The Mail-Journal, Volume 14, Number 42, Milford, Kosciusko County, 9 November 1977 — Page 1

Phones: 658-4111 & 457-3666

VOLUME 14

Loss at quarter million $ —

Oakwood holocaust stuns community

By LESLIE WHITMAN An estimated quarter of a million dollars damage has been set for a fire at Oakwood Park in Syracuse;. The fire completely destroyed seven cottages and heavily damaged several others early last Saturday. Syracuse Fire Chief Larry Weaver said Tuesday night that arson has been determined a probable cause for the fire. State fire marshals were called in Monday to try and determine the cause Weaver said that fire marshals determined Tuesday that arson could be the only probable cause Weaver said, “it’s going to be hard to prove one way or another, but the fire marshal is going to put down arson.*' Weaver also said that the fire apparently started in a cottage owned by Dale O. Burgner. Fort Wayne, located on lot 47, Oak Street, the northern most cottage of the seven. He said the method used to start the fire has not been determined as yet, because there were so many inflammables in the Burgner cottage. He said further investigation is being conducted. Owners of the other six cottages are M L. DePew, Ligonier; Lucile Litweiler. South Bend; Kenneth E Webster, Tinley Park, HL; a large cottage jointly owned by James Harvey, Elkhart, and Oakwood Park; R. Leroy Dillow. Joilet, 111.*, and Keith W Birch, Atwood Engulfedtai Flame* Syracuse Fire Department arrived at the scene at 12:18 am. and found four of the cottages already engulfed in flames Heavy winds quickly spread the fire from house to house until all seven were leveled The homes, located on Circle and Oak Streets, were two-story frame structures which dated back as far as 75 years Most of them were boarded and vacated for the winter Others Damaged Two other cottages were heavily damaged in the fire.

What's in the news... Oakwood holocaust, two barn fires keep area firemen busy over week end Photos and story... 1 and 1 Turkey Creek zoning discussed Fagot Milford EMS is three years old 'I graduated from Butler University on Friday and came here on Monday.' Perry Want to go to school? SWAP Day November 16 School 1(1 | I

Mail *493,500 to Christmas Club members

Lakeland area banks are mailing $493,505 91 to 1.942 Christmas Club members this year. Banks in Leesburg. Milford. North Webster and Syracuse have mailed or will be mailing these Christmas savings checks to their customers. The State Bank of Syracuse reports that approximately SBI,OOO will be mailed to Christmas Chib members Monday Freda Rinker says the club l*s 331 members this year. In 1976. the bank mailed out $67.804 25 to $lO

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Consolidation of THE MILFORD MAIL (Est. 18881 and THE SYRACUSE-WAWASEE JOURNAL fEst. 1907)

They are owned by George Cook. Indianapolis, and the North Indiana Conference of the United ' Methodist Church. Sparks from the fire ignited a tree a block away and showered sparks on the administration building. Firemen climbed on the roof of the building to halt the blaze in that direction. Several houses to the west of the home fire were also threatened and some had paint blistered Several other homes situated nearby also had heat, smoke and water damage. Syracuse firemen called out other departments once the fire (Continued on page 2) Hit-and-run damages auto An auto driven by Sandy Truex. 22, r 1 Etna Green, was damaged in a hit-and-run accident south of Milford at 8:30 p.m last Wednesday. A northbound semi truck struck the Truex auto, which was southbound. Damaged were the left rear fender and bumper by the trailer tire The accident was investigated by state police, assisted by Milford Town Marshal Louis Mediano Hearing postponed The hearing before the Indiana State Board of Health, concerning the proposed construction of a nursing home in Milford has been postponed. Scheduled for today, November 9. the hearing has been postponed, with no future date set as yet. “I don't know whether this is a good sign or a bad sign," said John Perry, one of the owners of the proposed facility. The request for permission to build the facility has been denied twice by area and regional bodies, which regulate health care systems

members. Marlene Blast of the Counting House Bank, North Webster. said they will be sending a total of $45,178.99 to 325 members This inchides both the North Webster and Warsaw branches. Last year, a total of $30,622.57 was mailed to 158 members. A. E. Heierman. president of People’s State Bank, nounced the bank will mail checks totaling $51,437.75 on November 10. The checks will gc to 174 different account

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HOMES DESTROYED — The fire which hit the Oakwood Park area on Lake Wawasee early Saturday morning completely destroyed seven homes and damaged others. The above photos show a portion of the buildings which were leveled in the holocaust with estimates of damages reaching the quarter million mark.

Believe arson responsible for 2 week end barn fires

Arson is believed to be the cause erf two barn fires which completely destroyed one and caused minor damage to the other over the past week end Both are located near Syracuse. The first occurred at 11:23 p.m. Friday. Nov. 4, at the Dan Beer farm, one and one-half miles west of Syracuse on the Syracuse-Milford Road. Both Syracuse and Milford Fire Departments responded to the call. When firemen arrived, they found flames coming from the interior of the bam. Syracuse Fire Chief Larry Weaver said some hay in the mow of the bam had been ignited causing him to believe arson as the cause. Firemen quickly extinguished the blaze. Only minor damage

holders The 1976 total was $46,912 to 112 members Christmas club account total at First National Bank of Warsaw, Milford branch, has increased from $49,230 last year to $54,697 in 1977. Assistant vice president Paul Reith said the total was accumulated in 194 accounts. The previous number of accounts was 187 last Christmas Dolores Bachelder at the Lake City Bank's North Weister branch states the Warsaw bank and all its branches

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1977

was sustained. The Kosciusko County Sheriffs Department was contacted to investigate the arson charge. 830,000 Damage Fire completely destroyed the second structure, causing 830,000 damage. The bam, located on CR 450E, four miles southwest of Syracuse, was on property owned by Donald and Martha Scearce, r 7 Warsaw. Syracuse Fire Department responded to the call at 7:22 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6. This fire was also apparently started by arson. Robert Miller, renting the house next to the bam, said his two oldest children, Robert and Maryanne, observed someone come out of the bam and get into a car described as A dark colored Duster. The

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children said they saw an orange ball on the antenna of the car. The children then observed the car speed away. Flames started leaping from the bam. Miller said his three boys, Robert. Gary and Andy, tried to put out the fire, but when they were unable to do so, they called the fire department. When firemen arrived, they found the barn completely engulfed in flames. Members of the Milford Fire Department also responded to the call. The fire bad apparently started at the west end ot the bam. Firemen said they discovered a burning highway fuse. Miller said several hundred bales of hay and straw were in the bam Ray Darr, who has been

had 939 customers this year in Christmas Club accounts with $261,192.17 being mailed. In 1976 the bank and its branches had clubs totaling 970 and mailed $244,883.68. New to the area this year is the First Federal Savings and Loan of Wabash Syracuse Branch. The bank opened in May and has no record on Christmas Clubs for this year but is accepting memberships for next year which should increase next year’s figure of savers in the Lakeland area.

'Journal

Syracuse merchants to finalize plans A meeting of the Syracuse Merchants Association to finalize plans for city-wide Christmas promotion is to be held Tuesday night, Nov. 15, at 8 p.m. in Das Keller Restanrant An organizational meeting was held November 1 when It was decided the merchants might possibly give away an amount of money to promote Christmas shopping. Various other ideas were also discussed. AU interested Syracuse merchants are requested to attend. Bloodmobile at Pierceton on November 14 The American Red Cross Bloodmobile will be at Pierceton on November 14. The unit will be at the community building from 12 noon until 6 p.m. The goal: 135 pints of blood. Agnes Davis is coordinating donor efforts in Pierceton and Washington Township with Grace Metzger and Lucille Koontz working in Sidney and Margaret Teghtmeyer in North Webster. Coordinating plans for the visit are the Pierceton Area Jayshees with the entire community working to make the visit a successful one. Persons between the ages of 17 and 66 are eligible to give. Appointments may be made with any of the ladies named in this article. Walk-ins are also accepted. VETERANS DAY PROGRAM TOMORROW AT MILFORD A special Veterans Day program will be presented on Thursday at 9:30 am. in the Milford Junior High School gym. Bob Greenwood of the Christian Church will be speaker, the Boy Scouts will raise the flag and veterans will be participating.

Honor Milford Lions club members

Monday night was awards night at the Milford Lions Club, with recognition pins and certificates being presented to Lions so honored in several categories. For example, perfect attendance pins wentk to the following: Raymond Pinkerton, 20-year pin and certificate; D. G. Seely, Don Wolferman and Jerry Bushong, 10-year pins and certificates; and Wayne Shoelty, Albert G. Shafer and Paul Kizer, five-year pins and certificates. Chevron awards and long-term membership: Raymond Pinkerton (6-44), 10-year and 15year chevrons; Arch Baumgartner (12-45), 10-year

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PERFECT ATTENDEES — Among the Milford Lions club members who were honored with perfect attendance pins Monday night are those shown above: From left, Paul Kiser, Albert G. Shafer, Raymond Pinkerton. Jerry Bushong, D. G. (“Bud") Seely and Don Wolferman.

Lakeland board opens bid, tables possible land purchase

Members of the Lakeland Community School Corporation Board of Trustees opened bids for school insurance at their regular meeting last night (Tuesday). Four insurance agencies submitted tfids. Those areas which were'specified in the bids are as follows: premium one — property, comprehensive and general liability, SSOO, $5,000 and SIO,OOO deductible; premium two — alternate add-on all risk perils, SSOO, $5,000 and SIO,OOO deductible. premium three — alternate add-on SSOO on-premises medical payments; premium four — alternate deductible SI,OOO collectible deductible; premium five — board and employee liability; premium six — $3,000,000 umbrella liability; and premium seven — workman's compensation. Agencies submitting bids were: Calendar Agency, Nappanee — premium one — $52,930 with SSOO deductible, $48,848 for $5,000 deductible and $43,618 for SIO,OOO deductible, premium two — $2,550 for SSOO deductible, premium three — $l,OlO, premium four — $4,641 for three year policy, premium six — $6,400 and premium seven —- $5,957; and Shoop Agency, North Webster — -premium one — $50,931 for SSOO deductible, $45,485 for $5,000 deductible and $43,967 for SIO,OOO deductible, premium two— $44,864 for SSOO deductible, $39,282 for $5,000 deductible and $37,729 for SIO,OOO deductible, premium three — $l,lOB, premium four — $6,464, premium five — no figure given, price subject to competitive rates, premium six — $6,400 and premium seven, $6,173. Also submitting bids were First Charter Insurance Agency, Syracuse, and Hall and Marose Agency, Warsaw. The First Charter bid were identical to the Shoop Agency bid. The Hall and Marose .bid was as follows: premium one, $47,525 for SSOO deductible, $43,651 for $5,000 deductible, and $41,076 for SIO,OOO deductible, premium two — — $44,534 and $42,117 for

and 30-year chevrons; Paul Kizer (5-47), 10-year and 20-year chevrons; Phil Campbell (6-58), 10-year and 15-year chevrons; Don Wolferman (1-64), D. G. Seely (4-64), Al Miller (1-65) and Jerry Bushong (12-65), all 10year chevrons. Key award: For two new members to Phil Campbell (new members, James Allen and Bob Brooks) and Dean Cousins (new members, Robert Cline and Harold Wilson). Perfect attendance pins for the past year: Arch Baumgartner, Robert Brooks, Jerry Bushong, Dean Cousins, Marshall Estep, Doral McFarren. Leon Newman, Raymond Pinkerton, Kerry

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each of the three deductibles, premium three — SBOO, premium four — $475, premium five — $3,868 for a three year policy, premium six — $2,950 and premium seven — $3,514. Board members will review these bids and make a decision at their December meeting. To Hire Psychometrist In other the board authorized the hiring of a psychometrist for the handicapped program in the corporation. Due to recent legislation requiring facilities for handicapped children to be equal, the corporation is going to have to update some of its programs and facilities. The corporation presently uses * psychometrists from the (Continued on page 2) Fithian to be in Milford-Syracuse Congressman -''Floyd Fithian will be visiting Milford and Syracuse on Thursday, Nov. 10, in his office on Wheels. Citizens will be able to share their views on the important issues facing our country today or talk with the federal government. The congressman will be at the Milford post office at 2:40-3:05 p.m. and then will move to the State Bank of Syracuse on East Main Street, uptown, from 3:20-4 p.m. Nursing home not closing Mrs. Dale Stump, administrator of the Om Nursing Home. Milford, has stated, “We have had no information of when we are to close.” ' A story in last week's MailJournal indicated the nursing home was going to close in December 1977. “I have not had an order to close,” Mrs. Stump said.

Price, Albert G. Shafer, Oscar Schmucker, D. G. Seely, David Siegfried, Richard Smith, Elmer Sorensen and Don Wolferman. Other Business In other business, Lion Elmer Sorensen reported on the successful Halloween party and club president Bob • Cline thanked those Lions who helped at the community party. It was noted that ladies’ night will be at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 21, at Amish Acres, with Goshenite Ron Workman and his wife Mary presenting the program. Guests included a group from the Clay Township club, Leesburg Club, and Mack Little, Gamal Hernandez and Bill Stoth.