The Mail-Journal, Volume 16, Number 43, Milford, Kosciusko County, 14 November 1979 — Page 1

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VOLUME 16

Inwood train wreck causes area alert to toxic fumes

Life is back to normal in the Milford area following the toxic fume incident, Thursday, Nov. 8, at approximately 9:30 am. Persons imMilford, Syracuse and surrounding areas were advised to stay insidp until the danger had passed later that afternoon. Fumes reached this area after gases leaked from railroad cars which dereailed near Inwood a small community in Marshall County around 6 am that morning. Over the week end crews worked throughout the day and night retailing the derailed chemical tank ears and cleaning up the chemicals. As of Saturday forenoon, nine cars were rerailed ancj 10 more cars were in a field. Railroad officials from Conrail said the clean-up could take five days at the most and the families within a wie-half mile radius should stay away until then, due |o the a tank car rupturing again. As of Monday all evacuated persons had returned to their homes

■ nH|HM|b yßj OFFICIALS CONFER — EMT Alvin (Oscar) Schmucker. Milford, right confers with other officials concerning the toxic fumes in the Milford area. A number of emergency officials and police officers discussed procedures at the command post established at the Milford Apostolic Christian Church fellowship hall, Thursday. Nov. 8.

flMaHivws i WgrZZ r » '■ l» ../r- £ — -JSi.av' A UOifc 'iftLX'■• * • •* K*'.. COMMAND POST IN MILFORD — The Indiana State Police. Ligonier post, organized a command post at the Apostolic Christian Church Fellowship Hall on SR 15 in Milford, Thursday. The post was used as a coordination spot to locate the toxic fumes in the surrounding areas. Units from the state police, Kosciusko and Elkhart Counties, Winona Lake, Warsaw City, civil defense and the county board of health were at the post most of the day. Also there were emergency unit representatives present.

CJHINA STUDY TOUR — Eighth In A Series Great Wall of China reveals | history of Chinese people

Bv ARCH AND DELLA BAUMGARTNER PEKING, China, Saturday, Sept. 29 — Yesterday was “thrill day” for most of our China touring group of Americans in what turned out to be, in the minds of many of us, the best day of our visit in the Peoples’ £ Republic of China. It was unique in that we visited the storied Great Wall of China and had the opportunity to climb £ (albeit slowly) the heights of IKpqp wdllq The so-called Great Wall is located about a two-hour bus ride from Peking, and in making the trip in the early morning hours $ we encountered a log-jam of bicycles and trucks going to places of employment. The first

The Mail Journal

Consolidation of THE MILFORD MAIL fEst. 1888) and THE SYRACUSE-WAWASEE JOURNAL fEst. 1907/

A representative from the Air Pollution Control Division of the State Board of Health identified the leaking chemicals as acetic anhydride, methacrylic acid, ethyl acrylate, isobutyl alcohol, petroleum naptha and butyl allosolve. A quantity of caustic soda was also mixed in. All of the chemicals are used as coatings or as intermediates in manufacturing other products. Milford Alerted At approximately 9:30 a m. Thursday, Milford Marshal David Hobbs was notified that the toxic fumes had been traced near Milford. Upon notification Hobbs contacted Milford s Emergency Medical Service to be prepared to transport people if necessary. Schools, factories and big businesses that had an abundance of people were notified of what safety precautions to take. Syracuse dispatcher s office was also notified to be prepared if the winds, took the gases that direction. . A command post coordinating

hour out of the city our bus moved slowly but surely along the crowded road, through rich, lush fields where field hands were already at work. It should be noted that the richness of these fields is brought about through a system of irrigation ditches. At several points as we moved further away from the city we found workers making new irrigation ditches. Workers work in a crouched position and we found them at their jobs, moving slowly, almost imperceptible, gathered in coveys, but working the fields nonetheless. We found very few mechanical items such as plows, tractors, combines, and the like. Indeed, what few tractors we did see were chugging diesels of unknown

with the Indiana State Police, Ligonier, was set up at the Milford Apostolic Christian Church Fellowship Hall. Police units from Kosciusko and Elkhart County, Warsaw City, Winona Lake and the Indiana State Police departments met along with other emergency units, such as the civil defense and County Health Department representatives to discuss procedures and locate the fumes in the area. Kosciusko County Captain Ron Robinson and John Hummel from the Indiana State Police divided officers into teams and sent them into areas they were familiar with. Each district or division then swept the area using their noses to locate exact areas where there were fumes. At approximately 3:48 p.m. an all-clear signal was received by Hobbs and at 2 am. Friday morning, Nov. 9, he was notified that the cars had been capped and with the rain all gases had disintegrated and there was no danger. For the first one-half hour there was a lot of confusion for Hobbs, as he had to decide how serious he estimated the problem to be “and once the seriousness was found it was too late to really react to where you could not make a decision to evacuate,” commented Hobbs. He remarked that “for the emergency that came up, everybody worked well together. Milford as a town had just about all the important plans worked out. I can see where we need to set up a disaster control program for the town. We can use this as a warning for the future. We were coordinating as fast as we could and informed the people.” He also stated because there was no idea how dangerous the situation was or what effects it had it was treated as though it was a first rate problem and he was prepared to expect the worst to happen.

vintage — and we would presume they were Russian-built. Today’s Indiana farmer, with his myriad of power machinery, would pull his hair out at this almost inarticulate form of farming. The question arises, then, if Chairman Hua’s thrust to modernize China along the lines of: 1. agriculture, 2. industry, 3. science and technology, and 4. national defense, which would most certainly include the use of modern, mechanized farming techniques, what is going to happen to this army of farm workers? In western, capitalistic countries this would be translated into unemployment and relief rolls. You can be sure this isn’t the case in China. They will assign workers to jobs, however menial.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14,1979

Several residents called the post in Milford and asked if they should leave the area. Officers suggested the callers use their own discretion on leaving. There was no one from the area taken to the hospital by the ambulance due to breathing the fumes. The fumes found in the area were scattered. Fumes were traced at CR 200W, the overhead. Seranade Foods and Maple Leaf and a heavy concentration at CR 900 N and Old Road 15. The greatest abundance was in the Clunettearea The town of Leesburg was not in too much danger at the beginning because of the northeasterly wind direction. But during the middle of the day the wind direction changed and Leesburg had problems and the emergency facility set up in Leesburg was moved to Warsaw. In a final comment Hobbs said. “What it showed me is that a big or small community can have a problem such as this. The chances are one out of a million for it to happen. It is worthwhile to protect our town and we can not expect others to come and (Continued on page 2) Betty Dust twp. trustee Betty Dust, a lifelong Syracuse resident, is the new trustee vJ Turkey Creek Township. Mrs. Dust is currently the clerktreasurer. She will be replacing the ailing Joseph Shewmon, although it is yet uncertain whether Mrs. Dust will begin her duties December 1 or January 1. That will depend on Shewmon’s health. Running against Town Board President Paul Isbell, Mrs. Dust was elected at the Monday evening meeting of Republican precinct committeemen. Kosciusko County GOP Chairman Ed Pratt presided at the meeting. If Mrs. Dust assumes the trustee position before January 1, Cynthia Fry, who recently was elected to the clerk-treasurer post, will also take her office one month early, Mrs. Dust has held the clerktreasurer position for the past eight years. The mother of two grown children, she is a member of the American Legion Auxiliary. She works for the Marshall County Beverage Company in Plymouth Mrs. Dust will join the mem bers of the Turkey Creek Township Advisory Board which includes Harry Alfrey, Virgil Bobeck and Jack Ridings. Among those precinct committemen attending the Monday meeting were Susan Myrick, Charlene Knispel, Jack Ridings, Frank Putt, Jack Vanderford and Mrs. Dust.

China has no unemployment. The Great Wall And so, finally we arrived at the Great Wall we’ve heard so much about all our lives. We querried members of our party whether or not the Great Wall of China was one of the Seven Wonders of the World and got varied answers. One party told us there were several versions of the Seven Wonders — and one did indeed include the Great Wall. If not, let us nominate it right here and now. For indeed the Great Wall is a wonderous sight, and one has to wonder how many Chinese bodies are buried along the path of its construction of a period of many years long before the birth of Christ and the dawn of (Continued on page 2)

ra jZ J > * * 1 * * j, ■ ' * J vTfcM jh « S S ■ ■ BS : W r?* B**, VOLLEYS PUNCTURE THE AIR AT 11-11-11-11 Legion, VFW mark Veterans' Day with Sunday services

Last Sunday was Veterans Day and the Syracuse American Legion Post 223 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1342 combined Three from Syracuse are fined in Goshen Three Syracuse residents were and paid fines in Goshen City Court last week. Alesia Kiser, r 4, who pled guilty to a deception charge, was ordered to make restitution and pay $48.50 in fines and court costs. She wrote a check for $10.40 to Kline’s Store in Goshen on an account which had insufficient funds. Suzanne L. Reece, r 4, paid a $36 fine and court costs for false vehicle registration. Leonard J’. Brooks, 18, r 1, was caught speeding 56 miles an hour in a 35-mile an hour zone and paid $56 in fines and court costs. f / BETTY DUST

• *2. Jh I iW i* J * A r n kiln B IM V W ■ STANDING IN TIEN AN MEN SQUARE IN PEKING

forces to hold their annual memorial services commemorating the services of veterans of all U.S. wars. As in the past, the services were held starting at 11:11 a m on November 11. (That was the time the signing of the armistice for World War I.) This year the

Christmas season to ‘spin off' in Syracuse

The Christmas Shopping season in Syracuse will “spin off” on Sunday, Nov. 25, according to Mim Speicher The final plans were completed at a morning breakfast. Friday. Nov. 9. Early on Sunday morning chamber members will be putting up Christmas decorations throughout the town for the official lighting of decorations later that day. From 1-4 p.m. merchants will open their doors to shoppers while the Pickwick Theater will have a matinee for children so the adults may shop. Santa Claus will be riding around town on a fire truck, beginning shortly after noon and visiting stores to make personal contact with the children. At 4 p.m. Santa will be at Johnson s bookstore accepting callers. While Santa is passing out candy, the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce will provide hot chocolate or coffee and hot dogs, to all visitors. The Syracuse Elementary choir will be singing Christmas Carols throughout the afternoon and T.G. Music Store will provide outdoor Christmas carols for the downtown business area. The Calvary United Methodist Church will be asked to provide

services were held at the parking lot of the American Legion Hall. The American Legion furnished the firing squad Pictured above, left to right, are George chaplain and Marion <Tim> Darr, acting commander Also pictured are Harold Kline, commander of the firing squad:

Christmas carols m the Wawasee Village area A number of businesses are planning to remain open later or extra days during December From a poll taken by the merchants. the results were evenly divided between staying open until 8 p.m Monday through Saturday with a few businesses planning on being open Sundays. The later evening hours will begin two weeks before Christina)s for some businesses and one week prior to Christmas by other merchants. Other Business The question of reducing, business hours in January was brought up again for discussion. A poll was taken to see if there was enough'support for closing at noon Thursday or all day Monday during the winter months. No decision was made. Those on the Winter Carnival committee, which is planned for January 12 on Syracuse Lake at the town park, will meet to coordinate activities. Also merchants are discussing various plans for the kick-off of January sales on January 12. The merchants were advised of a new fingerprinting system available to be used on checks

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Wayne Coy. Gary Price, Gene Smith. Gus Liske. Herman Brockers and Maury Snyder The VFW furnished the color guard for the ceremony. Following the ceremony, both the Legion and the VFW held a free luncheon for those people who attended the memorial

received by businesses. Joyce Smith, chairman of the retail merchants organization said the idea is presently being promoted by a company in the area selling the kits to interested merchants. Also the merchants were reminded that the best assurance a merchant has in collecting a bad check is to have obtained the client's social security number at the time the check was written to pay for merchandise. This information was according to the Kosciusko County prosecutor. A discussion was held briefly by merchants regarding known shoplifters and persons passing bad checks Further information will be discussed at a later meeting. Along a similar line. Linda Crow advised merchants of a new scheme where $1 bills are being passed to merchants as s2o’s. Members were advised how the plan works and how to spot one. There will be an election of officers at the December meeting for the retail merchants association formed as a division under the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce. The next meeting will be December 14 at 7:45 am. in the Three-Flags Restaurant.