The Mail-Journal, Volume 10, Number 33, Milford, Kosciusko County, 12 September 1973 — Page 1

Phones: 658-4111 & 457-3666

VOLUME 10

Buy Sturm & Dillard —

Kinder Realty announces million development plan

A long-range residential development, that could approximate the $25 million figure, has been announced for the Lakeland area by Kinder Realty, Inc., a Syracuse construction and development company, this week. ’ Don Runge, executive vice president of the company, has announced the purchase of a tract of land from the Sturm and Dillard Gravel Co., located between Syracuse and Milford. The development could easily be one of the largest such developments in this part of the state of Indiana. Rugged Terrain The tract is bounded on the north by the Milford-Syracuse road, on the west by county road 250E, and onr the east by the Dewart Lake road. Mr. Runge said the land has two large lakes, and two ponds which his company plans to tie together with channels. It has rugged hills and about two and a half miles of sandy beach. The azure-clear water in the lakes is “the cleanest of any lake in the state of Indiana” so says the state department of conservation, according to Charles H. Purdum, who negotiated the sale for the gravel company. Big Sky Concept Mr. Runge said his development company plans to take a leaf from the book of Chet Huntley, the well known NBC television commentator, who is * developing a smiliar tract in Montana called Big Sky. Runge said, further, “We are planning a controlled development with large open natural spaces so none of the original beauty and environment will be disturbed.” The development will have many recreational areas, such as walking and bike trails, swimming areas, sailing, tennis courts, and a club house facility with a common area around the entire body of water. Its natural sandy shores make an ideal beach, Mr. Runge pointed out. The residential sections planned will maintain large open areas with varied architecture, some townhouses, single family homes and condominiums. A controlled population per acre will rfe established to maintain the natural environment and facilities. There will be woodland trails

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Consolidation of THE MILFORD MAIL (Est. 1888) and THE SYRACUSE - WAWASEE JOURNAL (Est. 1907)

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CONSIDER DEVELOPMENT PLANS — Principals in the sale of the Sturm and Dillard Gravel Co. to Kinder Realty Co. are shown here looking over preliminary plans for development of the area. From left are Phil Beer, vice president of Kinder Realty Co.; Don Runge, executive vice president of the company; and Charles Purdum, who negotiated the sale of the 212%-acre tract for Sturm and Dillard.

and a wildlife refuge. The planning stage will take approximately six months before construction can begin. Search For Name The development company is in search for an appropriate name for the development, and will welcome any suggestioris, Mr. Runge said. Charles Purdum said the Sturm and Dillard Gravel Company was founded in 1906

No solid clews in Labor Day accident

No solid clews have developed in the Labor day accident that claimed the life of Bruce Williamson, 20-year-old Niles, Mich., youth who was killed when he fell from water skiis on Syracuse Lake and was struck by an approaching boat. The accident occurred at 6:30

with the original washing plant being built in 1923. He said the B & O Railroad used the pit to double track its lines that go through the area, providing most of the ballast for the tracks. The bulk of the tonnage of the sand and gravel went to Chicago ready-mix plants over the years. Purdum’s father, the late Charles H. Purdum, Sr., was active manager of the gravel company for many years. In 1946

p.m. Monday, Sept. 3, and Williamson died at the Elkhart hospital at 11:25 p.m. that night. He suffered head injuries, according to authorities in the accident that occurred on the east side of Syracuse Lake. Probe Leads Local officers have had a

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1973

he fell from one of the buildings, with resulting injuries causing his death. Charles Purdum, home on terminal leave as an army officer in World War 11, became secretary-treasurer and manager of the plant at that time. He continued in that capacity until the plant was closed recently. The Purdums plan to continue to live in their home on the site temporarily, Mr. Purdum said.

number of leads which they have continued to search out during the past week, but none were considered solid evidence in the case. Conservation officer Earl Money sent a splintered water ski to the state police laboratories for examination, and a report has not been returned as to paint sample identification, he said. While there was talk of a hit and run driver of the boat in question, such talk has discontinued since there has been no real evidence that the operator of the boat ever knew he hit anyone. Williamson was water skiing on the east side of Syracuse Lake with Tom Maddox, 11850 Willard drive, Mishawaka, behind a boat driven by Steve Rudoni, Almagus drive, Niles, Mich., when Williamson fell off his skiis about 200 feet from the shore. While waiting to be picked up, another boat towing a water skier hit Williamson, but the boat failed to stop. According to Witnesses, Williamson held up a ski to identify himself in the water, but the boat that struck him either did not see him or deliberately failed to stop. Authorities would not venture to state flatly that the boat in question was driven by a hit and run driver. The boat in question was described as a light green (Continued on page 4)

$25 Day care center aid requested The Lakeland school board last night deferred action on a proposal by Mrs. Steve Hearn, a director of the new Lakeland Community Services, Inc., to provide hot lunches at cost to approximately 40 pre-school children. The board said before it could take any action, it would have to see what re-imbursement the school could get from the state hot lunch program. Day Care Center Mrs. Hearn spoke at length on the proposed day care center, to begin at the Calvary United Methodist church October 1. She said there are over 600 pre-school children between three and five (Continued On Page 4) On health facilities council Ralph W. Thornburg, president of the Thornburg Drug Co., based in Syracuse, was named a member of the Indiana Health Facilities Council by Governor Otis R. Bowen late last week. The Health Facilities Council has jurisdiction under the Indiana State Board of Health. Thornburg’s term expires in 1975. He will represent the field of pharmacy on the council. The first meeting of the council will be Wednesday, Sept. 19, according to director George F. Heighway. The Thornburg Drug Co. operates stores in Syracuse, North Webster, Columbia City, Warsaw and Nappanee. Other Affiliations Thornburg, a lifelong resident of the Syracuse area, is a member of the Indiana Pharmaceutical Assn., a member of the board of directors of Kosciusko Community Hospital, Inc., Saint Andrews United Methodist, church at Syracuse, Masonic Lodge No. 454, Syracuse Lions club and SyracuseWawasee Chamber of Commerce. He is married to the former Marjorie Slabaugh and they have four children: John, a member of the staff of Michigan State university at East Lansing; Jill, an elementary teacher at Denver; Tom, affiliated with the Nappanee store; and Mrs. Bruce (Jenny) Rowland of Kalamazoo, Mich. HMM RALPH W. THORNBURG

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Break NIPSCo sub-station case

Ronald L. Strieby, 24, r 1 Milford, has plead guilty of breaking and entering the Northern Indiana Public Service Company sub-station at the north edge of Syracuse with intent to steal a quantity of copper wire for re-sale. He appeared before Warsaw city judge Robert Burner, and will re-appear on September 21, pending further investigation, to be sentenced. Strieby was arrested at 11:15 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 1, by Syracuse police officer Joe Thornburg, shown in the above photo with the wire Strieby had taken, assisted by Lawrence Firestone and Robert Houser. Officer Thornburg said he had been working on the case of a series of break-ins at the NIPSCo Two businesses sign Pickwick block contracts Two new businesses will open in uptown Syracuse when the Pickwick Block opens, hopefully about the first of November. There will be a men’s wear shop and a sporting goods store. Charles Clevenger has signed a rental contract with the Syracuse Community Development Corp, for a men’s wear store, to be known as “Mr. Pickwick Men’s Wear,” and Steve Keim will open the sporting goods store, as yet unnamed. Clevenger is leaving the mobile home manufacturing business to enter the retail field. He is busy signing up for nationally advertised lines of merchandise, he said, and already has Jaymar slacks, Manhattan shirts, and Cricketeer sport coats. Steve Keim hopes to handle a full line of fishing equipment and camping equipment, plus a line of athletic items. He said he will have an order service for such items as little league suits and equipment. Keim has been employed at title Sportsman’s Center in Wawasee Village for the past 20 years. Leesburg driver in Warsaw accident Autos driven by Jerold P. Essenberg, 64, Angola, and Lonny D. Irvine, 25, box 93 Leesburg, collided Friday at 5:05 p.m. in the 300 block of East Center St., Warsaw. The accident occurred near the alley in the 300 block of East Center with damage being set at $350 to Essenberg’s auto and S3OO to the Irvine vehicle. No injuries were reported and the accident was investigated by patrolman Aden Moore.

sub-station since June 17. He said Strieby entered the compound over a high security fence. Jay Peffley, manager of the Syracuse NIPSCo office, said the sub-station had been broken into a number of times and a considerable quantity of wire taken. At one time nearly 2,000 pounds of

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AMISH SALE — A most unique Amish sale was held Saturday afternoon on the Monroe Chupp farm about six miles southwest of Milford, for the purpose of funding the one-room Amish school. In the above photos are scenes at the sale. Top photo shows Amish buggies, while the middle photo shows the audience bidding on a handmade quilt. At the bottom, Amish school children are twirling on the maypole as the auctioneer holds up a chicken for sale. In the background of the middle and bottom photo is shown the one-room school for which the sale .was held. Thirty students attend, the school, with Susan Upton teaching grades 1 through four, while LaMar Hochstetler teaches grades five through eight. Net proceeds for the sale were not announced, although knowledgeable sale attendees called the sale “good.”

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copper wire was taken from the company’s site south of Syracuse, valued at approximately SI,OOO. At the present time officers are not sure if Strieby is connected with any of the burglaries other than the September 1 offense.