The Mail-Journal, Volume 26, Number 27, Milford, Kosciusko County, 19 August 1987 — Page 12

12

THE MAIL-JOURNAL —Wed., August 19, 1987

North Webster News

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Hoss family; first to settle in area

A family with the last name of Hoss was the first to settle in the area presently known as Hoss Hills, which is now part of the Tri County game and fishing area. There is much folk lore associated with Hoss Hills. It is supported to be the area where. “The Devil said goodbye to the owl.” In the fall of the year, the beautiful wooded hills and sparkling lakes of Hoss Hills are worth taking the time to see. ManyKosciusko County residents have never seen this area but it is frequently visited by persons from other parts of Indiana and surrounding states North *r»quicentennial 18371987 Acreage that has been filled and channeled around the lakes to make building sites was once harvested for its crop of marsh hay. The hay was cheap because it grew wild on land that was considered useless Marsh hay was used for packing window glass in wooden boxes, horse feed, and livestock bedding. The hay was stacked in small mounds to be loaded on a flat-bed wagon or truck. Rattlesnakes were plentiful and liked to sun themselves on the small mounds of marsh hay. It was not unusual for a dozen rattlers to be killed in one afternoon. Workmen were quick to strike a rattler in mid-air when it fell out of a fork full of hay. The “Continental Divide” sits in the middle of the Lakeland area and sends surface water and all it-contains north to the Great Lakes or south through the Tippecanoe River to the Gulf of Mexico.

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BY MARY LEE WILLMAN ... Readers living in the North Webster area are encouraged to call their news items to Mary Lee Willman at 834-4544 fod’publication in this column.

The Miami Indians occupied the north slope of the Continental Divide and the Pottowatomies lived toward the south. The Tippecanoe was a Pottowatomie river. A number of Indian villages and reservations were located along it banks. The name of the river comes from an Indian word “Ke-tap-e-kon-nong,” meaning the place of the buffalo fish. The water of this beautiful stream is the clearest of any river in the state and it flows through many lakes. The Indians, for sanitary reasons, preferred to build their villages along its banks rather than on the lake shores. They used the flowing river water for sewage disposal. Their population was so small that the water remained clean. North Webster was similar to small towns all over the country. During the years between the first and second World Wars, North Webster was influenced by summer visitors. Some of these visitors returned to become permanent residents, but most left after Labor Day and local “characters” again took up the occupation of entertaining the local loafers and each other. Each small town had one or two favorite gathering spots. Quite often it would be in front of the general store, post office or, at train time, the railroad station. Tall tales flew thick and fast when travelers and the “train watchers” exchanged stories about life in the big city. A bench was sometimes provided at these gathering spots and it was commonly called the “liars’ bench.” Contests and performances came in endless variety and were the best of hometown entertainment. Who could do the most “push-ups,” spit the fartherest or most accurately. “Indian wrestle,” whittle or whistle?

One Lakeland village had a man who could name any quotation from the Bible, book, chapter and verse. He was almost as skillful when he was drunk than when he was sober, and much more likely to accept a challenge. Another famous local character was a man who demonstrated several talents at once. He could stuff three fresh packages of chewink tobacco in his mouth, lean forward and pick up a bottle of beer off the sidewalk with his teetA and hold his head back to drink the entire contents of the bottle without stopping. New spectators were allowed to buy the chewing tobacco and beer. He was a large man and weighed about 300 pounds. He had one thing in common with all other participants in this type of rural sport. He never intentionally hurt anyone. (Portions of the information for this article are from Kip Sullivan’s history book of North Webster. >

It happened . . . in North Webster

10 YEARS AGO, AUG. 17,1977 Tippecanoe Lake Country Club Ladies Bridge Club had 14 tab les in play on August 10. Hostesses were Mrs. Lloyd Slagle, Mrs. K. K. McGarvey and Mrs. Daniel Sherman. Winners were Mrs. James Chase, Mrs Carlyle Pickering, Mrs. Parker Phend, Mrs. Robert Rink, Mrs. Dale Brown, Mrs. George Rea, Mrs.

Lake association elects officers

The Webster Lake Association met August 2 at Dixie Haven at which time election of officers was held. The new officers are: Howard Zigler, president; Chuck Lawrence, vice president; Marianne Zigler, secretary; and Peggy Lawrence, treasurer. It was noted that Webster Lake has beep treated for water weeds

It Happened in —

King Arthur's Town

NORTH WEBSTER Past Chiefs Club met August 12 at the home of Marie Hursey. Euchre was played with Joan Moore placing high and Alice Kissinger placing low. Corrinne Staples received the door prize. Mrs. Hursey served refreshments of ham salad sandwiches, homemade apple pie and fruit punch. Catherine Bause will be hostess for the September meeting. RECENT VISITORS at the home of Sadie Reynolds were her son, Jim Evans, Casa Grande, Ariz., and grandson, Jack Evans, Redlands, Calif. —o— MARIAN STEEDMAN is spending three weeks in Korea on an evangelistic mission. TIPPECANOE TOWNSHIP Extension Homemakers Club

Arch Baumgartner, Mrs. Kate Tiegler and Mrs. Lawrence Castaldi. Also, Mrs. Ray Edwards, Mrs. Buff Harrison, Mrs. Erwin Niemann and Mrs. James Weddle. Nancy Coates, a missionary to New Guinea, will be guest speaker tonight < August 17> at 7:30 p.m. at North Webster Uitned Methodist Church. She will

twice this su<nmer. The weed control program has proved very successful.-It was stressed that good participation from association members and lake residents is necessary for a successful weed control program. The association has an extended goal for water weed control that combines the use of a mechanical harvester with chemical treat-

members and guests enjoyed a theater party on August 13 at Warsaw. LT COL. and Mrs. L. D. Cox and children, Kristen and Curtis, Dayton, Ohio, and Hattie Cook, Ranburn, Ala., were recent visitors at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Cox. —o— BOUQUETS TO Dixie Prior, a kindergarten teacher at North Webster School, who has been elected as president of the Tippkee Reading Council of the International Reading Association. THE 45 Plus Sunday school class luncheon date has been changed from August 21 to August 28 Those attending are asked to bring a snack to share. —o— CHRISTOPHER WALTERS,

show slides and discuss her mission work and activities. 20 YEARS AGO, AUG. 16,1967 Donnie Butts, veteran North Webster high school basketball coach, submitted a letter of resignation to Don Arnold, superintendent of the Lakeland school corporation o nModnay of this week. He has resigned to take a position withthe World Book Corporation, and will sell books, maps and other of the company’s products to high schools. He will continue to live at his North Webster home. Butts has been a coach at North Webster high school for a past 11 years, first as an assistant to Floyd Baker, now a member of the Lakeland school board, and later as head coach. He also coaches varsity baseball and golf. He has had a highly successful career at North Webster as a basketball coach, often winning with smaller teams. He is a graduate of Beaver Dam high school and the son of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Butts. His father has been trustee of Harrison township, county commissioner from the southern district and is now county auditor-elect. 30 YEARS AGO, AUG. 22, 1957 Miss nancy Dickinson, of North Webster entertained recently in honor of Miss Shirley Herndon, formerly of Muncie, who will be a new classmate of the hostess this fall. At the pre-school party the girls had a cook-out and enjoyed speedboating and swimming and later in the evening enjoyed a movie. Other guests were Miss Sue Corbin, Miss Shelia Bell, Miss Brenda and Mias-* Marsha Richards, Mrs. Kenneth Richards and Mr. and Mrs. Mel Stafford of South Whitley.

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ment. Plans were made for appointing association directors, a membership drive and projects that will need to be done next summer. The last meeting of the year will be held September 12 at Dixie Haven. Visitors and prospective members are always welcome.

Michael Mattix, and Jason. (Chuck) Oldham received the Boy Scouts of America “Eagle” award on August 15 at Warsaw. The Court of Honor was followed with a reception. ANDY WALKER, son of Mr. and Mrs. Bob Walker, Barbee Lake, spent last week visiting at the home of his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Orville LaMotte, Hartford City. THE CAT was finally caught in the act of "messing up” the bedroom. For the past week or so this reporter would “tidy up” the bedroom only to return later and find everything in disarray. One morning I actually saw the cat in action. First he jumped up on the night stand and pushed a candle holder (with candle) off onto the floor. The candle holder was followed by a box of facial tissue and a cassette tape. The cat then jumped over onto the bed, got the top edge of the bedspread in his mouth and started backing up. He backed toward the foot of the bed until the pillows were uncovered. He snuggled down between the pillows all prepared ,to take a nap. Unfortunately for the cat, this reporter had other plans. I lunged for the head of the bed (no doubt I was a bit red in the face) and made a not too gentle grab for the cat. He vanished over the side of the bed leaving me with a handful of cat fur and was last seen headed upstairs with one of hubby’s house slippers in his mouth. ED AND Lillian Kuhn. Barbee Lake, will be observing their 57th wedding anniversary on August 23. —O—TILL NEXT week. Tire, jack, bike among items taken Three thefts were reported to Syracuse Police between last Tuesday, Aug. 11 and Monday, Aug. 17. Steve Patterson, 207 W. Washington St., Syracuse, reported the theft of a spare tire and car jack, taken from his vehicle while it was parked in front of his house sometime between 10 p.m. last Monday, Aug. 10 and 6 am. Tuesday, Aug. 11. Various items were taken from the Anthony Kuhn residence at 306 John St., while they were sitting in the yard. Kuhn reported the theft of a girl’s 10-speed bicycle valued at SSO, a wire basket valued at $5, and a tackle box with miscellaneous items, valued at sls. The items were stolen sometime between 9:30 a.m. and 11 a m. last Tuesday, Aug. 11, according to Kuhn. In a similar incident, Larry D. Germanprez, North Webster, reported the theft of a tool box that he had set near the front of Rose Garden Apartments while he was working on an automobile. The theft occurred sometime between midnight and 3:30a.m. Monday, Aug. 17,according to Germanprez. No value was set on the box.

Quilt Club discusses upcoming shows

A report of the August 8 Barbee Days bazaar was given on August 10 when members of Lakeland Quilt Club met at the home of Miriam Mason. Time was spent working on the cathedral window quilt project. It was announced that the two baby quilts are finished and will be used for fund-raising. Discussion was held concerning the upcoming quilt shows at Elwood and Scottsdale Mall. The

Sewer ordinance questioned at meeting

I By DEB PATTERSON Staff Writer A sewer ordinance, drawn up by attorneys and approved by the'tenvironmental Protection Agency approximately 10 years ago for the Town of North Webster, was questioned during last Wednesday’s North Webster Town Board meeting. John Trook, Huntington, who owns property in town, was present to inquire why he has been billed for sewage on a home that was destroyed by fire sometime ago. Trook commented he was not aware he needed to contact anyone about the sewage billing after the home was destroyed. “I did not know the importance,” he commented, “all other utilities to the house have stopped, however the sewer billing has continued. I feel, I justly owe up to the fire. I guess I’m ambivalant and would like to have a copy of the ordinance where it says you have to contact the town, to show to my attorney.” Sid Markley, who chaired the meeting in the absence of Myron Clark, board president, stated there were no provisions in the ordinance to make the billings retroactive. “We can stop it now.” Harry Minnick, sewage superintendent, stated the only way anything can escape a monthly sewage bill is to have the tap dug up, pulled out and an approved plug put on the line. “As long as the line is connected you can use it.” Eve Payne, clerk-treasurer, stated Trook is held liable for the, sewage bills until he sold the pro-1 perty in February 1987 to John Augsburger. Several liens have been filed against the property for delinquent sewer bills. Trook will be sent a copy of the sewer ordinance which cannot be changed until the sewage plant loan is paid off. Trook also asked if the proposed theme of North Webster was the same. He commented the town was the hub of activity and now people come and say bad things about the bank building. “I think North Webster needs ■ revitalized as a nice lake village. Through use of nice paint. North Webster can be made like a little English Village.” It was mentioned the town was known as a fishing village, thus the English Village theme. Markley commented the speed boats are taking over the lakes and running fishermen out. “It’s not a fishing village any more,” he said. Markley added whatever Trook can do, the board would be glad to see him do it and directed him to Ed Clayton, president of the North Webster/Tippecanoe Township Chamber of Commerce. Other Business The police department was asked to look into a problem of parking in an unmaintained alley off of Mary LaFem Street. Elza Ball was at the meeting stating the alley, next to his home, has

Lakeland club will be participating in the Scottsdale Mall show. A sack lunch was served at noon. Several members received birthday or anniversary gifts from their secret pals. Wilma Plotner, Syracuse, will be hostess for the August 24 meeting. A family potluck supper is planned for the evening of August 24 at the home of Rita Slankard.

caused contention for some time between himself and a neighbor. The neighbor states the alley has been closed, and Bell has found records indicating it is still open. Markley stated either the alley will be closed or the whole thing will remain an alley and maintained, all the way through. Ball was informed he could take the matter to court for ah alley vacation, through an attorney, but it would be up to him, not the town. Howard Ziegler, park board member, updated the board on happenings at the park, including the installation of lights in three areas, landscaping, and installation of signs for parking and rules and regulations. He also noted at the last park board meeting Dixie Pryor, who has served as park board president for some time, would assume the treasurer’s roll in the department, and Ziegler, the presidency, if the town board approved. The town board stated that decision was strictly up to the park board members. It was also noted by the town board, the park board has authority over the park and makes the decisions on matter dealing with such. This was noted after Ziegler presented several concerns the park board has over the lease contract on the concession stand. Greg Carpenter, owner of Wawasee Septic, Syracuse, inquired where the board stood on his proposal a month ago, on' maintaining the town’s sewer lines. Markley stated the matter, which was tabled at the July meeting, is still tabled. Following the regular meeting, the board met in executive session to discuss personnel matters. The next regular meeting of the town board is Wednesday, Sept. 9, at 7 p.m., in the town hall. Tony A. Germanprez booked at county jail A North Webster resident was arrested on various charges after being stopped for a traffic violation in Syracuse at 12:05 a m. last Thursday, Aug. 13. Tony A. Germanprez, 19, North Webster, was incarcerated at the Kosciusko County Jail after being charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol; illegal transportation; no drivers license in possession, and driving on a restricted license. Germanprez had been stopped after Syracuse Officer Robert Houser spotted his vehicle traveling at an excessive speed and rolling through an intersection where a stop sign was posted. Yeagers attend photo convention Tim and Suzie Yeager of Yeager Photography, 100 North Huntington Street, Syracuse, recently returned from Rosemont, 111., after attending the 1987 international convention of Professional Photographers of America, Inc. Nearly 6,000 professional photographers attended the five-day event, held August 1-5, in the O’Hare Exposition Center. The show presented educational programs taught by more than 150 speakers, showcased several thousand award-winning photographs, and featured a three-day trade show at which industry suppliers exhibited the latest in photographic equipment, supplies and services. PP of A, founded in 1880, is the world’s oldest and largest association of professional photographers with more than 15,000 individual members and nearly 250 international affiliate organizations. HQT CCRAPHY *y 457-'**’*’