and as a result of its efforts a holding
company was formed which resulted in building of the structure.
In 1926, when the Academy of Music block was destroyed and the lives of two
firemen, one from Gary and one from Valparaiso, were snuffed out by falling
walls, and a dozen injured, the chamber was first to advance aid for the
families of the dead men and those injured in line of duty. With the late Arthur
J. Bowser as chairman, a fund of $10,000 was raised and distributed to the
families of the men killed and injured. Other noteworthy achievements by the
chamber that year was the support by the body of the tuberculin testing of
cattle, and assistance in promoting the farm bureau corn show.
One of the greatest bits of work by the chamber was the fight made by the
chamber against splitting up the Northwestern Indiana Telephone exchanges, by
sale to the Winona Telephone company, a move which would have been detrimental
to Valparaiso business interests. This fight, started in 1928, was carried over
a period of seven years before the chamber finally was victorious.
Another high achievement of the chamber was the saving of Valparaiso university
by inducing the Lutheran management to take over the school. Committees of the
chamber worked long and hard on this project, and made many trips about the
country to confer with Lutheran officials.
The straightening of the Joliet bridge and the widening and improvement of
Lincolnway into one of the finest thoroughfares in the state was another plume
in the cap of the chamber.
The chamber also had a large part in the improvement of State Roads 49, 2, 6,
130 and 20 by acquiring right-of-way and inducing the state highway commission
to consider the project.
The tax committee of the chamber has been active for a number of years and
through its functioning the taxpayers of Valparaiso have been saved many
thousands of dollars.
The chamber was largely instrumental in securing for the city the present
building ordinance back in 1924 when it brought Morris Knowles, consulting
engineer, here to make a preliminary survey.
Other important projects in which the chamber has been active were the aiding of
the Porter County Medical society in two attempts to promote a county hospital,
both of which were turned down by voters by small margins; assistance rendered
Valparaiso university officials in an endowment drive to save the school before
the Lutherans came; worked with northern Indiana business and civic interests to
induce the War Department to build a $3,000,000 harbor at the mouth of Burns
ditch, Lake Michigan, and inaugurated various trade promotion campaigns in which
Valparaiso merchants secured greatly increased returns in business.
Factories have not been neglected by the chamber. A number of industries have
been brought to the city. Latest of these are the Kantro Industries and the
removal of the western headquarters of the Continental Diamond Fibre company
from Chicago to this city.
George Nelson, present secretary of the chamber, is now serving his fifth year
in that capacity. During his regime the chamber has taken on new life and the
city has made great advancement along all lines than for many years.
Article transcribed by Steven R. Shook