Syracuse-Wawasee Journal, Volume 48, Number 51, Syracuse, Kosciusko County, 29 September 1955 — Page 1

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VOL 48: No. 51

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Fire Destroys Harbor House Restaurant Wednesday A. M.

Flames of undetermined origin. first noticed about 12:30 Wednesday morning by a passing motorist, completely destroyed the “Harbor House' restaurant on the East side of Lake Wawasee. Damage was estimated to be at least $50,000 First word of the blaze was received by the Cromwell telephone exchange at about 12:30 when a resident of the neighborhood. known as “Waveland Beach” saw flames in that part of the building which was used as the dining room <The East part of Wawasee is served by the Cromwell exchange * Sparta township and Cromwell firemen responded to the alarm and relayed the message to Syracuse firemen, who arrived shortly thereafter. Two of the Syracuse trucks were at the

Know Your Candidates — Chapter 3 •*»? ■* '* *** ■ >•■ *• ’ ■'•.•■

Ralph P. Oyler, Independent Republican nominee for town trustee from the third ward, is shown here atop his tractor on

Candidate Ralph Oyler Has Wide and Varied Experience

Ralph P. Oyler, candidate for town trustee from the third ward Oh the Independent Republican ticket, has had a varied experience in the field of business. Mr. Oyler came to Syracuse in 1939 from Milford, where he had been in the nursery business. He purchased the property on which his home and business are now located, on Chicago Avenue, and established his “Wawasee Nursery” here. He now operates a nursery and landscape service and is also a retailer of cut flowers. As a sideline during winter months. Mr. Oyler has a tax accounting service and specializes in farm accounts in preparing federal income tax information. Bora in Ligonier in 1899 as the

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. scene until almost 4:00 WednesI day morning. The structure was a two-story . in front, one-story in the rear ■ affair. The eating establishment ■ was located on the second story. • Completely destroyed were the „ | dining and kitchen facilities, on j the lake side. Damaged beyond > repair was the bar, located near the highway ( , Bottom story of the building, occupied by service facilities, was badly charred and in one i room the dining room floor from ; above had fallen in. A one-story summer home adjacent to the Harbor House to I the north, owned by Lloyd George of Indianapolis, also caught fire. Firemen extinguished the blaze at the George , Home, which also was burning i when they arrived, with damage i limited to the bathroom, kitchen ' and roof.

the grounds of the Wawasee Nursery, which he operates. He is talking to his son. Raymond, who has just placed a shrub oa

i son of a minister, Mr. Oyler has lived in Indiana most of his life. He is a graduate of Warsaw High School and of Purdue University. In 1929 he married Violet Hull of Warsaw and he and Mrs. Oyler have two sons. Raymond. 22. and Robert Lee. 18. Raymond has just returned home after serving with the U. S. Armed Services in Europe and is currently helping his father in the family business. Lee is a freshman at Purdue University. Both are graduates of Syracuse I High School. Mr. Oyler’s varied experience includes 6 years as a school teacher in Covington and Lowell. Indiana; work with the Purdue University Experimental Station after graduating from Purdue; his farm accounting

SYRACUSE, INDIANA

Both the restaurant and the

home to the north of the place were unoccupied at the time of the blaze. Bernard Robinson, from between Cromwell and Kimmell, operator of the establishment. said that, when they closed for the night about a tialf hour before the blai£ he checked the building thoroughly and found nothing the matter. A nearby resident reported that she heard an explosion but firemen said this may have been cooking gas exploding after the blaze was under way. Robinson and his wife had operated the restaurant since January of this year. It had been known as the Harbor House for about five years and before that was known as "Ladig's Grocery .” The Robinsons were renting the equipment of the concern from Keith Bragg, of Fort Wayne. Owner of the building was the former Mrs. Gordon Ladig, now remarried and also living in Fort Wayne. Extent of insurance coverage for the ° loss was not known immediately.

the wagon. Looking on at the left is Asa Faurot, of near here, who assists the Oylers at the Nursery.

work; and the operation of his busmess here. ' C A veteran of the First World War. Mr. Oyler is a past commander of Wawasee Post 223. American Legion, in Syracuse. He is currently a member of the Syracuse-Wawissee Community Chamber of Commerce: Syracuse Lodge 454. P. and A. M„ and of the Indiana Nurserymen's Association. Mr. Oyler is also vice-president of the Chamber of Commerce and serves on its board of directors He is a Republican in politics. He is also a member of the Calvary E. U. B. Church. Mr. Oyler, running on the Independent Republican ticket for the town election, is opposing Harry L. Coy. nominee whose name came out of the regular Republican town convention in August. Mr. Oyler was nominated by petition. Next week's “Know Your Candidate" eubject will be Harry Nicolai, incumbent member of the board of town traeteee from the eecond ward. Mr. Nicolai, the Republican nominee, la unoppoaod for re-election.

Thursday 29 September 1955

Proposed Town Tax Rate Slashed; Township Rate Approved As Is

State tax board representatives. meeting at the courthouse in Warsaw’ Tuesday, slashed 12 cents from the proposed tax rate set up by the town of Syracuse. The amount reduced was all contained in the town's “General Fund.” State board representatives said the slash was made because of an underestimation of funds to be received from state support sources. After Tuesday's cut. the town of Syracuse levy is $1.65 per SIOO valuation, up from $1.57 this year. Turkey Creek township's budget was approved as submitted and passed upon by the county tax board. Clarify Fire” Item An item of “fire protection” in the township budget which was questioned because, of a 1955 state law which provides that towns providing fire protection to townships on a contract basis pay no fire protection tax was left in the levy to be paid by townspeople. George Gable, of the tax board, said the agreement between the town and township here was that each paid one half the expense of operating the fire department and that the law would not apply. <f — Byland To Drive Seventh Schoolbus Bids for the seventh school bus route were considered Tuesday afternoon by the Advisory Board and Township Trustee C. E. Beck. Low bidder at $5.00 per day was Nelson Byland who received the contract. One other bid was submitted at $5.60 per day by Jacob Kern. Mr. Beck added.

Services Held Monday For Charles W. Howard

Services were held Monday at 2 P. M. for Charles Wallace Howard. 58. who died shortly after noon Saturday. 24 September, at a roadside park along Road 6 just west of Highway 15. Cause of death was given in a coroner's verdict as instant suicide. Bom July 15, 1897, in Syracuse. Mr. Howard lived most of his life in this community. His parents were John T. and Sarah A. tFunk* Howard. Some years ago he established the Howard Plumbing and Heating Company which he owned at the time of his death. On July 24. 1948. in Michigan City, he was married to Dorothy Smith, who survives. Mr. Howard was a veteran of World Wars 1 and 2, a member

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Saturday Blaze Razes Barn on Stiffler Farm

Fire which may have started from faulty wiring destroyed a bam owned by Chester Stiffler of south of here about 4:00 last Saturday afternoon The farm on which the bam was located is about two miles south of Syracuse Local firemen called to the scene found the structure a mass of flames and concentrated their efforts on saving the nearby residence, occupied by Mr. and

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Entered as second class matter at the postoffice a t Syracuse, Indiana

Applications Ready For Absent Ballots Ernest O. Buchholz, Syracuse town clerk-treasurer and clerk of the town election board, said early this week that he had a supply of applications available for voters who wished to vote an absentee ballot in this November's town election. Upon receiving the application. Buchholz said, a ballot will be furnished the voter making the application. Such ballots, he added, may be applied for up until the Saturday before the election and may be returned to him either by mail or in person. Fire Damages Home On Syracuse Lake Fire starting around a chimney caused an estimated SSO damage to the residence of Dr. J. S. Slabaugh on the North Side of Syracuse Lake Monday morning. Syracuse firemen were at the scene about thirty minutes extinguishing the blaze, which spread into panelling adjacent to the chimney. The damage estimate was made by Fire Chief James Connolly. To Meet Here County custodians and township trustees of Kosciusko County will meet for an all day convention at 10:00 A. M. Monday. 10 Oct., at the Syracuse School Luncheon will be served to them in the school cafeteria. Fractures Ankle Mrs. Dewey Coy of Route 3 was admitted to Goshen General Hospital Sunday for the reduction of an ankle fracture.

of the local American Legion. Wawasee Post 223; and of Masonic Lodge 454. Besides the widow he is survived by his brother. Roscoe of Syracuse; two sons. Robert of Van Nnys. California, and Richard Howard, with the U. S. Army in Germany; and three grandchildren. The Rev. Carl Sorenson officiated at the funeral services which were held at the Carr Funeral Home withTjegion members giving military honors there and at the graveside. Members of the Masonic Lodge served as pall bearers. Burial was in the Syracuse cemetery. Syracuse business firms closed their doors during the services in tribute to Mr. Howard.

Mrs. Delbert Brown. They surmised that the blaze must have gained great headway before being discovered by the Browns. Property Destroyed Lost to the flames were a large quantity of hay and grain, a nearby tractor, an empty com crib, and many miscellaneous tools. The property lost was owned by Stiffler, his son. Glenn and the Browns. A moderate northwesterly wind aided the burning of the bam and swept the flames near the house and melted insulation siding on one side of the structure. Firemen also had to wet down a nearby telephone pole and a farm wagon which kept wanting to blaze. Loss was estimated at between five and ten thousand dollars. Fire Near New Paris On Sunday the farm home of Mr. and Mrs. Lester Hummel. 3Mt miles southwest of New Parts, was badly damaged when chimney sparks ignited the roof and the ensuing blaze destroyed a bedroom. New Paris firemen were credited with saving the structure and preventing spread of the Maze to other farm buildings.

Calendar Os Coming Events 29 September Wawasee Property Owners Association directors to meet at John Abshire home. 7:30 p. m. '4 October Syracuse Board of Town Trustees meets at Old Grade School at 7:30 p. m. TO BEGIN PRACTICE! Syracuse High School’s Yellow Jacket cage squad will begin practice 4 October, it was announced this week. Coach Jim Hughes and Assistant Stanley Hoopingamer will be in charge. Solomon's Creek To Have Homecoming This Sunday, 2 October, will be Homecoming at the Solomons Creek Evangelical United Brethren Church, according to an announcement made this Monday by the Rev. John Schroeder, pastor. The Rev. Vernon Carlson, a former pastor of the church, will be the featured speaker. The program in the afternoon will follow a basket dinner scheduled to be served at noon. The Rev. Schroeder said the public was invited to the affair. Syracuse 4-H'ers Compete in Judging Several Sjrracuse 4-H members! and 4-H advisor Bill Stotts; joined youths from all over the Hoosier State last Saturday to compete in the Purdue Vege-1 table Judging Contest. Team members from Syracuse were Ronald Roberts. John Searfoss, and Billy Dorsey. Phil Kitson and Jim Denton also judged as a separate team. After the < judging contest team members and Mr. Stotts i and Mike Stotts all attended f the Purdue Football game. Congressman Here Second District Representative Charles A. Halleck, Republican Minority Leader of the i United States House of Repre- ! sentatives. was in Syracuse for a j short time this Tuesday. Rep. Halleck called at the | Journal office for a few minutes and visited with other friends and acquaintances in Syracuse. Lisa Beth Lisor Mr. and Mrs. Clem F. Lisor, Jr., of Wawasee Village, are the ■ parents of a daughter. Lisa Beth, born last Friday in Memorial Hospital in South Bend.

Downtown Streetlights Have Doubtful Week Downtown Syracuse’s boulevard streetlights went “on the blink” last Saturday night, with the result that all lights both north of Main St. and east of Huntington Street were completely out. Sunday morning Northern Indiana Public Service Company crews were on the job repairing the difficulty and by Sunday night the boulevard lights were again glowing, but definitely not with their accustomed brightness. Monday night, too. the lights showed a lacking of aggressive candlepower but by Tuesday the trouble remedied and the lights were on full power again. “Conductor trouble.” said NIPSCO operating supervisor Noble Myers when he was asked about the trouble. * Local News. . . Frank Greene, who has been living at the Methodist Home in Warren. Indiana has been visiting in Syracuse for the past week. Miss Phyllis George. • student at Manchester College in North Manchester, spent the weekend with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert George of West Main St.

Deny Quashing Motion In Stiefel Feed Action

A motion by the Stiefel Feed Company of Syracuse to quash the summons served on the company. named defendant in a public nuisance suit filed by the town of Syracuse, was denied by Whitley Circuit Judge Lowell Pefley in Columbia City Monday Holds Lucky Ticket; Wins Trip To Miami Mrs. M. Louise Connolly attended the National Wash Apparel Show at the Palmer House in Chicago from Monday thru Thursday of the week of September 18-24. and walked away with one of the prize awards. At the banquet Wednesday night, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the association. Mrs. Connolly held lucky ticket No. 455 which entitled her to an award of seven days at the Martinique Hotel in Miami Beach to be used before November 1. Mrs. Connolly plans to take her “vacation” in October and will go by air even tho she said she “doesn’t like to fly.”

Independent Republican Ticket Put On Ballot

Robert Laughlin and Ralph P. Oyler, candidates of Syracuse's newly-formed Independent Republican party, will have their names on the ballot for the town election, this November. according to "a ruling made last week by the Syracuse town election board. Some doubt about the possibility of the candidates’ names appearing was raised last week when several sources reported that either R. Leon Connolly or Ernest Bushholz had ruled that the party was “illegal,” Neither Connolly, as town attorney, nor Buchholz, town clerk-treasurer, has the authority to rule on such matters, and both denied making any such “ruling.” Make Changes In a letter to the town elec- ‘ tion board. Independent Repub! lican chairman Robert Insley 1 asked that the symbol of the I party, an elephant cn the ■ party's nominating petition, be j changed to a star to .alleviate I confusion. The party also asked i that its official name be listed | as “The Independent Repub-1 lican Party of Syracuse. Indiana.” Laughlin is the party's nom-1 inee from the first ward, op posing Republican nominee and ■ incumbent J. Barton Cox. Oyler, j opposing Harry L. Coy, is the I Independent Republican candi- i date for trustee from the third ward. Election board members ruling on the request last week were Chris Koher, chairman and Republican appointee; I Buchholz, clerk ex-officio by vir- ’ tue of his position as town clerk- i treasurer: and Hilary Bachman, appointed by Buchholz to 1 represent the Democratic parts’ * in conducting the town election. |

Joel D. Wilt Services Tuesday Joel D. Wilt, former Syracuse resident and businessman, who had been livmairijn Nappannee recently, died Saturday 24 September in the Osteopathic Hospital. South Bend, where he had been a patient for five days. Mr. Wilt was bom in Nap panee May 24, 1903. His parents were Wakefield M. and Nellie (Anglin) Wilt. His mother survives. After his father’s death, Mr. Wilt managed the W. M. Wilt Industries in Syracuse, which was originated and developed by the elder Wilt. Other survivors include one child. Mrs. John (Betty Lee) Bryan; two grandchildren; and a sister, Mrs. Charles (Miriam) Rock. Jr. Services were held Tuesday at 2 P. M. at the Carr Funeral Home with the Rev. Noble Greene officiating. Burial was in the Syracuse cemetery. Syracuse business houses closed their doors for an hour Tuesday afternoon in tribute to Mr. Wilt.

Local Men Are Outboard Champions Stover Hire won second place in the World Championship races on Ft. Laudaun Lake at Knoxville. Tennessee last week end. Stover raced in Class B runabout competition with a Rinker boat built by Jon and Jahn Rinker of Goshen. In first place for the second time in three years was Dr. Charles W. Hursh. optometrist, of Goshen and Syracuse Lake. Two hundred drivers from all over the United States entered the preliminaries and had to win one of the sixteen starting positions in the qualifying heat. In the first heat of the race, there are five laps in each of the two heats of the mile course, Stover was boxed in and thereby lost his chance of winning first. He is one of few who won over Dr. Hursh in heat races this summer. For second place Stover won a clock trophy and S7O in cash. Dr. Hursh’s award was a world championship plaque and S9O in cash. SPONSORING FISH FRY The Questor’s Class of the Syracuse Calvary Evangelical United Brethren Church announced this week that is was sponsoring a fish fry at the Oakwood Hotel Saturday 8 October. The event will take place from 5:00 until 8:00 with tickets available to the public.

morning. The feed company argued that the summons had been served improperly. The complaint by the town says the company, in operating a feed-drying apparatus in the south part of Syracuse, is maintaining a “public nuisance” which is dangerous to the health of the community. Want Restraining Order The town hopes to have a restraining order issued against the company until such a time, according to Town Attorney R. Leon Connolly, that the company can operate without creating a nuisance. , Originally filed in the Kosicusko circuit court in January of 1954. the case was venued to Whitley County later. Have Until Friday In Monday’s action. Judge Pefley gave Mr. Connolly until Friday to look over the town’s complaint and, if Cbnnolly deems it necessary, to file an amended complaint. Judge Pefley also said that he would give the firm ten days from this Friday to enter a plea to the complaint.

Files Claim For Farm, Factory Profits Profits from a farm and factory are at stake in a circuit court action filed by Joe Spry against William and Glenace Kerfin. of Chicago. - Spry alleges that he had an oral contract with the defendants to live on their farm of approximately 100 acres in Elkhart county, and operate a grain, forage and livestock venture. He also, claims that he contributed more than 6.000 hours of time and labor and has an interest in 4.000 bales of hay and other items including cattle, which the defendants have advertised for sale on Oct. 1. Asks Receiver The plaintiff who says he was given word to vacate the farm on 30-days notice, asks for an accounting and for appointment of a receiver to preserve the interests of both parties. In the second paragraph of the complaint Spry alleges that he was hired Sept. 1, 1952 to manage American Industries, a business enterprise, owned by Kerfin in Syracuse at a salary of $350 per month and one-half interest in the profits on a month-to-month basis. ’ Spry said he was dismissed Sept. 1 of this year. He claims a breach of contract in failure to pay wages and asks that all records of the enterprise be seized and net earnings determined. He also asks taling sl7, 600.

P TA Making Plans For Fall Festival Plans for the Fall Festival, to be held 29 October, were discussed by the Turkey Creek Township P. T. A. at their meeting 19 September. Proceeds from -the festival will go to worthwhile school projects. Following the annual Halloween Parade the Intermediate Mothers Club will be in charge of a food stand. Rotary Club members will run a wheel of fortune. Lions will operate a basketball shoot, and the Business and Professional Women’s Club will launch a king and queeh cutie contest. Also supporting the festival are the Women’s Auxiliary of Wawasee Post 223; of the American Legion. Ray Frevert will act as master of ceremonies for the festival events. Vacancy Announced Postmaster Ernest Bushong announced this week that there is an opening at the Post Office for a clerk. Interested persons should apply in person.

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