Feb. 24, 1966: City 'Self-Sufficient'

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on February 24, 1966.

City ‘Self-Sufficient’

“Valparaiso’s economy is pretty self-sufficient as a result of expansion by local industries,” directors of the Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce were told Wednesday night at their monthly meeting at Wellmans.

Speaker was Don Reynolds, member of the urban planning consulting firm which for the past 11 months has been engaged in preparing revisions to the city’s master plan.

Also present were Everett Lembke, president of the Valparaiso Planning commission and Paul Fisher, Porter County Planning commission executive vice president.

30,000 By 1990

Based on an economic study of the city, planners believe that Valparaiso’s population will reach 30,000 by 1990, Reynolds said.

He described Valparaiso as “rather unusual” in several respects. He noted that the suburban areas outside of the city are well developed, which he said, is a situation generally only found around larger cities; and that there is relatively little land available for development within the city limits.

Reynolds pointed out that there are attractive sites outside the city including lake and timber areas. Inside the city he said much of the vacant land is not suitable for development.

Industries Stable

He noted that the local industries are “very stable” and that they are closely tied to the community as to their needs for supplies and the products they produce.

The 30,000 city population figure, the speaker said, assumes that there will be “fairly aggressive annexation of land development”.

Future growth is seen primarily to the north and the west.

The revision will call for numerous road changes and implementation of bypasses around the city, it was noted.

Reynolds said that the success of the city’s master plan will depend upon its close integration with the county’s master plan.

Future of industry is foreseen east and south of the city, due to its excellent highways, expanded municipal airport and railroad facilities.

Councilman Lembke, following Reynold’s talk, invited interested residents of the community to attend planning meetings the second Tuesday of each month, “We need your help,” he added.

Meanwhile Chamber President Max Dickey reported that airport runway expansion dedication ceremonies were discussed Wednesday afternoon at a meeting at Wellmans. Tentatively it is planned for “early June”, but details are still to be finalized.

Feb. 24, 1951: Crops-Dairy Day To Be Held In This City

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on February 24, 1951.

Crops-Dairy Day To Be Held In This City

10th Annual Event Is Set For Tuesday

Prairie Farmer Editor Listed Among Speakers

Porter county farm folk, preparing to rearrange their chore schedule a bit next week, today looked forward to the 10th annual Crops-Dairy Day to be staged at the Premier theater here in Valparaiso Tuesday.

On that day county farmers, their wives and families, will take time off to mingle with neighbors and attend sessions specially designed to make life in the rural areas more efficient, enjoyable and profitable.

Paul C. Johnson, editor of Prairie Farmer and former head of the University of Minnesota agricultural journalism, will present the featured address of the day. Johnson’s talk entitled ー ”Where Do We Go From here In Agriculture?”ーis expected to attract a large audience. He will appear on the well-rounded program at 2:30, according to an announcement from Kenyon Wyckoff, chairman of the event this year.

Johnson was raised on a Minnesota dairy farm and put in 10 years as editor of a newspaper in his area. He became editor of Prairie Farmerーa popular farm journalーis 1947.

The 10th Crops-Dairy day program starts at 9:30 a.m., Tuesday with the showing of a colored motion picture entitled “This Living Earth,” followed by an informative and instructive talk on good fertilization and rotation practices by G.P. Walker of the Purdue university agronomy extension department. Walker will bring out the requirements for maintaining soil fertility and stress the value of heavy fertilization of crop rotations and explain nitrogen fertilizers and places for their profitable use.

Dairy Specialist

Porter county dairymen will get tips on barn temperatures, milk production and cow health starting at 10:50 a.m., when Ed Gannon, Purdue dairy extension specialist, appears on the program. Gannon will discuss the pros and cons of loose housing vs stanchion barn for dairy cows and bring up bacterial counts, and importance of sufficient and clean bedding.

Following the annual noon luncheon at Hotel Lembke, farmers and their families are scheduled to return to the theater for the crowning of the corn king and prince. Ralph Herren, Sr., top corn grower in the senior division, will be awarded the Porter County Banker’s association trophy, and Louis Asher, Boone township young man, will receive the Wyckoff Junior cup for his corn growing and producing mark.

Grain and hay drying methods will be discussed by W.F. Rissmiller of the agricultural engineering department at Purdue starting at 1:30 p.m. The speaker will point out new and better methods of reducing moisture content in crops which are to be stored.

Highlighting the interesting afternoon program will be the appearance of the Portage Township High school singers under the direction of Directors George Myers and Roger Lindquist.

Last year more than 700 farmers and their wives attended the one-day session. Chairman Wyckoff hoped today that attendance record might be broken when the farm folk turned out for their special program here Tuesday.

Will Add Music Note To Crops-Dairy Program

PORTAGE HIGH SCHOOL’S heralded double sextet, directed by George Myers, will take the stage of the Premier theatre at 2:15 p.m. Tuesday to entertain the hundreds of Porter county persons who are expected to attend the annual Crops-Dairy day program. The singers are (front row, from left): Marilyn Weber, Eva Jane Andrews, David Farley, Marian Comer, Dick Parker. In rear (from left) are: Patsy Biggs, Danny Haxton, Ronald Hendershott, Joyce Loar, Phyllis Parker, Milton Carlson and Kenneth Wilson. The group of young singers has appeared before numerous organizations adn on programs in this area. One of its recent appearances was before the Hebron Fortnightly club on feb. 15. The double sextet gained superior honors last Saturday in the solo and ensemble musical festival in East Gary.

(Photo by Grayston Gurther)

Feb. 23, 1981: Fire revisits Porter motel

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on February 23, 19.

Fire revisits Porter motel

PORTERー Fire ー possibly the work of an arsonist ー struck a vacant motel here Saturday for the second time in three days, gutting the interior of the structure.

Firemen from Porter, Chesterton and Burns Harbor were summoned to the Edgewater Beach Motel at 11 a.m. when a bedroom on the second floor of the 50-year-old building was reported ablaze. Damage to the motel at Wabash Avenue and Johnson Beach Drive was estimated at $15,000 and brings to $40,000 total losses incurred since another fire hit the motel Thursday night.

A spokeswoman for the Porter Police Department said officers there will investigate the cause of the latest blaze. She said a burn pattern ー indicating the use of some sort of accelerant ー was discovered under the carpeting in the bedroom where Saturday’s fire broke out.

Careless use of smoking materials was blamed on the Thursday fire. A caretaker who was tending to the lodge while it was closed for the winter escaped unharmed from the blaze.

Motel owner Carl Dahlin, East Chicago, was reportedly in California when the fire broke out and unavailable for comment. Dahlin also owns Johnson’s Inn across the street from the burned out Edgewater Beach Motel.

A barricade halts traffic in to and out of the Edgewater Beach Motel in Porter, which was hit twice last week by fires that gutted the interior of the 50-year-old building. The latest fire, which struck Saturday morning, has been blamed on arson and investigators from the Porter Police Department have been assigned to the case. Damage from both blazes is estimated at $41,000.

(V-M: Kathy Steinbach)

Feb. 22, 1936: INCORPORATE CENTENNIAL PERFECT PLAN TO CARRY OUT HISTORIC FETE County and City Leaders on Committee Form Corporation to Promote Huge Celebration. NOT FOR PROFIT ARTICLES SET UP

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on February 22, 1936.

INCORPORATE CENTENNIAL

PERFECT PLAN TO CARRY OUT HISTORIC FETE

County and City Leaders on Committee Form Corporation to Promote Huge Celebration.

NOT FOR PROFIT ARTICLES SET UP

The Porter County Centennial, Inc., is to be the name of the organization to promote a celebration during the third week in August in Valparaiso, marking the one hundredth anniversary of the founding of Porter county.

Formation of the new corporation was made Friday night at a meeting of the central committee named sometime ago to promote the affair. Members of the board of directors of the new organization are to be the same as the old committee. 

They are: O.L. Ananson, Valparaiso; Byron Smith, Valparaiso; L.L. Howard, Valparaiso; C.L. Bartholomew, Valparaiso; J.A. Fleishbein, Valparaiso; George Nelson, Valparaiso; Senator Will Brown, Hebron; M.E. Dinsmoore, Hebron; W. Newsom, Kouts; Herman [illegible], Kouts; G.M. Givens, Porter; Harold H. Bartels, Chesterton; H.A. Flynn, Chesterton.

O.L. Allanson, chairman of the old central committee, presided as temporary chairman of the meeting which was held in the chamber of commerce rooms in the Elks’ building. Twelve of the fifteen members of the committee attended.

The matter of incorporation was presented to the group by City Attorney J.A. Fleishbein, who is an attorney for the centennial group. He explained the various provisions of the new 1935 legislation bearing on organization of corporations not for profit making.

Attorney Fleishbein’s report on the various matters to be included in the articles of incorporation was adopted by the committee in toto.

Under the provisions of the new corporation the fifteen members of the old central committee are to form the new directorate to serve for one year from the grant of the incorporation papers. They are to be known as subscribing members because of the fact that each subscribed $10.

However, in the articles of incorporation, the names of only three of the group will be set out. They are O.L. Allanson, George Nelson and J.A. Fleishbein.

The purposes of the new organization will be to arrange and conduct a celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of the birth of Porter county; raise and disburse funds; collect, distribute and publish historical data; enter into contracts; negotiate loans, and transact business of every nature that is properly connected with the celebration, and perform any other acts solely in the interest and promotion of educational and literary endeavors.

O.L. Allanson is to be the resident manager of the corporation with offices at 10 Lafayette street. The principal office will be located in the chamber of commerce office at 9 Lafayette street.

Attorney Fleishbein will send the incorporation papers to Indianapolis today and it is expected the charter will be received here on Friday of next week. As soon as the articles have been recorded in the county recorder’s office the new corporation will begin to function.

A meeting will probably be called for next Friday night at which time officers of the new corporation will be elected, and by-laws to be drafted by Attorney Fleishbein, Byron Smith and M.E. Dinsmoore, with help of other directors, submitted to the directors for adoption.

Following formation of the new corporation, the old central committee held a meeting and transferred its duties and activities to the new organization and then dissolved.

F.W. Alpen, temporary treasurer of the centennial organization, informed the group that Valparaiso university authorities will cooperate with the committee in permitting use of Brown Field for the pageant to be staged.

George Myers, chairman of the pageant committee, has already outlined a guide for collating the historical data in the various townships. These are being distributed to the different township leaders.

Feb. 21, 1961: TV Plan Discussed By Board 11 Schools In City System Are Considered

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on February 21, 1961.

TV Plan Discussed By Board

11 Schools In City System Are Considered

An airborne television equipment decision, 1960-61 teacher’s salary study, and other business occupied members of the Valparaiso Community schools Board of Finance Monday evening.

Primarily the board was concerned with the question of whether or not to make airborne television classroom plans which would place at least one unit in each of the system’s 11 buildings next fall.

Units are now in process of installation at Cooks Corners elementary and in the senior high school. Another unit, presented as a gift, has been set up in the Benjamin Franklin Junior High school, Supt. G. Warren Phillips reported to the board.

Cost $250 Each

Phillips noted that the receivers and aerials can be procured through the National Defense Act as a minimum cost of $230 each.

However, after consulting with numerous educators, consensus pointed toward “proceeding slowly” with the experimental classroom broadcasting plan for which the Ford Foundation has granted about $7 million, the school administrator told the board.

President Morris Groverman, Jr., felt that it would be wise to take advantage of a purchase from the NDA “but we don’t have the money to go whole hog. This idea may or may not prove to be a ‘Frontier of Education’ as has been noted in promotions,” he added.

After much discussion, the board decided to make an application to the NDA for 11 units, but included a reservation that eventual purchase may or not  be made even though approved by the federal agency. Future approval of the purchase by the board will be dependent upon success of the venture, it was noted in the motion.

According to Phillips, there have been two delays to date in the proposed airborne television classroom instruction schedule. Original plans call for instruction to be imparted from an airplane flying about 23,000 feet above Montpelier, Ind.

Feb. 21, 1936: CONTINENTAL TO EXPAND VALPARAISO TO BE WESTERN HUB FOR NEW OPERATIONS

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on February 21, 1936.

CONTINENTAL TO EXPAND

VALPARAISO TO BE WESTERN HUB FOR NEW OPERATIONS

Continental-Diamond Fibre Company, One of Nation’s Largest Electrical Insulation Industries, Launches What May Become Large Expansion Program for City.

LETS CONTRACT FOR $40,000 WAREHOUSE; TO BUILD AT ONCE

BY LYNN M. WHIPPLE

Put several seemingly unrelated facts and incidents together and you have the “making” of the following news-storyーpotentially the most important of its kind to break in Valparaiso in many a year.

FACT NUMBER ONE: Detroit, Mich., has become the automobile and automotive parts center of the United States.

FACT NUMBER TWO: Chicago, Ill., and Cleveland, O., are today the electrical supplies, equipment and fabrication centers of the United States.

FACT NUMBER THREE: Some thirty-six years ago, a Philadelphia capitalist ventured “west” to establish a mica fabricating plant and chose Valparaiso as the scene of operations.

FACT NUMBER FOUR: the automotive and electrical fabrication industries create the largest demand and market for mica and its associated products, laminated fibroc or bakelite.

FACT NUMBER FIVE: Six years ago the Continental Diamond Fibre Company, one of the largest mica and bakelite manufacturing concerns in the world, became owner of the Valparaiso company, then known as the Chicago Mica and Fibroc Insulation Company.

Now for the news-story: Through L.L. Howard, manager of its Valparaiso plant, Continental-Diamond Fibre Company today announced a decision to make Valparaiso, instead of Chicago, its western headquarters and the letting of a contract for a new unit for its plant here, to cost approximately $40,000.

The new unit will be a two-floor (first food and basement) structure, sixty feet wide and one hundred feet long, to be built as a north-wing to the present plant.

This building will be used for storage of large quantities of vulcanized fibre and bakelite which formerly were stored in Chicago plants.

If present plans are realized upon in the future, the new storage building will be but the first unit of a large construction program here which eventually would mean work for 100 or more workers than ever employed by the local plant.

In the production season the Valparaiso division of Continental Diamond Fibre employs 300 workers. Even in the seasonal slack period, employment is now given to over 200 workers.

It is with future expansion plans in mind that, at the instance of the Continental-Diamond Fibre Company legal steps are being taken to make additional building space available by the abandonment of what is known as Factory street, located directly south of the Continental Diamond plant.

Today’s announcement of the letting of the contract for the large storage unit for the Valparaiso plant is taken to mean that Continental-Diamond Manager L.L. Howard, now serving a second term as president of Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce has “sold” the company management upon the idea of centering western division operations in Valparaiso.

The Smith-Nuppnau Company, of this city, has been awarded the general contract for the new unit. Contract for plumbing, heating and electric service installation have not been let. Building operations will start March 1, or as soon as possible thereafter.

Manager Howard today expressed confidence that the spring and summer season will find the valparaiso plant at the height of operations. Chicago plants of Continental-Diamond have discontinued operations and the Valparaiso unit has been given enlarged trade and service territory to the east.

This means that the Valparaiso plant will now fill orders originating in eastern Michigan, including Detroit, Indiana, Ohio and parts of Kentucky and West Virginia.

Continental-Diamond-Fibre company industrial operations are far-flung. With Valparaiso as its western headquarters Continental-Diamond operates two other establishments in the United States, one in Canada, one in England and one in France. The two American plants are located in Bridgeport, Pennsylvania, and Newark, Delaware. That in Canada, at Toronto; that in England, at Maidstone; that in France at Paris.

Background for Continental-Diamond operations in Valparaiso is most interesting. It was back in 1899 that the Chicago Mica Company, organized a year before, with eastern capital, decided upon location here and purchased one of the city’s oldest factory buildings about which successive expansion units have been built.

M. A. Snyder came here as the first superintendent. Mr. Snyder was secretary to a Philadelphia capitalist by the name of Adams who made his money in sandpaper.

In some five years Mr. Snyder was succeeded as superintendent by F.W. Boyer who in turn was followed by Edward Heilstedt (now employment manager for U.S. Steel mills at Gary).

Next step in operations came in 1920 and centered in A.W. Pickford, vice-president of the old Girard National Bank, Philadelphia. Through Mr. Pickford, L.T. Frederick was brought to Valparaiso and Mr. Frederick with John Griffin, of this city, who, starting with the Chicago Mica company as an office boy, had been made superintendent, a large expansion program was inaugurated. Mr. Frederick was in charge of sales.

Then came a broadening of operations to include the manufacture of fibroc products.

Then followed a period of rapid expansion and in 1926 a preferred stock issue of $100,000 was placed on the market, much of it being bought by Valparaiso investors. Most of this issue has been retired, it is understood.

Two years later Victor R. Despard, long associated with the McGill industries here, severed connections therewith and with Mr. Frederick purchased Mr. Griffin’s holdings. Another large addition to the plant was built. Steps were taken to merge the local plants with others of associated industries. Shortly thereafter friction developed in the management and Mr. Despard sold his interests to the Continental-Diamond Fibre Company, Mr. Frederick remained in charge for a few months but finally withdrew from the company. With the passing of Mr. Frederick, L.L. Howard was placed at the head of the Valparaiso operations.

Prior to the organization of the Chicago Mica Company several industries had operated in the original factory building built, it is understood, some seventy-five years ago for a pin plant operated by the Fontaine Brothers. Then the Powell family established its knitting mill in it. This plant moved to Chicago and finally to Muskegon, Michigan where one of the sons of the founders is still operating a knitting mill.

Then Mike Barry took over the building for his wagon works. This plant was operated for several years and was succeeded by the Cosmo Buttermilk Soap Company which came here from Elkhart, Ind., and finally returned to Elkhart.

This brings the story up to the organization of the Chicago Mica Company whose history has been sketched above.

Speaking of future prospects of the Continental-Diamond Fibre Company in Valparaiso, Manager Howard states: “Because of the demand for electrical insulation products created by the automotive industry in and about Detroit and the rapid centering of the electrical supplies industries in and about Chicago and Cleveland, major operations in our field are now centering in the middle-west, rather than in the east, where they originated. Valparaiso now has the largest plant of its kind in the west and unless all signs fail, it will continue to expand its operations.”

Feb. 20, 1946: Ask Change Of Venue In Horse Trial

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on February 20, 1946.

Ask Change Of Venue In Horse Trial

Porter county’s aged horse case, tried seven times in local courts and slated for an eighth hearing, may be sent out of the county.

An affidavit was filed Tuesday by Oscar Strom, of Gary, attorney for Mrs. Cora Peterson, administratrix of the estate of Ben Anderson, of Chesterton, against Ben and Vernon Kuehl, of Washington township, asking for a change of venue of the case from Porter county to another county because of bias and prejudice existing against the plaintiff.

Today Atty. James J. McGavey, counsel for the Kuehls, filed objections with Special Judge Ira C. Tilton in Porter superior court, against the move. In his remonstrance, McGarvey objects to the venue charge on the grounds that the affidavit for a change of venue is improper and illegal in form, and is contrary to public policy.

Cost To Taxpayers

In addition, the granting of the petition would put an unnecessary burden on the taxpayers of Porter county, it is charged.

Recently Judge Tilton denied a change of venue to Strom in behalf of Mrs. Peterson because the affidavit was not signed by Mrs. Peterson, but by her attorney.

The horse case has been tried seven times, with the Kuehls winning five times. One jury disagreed, and in another hearing a mistrial was declared. New trials were granted because of irregularities.

The case originated about a decade ago when the Kuehls bought a horse at an auction sale held by Anderson, later killed in an automobile accident. The horse proved defective and the Kuehls refused to pay a $100 promissory note given in the deal. Anderson sued and at his death Mrs. Peterson carried on. Court costs are near the $1,000 mark.

Feb. 20, 1941: Bird Feeders Get Fan Mail For Efforts

Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on February 20, 1941.

Bird Feeders Get Fan Mail For Efforts

Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Cullison, of Gary, defendants in a suit filed by eight neighbors to restrain them from feeding birds on their premises, are attaining nation-wide fame as the result of the legal action now pending in Porter superior court here.

Each day the Cullisons received a large batch of fan mail from well-wishing bird lovers in all parts of the country. People had read of the fracas over the Cullisons and the birds and the literary efforts followed. Most of these are of a sympathetic nature, it is said.

Mrs. Cullison gets up every morning at 6:30 o’clock and armed with a small pail of grain and a loaf of bread feeds her chargesーsometimes over a hundred of them. She “serves” their second meal along about 4 o’clock every afternoon.

Feeding the flocks of birds, plus the legal expense connected with the action brought by their neighbors is making the Cullisons “hump a little,” they admit.

In other words, the Cullisons indicate their rise to the status of celebrities, with fan mail and all the trimmings, isn’t a financial bed of roses.

Further hearing in the case in which damages from the Cullisons, will be held Friday before Judge Mark B. Rockwell.