The Mail-Journal, Volume 23, Number 1, Milford, Kosciusko County, 1 January 1986 — Page 1

Looking back, how would you describe 1985?

/ VX KELLY McQLTLLI.AN Syracuse “1985 was nothing special, I guess. I did graduate from Wawasee High School and Wawasee had a very good sports year.”

Phones: Milford 658-4111 & Syracuse 457-3666

VOLUME 23

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EARLY MORNING FIRE — An industrial operation in the old Land O’ Goshen building south of New Paris on SR 15 was destroyed last Thursday morning when the building burned after a fire started as the result of a construction activity.

Fires destroy area businesses Old Land O'Goshen plant Furnace explosion Dec. 28 is destroyed on Dec. 26 at Beer and Slabaugh, Inc.

Milford Fire Department responded with 12 men and three trucks to assist New Paris Fire Department in fighting an early morning fire on the day after Christmas. The fire completely destroyed the old Land O’ Goshen building on the east side of SR 15, about two miles south of New Paris. The 7,500 sq. ft. building, owned by Freeman Borkholder, Nappanee, suffered damage estimated at about SIOO,OOO. The Aluminum Conversion Co. contents owned by Mike Smith, Syracuse, who was leasing the building and getting ready to buy it, were damaged an estimated $250,000. The 8:01 a.m. alarm was responded to by 13 men and six trucks from New Paris Fire Department, 10 men and two trucks from the Waterford station of Elkhart Township Department, and six men and three trucks from Benton Township Department, in addition to the Milford crew. In saving adjacent buildings the firefighters used 55,500 gallons of water. They had EMS vehicles at the scene which fortunately were not needed. 25 Below Zero Firemen had to contend with 25 below zero wind chill factor weather-related problems to control the blaze. The extremely cold weather created steam which

w * r® < TAMMY BARLEY Milford The weather was hot 1 got to be with all of my friends and my whole family was together Oh yea. there were a lot of good looking guys this year too

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hampered visibility as water was directed onto the burning building. New Paris Fire Chief Kenny Schmucker said the firemen had to be careful to avoid toxic fumes created by the burning styrofoam insulation. The fire apparently started as construction workers from G.M. Miller Construction Co. of Goshen were using a cutting torch to cut metal lath along the footing of the building. When the insulation was ignited the flames spread inside the walls of the building. New Paris Department firemen made a 20-minute run to the site at about 4 a.m. Friday morning to extinguish a flame flare-up in the smouldering building. Mike Smith, owner of Aluminum Conversions, has stated that he plans to rebuild his operation in the same location. He said, “It may be from four to six months before we can start up again. We’ll know better after meetings with insurance people are completed.” Firemen called Syracuse Fire Department was called to Liberty Homes, Syracuse, at 5:40 a.m., Wednesday, Dec. 25, when low water pressure set of the automatic alarm. Fire officials checked the building and found no fire. The alarm was activated due to a water main breaking.

■L? — JERRY BRANDON Leesburg “It’s been a pretty good year. The interest rates have come down. I’m not sure, but I think more people are working-those that want to work.”

Consolidation of THE MILFORD MAIL (Est. 1888) and THE SYRACUSE-WAWASEE JOURNAL (Est. 1907)

Forty-one men and 14 vehicles were at the scene from Milford, New Paris, Elkhart Township and Benton Township Fire Departments. They were able to keep the fire from spreading to adjacent buildings.

The Nappanee Fire Department was called to the scene of a fire at the Beer-Slabaugh Inc., building, located at the corner of CR 13 and US 6 near Nappanee, at approximately 2:24 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 28. Nappanee’s fire chief, Don Abel, stated that the call was made by an employee who was working in the building at the time the fire occurred. The employee told Abel that the furnace made several unusual sounds which caught his attention and immediately following the sounds, the furnace exploded, causing the wall behind it to catch fire. The attempts of two

North Webster adopts 1986 salary ordinance

The Town of North Webster ended the year with funds balancing. Town board members met Monday, Dec. 30, at 4 p.m., in the town hall for the annual year end meeting to close out the books and transfer necessary funds. Eve Payne, clerk-treasurer, reported this year the town’s funds balanced out. The 1906 salary ordinance for town employees was adopted by the board, giving employees a five percent increase. The or-

MIKE COY North Webster “I think the Wawasee football team did an excellent job this year. I’ve never seen something like that since I’ve been here.”

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1,1986

employees to put out the fire were futile, which prompted them to call the fire department. Nappanee's fire department was assisted by the Fouracre, New Paris, and Harrison Township Fire Departments. In all, there were 14 fire fighting units on the scene as well as 40 firemen. The blaze took approximately three hours to extinguish as Abel reported leaving the scene at 5:42 p.m. Harlan Beer, owner of the building, estimated the damage to cost in the vicinity of $200,000. Those figures, however, have not been confirmed.

dinance states the following pay schedule: Police Department — Town marshail, $16,848; deputy marshal, after academy training and one year service to the town, $15,015; deputy marshal, after academy training and less than one year service to the town, $14,300; deputy marshal, following the 90 days probation period, $13,650; Starting salary for a deputy marshal, $13,000; and (Continued on page 2)

’■■i j* b ** BOBTROUTMAN Syracuse It was a super year. There was nice growth in the business corporation.”

Windjammer is sold to the Wellses , Herschell and Charlotte Wells, Syracuse, announced the purchase of the Windjammer Restaurant and Lounge from Charles and Mary Stafford, Tuesday, Dec. 24. The Wells, owners of Gropp’s Famous Fish of Stroh, will move their restaurant from its current location, near the intersection of Pickwick Road and SR 13, to the site of the former Windjammer Restaurant. ♦■ Wells commented Tuesday Gropp’s Famous Fish of Stroh will open Monday, Dec. 30, at its new location serving from the existing menu at Gropp’s. The Staffords, who operated the Windjammer Restaurant for the past 10 years, discontinued their operation on Saturday, Dec. 14. Stafford stated since opening the business they have never been able to enjoy the area in which they live and they will be retiring from the restaurant business. Their plans are to remain in the area and enjoy what the lakes have to offer. “We had a pier, but never had a boat,” commented Stafford, who stated when his family had time to enjoy the area it was winter. With the purchase of the Windjammer Restaurant, Wells will be continuing with the three-way alcoholic beverage license, beer, wine and liquor, already acquired by the former owners.

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COLD JOB — Employees of Syracuse Water Department braved the freezing weather Christmas morning and Thursday, Dec. 26, after rapidly falling temperatures broke three water lines in town. The falling temperatures caused extremely cald conditions causing the lines to burst. ' Joe Dock, utility superintendent, was called Christmas morning around 3 a.m. when a main at the water tower on SR 13 burst sending water down the hill to Main street. By approximately 9:30 a.m. that line was repaired, only to have two others mains burst during the day. However, residents of the town were u ithout water for over 45 minutes due to lines breaking. Employees spent Thursday repairing lines on North Harrison and North Huntington Street, in addition to another main on SR 13 near Washington Street. Steve Smith, waste water supervisor, reported the line on SR 13 took approximately 19 hours to repair. Traffic on SR 13 was detoured for a time while the repairs were made. By Friday evening all lines were repaired. Shown in the photo are Danny Maggard, Mark Curry and Butch Robinson braving temperatures in the low teens with the windchill factor making the temperature 25 below zero. (Photo by Deb Patterson)

VI M MARION DEETER Milford It could have been a lot worse, at least we didn’t have anything like they did out west.

- 1 Rh?*4* ♦ TRUCK-TRAIN COLLISION — Remnants of a 1966 Ford pick-up lie at Hoile Towing Service, Warsaw, after a train collided with it at 5:37 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 24. Teriby Bailey, 19, of Milford, driver of the truck, was taken to Park view Hospital in Fort Wayne and was listed in critical condition. The accident happened at the crossing on CR6OON, west of Base Line Road. (Photo by Glen Long)

Truck/train victim — '

Terry Bailey expected home today

A Milford youth suffered from a fractured pelvis, fractured wrist, and sprained foot after being s truck by a train last Tues-

24 1 1 a E3l w J kJ| E* m.* LARRY BAUMGARDT Syracuse “From a business standpoint it has been the best ever. I note a very optimistic attitude In the buying public.”

day, Dec. 24, at 5:31 p.m. near Leesburg. Terry Bailey, 19, P. 0. Box 554, Milford, was transported to Kosciusko Community Hospital and later transferred to Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne after his truck entered the path of a southbound train on CR 600 N, west of Base Line Road. Bailey, who was incoherent at the scene of the accident, was unable to tell Kosciusko County police officers what happened. Timothy Dork, of Fort Wayne, who was the engineer of the train,

Syracuse Town Board approves salary ordinance for 1986

By GLEN LONG Staff Writer The Syracuse Town Board met last night to conduct necessary year-end business. A key part of this business was approval of salary ordinance number 85-17 for 1986 which was read by town attorney Bob Reed. The salary ordinance was revised prior to acceptance to include a planned increase in the salary of Town Marshal Bob Ziller to $19,000. This figure then was increased 6 percent for 1986. Thus the marshal’s salary for 1986 is $20,140. The board agreed to consider at its regular January meeting several police benefits requests previously made by Ziller since any approvals would affect the salary ordinance as amendments. Carl Myrick, board president, clarified the fact that the Syracuse Town Hall is the current name of the building. It is not “nameless” as stated by this reporter on December 18. Therefore the board’s statement on December 17 that it will name the building actually means it

I DON CHARLTON Milford “I just hope that 1986 is better. We had far too many plane crashes and terrorist attacks. I definitely think that could be improved upon.” ~

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tolrf police that it appeared Bailey’s truck had stopped as it traveled west onto the railroad tracks. Warsaw firemen assisted police in freeing Bailey from the 1966 Ford 4-wheel drive he was driving, utilizing a JAWS extraction tool. The truck was a total loss. Bailey was listed in good condi--4 tion this morning after undergoing surgery for the fractured hand Saturday and is expected to be from Parkview Hospital this afternoon.

will change the name if it is to be changed. APC Representative Named Ronald Sharp was recommended by pn?cinct committeemen Betty Dust, Susan Myrick and Charlene Knispel to serve on the “Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission as the representative of the Town of Syracuse. The board voted 3 to 2 to make this appointment to replace Dee Stiver who resigned recently. The board approved for payment claims submitted by the clerk-treasurer. Also approved unanimously were ordinance 85-20 for emergency transfer of appropriations in several accounts and ordinance 85-21 allowing payment of utility bills, interest, etc. in 1986. Ziller reported that Bob Houser Sr. has received medical clearance to return to active duty on the police force. He will start working days on January 12. Jenny Lewis, clerk-treasurer, was instructed to contact the town hall architects to clarify state fire marshal rules pertaining to the need for two emergency exits from a public building being a vaailable. Concern was expressed by Charlene Knispel, township (Continuedon page!) ,