The Mail-Journal, Volume 17, Number 24, Milford, Kosciusko County, 2 July 1980 — Page 2

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THE MAIL-JOURNAL — Wed., July 2,1980

fl * fl |||^X ■■’***** JUf .J* n wB i/1 KATIE STOLLER she sold a full meal, pie and all, for 5W

Old hotel — (Continued from page 1) ban in front of the hotel to go to Warsaw and Goshen and other points north and south. The Interurban would make unscheduled stops along its route at the request of a passenger. In those days, when things moved slower, the Interurban was community’s line to the outside world. Hotel Built In 1890 s The Milford Hotel, as it became known rather than “Hotel Milford” as the sandstone marker proclaimed, was erected in the 1890 s. Besides having an * inexpensive menu, the hotel offered rooms for travelers, and '■ there were always roomers. Travelers and townspeople gathered in the hotel lobby, and with the absence of radio and television, good stories about faraway places could always be heard in the hotel’s dining room and lobby. A small waiting room on the north side of the hotel was set aside for travelers who waited on an incoming Interurban. As a young boy delivering newspapers in the Milford community, this writer remembers waiting for the southbound Interurban which brought in the old South Bend News-Times (now defunct) and the Hearst Chicago HeraldExaminer (also defunct). This was our contact with the outside world. In those early days most progressive little towns along the Interurban line had fully uniformed community bands. Milford had one of the best, and these bands would go to such towns as Peru, Warsaw, Milford, Goshen and Elkhart on Sundays to perform. (Note: A photo of the Milford city band hangs in the editorial office of The MailJournal —a truly proud group of bandsmen.) There are those who recall seeing W. E. Groves, the testy editor of The Milford Mail, sit in the front window of his newspaper office on Main Street, across from the hotel, with pencil and pad in hand, taking note of those who boarded or alighted from the Interurban, grist for his next week’s edition of the town’s weekly newspaper. Mr. Groves was also minister of the Milford Methodist Church, and he carried a column on the front page of his newspaper entitled “Thistles.” The Mark Twaini look-alike editor later put "Thistles” into a bound volume and gave it wide circulation for those days. (Note: At one time Groves’ Milford Mail reached a circulation of 1,000 “paid up subscribers,” a real influential weekly for its time.) ‘First’ Hotel Owner There were early owners of the hotel, but the first owner most anyone now living can remember was a family by the name of Brennon. Townsman Ted Baumgartner recalls the Brennon hotel owners and daughter Faith and son Charles (“Fatty”), whom Baumgartner recalled as “the meanest kid in town.” Ted preceded to fill in accounts of stories that brought the sobriquet to young Brennon. In the year 1921 Sylvester and Clara Johnston moved to Milford as owners of the hotel. Their beautiful daughter Venetta Johnston was an attraction to the' young swains of the community. She married Preston Klinger of Dewart Lake in 1927 and moved to Elkhart where she continues to reside at 2904 Greenleaf Boulevard. She told this writer this week that she remembers her first tip

NOTICE New telephone number for Jock P. Clark, M.D. and Steven M. Yoder, M.D. 457-5701 f ■ Now taking appointments for Steven M. Yoder, M.D. Will start office hours on July 14,1980 at 303 South Huntington Street, Syracuse, IN. OFFICE HOURS: Monday A.M. 9-12 P.M. 1-6 Tuesday out of office all day Wednesday AM. 9-12 # PM. 1-5 ‘ Thursday A.M. 9-12 P.M. 1-5 Friday A.M. out of office P.M. 12-6 Saturday A.M. 9-12 every other Saturday

gjßYflKp ROY MILES a real life Diamond Jim who brought ‘life* to Milford

as a waitress at the Milford Hotel — 50e left at the table by the late Roy Miles. Venetta said she thought Miles left the money by mistake, and she ran after him to return the money. Mrs. Klinger said, “We made our own cokes in those days, and ice cream cones sold for se, sodas and sundaes for lot.” She recalls when the hotel began handling Eskimo Pies for st. “How we loved them,” she recalls. Venetta said she did not go to school at Milford but did play in the school band. Asked to explain, she said, “Oh, well, things were so different then." The Johnstons finally sold the hotel in 1931 and moved to Elkhart to be closer to their only daughter. About this time Katie Stoller bought the hotel and continued it as a restaurant and rooming house. The Interurban gave way to the automobile and there was less call for overnight rooms. During this time Katie Stoller served lunch for 35C, coffee st, any kind of sandwich for 10c, and a full meal, with soup, pie, coffee, the works, for 50t. It almost makes one wish for the “good old days”agaip. John Method of Waubee Lake recalls when his father, the late Rolla Method, owned a card room where the Turf Bar is now located, across the street from the hotel, and conducted a taxi cab business on the side. He could quickly slip off his bar apron, lock the front door, don his taxi driver’s cap and speed to meet the Interurban. He would also meet trains at the Milford railroad station, both north- and southbound, and trains coming into Milford Junction, a busy little railroad crossing community located a mile north of Milford. Method said his father had considerable commerce with the Milford Hotel, bringing rail passengers to the hotel and taking them from the hotel to meet their trains. Lloyd E. Coy, also a resident of Waubee Lake and superintendent of the commercial printing department at The Papers Incorporated, remembers when Katie Stoller put out her popcorn popper when the band concert was held on Main Street on Saturday or Wednesday nights. He said he usually had a nickel or dime in his pocket, “but I could buy a sack of popcorn for a nickel and for another nickle I could buy a box of chocolate candy.” With that in hand he could promenade the streets with others his age as the school band played to the gathering crowd of townspeople. Cheerio Inn When the Volstead Act was repealed in 1933 and the sale of alcoholic beverages became legal throughout the country, the sale of beer proved a boon to a lingering depressed economy. It was in 1934-35 that Roy Miles, owner of the hotel building and of the building to the north, where the Amazing Motors is now located, decided to go into the beer and night club business. He “brought the old town to life.” in the words of one who remembers the new night club which Miles named “Cheerio Inn.” While it was located in the Amazing Motors building, and frequently had two full bands playing at one time, it had a bar room in the little alley building (about eight feet wide) which was located between the two two-story buildings. The night club brought people to town, for sure, and stimulated business at the old hotel. Townspeople looked upon the new night club and mounting beer sales with a jaundiced eye. Miles usually dressed fit to kill and wore an outsized diamond stick

p W. E. GROVES the testy Milford Mail editor and Mark Twain look-alike

pin in his necktie. He played the part of Diamond Jim. jollying the free-spending customers as Ross Franklin, later owner-operator of the Waco Pavilion on Lake Wawasee, ran the show. Miles brought fun and games to Milford, but proved himself less than an astute businessman. The Cheerio Inn died from poor management, many thought. Ralph and Irene Disher owned the hotel for a number of years during World War II and after, and such groups as the Lions Club and others met in the newly decorated north room. The hotel was still the the town’s social activities. The Dishers made the upstairs rooms into apartments and kept them filled until they finally closed the hotel. Others, including Mr. and Mrs. Francis Korenstra, tried to revive the restaurant, but with little success. The hotel as a restaurant and rooming house was a thing of the past. And so it is that the passing of the old Hotel Milford and the building that housed it carries with it many fond memories, but the old building had come into complete disuse. In fact, there had been several fires that reduced the building to a dangerous shell. (Note: Donna (Doty) Fisher, a Milford resident.“worked at the hotel for many years along with Katie Stoller and has an album of townspeople of that era with snapshots she took as an avid shutterbug.) . Moreover, the building to the south of the old hotel building, where the Emergency Medical Services Unit and the “Chatter Box” were -boused (once the location of the Martin Barber Shop), became dangerous as its south wall neared collapsing. It was apparent something had to be done. The old hotel building was condemned by the state and had to come down. At this point, the EMS bought the old building with funds from a very successful bazaar held at the .community building a year ago. And those who saw the two old buildings razed last Thursday realize they will make way for a new Milford Community Building, plans for which were published on the front page of The Mail-Journal several weeks ago. The building is to house the EMS unit, provide a community room and space for the “Chatter Box” with complete kitchen facilities. It will be a place for the town’s service clubs to meet. Likewise, it is hoped the community building will receive the financial support of these clubs, and the community at large, in raising something short of SIOO,OOO to build the new structure. In this effort everyone will be given an opportunity to participate.

California man arrested in Syracuse Syracuse police arrested a California man on Sunday, June 29. He allegedly attempted to use stolen credit cards to purchase gasoline. Stuart Allen Youmans, 21, Hollywood, California, was apprehended at about 1:30 p.m. in the city park. He was arrested approximately five minutes after the attendant at the Syracuse Lakeland Standard Service Station reported the driver. Youman was held at the county jail following his arrest on charges of possession of stolen property and forgery. Syracuse police reported that he was also driving a stolen car from California. North Webster woman booked Linda Sue Kemper, 29, of North Webster, was booked Saturday, June 28, on a Kosciusko County warrant. She failed to comply with a court order on a charge of check deception. Kemper was later released on her own recognizance.

Syracuse Town Board, township review budget

By DEB FOX Prior to reviewing the general budget for the Town of Syracuse, the town board met with the Turkey Creek Advisory Board and Turkey Creek Township trustee to again look over the fire department and Emergency Medical Service budget. There were no questions raised by the advisory board and Jack Alfrey, board member, commented the budgets were very reasonable compared to last year’s budget. Carl Hadley also agreed. Township Trustee Betty Dust made a request to the town board that, if there needs to be cuts in the town’s budgets, not to cut the fire department or EMS budget, since those departments have done a good job of cutting it themselves. Carl Myrick, town board president, agreed. A letter from the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission was read by Myrick concerning a special public meeting. Tuesday, July 8, at 7 p.m. in the county courthouse. The purpose of the meeting is to obtain public input on farmland preservation and mobile homes in regards to county zoning ordinances. The public is strongly urged to attend. General Budget The general budget of the town of Syracuse includes a number of items which are not included in other departments’ budgets. This year a proposed 13*2 per cent budget increase was requested. The total proposed budget was $156,130 which is $18,700 over last year. The board voted to omit $3,500 for the position of town manager. In other areas, increases over last year were for the electrical power, water, garbage pick up, insurance and hydrant rental. Cynthia Fry, clerk treasurer, reported to the board that by the end of May the town had used up 'BO 'Queen' — (Continued from page 1) parade was underway. Commercial and municipal float winners were South Side Business Association of Huntington, first place; First National Bank of Huntington. second place; and Petersons Snappy Grocery of Warsaw, third place. Winning first place in the organizational floats was Saint Annes Express of Warsaw. In-u diana Calliope, sponsored by Hook’s Drugs, received second place and Delaware County Historical Festival of Delaware County won third place. Lee Ann Stewart Dancers of Syracuse won the walking unit trophy and Locomotive Steam Engine, Maurice and Dennis Lewallen of North Webster, won the novelty unit trophy. Frankton Horse Color Guard of Frankton received the mounted unit trophy and the 1955 restored “T” Bird of Ted Fondes of Fairmount was the antique car trophy winner. Frankton Roadrunner Knight of Khorassan of Frankton won the cycle unit trophy. In the cutie conveyances, first place went to the Little Red Caboose of Mr. and Mrs. Jim Harris of North Webster and second place went to the Tiny Circus of Mr. and Mrs. Larry Miller of Silver Lake. In the men’s division of color bearers and guards a trophy was awarded to the VFW Post 1126 of Warsaw. The North Webster Legion Auxiliary Post 253 received a trophy for the ladies division of color bearers and guards. In the senior division of the baton corp, first place was awarded to the Marion" High Steppers and second place to the Elwood Robelettes. In the junior division, first place was given to the Marion Highsteppers of Marion and the North Webster Lakettes received second place. Riverview Junior High of Huntington was the first place winner in the junior high bands and North Webster Junior High Band received second. In the Class “A” bands, first place was awarded to East Noble High School, Kendallville; second to Elmhurst High School, Fort Wayne; third to Wawasee High School, Syracuse; and fourth place to Washington High School, East Chicago. First place in the Class “B” bands went to North Liberty High School, North Liberty; second place to Knox High School, Knox; third place to Roosevelt High School, East Chicago; fourth to Frankton High School, Frankton; fifth to North Manchester High School, North Manchester; sixth to Argos High School, Argos; and seventh to South Adams High School, Berne. In the Queen conveyances, “Miss Dewart Lake” Patricia Gerrity, Syracuse, won first place. Second place was awarded to “Miss Milford” Sonya Hoover; third place to “Miss Backwater Lake” Stacey Kirk; fourth place to “Miss Wawasee” Lori Stutzman; fifth place to “Miss Syracuse” Kelly Earleywine; sixth place to “Miss Huntington” Annette Holtrey; and seventh place to “Miss Winona Lake” Julie Spear.

$9,000 of the $16,000 budgeted for electrical power. This amount was increased to $20,000 for 1981. Because of the water rate in : crease, the town increased its amount to be paid to $2,200, S2OO more than in 1980. There was only $29,000 appropriated last year for garbage pick up and the board decided that for 1981 $32,000 would be requested. During a small discussion, the board president stated he would like to see the garbage contract go back to coinciding with the budget January 1 to January 1 instead of May 15 to May 15. Insurance was increased from $14,000 to $16,100 and the hydrant rental was increased from $23,800 to $33,200 with the hopes of installing four new hyrdants next year. Items and amounts which were not increased were trustees, $2,200; clerk treasurer, $1,500 with the rest of her pay coming from water and sewer department; clericalhelp, $6,000 which, according to Mrs. Fry, was sufficient and requested no increase; freight express drayage, SSO; postage, $200; travel, $150; telephone, $800; heat, $5,000; sewer, $800; printing (other than office) $400; publication of legals, $1,200; building repair, $5,000; equipment repair, $200; and engineering services, $4,500. Also, all other, $3,500; legal fees, $5,000; official records, $300; stationary and printing, $200; other office suplies, $150; building materials, $1,000; other supplies, $1,200; sewer materials. $2,000; parts for repair, $200; other materials, $300; due and subscriptions, $700; premium on boand, $200; schools, $150; OASI, $675; unemployment, $55; motor equipment, $1,000; other motor. $1,000; office equipment. $500; and other equipment, $1,500. The board will meet again for its regual session on Tuesday evening, July 15, at 7:30 p.m. Mrs. Fry will have the budgets prepared for the town to review again at this meeting. Three booked at county jail Kosciusko County Police arrested three area persons over the past week. Those arrested were Janet Sue Ream, 26. r 2 North Webster; Michael Allen Yoder, 20, r 1 Syracuse; and Tim Lee Goon, 19, r 2 Leesburg. Ream was arrested on a county court warrant for a charge of check deception, a class A misdemeanor. She was released on SSOO bond. Goon was arrested on a countv court warrant for battery and was released on his own recognizance. Yoder was booked for public intoxication and operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. No bond has been set. Auxiliary 223 elects 'Bl officers At the regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, June 24, the American Legion Auxiliary 223 elected new officers. All 1980 officers were in their chairs and 13 members attended. The meeting was conducted by President Ann Schrock, reporting the newly elected officers for 1981 are: President, Ann Schrock; first vice-president, Donna Snyder; second vice-president, Margaret Nichols; third vice president, Mary Kistler; secretary, Susan Myrick; corresponding secretary, Elaine Darr; treasurer, Grace Eyer; chaplain, Lorree Mench; sergeant of arms, Velda Fulford and Robin Dust; historian, Rowena Brewer and Parliamentarian, Alice Kline. The installation of the new officers is schediwed for July. Elaine Pa£T v v presented membership chairman Margaret Nichols with gifts from district and national departments for her achievement of “beating the 1980 quota deadline for paid up members.” There are 173 members in good standing. Chaplain Rowena Brewer announced that get well cards were sent to Fern McKinley, Zora Van Hemert, Mary Garber and Louise Crow. Donna Snyder, Neva Patterson, Ella Dora Wogoman and Margaret Mast served refreshments. What happened to the hoboes? Tramps — knights of the road — are a dying breed, mostly due to the decline in railroad traffic. The traveling hobo, who became a part of Americana in the late 19th century when the rails were booming and the nomadic life lured thousands, once was standard baggage for freight trains. But as the auto took over, the “bums” declined in number. Today’s remnants are joined in the ranks by hitchhikers who are for the most part, cleancuf youngsters carrying backpacks and heading for a specific place rather than scuffy men heading anywhere as an adventure.

BiW.j HAPPY PARENTS — James and Wilma Cox. Syracuse, were happy parents Saturday evening, June 28. when their daughter, Mary Jane, was named the 1980 “Queen of Lakes”. Master of Ceremonies for the evening was WOWO Radio personality Jack Underwood. The queen contest rounded up the week long events for the 35th Annual Mermaid Festival in North Webster. (Photo by Arch Baumgartner)

"Miss Syracuse", Mary Cox, didn't think she would win

“I was just being in it," remarked the new "Queen of Lakes,” Mary Jane Cox of Syracuse. “I like doing that sort of thing and I had some friends sponsoring me I didn’t think I’d win.” s The previous night. Miss Cox was named the winner of the swimsuit competition “I was really surprised that night and Michele Miller. (1979 “Queen of Lakes”) a really good friend, was excited for me.” The 18-year-old entered the queen contest as “Miss Syracuse” and was sponsored by Jerri and Jills Salon of Styles of North Webster. She is the daughter of James and Wilma

-Aw l %lff fln

FESTIVAL BROUGHT POLITICIANS OUT — The politicians were there, too. In the left photo is 32-year-old Dan Quayle, fourth district congressman running for U.S. Senate. Center is second district Floyd J. Fithian, and right is Evan Bayh, son of U.S. Senator Birch Bayh, standing in for his busy father. All three politicians walked the parade route Saturday and shook hands with viewers.

x . .. CONCERT AT .MILFORD CHRISTIAN CHURCH — The Gospel Lads Quartet, originally from Southern California and now from Joplin. Mo., will be appearing in person for a concert on Wednesday. July 9, at 7 p.m. in the Milford Christian Church. For six years the Gospel Lads were a regular feature on the Revival Fires TV Program viewed from coast to coast. The Lads rallies are non-denominational and are designed to reach people for Christ through gospel music. Everyone, regardless of their religious affiliation, is welcome to come and greet the Gospel Lads personally. There is no admission charge, but a free-will offering will be received.

Stolen property recovered Property stolen from the former C. s. Myers’ property in Milford about a month ago was recovered Monday, June 30, by Milford Town Marshall David Hobbs. A metal desk and Ford neon sign was recovered from along the road at Waubee Lake.

Cox, Syracuse, who live in the Hunnicut Addition. She wore a white double knit low cut dress trimmed with white eyelet roses and has brown hair and blue eyes She weighs 108 pounds and is five feet, two inches tall. This is the second time Miss Cox has entered the North Webster “Queen of Lakes” Contest. Several years ago, she won the queen conveyance award, but did not place in the contest. The new queen is a 1980 graduate of Wawasee High School and has lived m the Syracuse area most of her life. She stated that for one year her family moved to Florida but returned to Syracuse because

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Augsburger has new address Indiana State Senator John B. Augsburger wishes to advise area residents of his new mailing address. The new address is r 4 box 265 D-3 Syracuse, Indiana 46567. Persons wishing to contact the Senator are asked to write him at the above address.

they missed the area. She is taking the summer off from working and enjoying the weather before attending Purdue University in the fall where she will major in commercial art. She enjoys art, sewing, knitting, all sports and competition. During the Mermaid Festival she stated she enjoyed the parade and liked the competition and being around friends. "I got to see a lot of friends. Some of my friends were contestants. Her family consists of two sisters, Jenny Smith, who is at Purdue University and is a registered nurse and Sarah, a freshman at Wawasee High School; and a brother. Brad, Lake Wawasee

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Car window broken uptown A Ligonier man, Ron Yoder, r 3, was at Das Keller in Syracuse with his friends between 11 and fi:3o p.m. on Friday, June 27. During this time, his vehicle was parked in the Syracuse uptown parking lot. When he returned his windshield was broken. Three » persons were reported standing nearby.