The Mail-Journal, Volume 21, Number 26, Milford, Kosciusko County, 11 July 1984 — Page 4

THE MAIL-JOURNAL - Wed., July 11,1984

4

Editorials

Be a donor ‘Be p“lucky” — give your pint,’ says the poster advertising the American Red Cross bloodmobile’s visit to Milford on Friday. 4 The bloodmobile will be at the Apostolic Christian Church’s fellowship hall from 12 noon until 6 p.m. and all persons between the age of 17 and 66, who are in good health and who haven’t donated blood for the past 55 days, are being asked to donate. * It only takes 15 to 20 minutes and most people waste more than that every day. The blood donated will be used to help another individual. That individual could turn out to be a loved one, a relative or a close friend. Both 0 positive and 0 negative are needed. Take a few minutes Friday... be a rare bird — donate blood to help another this summer. Turn over a new leaf... If you are one of the 6,379 Kosciusko County Residents to receive a notice from the county clerk that your name is being purged from the voter rolls it’s time to take action. It’s time to turn over a new leaf. It’s time to become a better American. Voters who receive these notices have until July 30 to sign them and mail them back to the clerk. Those who do nothing can not vote in the next election. It is not only the right but the duty of every American to vote in every election where humanly possible. If you have had the idea your votes doesn’t matter anyway it really is time to turn over a new leaf. It’s time to accept the responsibility that is yours as an American. It’s time to study the candidates. It’s time to say “yes. I’ll vote this coming November.” By the way, if you aren’t registered you have until September 22 to register with your precinct committeeman and until October 8 to register at the clerk’s office. Civil War history A generation of Americans is growing up not knowing how the Civil War * began, why it began and what the South sought, when eleven states seceded. The popular myth, now accepted in the media and on TV, and in some textbooks, is that the war began over slavery. Any A.P. story about the reuniting of the Presbyterian Church in recent days repeats that line. Almost daily one can read or see on TV that the war began over the dispute on slavery. .Facts, which may not be good PR or good diplomacy, but which are facts, are these: The Confederate States sought independence. They maintained the evil slavery system, but so did several states which didn’t secede. Lincoln, after being elected only because the Democratic Party split and ran two candidates (he didn’t win a majority of the popular vote), didn’t propose to end slavery. He didn’t propose that until mid-way through the four year was a PR, propaganda and moral gesture - partly to prevent England and France from recognizing the Confederacy. Only then did the war become a war over the survival of slavery. In 1861, when the war began, Lincoln repeatedly said he would not seek to abolish slavery in the South. He raised armies and invaded the South to thwart secession. The war began, like that in 1775, over the question of secession. In the 19th century the thirteen colonies won their fight for independence. In 1865 the eleven which seceded from the Union, lost theirs. Only since 1863 had it been a war over the question of slavery - though that issue was admittedly a burning one with abolitionists for many years. Finally, when Lincoln pronounced the slaves free, as of 1863, he didn’t free slaves then owned in non-Confederate States. So much for facts and myths. July, 1984 The linden, in the fervors of July. Hums with a louder concert. — Bryant. July ushers in the second half of the calendar year. It’s still the first month of the fiscal year for some and thus has special importance in the business world. July is named for Julius Caesar, changed from its former name, Quintilis, on the order of Mark Antony. It was the month in which Caesar was bom. For Americans July is especially historic. Our independence is celebrated on the Fourth, of course, and the Battle of Gettysburg was fought during the first three days of July, 1863. Three of our presidents were bom in July: John Quincy Adams, Calvin Coolidge and Gerald Ford. The first admiral in the U.S. Navy, David G. Farragut, was born on July 5, 1801. The Republican Party was founded July 6,1854, at Jackson, Michigan. A largely forgotten, though relatively recent day, is July 10. On that day in 1943 the Allies invaded Europe for the first time in World War 11. General Dwight Eisenhower led an amphibious invasion of Sicily.

What others say —

Habits of politicians So you want to see the world son? That used to be the best recruiting pitch the armed forces had, but that was before government service became the best game in town. Now there’s’s a better way to see the world - still at taxpayer expense and the risk of being killed is far less. You even get to take your wife. . Want to know more? Just ask Attorney General William French Smith, who recently toured the world on a fact-finding mission on — get this — the dope industry. The news story didn’t tell us how much Smith learned about drugs, but it’s reasonable to assume he already knew a thing about dopes — the taxpayers who financed his 4683,000 trip. That’s just the official cost of the trip for the 27 people, including his wife, who accompanied him. It doesn’t account for the hotel bills the Smith party racked up, nor the cost of sending 11 FBI agents along to look after their royal highnesses. All told, Smith and his band of merry men (and women) probably nicked us for more than Si-Million - to do what? To study the drug problem. Come on. If Smith really wanted to find out what is happening in the field, all he had to do was ask a few narcotics agents to walk over from their Washington office to his and tell him all about it. Many of them have been everywhere he went - at a far lower per diem cost — and have been in several neighborhoods the Smith par- ‘ ty probably missed — the ones where drugs are away of life. Os course; that wouldn’t have been nearly as much fun. Never mind that Smith is a part of the Reagan administration —a group that parades around saying how the cost of government must be reduced. Hypocrisy is in these days - always has been among politicians — and here was a wonderful opportunity to take a vacation at taxpayer expense. - CRAWFORDSVILLE JOURNAL-REVIEW

/I ' 1 The summer blood donor is a rare bird. Be one!

What You Think June . The Most Read Articles By Mail-Journal Readers

During the month of June, persons renewing subscriptions listed hospital notes and obituaries at the number one and number two read columns in The Mail-Journal. In a three-way tie for third place were feature stories, letters to the editor and the Cruzin’ column. A total of 29 of the 82 persons renewing subscriptions filled out forms. The complete break down follows: Feature stories 16 School news 11 Letters to editor 16 Main Street ~. 14 Hospital notes 18 Obits 17 Editorials 14 Court news 14 Cruzin’ 16 M-J Pulse 3 Political reports 5 Weddings and engagements . 15 Extension news 5 Sports 7 North Webster 13 King Arthur 7 Church page 8 Milford old news 10 Syracuse old news 14 School and town board meetings 13 Police log 8

Letters to the editor

Objects to fireworks

Dear Editor: “Happy Birthday America!” Let’s forget about all the senseless explosions (fireworks) into the atmosphere every year. Let’s return to the basics of the heritage of our “American Freedom.” Why don’t we attend a reverend service, say Pledge

A job well done!

Dear Editor: Couldn’t let this issue go to press without heaping praise on this year’s Syracuse-Wawasee Flotilla Committee for providing the best spectacle on water yet — such a colorful array of decorated boats and memory-prodding antique boats! Beginning with the Pitt Special bi-plane doing aeronautic somersaults in the sky, to the four Air National Guard jets which made formation passes across lake Wawasee, to the perfect weather for the enthusiastically received 1984 Flotilla, and ending with the rendezvous of entries encircling the committee boat to learn who won the different categories, this was a Flotilla to be proud of! Congratulations are also due The Mail-Journal for sponsorship and Carl Meditch and Tony

Court news

• City Court The following fines have been levied and paid in the Goshen City Court: Speeding — Kay C. Meditch, 47, Syracuse, S4O; Larry R. Haviland, 20, Syracuse, S4O; Paul

Tiff MAIL-JOURNAL (U.S. PS. 3258-4000) Published by The Mail-Journal every Wednesday and entered as Second Class matter at the Post Office at Syracuse. Indiana 46567 Second class postage paid at 103 E Main Street, Syracuse. Indiana 46567 and at additional entry offices. Subscription: sls per year in Kosciusko County; sl* outside county. POSTMASTERS Send change of ad dress forms to The Mail-Journal, P.O. Box IM. Milford. Indiana 46542.

/- ———I Crossword 4 Calendar 9 Club news 10 Classifieds 15 A number of persons added comments oh their renewal forms. Those comments follow: I read it all, but those checked, more attention given We enjoy the paper It happened in North Webster. Your school coverage is wonderful. Wawasee news and activities. More Cromwell news, etc. I just like them all. Read it from front to back. (I especailly like the pictures. I see many people I haven’t seen in a long time.) Over-all — Very good job!!

Allegiance to our Flag and a prayer? (That’s what July 4 is all about.) And do you think the cows like those loud noises? No! They have more sense than some people. Thanks. Mrs. Emma Rock

Clouse for coordinating the Seventh Annual Flotilla Road Race. Great turnout. The Flotilla Committee’s bicycle race provided 25 miles of endurance testing for its 25 entries. The fireworks were spectacular at the Fish Hatchery! The Lions club served over 660 people at its Jonah fish fry, and the American Legion was jumping during the Flotilla Ball. Such great participation makes the 1985 Sesquicentennial-them-ed Flotilla an exciting event to look forward to! Again, congratulations on a job well done! Sincerely, Jeanne Gardiner, president Retail Merchants Division Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce

D. Reimer, 32, Syracuse, $45; Larry R. Haviland, 20, Syracuse, $45; Karen S. Myers, 18, Syracuse, $45 Disregarding automatic signal — Tony A. Charles, 19, Syracuse, S4O Disorderly conduct/obstructing vehicular traffic — P. Thomas Xanders, 17, Syracuse, S4O Marriage Licenses . The following couples have applied for marriage licenses in the office of Kosciusko County Cleric Jean Mess more: Stewart-Ryman Jerry Wayne Stewart, 20, New Paris and Tammy Lynn Ryman, 20, box 234 Milford Koul-Saovoogxay Thong Chank Sriratana Koul, 25, Rockingham, N.C. and Somphiane Saovongxay, 21, r 1 box 44H, Milford Cureton-Gose Jackie Ray Cureton, 31, r 2 box 406, Syracuse and Jill Elaine Gose, 22, r 2 box 406, Syracuse

"CRUzirp z r* I I/O [“ z ' AROUND UUOL

(EDITOR'S NOTE: This week's Cruzin columnist is Wiley (Bill) Spurgeon, Jr., longtime summer resident of Wowasee's north shore, publisher of M-J predecessor the Syracuse-Wawasee Journal in the 19505, and currently executive editor of The Muncie Star and Muncie Evening Press. Spurgeon, also serves as guest writer/play reviewer for The M-J. He has been a summer resident of Wawasee since 1938. Bill reviewed his first play for The Journal in June of 1953. It — "Claudia" — was produced by the I Wawasee Playhouse in a tent east of the Crow's Nest by an organization headed up by a young college student named Douglas Cramer, now in television production with his own firm and with Aaron Spelling in Cramer-Spelling Productions. Bill was also in one play here ("The Happy Time" in 1953) and has several stage credits with Muncie Civic Theatre, an organization of which he is current corporate secretary and which he served six terms as. president. In his spare time Bill is president of the Wawasee Property Owners Assn., is completing an illustrated history of Muncie and Delaware County, and is contemplating doing a history of the Syracuse-Wawasee area, "primarily pictorial, but taking up where Eli Lilly left off a couple of generations ago.") By BILL SPURGEON x THE SINGULAR success thus far of the Chicago Cubs (tied for first place in their National League division as this is being written) in the 1984 baseball season brings back memories of several decades ago, when the Cubs actually made it to the World Series. I was a kid then, and from time to time during the summer of 1945 and thereabouts, I hung around the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad stations at Wawasee and Syracuse. The Wawasee station was a summer agency, operated from a building that stood at the west end of the Wawasee Golf Club. The Syracuse station was non-seasonal, located jn the brick building built in 1916 that still stands just east of Huntington Street. World War Il'was raging until August of 1945, and although those who stayed at home lived quite comfortably, there were certain dislocations as to travel patterns: gasoline was rationed, and intercity travel went back to the trains that travelers had abandoned in favor of their own cars in the 1920 s and 1030 s. There were many passenger trains in each direction daily on the B&O in those days, and several stopped at Syracuse and/or Wawasee. Because of the convenient schedules, it was quite possible to make a comfortable one-day trip into Chicago any day of the week to take in a Cubs or White Sox game. Thus many of the travelers one might encounter at either the Syracuse or Wawasee stations were these day-trippers. The Cubs played in the daytime, of course (there is nothing new under the sun), and if the opening pitch were scheduled right after noon and you wanted to be there, you probably went to Chicago on B&O Train 45. This was a passenger and mail train that ran between Wheeling, W.Va., and Chicago, and it passed Wawasee and Syracuse at various times over the 1940 s between 4:30 and 5:30 a.m. Chicago arrival was about three hours later: after leaving Syracuse, the train stopped at Nappanee, Bremen, LaPaz, Walkerton, Kingsbury. Wellsboro, Gary, South Chicago and 63rd Street. The return trip would be made on Train 46, the same equipment moving in the opposite direction. It left Chicago at 8:45 p.m.; the schedule was slightly faster. It did not regularly stop at Kingsbury, LaPaz or Wawasee, but it would let off passengers there if arrangements had been made the day before. B&O trains used Grand Central Station, Harrison and Wells Streets, in Chicago. It was razed in the early 19705. Between Grand Central and Wrigley Field or Comiskey Park, you might use the elevated lines, a streetcar, or a bus. Taxicabs were in short supply in the 19405. The price for this trip was quite reasonable. One-way fare from Syracuse to Chicago was 12.54; there was a 15 percent federal tax. Presumably surface fares were equally cheap in Chicago, as were baseball tickets. In early 1945, a man named Ambrose (that was his last name; I never knew his first name) came to Syracuse to operate the labor camp where Puerto Rican or Mexican laborers used by the B&O in those days slept and ate. The camp was across the tracks to the south of the Syracuse station, and a bit to the east. Mr. Ambrose was a Cubs fan, and he used to hang around the railroad office and talk about going to the World Series. The last time anyone here ever saw him was when he boarded the train one morning to go see the Cubs play Detroit in the World Series. He never returned. —o— THE WAWASEE depot, mentioned above, closed after the 1947 season, never to reopen. That

Indiana farm views aired

Marion Stackhouse, Indiana Farm Bureau Inc., president and a grain and hog farmer in Hamilton County, will be among the nation’s agricultural leaders who, July 12-13, will visit with President Reagan and have a White House briefing on Central America. Stackhouse is a native of Kosciusko County. The briefing will be part of the Council of Presidents meeting of the American Farm Bureau Federation headquartered in Washington. Stackhouse will report on Indiana farmers’ activities connected with a “Campaign 84” program aimed at get-

was also the last year of operation of the Spink-Wawasee Hotel, which provided most of the railroad’s Wawasee passenger traffic. Besides, the war was over; if you didn’t want to drive your car to where you were going, you at least would drive it to Syracuse to catch the train. * The Wawasee depot stood along the tracks until 1950, when it was sold by the railroad and moved by the purchaser to a site along U.S. 33 just southeast of Benton. It still is there, remodeled and with several additions that fail to camouflage the fact that it once was a railroad depot. X —o— THE IMPACT of the Baltimore and Ohio in the Syracuse community was greater as few,4ls 3 ' decades ago than it now is. Its employees included two station personnel, a part-time drayman, two car inspectors, a section foreman and several section hands. During World War II years there were as many as 20 passenger trains and 40 freight trains passing through the community each day. Water was taken on by steam locomotives at Syracuse (passenger locomotives and some of the larger freight locomotives were an exception), pumped from the channel north of the station through a softening plant south of the tracks and stored in two giant wooden tanks. On occasion, when the electricity might fail because of a severe storm, the fire department would set up at the station and fill locomotive tanks with a pumper. The steam locomotives were phased out by the late 19505. The last passenger trains ran May 1, 1971; when Amtrak took over most of the nation’s passenger service that day, it chose not to utilize the B&O route. —o— NEWSPAPERS AND mail were handled by train for many years, too. No. 46, arriving at Syracuse at 11:29 p.m., would bring early editions of the next morning’s Chicago papers. No 10, which arrived shortly after noon, would bring early editions of that day’s evening papers. The bulk of the mail was handled on Train 10, every day of the year. Even on Sundays and holidays, people would gather at the postoffice (there was no city mail delivery then) in the early afternoon while the postal clerk on duty “put up” the mail from Train 10 in the local boxes. -oTHIS WRITER has been an avowed railroad watcher since early childhood, and it's still fun. The B&O through Syracuse is still an exciting line; it's kept in good repair and the trains generally move right along. Considerable effort was spent last summer and this spring replacing crossties; a few summers ago new welded rail was installed. The community’s once-largest shipper, Strum and Dillard Gravel Co., has been closed for nearly two decades. What we once knew as Leeland Pit is now Camelot Lake. The sand and gravel pit was a major factor in the economy of the Midwest: mdst of the material for the Ohio Toll Road came out of it, and it provided a lot of building sand and gravel for Chicago homes, factories, streets, apartments and skyscrapers, shipping several score of carloads each week on the B&O. And railroads are anything but dead. A few years ago a Federal Railway Administration survey suggested that the B&O main line (that’s the one here) between Pittsburgh and Chicago might be a viable candidate for electrification. I’ve heard nothing of this since the results of the survey were published in trade magazine, but that would be an interesting project. —o— IF YOU’RE into nostalgia (or maybe trivia), here’s a good research job for you: when did the last circus come to SywrfTuse? No fudging; only real circuses that perform under tents qualify. This writer can remember one in 1955. It set up in the field east of SR 13 about where the Windjammer Restaurant is now located, or perhaps a bit south of there. I can remember going to a circus in 1940 or 1941 on the grounds of what then was Syracuse High School, now. Syracuse Junior High and Elementary schools. That one was Mills Brothers. It was a full-scale circus with a big top containing three rings. They were a bit shy of animals, however: there was but one elephant. Both of these shows were motorized circuses. The ones that traveled by train made only the larger towns, perhaps 25,000 or more. There are still a number of motorized circuses around the country. And Ringling Brothers travels by train — but puts its shows on in coliseums or sports domes; no tent. n If my memory, which is coming alive as this is written, is correct. Mills Brothers also played Milford in the mid-1940s or maybe earlier. But not the same year they came to Syracuse. Anyone remember?

ting to people to vote in this fall’s election and about the feelings of Hoosiers on what should be inBi in the Agriculture and Act of 1985, known as “The BiU.” Changes planned in the U.S. Department of Agriculture will be outlined by Richard Lyng, USDA undersecretary of agriculture. “If The Presidential Election Were Held Today” will be the topic brought by Bernadette Budde, political director, Business and Industry Political Action committee. Secretary of the Interior

William Clark, will speak on “What the Department of the Interior Means to a Rancher and Farmer.” Speaking on “The United States Financial Future” will be Congressman Barber Conable (R-NY), ranking minority member of the House Ways and Means Committee. “Crisis in Rural Health” will be the topic brought by Harmon E. Halverson, M.D., American Academy of Family Physicians’ president. Reports of the Farm Bureau Political Action Study committee and the American! Farm Research Foundation ard also on the agenda. 1