The Independent-News, Volume 104, Number 38, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 1 March 1979 — Page 4

MARCH 1, 1979 - THE INDEPENDENT-NEWS

EDITORIALS

TAKEN FROM THE PRIMARY? The 19 7 9 Legislature is continuing to roll along towards what many call a very successful session. The real "hot” issues this year seem to be much quieter as tax relief has been and is the main aim of the Governor and his Republican controlled Legislature. For some reason, especially to our area, news of the 1979 session seems to be coming through much slower and with less fanfare and attention than in past years. However, one matter is supposed!) going to carry the legislature that once again takes something away from John Q. Public and puts power back in the hands of the political parties and power at the top. That is the removing of the state's top office, the governorship, from the direct primary and returning it to the state conventions. This type of selection for the top spot, and a few others, turns the part) selection of the candidates hack to the elected delegates to the state convention, something that is often not a contested spot on the primary election tickets. To begin with, a limited number of persons want to accept this responsibility and certainly the majority of those seeking the delegate status are those that are very party oriented. The circle that finally makes the choice of the candidate is certainly that much smaller. The primary election in many areas seems to be more important than the fall election as the thinning out of candidates by the respective parties sometimes is a more challenging act than the selection come the fall election for the office itself. Taking the top position from the people in this direct form is simply taking some responsibility of a democratic government from the public and putting it back in the hands of the party leaders. There are some advantages, but there are some disadvantages also. Maybe this is the price the voting public pays for not taking an active part in the primary elections as too often the vote turnout on the May date is very small and doesn't reflect a true image of the public's mind and the public's own lack of interest may be partly responsible for the losing of the direct primary for the top offices of the state. WHEN... (TAKEN FROM THE FILES OF THE INDEPENDENT-NEWS)

1974 Girl scout Open House will be held from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday at the Walkerton Elementary School. A program will be at 2:30 followed by refreshments served by the Epsilon Chi chapter of Tri Kappa. The Ray Kuchel family of West York have lost all their possessions in a fire this past Wednesday night and are in need of clothing, furniture. linens and other household items. The annual Biue and Gold Banquet was held on Saturday in Walkerton. The John Glenn Falcons lost to the Plymouth Pilgrims in Sectional action Friday night by a score of 64-56. Jackson beat North Liberty in Wednesday night action. 1969 An old landmark in the middle of Walkerton, the depot of the former Nickle Plate Railroad, now part of the Norfolk and Western Railroad, is coming down. This structure, once a busy place in Walkerton handling not only the responsibilities of the railroad but also freight in the area, has been the victim of growth and is coming down. The building was erected approximately in the 1878 to 1880 era. The railroad came through town sometime earlier in 1854. Miss Jane Whitmer was chosen as the delegate to Girls’ State and Judy Holmes, alternate, by American Legion Post 365. North Liberty. Patricia Jordan, seventh grade student at St. Patrick School, won first place in their science fair held February 28. 1964 The Walkerton Industrial Fund, Inc., board of directors, voted unanimously at a Tuesday meeting to award a contract for land survey work to the Engineering Planning Services. Inc., of Mishawaka. The work will provide the local organization with the necessary information needed in providing plot plans. The South Bend Community School Science Fair will be held at Washington High School Saturday, March 14. Twenty students from North Liberty Elementary will

enter their projects after being named winners in the recent fair at North Liberty. Pete Ullman. Route 1, Walkerton. residing northwest of Koontz Lake, caught a 17 pound northern pike at the east end of the lake last week. It was 40 inches in length and was caught with a minnow and he had great difficulty in getting him up thru the hole in the ice. It was the second largest fish caught in the lake, the largest fish caught in the lake was be the late Emil Anderson, founder of the Anderson Hotel about 35 years ago. It was a 23 pound northern pike and it was mounted and is now on display in .the Koontz Lake Conservation Club House. 1959 Yesterday morning, March 4, 1959, the door was closed on one of the longest eras in North Liberty’s history. The railroad tower at the Wabash-New York Central crossing closed its door bowing before the ever increasing era of automation. The tower is the original structure which was built on April 19.1895. Robert Knecht, owner of the North Liberty Elevator, revealed plans yesterday to build a bulk fertilizer storage building along side the Wabash railroad just east of the elevator. 1954 It's right-of-way time — right away — along the east-west toll road across northern Indiana. Albert J. Wedeking. executive director of the Indiana Toll Road Commission, said that notices of entry have been mailed to more than 2600 land owners along the route except those in Lake County, where routing re-evaluations are unders study. Markets have ground beef and beef liver at three pounds for SI .00. jello, 3 for 25 cents; Charmm toilet tissue. 12 rolls for SI.00; Rival dog food. 10 cans for SI .00; three dozen Honda oranges for SI.00; head lettuce at two for 25 cents and a half gallon of milk for 37 cents. 1944 Will H. Smith, collector of Internal Revenue, reminded taxpay-

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■ Recent discoveries indicate that vast deposits of oil and natural gas abound in Mexico. Given the unreliability of oil deliveries from the Arab states, many observers believe that the United States should seek to buy some of it from our neighbor to the south At the same time, large volumes of natural gas produced in association with the oil reserves on Alaska's Arctic Slope will be available for consumption in the lower 48 states as soon as a pipeline system can be completed These developments sound promising, especially in the case of natural gas —a premium fuel highly valued by industry and homeowner alike because of its efficiency and its environmental advantages Unfortunately, we may not benefit from either source. The Federal Energy Department has been cool to the idea of acquiring Mexican oil and gas Because of cheaper transportation costs. Mexican fuel is more likely to attract buyers than oil and gas produced in Alaska Furthermore, the Alaskan oil situation is proving to be an embarrassment to the federal governmenf because the variety of oil pumped on the North Slope cannot be used by U.S. refineries without costly overhauls. In order to preserve a market for Alaskan fuel, the Energy Department has rejected price structures offered by the Mexican petroleum company, although there are util-

ers of the Indiana district today that 1943 income tax returns must be filed not later than March 15. U. S. civilian supplies of sugar wiil be 6 per cent less than 1943 consumption according to WFA, due to use of sugar can molasses for industrial alcohol, to increased needs of the armed forces and our allies, and to wartime shipping conditions. There’ll be no excuse for mislaying or losing the new telephone books once you get them. They are so loud and noisy. Red covers with blue tip-ins sticking out and placed to make the opening of the book at your town more convenient. Stanley Koseiak, North Liberty, knows what it means to have a brilliant idea especially if that idea has anything to do with production at the Bendix Aviation plant in South Bend. Recently Mr. Koseiak had such an idea and the companythought so much of it that they were willing to pay him $584.00 for it. He designed an automatic "watchman'* for drilling operations and saves valuable materials and man hours. John Adams High will represent St. Joseph County in the Regional Tournament Saturday afternoon on their own floor by virtue of having won the sectional meet last Saturday. Tourney scores were as follows: John Adams 55, Woodrow Wilson 23 New Carlisle 33, North Liberty 31 Mishawaka 42. Washington 41 Madison 43. Walkerton 27 Riley 57, Central Ctholic 19 South Bend Catholic 37, Greene 36 Adams 52. Washington-Clay 23 Mishawaka 37, New Carlisle 32 Central 50, Madison 37 Adams 35. Mishawaka 22 Central 51, Riley 37 Adams 36. Central 30 Adams will play Rochester and then Culver will play Elkhart. 1929

I Capitol I Commentary Governor Otis R. Bowen

ities and industries in the U S who would gladly pay the price it is asking In doing so. energy officials have offended the Mexican government. perhaps to the extent of losing this source of fuel That leaves Alaska The intricacies of transporting and refining Alaskan oil are so frustrating that we now seem to be farther from a solution for marketing and transportation than at the time the Alyeska pipeline was completed In fact, many in the federal government now are seeking a quick-and-easy way out by proposing that it be marketed in Japan, in turn for acquiring foreign oil that now flow to that Asian nation If that weren't enough, serious questions now are being raised about the trans-Canada natural gas pipeline It is behind schedule, largely the result of Congressional delays in passing the energy act. and there is growing doubt that the multi-billion-dollar venture can be financed unless the government is willing to put up substantial sums of money to guarantee project completion While Washington laments the loss of oil from Iran, larger quantities closer to home seem to be slipping away from us. too This sorry situation provides added evidence of a floundering federal energy policy that has us worse off than we were when the federal government started working on the energy crisis six years ago.

A flasher safety signal was ordered installed on the Liberty Highway at the Ginger Hill crossing of a branch line of the New York Central railroad by the Board of County Commissioners late Monday afternoon. The South Bend Cubs won the local sectional basketbail tournament at Mishawaka Friday and Saturday when they turned in victories over Madison Township, Mishawaka, Plymouth and Bremen. in that order. Walkerton lost to Bremen by a score of 21-17. North Liberty played Plymouth and were eliminated by a score of 24-15. Sale Bill of 1849. provided to us by C. S. Benjamin, of North Liberty. who recently received a news story of an old sale bill from his brother in Virginia. The bill read as follows: GOLD RUSH SALE Having sold my farm and I am leaving for Oregon Territory by ox team, will offer March 1, 1849, all of my personal property, to wit: All ox teams except two teams, Buck and Ben. Tom and Jerry; 2 milk cows; 1 gray mare and colt; I pair oxen and yoke; 1 baby yoke; 2 ox carts; I run foot of popular weather board; plow and wood mold board; 300 to 400 three-foot clapboards; 1.500 10 foot fence rails; 1 60-gallon soap kettle; 85 sugar troughs made of white ash timber; 10 gallons of maple syrup; 2 spinning wheels; 30 pounds of mutton tallow; large loom; 100 split hoops; 100 empty barrels; 32-gal-lon barrel of Johnson Miller w hiskey, seven years old; 20 gallons of apple brandy; 40 gallon copper still of oak tanned leather; 1 dozen real books; 2 handle hooks; 3 scythes and cradles; dozen wooden pitchforks; one-half interest in tan yard; 32-calibre rifle bullet mold and powder horn, rifle made by Ben Miller; 50 gallons of soft soap; hams; bacon; lard; 40 gallons of sorghum molasses; 6 head of fox

hounds, all soft-mouthed, except one. At the time I will sell by six negro slaves — 2 men. 35 and 50 years old; 2 boys. 12 and 18 years old; 2 mulatto wenches. 40 and 30 years old. Will sell altogether to same party, as will not separate them. Sale begins at 8 o'clock a m. Plenty to eat and drink. CONSUMER ALERT Indiana Law Protect* Mali Order Customers Hoosiers with mail order complaints may get help solving their problems from the Consumer Protection Division of the office of Attorney General Theodore L. Sendak. "In 1978 the Deceptive Consumer Sales Act was enacted,” Sendak advises, "and it, if part, forbids advertising a product without intending to sell it, or advertising a promise of a delivery date while a merchant is aware that the date cannot be met. This act also authorizes civil court fines for each violation to defraud a consumer. "Mail order complaints involve every type of product . . . clothing, jewelry, shoes, automotive parts, household items, books, tapes and records are examples. Recently the Federal Trade Commission, under federal authority, fined a firm and 2 of its subsidiaries $40,000 for failing properly to notify customers of delivery delays and for not making prompt refunds when merited." To file a complaint, make certain you’ve met all written requirements of return and request of refund or replacement and the company hasn't. Questions and complaints may be addressed to: Consumer Protection Division Office of Attorney General Room 219, State House Indianapolis, Ind. 46204 Resident of the Indianapolis area mav call 633-6276. Others may call, toll free. 1-800-382-5516 from 8:15 a.m. until 4:45 p.m.. Monday through Friday.