Banner Graphic, Volume 19, Number 291, Greencastle, Putnam County, 16 August 1989 — Page 1

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Young Bainbridge residents (front and back, left) Nathan, 6, and Laura Evans, 5, children of Les and Reba Evans, join the DeMarco family for a short ride Wednesday morning before the California-bound pioneers leave Bainbridge for Rockville along U.S. 36. Former Ohioans

Westward, ho!

Ohio family of seven boards covered wagon for rare, pioneer-like journey to California

By ERIC BERNSEE Banner-Graphic Editor BAINBRIDGE Thomas and Pamela DeMarco had their five children packed into the family car. A California visit was the destination. But a not-so-funny thing happened before they got out of their Kipton, Ohio, driveway earlier this year. The engine on the family van died, taking vacation plans to the grave with it. The DeMarcos dejectedly sent their young brood back to bed and began dreaming. Why not just load everybody on a covered wagon and go westward, ho?, joked Pam, a 30-year-old history buff. Her 37-year-old husband laughed then. But he’s smiling now. THE DeMARCOS HAVE indeed loaded up a Conestoga-type wagon and Tuesday were one month into an Ohio-to-Califomia trek as they stopped at Bainbridge. The couple are joined by 11-month-old Martelle, Martina, 214, Missy, 3V4, David, 5, and Danielle, 8, in their cross-country trek aboard a covered wagon 13 feet long, 10 feet high and five feet wide. DeMarco found the running gear at an old railroad depot and forked over S3OO of his meager savings to an historical society for the chassis of his covered wagon. He made the sides and bottom from attic planks at the house the family was forced to vacate. Mrs. DeMarco sewed painters’ tarps together to make the cover. The 20th-century pioneers started out their journey July 15 with a team of horses, but it’s a 45horsepower 1948 Allis-Chalmers tractor, emblazoned with the nickname ‘‘lron Horse,” that’s pulling the load these days. “FOR SOME REASON,” DeMarco said, “when we hitched up the horses, one of them reared up and thrashed around and about made a mess of the wagon." The family was already on the road in Wellington, Ohio, and time prohibited the DeMarcos from acquiring another team of horses. DeMarco did the next best thing. “I walked into a tractor dealership and swapped a horse for a tractor. The guy at the dealership laughed and said, ‘We used to do that kind of thing a tot during World War 11, but we haven’t done it since.’” ' But the horse trading transpired and the DeMarcos continued on their way to Redlands, Calif., where they hope to arrive at the home of friends around Christmas or New Year’s Day.

Once in a blue moon?

Cloudy with a 40 percent chance of thundershowers, mainly before midnight Low in the tow 60s overnight. Partly cloudy and cfjatwued mild fe Thursday with high rtound 80. | Indiana Extended Foreotft Mostly clear Friday and Saturday. Partly cloudy Sunday with a chance of thundershowers r in the northwest Lows to the 60s. Highs in the 80s.

Thomas and Pamela DeMarco are on board with children (rear) Danielle, 8, and Martina, 214, David, 5, and Missy, 3 1 4, and baby Martelle, 11 months. They expect to reach California by Christmas or New Year’s Day. (Banner-Graphic photo by Lisa Meyer).

Daze Work

AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 8 mph, the tractor-pul-led wagon is capable of about 50 miles a day, DeMarco said, but so far the family has averaged 20-25 miles. When they pulled out of the Dariette tot at Bainbridge Wednesday morning, the destination was Rockville. U.S. 36 has been their route thus far, but that will change outside Springfield, 111. “We’re actually retracing the route of the Meeker family from Ohio in the 1840 s,” DeMarco said, explaining that he had hoped to follow the Oregon Trail and end up in Placeville (west of Sacramento, Calif.). But winter weather near the end of their trail will prevent that now. , “No matter who you are, or where your family came from ... Europe or whatever ... someone in your family traveled this way,” DeMarco said, noting that a quarter-million people went westward via covered wagon. It’s the lure of history and the romance of the road that lure them. BUT THERE HAVE BEEN few such venturesome folk since the interstates were built and disc brakes invented. So what’s the DeMarcos’ motivation? “It’s eerie,” Thomas assessed, noting that his family is migrating westward for many of the same reasons the pioneers went their not-so-merry way. The DeMarco family business, based on restorations and antiques, collapsed in Ohio, he said. “The house is to be sold; there’s no turning back.” The trip is a protest of sorts against Americans’ soft, present-day lifestyle. But it’s also a chance for a new life and new opportunity that await in California. The city of Redlands, DeMarco said, was a winter retreat for wealthy Easterners in the 1880 s and 1890 s. “There are a lot of century(-old) homes but really nobody there to specialize (in restoration).” Col. 3, back page, this section

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Cloverdale board OK’s utilities purchases

By LISA MEYER Banner-Graphic Staff Writer CLOVERDALE The Cloverdale Town Council has approved the purchase of several items for the town utilities department. Utility manager Mike Gray told the council that he was impressed with a Ditch Witch rod pusher used recently to run a water line under Beagle Club Road. GRAY SAID THAT the machine allowed a water line to be installed without cutting a road surface, and it will cost less for the

m to interview another architectural firm

By LISA MEYER Banner-Graphic Staff Writer When it comes to making decisions on how to go about a $4.5 million building project, the South Putnam School Board is not making any snap decisions. The board decided Monday night to interview yet another architect firm, Schmidt Associates, Indianapolis, on handling the renovation and expansion of South Putnam High School before selecting anyone to undertake the project SupL James Hammond told the board that the next step in the project is hiring someone. He added that if the board decides to hire an architect for the design stage and a construction manager for the building stage, both firms should be hired at the same time to let them start the project together.

THE BOARD HAS heard from several architect, construction management and finance firms interested in the project. “We’ve talked to some pretty reputable companies and the more you talk to the more views you get,” said board member Sherm Hacker, pointing out that the board could interview several more firms before ever deciding on one. Hacker also said he had reservations about hiring an architect firm with an in-house construction manager. Bill Sutherland agreed, saying that an in-house construction manager would have little clout since he would be working for the architect. Hammond pointed out that some of the interviewed construction firms said they would have a person at the building site at all times while other said they wouldn’t THE BOARD ALSO heard from its attorney, John Zeiner, on public and private financing companies. Zeiner said the only difference between the two types of finance companies would be that public firms handle everything, such as construction contracts, by bids while a private firm handles everything, such as bond selling, by

Continuance granted Carney in Indiana National Bank suit

By JOE THOMAS Banner-Graphic Assistant Editor Greencastle car dealer Al Carney has been granted more time to prepare for a hearing which could result in an Indianapolis bank taking over his East Side retail business. Indiana National Bank of Indianapolis has filed a lawsuit claiming that Carney owes more than $500,000 and seeks all of his inventory and equipment as repayment PUTNAM CIRCUIT Court Judge William C. Vaughn 111 had scheduled a hearing in the case for 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. However, Eric A. Frey, the Terre Haute attorney representing Carney in the suit, asked for a postponement of that hearing due to Carney’s poor health. Frey’s request notes that Carney was only recently released from St Francis Hospital in Indianapolis, where he was being treated for the removal of a blood clot that resulted from an abdominal aneurysm. Carney reportedly remains in a

town to purchase the machine than to hire a contractor every time a water line needs to be run under a road. The council approved the purchase of the machine at $3,690. A $2,750 expenditure was approved for engineering fees for extending a town water main. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management said that it will fine the town if a line is not run to the Dorothy Branneman property. Gray said a four-inch line would be installed. The council

New assistant chiefs for police, fire departments

Both the Greencastle City Police and Fire Departments now have new assistant chiefs. Jim Hendrich, former city police chief, has been named assistant chief, effective Aug. 13, Chief Jack Hanlon has announced. KENNETH HIRT, who had been serving as assistant chief, had asked to be relieved of those responsibilities and has been made a captain “by mutual agreement,” Chief Hanlon said. Hendrich’s new role means he will be on the evening, or second shift, with Hirt moving

negotiation. Time-wise, both companies would work at about the same rate, he said. “You still need a lot of planning to decide where the dollars are,” Zeiner said. “Undoubtedly, there are pros and cons no matter what way you go.” HAMMOND SAID he hoped the board would make a hiring decision after a Thursday, Aug. 24 interview with Schmidt Assoc . Meanwhile, the board listened to a status report on the tennis, golf and swimming programs at the high school by athletic director Jim Huter. The lack of faculty coaches in the three sports has been their downfall, Huter said. Last year, the girl swimmers had a DePauw University student as emergency coach, but the student has transferred colleges and cannot coach at South Putnam this year, Huter said. And replacements are scarce “I HONESTLY FEEL that we are not accomplishing much by not having a faculty member to coach swimming. We’re iust going

weakened condition as he continues to recuperate from the blood clot removal. Vaughn has rescheduled the hearing for 8:30 a.m. Aug. 29. RECORDS FILED with the court by INB show that Carney has borrowed $2.02 million in the past two years, and had a line of credit with the Indianapolis bank for as much as $2,125 million. The records show Carney put up his business as collateral for loans that could have reached as high as $4,145 million. The bank claims Carney has defaulted on $578,779.96 and seeks that amount plus 12 percent interest and attorney fees of $75,000. The interest payment comes to $69,453.59, while the claim seeks a total of $723,233.55 from Carney. But it is not money that the bank is seeking. Instead, it claims Carney offered as collateral all of the new and used car inventory parts, all of the new and used cars, and all equipment, inventory and fixtures. The bank is seeking possession of

hired Neal Ott to engineer the project. BEFORE THE LINE can be run to Branneman’s, however, Gray said the town’s two wells need to be cleaned. Baskin Logan has quoted a cleaning price of $3,750 per well, he said. The council decided to check to see if cleaning was included in the town’s contract with the company. The council also approved expenditures of S2OO for the trenching and replacing of a water line at the sewer plant, $367.50 for parts

to night shift, the third shift Hirt and Capt. Paul Wilson will swap shifts between evening and night duty every 28 days, Hanlon said. Det. Sonny Wood, meanwhile, remains the captain on day shift. THE CITY FIRE Department meanwhile, has also undergone a recent change in rank. Paul “Pete” Patterson has assumed the duties of assistant chief after the department’s former assistant chief, Wayne Jones, also asked to be relieved of those responsibilities, Fire Chief Bob Elmore said. Jones’ rank is now a private.

through the motions,” Huter said. He agreed with some parents present at the board meeting that swimming participation is high in the junior high level, but a steady coach is needed to maintain that in high school. In tennis, the girls have not had a faculty coach since the 1981-82 season, he said. In seven years, the girls’ team has had six emergency coaches. Few toys participate in the golf program, he said. At the high school level they take more interest in basketball, football and wrestling. IT IS EXPENSIVE to play golf in the summer because of fees, so participants usually only play during the season, he said. Huter said swimming, golf and tennis should be emphasized for young people since all three sports carry over as adult activities. The poor condition of the two tennis courts at the high school and the need to use the courts at RobeAnn Park in Greencastle contribute to a high drop-out rate in tennis. “We could have 30 girls come Col. 3, back page, this section

those items. THE HEARING WILL be held three days before Carney must leave the Indianapolis Road premises on Sept. 1. Chev Realty,« which owns the land and building Carney is using for business, filed an eviction notice after the two parties were unable to agree on a suitable rent for a new five-year lease. Court records show that Carney sent a letter to Chev Realty owner Jim Harris, Greencastle, on Nov. 29, 1988 seeking to renew their five-year lease agreement without an increase the in the monthly $3 >OO rent. However, Chev Realty sent back a proposal that the rent be increased to $4.29 a square foot on the 18,200-square-foot building. That figures out to a monthly rent of $6,506.50 Chev Realty claims Carney offered to move out of the building when the lease expired at midnight, May 31. However, Carney has yet to close his doors.

for a rodder, and $l,lOO to repair the No. 1 blower at the sewer plant. At the recommendation of Gray, the council voted to refund a tap fee for Jeff Williams since he receives raw water. THE COUNCIL ALSO tabled hiring a firm to engineer a new lift station on Boone Street. Phoenix Consultants offered a bid of $4,525 in engineering fees for the lift station project while HNTB submitted a $20,000 bid. Col. 1, back page this section