The Mail-Journal, Volume 17, Number 46, Milford, Kosciusko County, 3 December 1980 — Page 1

Phones: 658-4111 & 457 3666

VOLUMES 7

Gates at Chessie crossing promised

Crossing gates, signals and a new surface will be installed at the East Shore Drive crossing of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. According to William F. Howes, Jr., vice president for casualty prevention of the Chessie System, the parent firm of the B & O, the railroad has received authorization from the Indiana Highway Commission to proceed with the project. Although the crossing east of Syracuse where East Shore Drive intersects Pickwick Road is a county highway, the state highway commission is involved as the clearing agency for federal Department of Transportation funds for the gates and crossing improvement. The crossing has been the scene of many accidents since it was built in the late 19405, as lake-area traffic has increased. The railroad line is doubletracked in the area and has a heavy density of traffic, including many fast-moving freight trains. Word that the gates and signals would be installed came from Howes in a letter to Wiley (Bill) Spurgeon, Jr., president of the Wawasee Property Owners Association. The association went on record in favor of the crossing protection following a fatal accident there in October. The association has also asked that the Airport Road crossing further east of Syracuse as well as the former Indiana 13-A crossing at the northeast side of Wawasee also be considered for crossing protection. “Bill Howes suggested that we ask the highway commission to inspect these crossings and make a traffic coqnt as a start toward getting federal funding, and we will do that," Spurgeon said. He. noted that federal funding, and the Department of Transportation will pay either 90 per cent of all of the cost of railroad grade crossing protection, but it is up to each state to decide what crossings need protection. “We think the Airport Road and the old Ind. 13-A crossings, both major roads with heavy year-around use, would qualify," Spurgeon said. “I’m happy the Chessie System has responded to our suggestion so quickly and to learn that the East Shore Drive crossing was already in the works for protection. We will pursue the other two crossings promptly.”

~ ONLY 22 SHOPPING DAYS TIL CHRISTMAS

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A COLD, WET RIDE — A 1977 Chevrolet Impala four-door is shown being pulled from Turkey Creek shortly after 9 p.m. last night (Tuesday) near the Al Graff home south of Milford. The car belongs to Robert L. Stark, who resides in a mobile home just east of the Graff home. i Stark told investigating officer Rich Schnieders of the Milford Police Department that he had been to Bud’s Tavern for some food, and that en route home he thought he was getting sick. He got out of his car, and when he looked up his car was headed for the creek. It struck a small metal outbuilding, then continued into the water. While the car was deeply submerged, the motor continued to run, and Stark waded into the cold water to turn off the key, The car was pulled from the creek by the Miller wrecker. Shown in photo are investigating officers Ron Conley and Jerry Moser.

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Consolidation of THE MILFORD MAIL (Eat. 1888) and THE SYR ACUSE-WAWASEE JOURNAL lEst. 1907)

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Saturday is Lions work day at Milford Community Building

Saturday will be a work day for Milford Lions at the new Milford Community Building. The work will consist mainly of putting up ceiling dry wall. This was part of the report given to the Milford Lions Monday night by Lion Karl Keiper, who is president of the sponsoring Milford Area Development Council. Have Raised $55,000 Total cost of the building was projected at SBO,OOO, Keiper said, and that $55,000 of that amount has already been voluntarily. Os this amount the Milford Lions Club has contributed $7,577 -97. Value of the landjs set at SIO,OOO. Final value ofHfaf

To meet Decembe

Progress slow in teacher negotiations

By KIM HIEBER The Lakeland Community Educators' Association and the Lakeland negotiating team met

DANGEROUS SITE OF OCTOBER 23RD FATALITY ?

structure should be approximately S2O per square foot. The building is a 57.5 by 80 foot cement block structure with a brick front, on the site of the former Milford Hotel on the town's Main Street. It will house the Milford Emergency ambulance. have a full kitchen and a large public meeting room. Lion Keiper told his fellow Lions that progress on the building is keeping pace with incoming funds, and that plumbing and heating has been completed. Petitions are already in. He extended an invitation to Lions and others to visit the building to see the progress that is being made.

Monday Evening for five hours discussing the teachers’ “We re still meeting and have another meeting planned for next

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBERS, 1980

He said he has been “absolutely amazed” at the public response to the project. Many donors, large and small, shy away from publicity and want to remain anonymous. He cited “little old ladies” who gave small amounts such as $5 and $lO who were anxious to be a part of the community effort. He said the only paid employee on the project has been Bill Stath, but that he went off the payroll October 1. All other labor has been volunteer. He also cited numerous occasions where materials were provided at cost, noting that all such contributions would be dulyrecognized in due course. The Milford Lions plan a

Thursday, Dec. 11, commentea board business manager George Gilbert. “We haven’t reached any agreements since the factfinding, but we’re still

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community breakfast in the newcommunity building sometime early in the new year, with proceeds going toward the new structure. Accordingly, stand-in Lions president Jerry Curry named the following committe to plan and arrange the breakfast: Elmer Sorensen, chairman; Floyd Yoder; T. A. Miller, and Steve Frantz. District Governor Lions District Governor Gene Downhour of Greene Township is scheduled to make a visitation meeting at the Milford club the first meeting of 1981, and a good attendance of club members is urged.

negotiating and moving.’’ LCES spokesman Phil Metcalf found some movement on Monday but not enough. “We made some progress in the sick leave bank, a little progress on salary and none on insurance.” The contention areas between the two sides are in grievance, voluntary extra duty pay, insurance and salary. The teachers would like their contract changed from a calendar year contract to a school year contract. “With the current calendar year contract we are paid part of 1980 this year and part of 1981. We want to make it easier on the teacher so the teachers can see (Continued on page 2)

CALL FOR INDI ANA WEATHER ' The Indiana State Police road condition phone numbers began operating on Monday, Dec.l. The number for the Northern and Central part of the state is 232-8300. Covering the Southern and Central part of the state is number 232-8298. Recordings information is gathered by the General Headquarters dispatch from a computer. This computer/ contains road conditions sent in from all state districts. The State Police Operations Center is open 24 hours and will be able to answer road condition questions by dialing 232-8248. The information is updated four times daily; an extreme weather condition, the information is updated more frequently.

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Discuss small cities grant at Milford Board meeting

Only three area residents attended the special meeting of the Milford Town Board Monday night to submit views and proposals on the town's applying for the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s small cities program CDB and to hear the program explained. Townspeople present were Marion Deeter, Doris Hartter and Howard Haab. Consultant Robert Murphy suggested the town apply for funds, targeting on the east half of the town. He explained the project could include such things as acquisition, relocation and rehibilitation of housing; sanitary' sewer lines; sidewalks and curbs; and water lines. The town would, if approved, have a comprehensive singleyear grant. Rental properties could be fixed up. If this is done, landlords would be required to sign papers stating they would not raise the rent. If the landlord wanted to sell, property, in some cases, could be purchased. The most the town could apply for would be $1 million. It would cost the town nothing. The money would come from the federal government. Board members Steve Miller and Robert Auer discussed a water tower and were told byMurphy there is no funding available except from Farm and Home at this time. If an FmHA loan were obtained the town would have to raise its monthly

Preliminary census now totaled for area towns

The 1980 Census of Papulation and Housing has ended in the 11 Indiana counties, including Kosciusko County, handled by the temporary 7 census district office in Fort Wayne, announced the Bureau of the Census of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The Fort Wayne census district office has recently been closed. The office was responsible for taking the census in Kosciusko, Elkhart, LaGrange, Steuben, Noble, DeKalb. Whitier, Allen, Huntington. Wells and Adams counties. According to the Chicago Regional Census Center, preliminary population and housing counts for Kosciusko County total 58,978 population and 29,279 housing units. Preliminary counts for Lakeland towns are: Milford — 1,154 population and 452 housing units. Syracuse — 2,572 population and 1.200 housing units North Webster — 699 population and 445 housing units Leesburg — 623 population and 232 housing units Preliminary population and housing figures for local governments in counties handled by the Fort Wayne district office have been sent’to the highest elected official in each community. These preliminary totals are subject to later revisions Completed census questionnaires from the Fort Wayne office have been shipped to a youth injured on motorcycle Robert W. Ewry, 16. r 5 Muncie Mobile Home Park, sprained his right knee while attempting to run from a Syracuse police officer on November 30. Ewry exited from a private Huntington Street driveway and lost control of the bike while traveling at a high rate of speed. Ewry was transported by the Syracuse EMS to Goshen Hospital. The 1980 Kawasaki, owned by Ray Frost, Syracuse, had an estimated S3OO damage. According to police reports, Ewry did not have permission to take the vehicle and had no driver's license.

water bills to S2O That, all agreed, is impossible. Both Miller and Auer agreed, in spite of the fact the water tower would not be included in the grant, the town had to start somewhere and the east side of the tracks was as good a place as any. Murphy stated his next step would be to take photos of all houses on the east side of the railroad tracks and to conduct a survey. The application must be filedin January Miller asked, “Who does the work”*” Murphy said he does the application at no charge to the town with the understanding he will become administrator of the program if the grant is received .There will need to be a secretary hired and a housing authority which could be the town’s building commissioner and hearing officer. Contractors would then bid on the job with the housing authority approving the bids. The work is then done, inspection held and checks are written to the homeowner and the contractor Former street and water commissioner questioned Murphy as to whether the old specifications on sewer lines would be used or new ones drawn. Murphy stated this would be up to the town board whose members would be making all of the important decisions. Deris Hartter stated she was conducting a survey and while she isn’t finished she has noted as

census processing facility where they will be fed through highspeed equipment which microfilms each page. The microfilm is then scanned electronically and the data from the census forms, excluding names and addresses, are transmitted - directly to the

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SANTA IN SYRACUSE — Sunday was a big day in Syracuse as stores were open from 12 noon until 4 p.m. for Christmas shoppers and Santa Claus arrived in town, visiting the stores in the afternoon and meeting youngsters at the Scout Cabin later in the day. When he arrived he was greeted by the children who have anxiously awaited his coming. The jolly old elf is shown above with Casey, eight, and Sara, six, children of Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Kline of Syracuse. They were among the large number of youngsters who told Santa what they wanted for Christmas. Persons attending events at the cabin were entertained by the Syracuse Elementary choir as the boys and girls sang Christmas carols. Over 200 hot dogs and hot chocolate were furnished by the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce with Kappa Omicron Sorority in charge .of decorations and arrangements for Santa’s arrival and Girl Scout Troop 130 helped in serving the food and drinks. (Photo by Kim Hieber)

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census figures relate, the population of Milford has been declining since 1960. Murphy stated if the town is funded-a housing assistance plan will be needed, showing what will be needed in the future. Murphy was questioned on whether or not people would keep the houses in good repair if they were improved. He said in other projects he has worked on only a minority of the people wouldn’t keep their houses in good repair after they have had work done. Howard Habb, referring to the sewer lines, noted the town something should be started, even if the town had to do a street ata time. Board member Miller questioned Murphy on why he selected the east side of town He was told they had to staj-t someplace. When the east side is done they can start on the west side. ’ Miller also wanted to know what could be done about the railroad crossings in town. Auer noted trains seemed to be picking up speed since the tracks have been repaired. Murphy stated he had applied for funds about a year ago but had heard nothing yet He stated lights at each crossing would cost approximately SIBO,OOO. Murphy will check on the status of Milford's application for funds. A second hearing will be held at 7 p.m. next Monday with the regular December town board meeting to follow.

Census Bureau’s computers in Suitland, MD, just outside Washington, DC. Once computer tabulation of the data has been completed, final population and housing counts will be released early in 1981 and will supersede the preliminary totals. /