The Mail-Journal, Volume 13, Number 2, Milford, Kosciusko County, 4 February 1976 — Page 1

Tlie 15c 457-3666 * / Consolidation of THE MILFORD MAIL (Est. 18881 and THE SYRACUSE-WAWASEE JOURNAL (Est. 1907)

VOLUME 13

■ X m [f"~ & ivl »filLf*l/ "1 r -€t ■jj Al J| WF*^—is£. 3r *'** < *’ Aw * r ' — w—^WOfc- ■ -w |(( , JtsriL.—-^JOT" HO* . a z I •U€«.t w 1 \ ' *£*. L EXTENSIVE DAMAGE — Approximately 11.275 in damage wax estimated by Syracuse police at 4:06 p.m. Monday in a two-truck Collision in the 600 block of South Main street in Syracuse. The mishap occurred as a northbound 1965 Chevrolet truck driven by Bob Schiller, 26. r 1 Cromwell and carry ing a partial load of wood, slid out of control on an icy patch of the street, veered left and struck a parked truck. ; Robert Mast. 20.136 East Boston street. Syracuse, owner of the parked IMS Chevrolet truck, was attempting to enter his vehicle when the collision occurred. Mast complained of a right knee pain and bump to the nose. Damage to the Mast truck was estimated at MM with M 75 to the Schisler vehicle.

Rev. Philbrook will be MAD's banquet speaker

Rev Phillip Philbrook. pastor of the First< Baptist church of Fort be the, speaker for the annual Milford Area Development Council's “Citizen of the Year" banquet The banquet will be held in the M and M restaurant at North Webster at 7 pm on Saturday. Feb. 21. Rev Philbrook's speech will be “Apples of Gold " The talk is based on a Proverb which reads “A word fitly spoken is like an apple of gold on a basket of silver " This Proverb refers to the special gift of fruit given to each guest at a banquet during Bible times The gift of fruit was a very personal gift and was always very deeply appreciated The author says a word fitly spoken ” is as fine as this gift of fruit The entire talk. Philbrook says, deals with words and among the words which the talk is built around is the word .of ■‘appreciation’’ which is very' appropriate at the banquet which will honor one of the town's citizens Vote For Citizen .Area residents are urged to

$6,000 damages in two Syracuse fires

The Syracuse volunteer fire s department responded to two fire calls in as inany days, and resulting in an estimated damage of $6,000

—~! ' Mote snou\ ice as temperatures continue low

Lakeland area residents are continuity their efforts to "dig out'* after yet another winter storm. The blinding, driving, snow that plowed through northern Indiana Sunday, left heavy- drifts of snow that closed I countless Toads. 4 1 The Lakeland schools, along with I other schools in the northern section of the state, were closed on Monday School superintendent Don H. Arnold said the corporation’s schools | have been closed four days this year | because of the weather, the most in I the last 13 years. Snow clogged roads delayed many in getting to work on time and totally f. prevented others from reporting for their jobs at aU on Monday. In ■ KK*MP3MMNMMRr

REV. PHILLIP PHILBROOK \-ote for the citizen of their choice — handy blanks appear elsewhere m the issue Tickets for the banquet are .being sold at The Mail-Journal office, the First National Bank, Doll s Decorating Center and Augsburger’s Super Valu

The Saturday run at 7:02 p m. was at the Ray Frost rental home located at Kale Island resulting in $5,000 in damage. (Continued on page 2)

Milford Chore-Time Equipment. Inc , reported 15-20 absent. Brock Manufacturing had 14 off and Barth, Inc., reported three missing. At Syracuse some 10-15 were reported off at the Weatherhead Company AB absences were due to poor and . impossible road conditions. Mishaps A county snow plow slid off the road into a ditch on the Kosciusko Elkhart county line road, a short distance northeast of the Saint Andrew's United Methodist church. Syracuse. At the Pine Terrace appartments in Syracuse, the excess weight of snow and ice caused the roof of the south set of six garages to cave in.

Unemployment insurance claims down The total number of unemployment insurance claims filed last week was 131,736. down 4.9 per cent from the week before. John F. Coppes, director of the Indiana Employment Security Division, said that initial claims decreased 14.5 per cent to 10,084 as there were few new layoffs All continued claims categories declined as recalls still occurred after the end of holiday shutdowns Mr. Coppes said that regular claims totaled 78,550, down 2,513. Extended benefit claims were 19,442, down 1,313; federal supplemental benefit claims, 36,542, down 1,670; and special unemployment assistance claims. 7,262. down 1,288. Bethany women are going to Westville The Women’s Fellowship of Bethany Church of the Brethren, New Paris, will be going to Westville. Monday, Feb. 9. The men and youth groups are invited to go along. . * Husband's night out is Saturday. Feb. 28, at the Das Dutchman Essenhaus. Middlebury More information will be given later. Over 50 new hymnals have been subscribed The Women s Fellowship is sponsoring this drive. A sign-up sheet is on the church bulletin board

Two cars and a boat were damaged. Although many other minor mishaps occurred due to the snow storm, the Northern Indiana Public Service Company's office at Syracuse received no calls to venture out to repair or take care of power shortages The week end storm seemed to be the worst of the season. The savage winds made high drifts of the snow which continued to fall into the early evening hours on Sunday. Reports on the snowfall varied from seven inches in the Fort Wayne area to 18 inches at South Bend. Accumulations in some areas have _■ been reported to be as high as 28 s*awe 1 wkj.j | ..iiiiw<- " . wwib'

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY’ 4, 1976

Only the groundhog knows! | By SALLY HANSON The famous grounghog, Phi I, of Punxsutawney, Pa. emerged from his burrow and saw his shadow February 2. Thus, prediction for Pennsylvania, according to Phil, is winter weather for the next six weeks. Despite the blowing wind, chilling temperatures and new fallen snow, the sun shone throughout the day in the Kosciusko area on Monday. No doubt the groundhog would have seen his shadow here, too! If the groundhog legend holds true (and even the government recognizes the prediction of the groundhog, and records Phil’s predictions 4n the Congressional Records), the Lakeland area ma/y be in store for more chilling, bllstery winter weather.

New police car arrives, set Fire Dept, salaries

The new Syracuse police car arrived Saturday, officer Joe Thornburg, reported to the Syracuse town board last night. A 1976 Ford LTD, the vehicle will have no markings. Thornburg said. The police department also reported signing on a-Tiew reserve officer — Thomas^Joseph Catt, 29, a resident of Wawasee Heights. Catt served 9’ 2 years in the U.S. Army in Viet Nam and is married. He and his wife Karleen have a four-month-old son, [ "-f Bill JAYCEE PRESIDENT AT MILFORD — Rich Slayton, president of the Indiana Jaycees, is scheduled to attend the Milford Jaycees "Membership Night” on Thursday, Feb. 12, at 7:30 p.m. at the fire station in downtown Milford. Region II national director. Chet Bigler, region 11 vice president. Rich Weston, and laycee members from several neighboring chapters will also be in attendance. The Indiana Jaycees have over 13,000 members in approximately 250 communities., President Slayton will be discussing the importance to the community of strengthening the Jaycee chapter in Milford, and the benefits to the individual through Jaycee participation. AU Milford Jaycees. and aU other young men in the Milford-Syracuse-New Paris area, ages 18 to 35. are urged to attend this important meeting.

inches. Temperatures Fall As the snow ceased to fall Sunday, the winds calmed and the temperatures began a steady decline winch continues to remind residents of the North Pole. day’s high was reported as being 10 degrees with a -1 degree being the official low. Area residents might disagree with this, however, as some thermometers dropped to -8 and others read-10. The wind chill factor made it even colder. Predictions call for temperatures to go no higher than the low 20's the next few days with increasing cloudiness and more snow!

Thomas Joseph Catt. Jr. Seek HUD Funds Board president James C. Tranter told the board he is ih possession of HUD applications for a grant for the town's water department improvements, but that a map of the water project is needed. He said the town should be advised in 90 days if the grant is approved, and that approval would provide the town with 95 per cent of its necessary funds. Two plan commission members, Merl Smith and Mike Umbaugh, recently attended a state plan meeting at Purdue university. Tranter said, and were given assurance the town would receive funds for updating of the town's survey for future '"planning. Ligonier sanitation contractor Harold Renner will put a yard trash container at the Boy Scout cabin to replace the barrels there. Tranter told the board. And along this line, town attorney Reed was asked to prepare specifications for bids to be let on a contract for city trash pick-up, bids to be opened in the first meeting in March. It will include 790 homes and 128 businesses. Fire Dept. Salaries The board set fire department salaries as follows: Chief, Robert Penick, $950; Ist assistant. Kenneth Johnson, $850; 2d assistant Larry Weaver, $750; captain, John Connolly»$700; and secretary-treasurer, Jerry Byrd, S6OO. The fire department gives the secretary an additional $l5O. The motion adopted stated future salary increases will have to be earned. Ambulance staff salaries will remain "as is”: $4 per hour for each of three men and $3 per call for stand-by personnel, on a six to six shift days only. Ask Traffic Flow Police chief Ron Robinson asked board members to ride with him and street department members to establish a traffic flow for such things as snowremoval and street sweeping A list of six recommendations were taken under consideration for town employees as guidelines for the purchase of town sen ices as pertains to service stations (Continued on page 2)

Net earnings for NIPSCo is *53.6 million HAMMOND, Ind. - Dean H. Mitchell, chairman and chief executive officer of Northern Indiana Public Service company, said that unaudited figures indicate that net earnings of the utility for the year 1975 amounted to $53.6 million. He said total operating revenues were up as a result of rate increases in 1975 and the recovery of escalating fuel costs. Sales figures for the year were somewhat lower than in 1974 primarily because of a reduction of industrial activity due to the recession. In spite of the diluting effect of two million additional shares <sf common stock issued in October and the additional dividend requirements for 200,000 shares of preference stock issued in May, earnings for common reached $2.16 per share on 20,457,390 average shares outstanding December 31, 1975. For the ,12 months ended December 31, 1975, NIPSCo’s gross revenue totaled $536 million, compared to $446 million in 1974. Net income for this same period reached $53.6 million compared to a net of $45.9 million in 1974.

Lodged in jail for truck theft Curtis R. Portmess, Jr., 25, r 2 Syracuse, was lodged in the county’ jail at Warsaw early last evening following his apprehension for the theft of a 1969 Ford Econoline truck at the Sleepy Owl tavern at about 6:30 p.m. The car was owned by Paul Beezley. Portmess drove the vehicle south on road 13 then turned on old road 13. He abandoned the truck and ran in front of the Bill Jones residence where he was apprehended by Stan Harper, Jerry Moser of the county sheriffs department and Syracuse police officers. Vandalism to parked auto Richard Thibaut, r 4 Syracuse, reported to Kosciusko county police of vandalism to his car on Thursday night while parked at his residence. The windshield was broken out, seats slashed, and the glove compartment broken into. Officers continue investigation into the incident. SLID INTO DITCH Mrs Joseph E. Baumgartner. 719 South 4th street, Syracuse, lost control of her car on the ice and slid into the ditch at 6:45 p.m. last night (Tuesday) on the west side of the north-south section of the Syracuse-Milford road. A Milford wrecker was called to pull her car from the ditch.

, i.gwawSr.lMfcaaWi- “ I Snow Plow At Work Between Milford And Syracuse

IM r 1 - OK. 11 st 1 T . r JOHN B. AUGSBURGER

Like father., like son — Seeks dad’s seat in General Assembly

John B. Augsburger of Milford announced officially last Friday he would be a candidate for the state senate seat in the 13th district now held by his father, John F. Augsburger of Wawasee Lake. The senior Mr. Augsburger stated sometime ago he was retiring and would not seek reelection in 1976. In making his announcement Augsburger said, “This decision came after much thought and encouragement from my family, friends and party officials. I have been active in the Republican party, in both the Young Republican club and in the senior party. For many years I’ve been a precinct committeeman and a delegate to the state convention.” Augsburger is vice president and general manager for Augsburger’s Ific., with stores located in Milford, Syracuse and North Webster. He has served as northern chairman for the Kosciusko county United Fund in both 1974 and 1975. He served on the IRGA legislative committee in 1975 and 1976. He is a deacon at the Milford Christian church and a member of Kosciusko Lodge F and AM 418. He is a member of the advisory board for the Counting House Bank, secretary of Wawasee Wings, Inc., a past president of the Chamber of Commerce of Milford and the Milford Area Development Council. He is also on the board of directors of Warsaw Federal Savings and Loan.

NUMBER 2

Augsburger is a graduate of Milford high school and attended Bluffton college and Indiana university. He has a bachelor of science degree in business. John B. and his wife Shirley reside at Waubee Lake. They are the parents of three daughters, Kim, a student at Ozark Bible college; Kerri, a senior at Wawasee high school; and Angela, a student at the Milford junior high school. Gary L. Gerber completes course Private Gary L. Gerber, 22, son of Mr. and Mrs. Donald E. Gerber of r 1 North Webster, completed the generator repair course at the U.S. Army engineer school, Fort Belvoir, Va., January 5. During his 16 weeks of training, private Gerber learned to maintain and repair electric control circuitry, electric motors and generators, gas turbine engines and gasoline and diesel engines. He entered the army in August 1975 and completed basic training at Fort Knox, lsy. CB RADIO TAKEN A citizens band radio, valued at S2OO, was stolen from a truck, owned by Bryan Guard, r 1 Nappanee. The radio was stolen while Guard was ice fishing on Lake Wawasee, reported county s police. A vent window was forced open and the vehicle was then unlocked.