The Mail-Journal, Volume 19, Number 28, Milford, Kosciusko County, 28 July 1982 — Page 1

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Phones: 658*4111 & 457-3666

VOLUME 19

...■■ . ■ ■ . - , — "jfe > ■ ■. iK"l^—«* / COACH VALUED AT $146,000 IS MAJOR LOSS AT BARTH S SUNDAY — Iraqi contract still 'on' — Fire fails to halt production at Barth's

By ARCH BAUMGARTNER ' These volunteer firemen did a fantastic job at our fire! ’’ These words came from Mike Umbaugh. president of Barth, Inc , and he was making reference to the fire at Barth’s large plant just south of Milford early Sunday morning. He said without the diligence of the Milford, Leesburg and Syracuse Fire Departments the loss at Barth's Plant 2 would easily have been much wore? Loss: ‘Many Thousands* Umbaugh said on Monday, “I cannot honestly say what the loss (at our plant) will amount to. but it will run into many thousands of dollars. And likewise, no one knew for sure how the fire began, with fire insurance appraisers working to determine its actual source. Main damage was done to a large Regency coach, a prototype of its kind, which was completed and to be delivered on Wednesday of this week (today) to a couple from southern Illinois There was considerable smoke damage to several other units in Plant 2. but no coaches as completely burned out as the large Regency unit. Two women driving down SR 15 saw smoke coming from around the large overhead doors and the roof of Plant 2, and they stopped at the farm home of Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Price and told Mrs. Price (Ginger) of the possible fire. She turned in the alarm. Time: 5:20 am Milford firemen responded immediately and were followed quickly on the scene by four units* from the Plain Townshipw (Leesburg) Volunteer Fire Department The Syracuse Fire Department came to Milford and kept its units at the fire station on a stand-by basis Milford and Leesburg Firemen had to break down three of the large metal overhead doors in order to gain entrance into the 60 x 200 metal building that the firm has designed as Plant 2 and used as a final finish building. While they fought the billowing smoke from the doors they tore down, other firemen strung their hoses to Baer Creek, located just north of the plant, for a con- I tinuing source of ready water to I fight the fire. It was thought for a time that 1 the fire began in the large Regency coach, but’Mike Umbaugh said on Monday no one could be absolutely sure of this. At any rate, the large coach, when it was pulled from the building, was burned out completely. One onlooker commented, “It looks like what you see on television of a fired vehicle on the streets of Beirut.” It was thought there was some structural steel damage in the building, but this determination would have to await further investigation.

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Comolidation of THE MILFORD MAIL (Ett. ISM) and THE SYRACUSE - WAWASEE JOURNAL (Est. 1907) WEDNESDAY, JULY 28,1982

ft W ' r - — - ■ > - i bw ■ 7, 4 6iy ■ ’Jt' nkM 1 ■ ■— — Jh u V . LIB* Ak li \ II B a USE FORK LIFT TOGAIN ENTRY TO PLANTS AT BARTH’S

Umbaugh said the final finish line would be moved to Plant 3, located west of the burned out building and just south of the firm’s office and Plant 1. Plant 3 has been used as a repair shop, but its work area will be moved to

I Milford tax rate $1.22

Members of the Milford Town Board will meet at the town hall on August 10 to give final approval to the Sl.a levy set in their budget estimate, published elsewhere in ihw issue. The current levy per SIOO valuation is $1589 Board members set a .78 levy in the general fund. The current rate is .856. They set .34 in the street (MVH) fund. The current rate is .553. They continued the .10 cumulative sewer rate and dropped the part rate which is .08

the north end of Plant 2 where the fire had not reached Iraqi Contract On’ Barth, Inc., only recently signed a large 544 million contract with the Iraqi government to furnish 150 large coaches

this year, noting they have made enough interest on certificates of deposit during the current year to fund the park budget. The total budget estimate is $194,932 with $99,637 to be raised. BOOKED ON DRUNK DRIVING CHARGE William Edward Gray, 18, r 1 Syracuse, was booked into Kosciusko County Jail recently on a charge of driving while intoxicated. He was released on his own recognizance.

by the end of November. Terms of this contract were published in The Mail-Journal in a Page 1 story of its July 7th issue. Umbaugh said be saw no reason why this contract could not be fulfilled on schedule. iajvrW iff car aistap A Milford woman and her 19 year-old daughter were injured when the car they were in went out of control and off the road, flipping over three times. The one-car accident occurred on CR 300 W, south of CR 1000 N. Beverly B. Stieglitz, 53, r 2 Milford, c<Tmplained of back pain after the accident . A passenger in her car, Dinah J. Sheetz, 19, r 2 Milford, suffered minor cuts to the hip and upper leg area. Damage to their auto was estimated at between 91.000 and 92,500.

Banks to accept payments As of July 27, water and sewer users of the Town of Syracuse may make payments at the State Bank of Syracuse, uptown only, and the Lake City Bank in the Village, during their regular working hours. At night and on week ends, payments can be placed in their night depositories. Payments made by mail should be addressed to P.O. Box 35 according to Cynthia Fry, Syracuse Clerktreasurer. Syracuse board changes meeting A public meeting for discussion of the 1983 budget was cancelled one day before it was scheduled by the Syracuse Town Board. Clerk-treasurer Cynthia Fry scheduled the meeting for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday after a budget workshop with other county clerk-treasurers. At that meeting, she received figures on the maximum tax levy where she found the Syracuse budget to be “way above our maximum levy.” After further research, she found the budget was over the maximum levy but not excessively over. The proposed budget is 17 per cent over last year’s budget and will probably be modified by the state before it is finalized. She then notified the board that a special meeting to make changes in the budget proposal would not be needed. The special meeting would have been the fourth meeting this month for the town trustees. Only one Breezy sold The article on “Breezy has been sold” which appeared on the front page of this paper last week caused quite a stir in the Gene Shoemaker home on Lake Wawasee. Shoemaker also has a “Breezy” and has no plans to sell his experimental plane where the pilot and passenger sit in the open in front of the engine. The “Breezy” which was sold was the product of Ron Braungart and Delbert Whitehead. That plane is now, “ffying the friendly skies of Fort Wayne,” with Shoemaker's “Breezy” still flying in the Ligonier Wawasee area. Barbara Markley at Art Festival Barbara Markley, Syracuse, has been awarded a booth in the Art and Craft Marketplace at the 20th annual Pletcher Village Art Festival at Amish Acres in Nappanee from August 12 to 15. Cash prizes will be awarded to the winning paintings and crafts from the competition big top tent. Entries will be from over 225 artists from across the midwest and beyond. Artists at the farm will locate beneath protective awnings around the farm pond to exhibit and sell their works. This year’s festival will indude: silversmiths, weavers, sibouette cutters, woodcarvers, portrait artiste, doU makers and daily entertainment. Also available at the four-day event are buggy rides, guided tours, a variety of food, pig roast and meals in the air conditioned NStaUHMt

66th annual — County fair opens Friday at Warsaw

The 66th Kosciusko County Fair will begin Monday, Aug. 2 and run through Aug. 7. The 1981 Fair Queen, Susan Kreger, daughter of Jerry and Joyce Kreger of 209 West Elm Street, Pierceton, will reign over this year’s festivities until the new queen is crowned on Saturday night. The Kosciusko County Fair Queen Contest is sponsored by Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, in cooperation with the county fair board. Susan entered the contest as “Miss Pierceton.” She is 18 and is a 1982 graduate of Whitko High School. Following the tradition of the past 12 years. Rev. Don Poyserof the Burket United Methodist Church will welcome the community to the Gospel Sing on Sunday evening from 6-9:30 p.m. The fair will officially open on Monday evening with 4-H activities including the tenure awards program at 7 p.m., fashion show at 7:30, and the crowning of the 4-H king and queen also slated for Monday evening. The 4-H judging will begin on

State ski meet at Camelot Lake draws top performers

Photos and Text By GAIL WIDMOYER Participants in the Indiana State Ski Tournament on Camelot Lakes couldn’t have asked for better weather for the week end event. Skiers were prepared for an extensive week end with competition beginning each day at 8 a m. and continuing until all events were completed in the afternoon. Friday, July 23, was reserved for the novice competition where beginning participants competed for awards in their respective categories. Saturday and Sunday produced advanced events illustrating the talented skiing abilities of many of the entrants. Competitors vied for awards in the tricks, slalom, jump and overall events in categories ranging from Junior Girls to Men’s 11.

Hear Debbie Wiggins — S-W Area Development Co. to go for state Block Grants

The Syrcuse-Wawasee Area Development Company at its recent meeting on July 13 has as a guest Debbie Wiggins, executive director of the Warsaw Chamber of Commerce. Through the efforts of the local S-WADC the Syracuse-Wawasee brochures were distributed at the “Hoosier Hospitality Days” from the Warsaw Chamber of Commerce booth. The event is sponsored annually by the Indiana State Department of Commerce to give out-of-state industrialists attempting to relocate in Indiana and the communities seeking new in-

Tuesday with swine, poultry, rabbits and pigeons, followed on Tuesday evening by the 4-H market lambs judging. Beef, goats, ponies and sheep 4H breeding classes will be judged on Wednesday, Aug. 4. On Thursday will be the 4-H dairy show beginning at 9 a.m. and the 4-H livestock auction at 3 p.m. The 4-H horse show will be on Friday morning. Open class ponies will be judged on Tuesday morning. Open class beef and sheep judging will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday. Open class Guernsey. Jersey, Brown Swiss and Ayrshire dairy animals will be shown on Friday. Saturday will feature the Holstein judging and a horse show all day. Grandstand entertaining on Tuesday evening will be the 8 p.m. Haw Hee bunch, Kosciusko County’s favorite country music group. Wednesday is demolition derby night beginning at 7 p.m., while Thursday is the street stock invitational at 8 p.m. Motorcycle races will be held in front of the Grandstand Friday evening and the regular stock car racing

New State Records Seven new state records were set during the three-day tourney with five record holders coming from the Lakeland community. Jerry Hickman from Camelot Lakes set a new state record in the Senior Men’s Jump by sailing 122 feet. In jumping, each con testant is permitted three passes through the course with the longest jump determining placement. Jump heights range from five to six feet and the skier chooses the speed of his tow-boat up to the maximum for his division. Todd Smith, also skiing for the Camelot Lakes team, broke the boys jump record by four feet. The new state record set by Todd is 124 feet. The Smith family produced another record-breaker in the junior girls trick category . Paula placed first with 2070 points by

dustry an opportunity to meet. Mrs. Wiggins informed the board she is working on 16 leads at the present time. . The board of directors requested the president Joe Gray, and secretary Barbara Mort, prepare the. “Resolution”, a statement to be made by the governing body of a community which states, “Whereas, a Registered Cities and Towns Program has been prepared by the Indiana Department of Commerce and is being made available to cities and towns throughout Indiana to encourage economic development.’’ The “Resolution** was presented to the Syracuse Town Board and

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event is on Saturday night, both at 8 p.m. Demonstration corner is featured in the Women's Building Tuesday through Thursday. At 3 p.m. Tuesday there will be a demonstration on tropical flowers. The Kosciusko County fashion show is Thursday at 7 p.m. Demonstrations at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Wednesday will focus on adventures and thrills in sewing. Patricia Rathbun. Kosciusko County home economist, will demonstrate new methods in microwave cooking at 3 p.m. and Tp.m. on Thursday. As in 1981, the Kosciusko County Pork Producers will be cooking pork chops all week and the county sheep association will be selling iamburgers prior to the market lamb show Tuesday evening. Livestock and dairy judging will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday evening. Senior citizens day is Thursday with free parking for all senior citizens plus planned activities. Kiddies days on the midway will be Wednesday and Friday from noon t 0.5 p.m.

performing various tricks each with a specific point value. The designated winner is the skier scoring highest point value in two-twenty second passes through the course. Kim Contos, a local member of WSI (Water Ski, Inc.) located west of Dewart Lake, set the state record in slalom by scoring 46 buoys. Scoring is determined by the number of buoys the skier successfully passes on the course. The skier follows a course around six buoys as the boat speed is increased two miles per hour for each turn the skier takes. After maximum speed is reached and the skier continues to complete the course, the towrope is shortened until he misses. Skiing for Dewart Lake was Kris Golden setting a state record in the overall competition with (Continued on page 2)

passed at their meeting on July 20. After this has been recorded with the Indiana Department of Commerce the S-WADC will proceed with the application of Block Grant fund. The Department of Commerce has $23,300,000 funds for small communities to use for their industrial development. The S-WADC will seek funds to build a bridge, road and open up new industrial are in Syrcuse. Frank Ryan, the Department of Commerce field representative, and Mrs. Wiggins will be meeting with the S-WADC Board of Directors in the next two weeks to proceed with the application for the Syracuse community.