1912 FIRE IN INDEPENDENCE
by Donna Sullivan
Early Friday morning on December 27, 1912 Independence experienced major loses in a fire that nearly destroyed every business in town. Just after midnight the town was swept by one of the worse fires of the history of the town to date.
Many business’ and residents suffered irreparable and unregainable losses. The fire was first noticed by 3 men, Mil Stafford, Grover Steadman, and Henry Marvin as they left Marvin’s pool hall where they had been enjoying a game of pool. When they stepped out of the establishment they were astonished by the bright lights being reflected off the buildings.
Upon farther investigation they discovered the rear of the Fred Buck Livery barn ablaze. It was currently being operated by Jasper McClatchery. The men sounded the alarm as they ran to the barn to awaken Mr. McClatchery.
But when they reached the front of the barn it was being consumed by flames from the inside bursting out. The fire quickly spread from one frame building to another, consuming each one and moving on to the next. The squeals of the horses inside could be heard as the flames spread so quickly it was useless and dangerous to attempt to rescue them. Among the horses destroyed in the fire was the Independence Company’s fine station. Only one horse managed to escape.
Other buildings destroyed by the fire was the fine residence of John Heischman, the post office, the barber shop, Dr. Jones’s office, McFerrin’s Hardware store and residence, the blacksmith shop of Smith and Gray. The poolroom also caught fire but was only partially damaged in the blaze.
The Hieschman residence stood near the livery barn. The fire spread so rapidly in so many directions the people helping were spread so thin there wasn’t much help for the Hieschman’s in removing their personal belongings from the house, only a few things were saved.
The barbershop owned by Charles White was destroyed. All of his equipment was removed before the fire completely destroyed the building. Dr. Jones’s office was next to the barbershop. Dr. Jones’ had just moved to Independence a month before from Rainsville to begin his practice. The doctor’s horse and buggy were destroyed in the livery barn but everything in his office was saved. The building that housed the Doctor’s office and the barbershop were owned by Wallace Steadman. Mr. Steadman had no insurance on either building.
The post office was a small frame building that was owned by Clara Buck, the postmistress. When Mrs. Buck was notified of the fire she rushed into the smoke filled building and saved as much of the mail and stamps as she could. She succeeded in saving all the registered mail and most of the stamps. But over a thousand stamped envelopes, between 600 and 700 postcards were destroyed.
The telephone pay station was located in the post office. Before they flames reached it, someone managed to call Pine Village, and then all the farmers in the vicinity of Independence. The farmers rushed into town to help fight the fires.
The Attica fire Department was called about 2:00 AM and asked to help. The fire company felt the fire was past its height and they knew they couldn’t help since water was so scarce.
Then Williamsport was called, and fire fighters such as Ohmer Stewert, Lew Hess, James McLaney, tom Livingston, William Lindsey and William Cowgill, loaded up cars with fire suits, axes, buckets and in 14 minutes they were fighting the fire in Independence.
The residents, merchants and town suffered a heavy loss. It was know after the fire that Hieschman’s would rebuild their house and the blacksmiths Smith and Gray would rebuild. But Dr. Jones, McFerrin, McClatery, the Barber Charlie White didn’t have any insurance so no one knew if the town would ever be the same again.
Some of the losses included a pair of draft horses worth $450.00, 2 stallions named Standard and Luke lll valued at $1300.00. The total loss of the fire amounted to around $12,000.00.
Whispering Willow
By: Willow
Potawatomi Park v/s Downtown
The Potawatomi Festival was a few weeks ago and ever since then I have heard one comment after another about how the festival should be downtown. That is a great idea, if it would work. Things have changed a lot since the Potawatomi began 38 years ago.
It got larger, the equipment used by the vendors changed. No longer do the vendors bring tents to camp out in. Most of the food vendors need 2/20 electric line hook-up, they need electric to hook up their campers, some of them the size of a small house.
There isn’t sufficient if any electrical hookup for the equipment of the food vendors of this magnitude in the downtown area. This is a three day event, folks. These people set up and stay with their booths, otherwise they would have to break it down and reset them up every day.
They are not going to set up and then leave this expensive merchandise and equipment unguarded while they go camp somewhere else. Imagine living in the home around downtown and having vendors set up on your street for three day and two nights. Your street is blocked off. Where do you park? Do you want to park blocks away and walk to you home?
The law says that there has to be so many feet of fire lane. This is a requirement by city ordinance. You have a booth and a large camper setting in front of your house and you or your neighbor need fire or rescue. They have to park across the street to get to your house.
So we keep the whole festival in the downtown area. Ok, you’re a merchant on Perry St. and you are open on Friday and Saturday. Yes, you will get foot traffic and walk ins. But what about that handicapped person that parks in front of your store or the person that just don’t want to walk that distance to visit your shop. What about folks who have to park to visit the festival? Sure, it’s free parking in front of stores and businesses and side streets near downtown. But now people visiting the festival have parked in front of a business like Uncle Champ’s, Robbie’s, Craft Appliance.
They line the streets all around downtown in front of homes. Where are the customers going to park, where do the homeowners park or their visitors. The visitors to the festival have taken up all available parking for a three - four - five block radius. Now I don’t know if the Perry Street was blocked off downtown during the whole three days of the event or just during the parade. But I do know that if we lined that street with venders, campers and automobiles then there would be no where for visitors or customers to walk let alone park.
Ok let’s use McDonald Park or Ravine Park. It’s no longer downtown is it? Besides, there isn’t enough electrical hookups in these places. The Potawatomi Festival Committee has already spent money to provide adequate electricity down in the park by the river. Where is the money going to come from to redo this, if it were possible in the downtown area or in the parks near downtown? It was tried. The local electric company was asked for electrical hookups downtown - in the park. But they would not or could not leave these as permanent hookups. That means the Committee would have to pay every year to have temporary hookups installed. Or maybe the local merchants would just let these vendors "borrow" electricity from their stores. You think so? Then the sidewalks are blocked or with booths and campers.
Where I first moved down here, during the festival there was very little happening downtown. I have noticed an increase in downtown activity and participation these last couple of years. This year, there was an antique tractor show, a car show, a free kiddie tractor pull, a hoola hoop contest and the fireman’s water-ball in the downtown area. Seems to me that it is becoming more of a town-wide event rather than in just one place or another. Many merchants had their own vendors parking downtown.
On another note. The Potawatomi Committee charges a small fee for entrance to the park during the festival, $2.00 for adults and $1.00 for children and the very young are free. This helps to pay for the water and electricity that is used during the festival and the entertainment that is free on stage by the river. Other comments like the committee charges too much for vendor space. I have found that the fee is higher than some but lower than most.
And, if the vendor is willing to pay it then isn’t that between the vendor and the committee?
I have served on a lot of committees over the years. There are always those (not members of the committee) who "know a better way", but they don’t appear at the meetings and offer their advice or offer to work with the committee to incorporate their ideas. At least I have seen no one other than the hard working committee members at the meetings. The ones that are there year after year, some of them taking on 2-3 or more duties and doing them. This happens in every committee, there is no way to please everyone, but it sure is easy to displease a lot. I have listened to both sides of this argument for a few years now, and I just can’t see how a festival of this magnitude could be held downtown and serve the needs of the merchants and the residents. I just recently joined this committee (so I won’t presume to take credit for the success of this event.
I came on board at the tail end of the planningand the work effort), and I can tell you that these committee members take this festival seriously, they work hard (physically and mentally) to make it the best it can be. These are hard times, economically that we are living in and everyone is suffering financially one way or another, from some big businesses, to the local merchants, to residents all over the country. These festivals are done on mostly the donation of time and effort, these members make no money for devoting their time and energy to these local events every year and many of them go above and beyond what is expected of them.
I think we should be thanking them for their efforts instead of complaining about things that just can’t or won’t be changed. I’m sure in the beginning it was wonderful having a main event like the Potawatomi in the downtown area, but it due to many aspects it just outgrew those boundaries. It still brings folks into town and the local merchants are the ones to benefit. The campers need supplies, the need groceries, gas, medications, paper products, and many other items that are available in the area. Then there are the folks that come to the event, they stop for gas on their way in or out of town, the shop at the local IGA before going home or stop at a local restaurant, if they aren’t to full from all the food at the festival. These events bring a lot of commerce into the are for the time they are here.
Just last week West Lebanon held it’s Patriot Festival min the center of town, and already there are complaints about the main street being closed down for one whole afternoon, and parking and noise. You just can’t please everyone no matter how hard you try. If you start trying to please everyone then the next thing you know nothing gets done, and eventually the people trying to do ALL the doing suffers and massive burnout and then soon you have no event at all.
I know that many of you will disagree with me, but you are entitled to your opinion just like I am or anyone else. That is what makes this country so great. We can have opinions and express them without something like Gestapo knocking on our doors. It’s still a free country folks and complaining is part of who we are. But don’t you think those that work hard on these committees deserve an A for effort?
If you think you have a better idea of how things should work then I suggest you become more involved - My Daddy used to tell me, " you can’t make changes in things you don’t like by sitting on the outside, changes can only be made from the inside - out." He said to make a difference you have to become a part of the system, then and only then will your voice be heard. I have learned that this is a TRUE statement. Think About It!
Be Blessed
Willow
RECIPE
Japanese Miso Soup
Sauté pealed, sliced burdock in a little vegetable oil for 5 minutes. Add sliced onions and other vegetables such a bok choy and carrots. Add 1 cup re-hydrated hiziki or wakame seaweed to the vegetables, then stir in 1 ½ cups of water for every serving of soup, simmer, uncovered until the vegetables are tender. Combine two tablespoons of the soup liquid plus 1 heaping tablespoon o for each serving in a bowl and stir until miso dissolves remove the soup from the heat and stir in the dissolved miso. Serve hot.
According To Big Al
"Listen to what I mean... not what I say."
LOSS OF INTENT
When I was a young boy growing up in Wsconsin, my broithers and sisters and I always walked to school. When I was in the first grade, this meant walking a little over 3 miles (one way) over pretty bad road. This was especially tyrue in the spring of the year when the first frost came out. Consequently, 7ears were a little better, but we always had a minimum of 2 miles to walk.
Later on it was made a law that an7 child would not have to wallk more than 2 miles. In a small one room school this generally meant that the parents became responible and were paid for transporting thier children to school.
Still later when I was in the 7th grade there were seceal families with children that lived over 2 miles from schoo. Rather than have the parents responsible for transporting their children to school, it was decided by the local school board, that they would pay a bachelor to take care of this task.
When I moved to Chicago, the schools were much closer and everyone walked or was given bys passes. It is still that way today. When I started high school I was iven a student pass and used public transportation. When we moved to Calumet City, Illinois, again only the students that lived a distance away were provided a ride. Now, however, you ride a school bus, especially used for school children and professionally driven.
When my children started enteree school it was mandatory that they use the bus. The one school my children went to was about a block away, but they were mandated to ride the bus for about 45 minutes to get to school. You see, by this time the Federal Government was subsidinzing the bus program, and the more students, the more moinies.
You see, what started out as a good program, slopwly but surely turned into a "boondoggle". This os especially true of the government is envoled in it. Local things should be taken care of by local people and local monies. If a politician looks to the federal or state government amd amswers to them, he will not pay ,ucj attemtion to the local people, except to be elected.
The good amd welfare programs today fall into the same trap. Churches and organizations like the Red Cross used to take care of people who were destitute, now thanks to our politicians and government we can get on a government program and hold our heads high? IN the city, the biggest contributors to oir drug problem is the government abuses to give away programs like the food program and aid to unwed mothers.
The only thing we have to give up is our dignity and our individual rights. Slowly but surely, our rights are being taken away, one by one, and they all start with what seems to be honorable amd sensible intentions.
Look what happened to our gun laws. Where are our second ammendment rights? What is happening to our smoking laws? You are now considered a crimminal if you smoke.
The list goes on and on. Five the Federal Government more and more authority and you will lose one or more of your rights. (For your own good, of course! haha) In the eyes of the polititions, we are too stupid to think for ourseves - maybe they are right. Let's show them they are WRONG!
LOSS OF INTENT – Follow-up
This is a reprint of an article I wrote in Little Bit in September of 2004. I think the message is as important today as it was when I wrote it – maybe even more so especially in light of our political situation today and the mess our Federal Government has put us in with the promiscuous use of low income home financing to people whom should never have been given loans. But then how would these people in charge of these programs be able to justify the huge salaries and bonus's given to them to run such a program. Why aren't these people held accountable and prosecuted for these actions? I think it is high time people get off their butts and and demand a lot more from their politicians don't you? Sit down and think, and yes talk about what is going on today and get the lazy, dead, wood -do nothings out of office and push for more local control on things that affect each and every one of us. I believe it is high time that our representatives start representing us, not their own welfare, don't you?
Live On!
Big Al
Letter To the Editor:
Dear Editor:
I would like to thank a lot of people for all their help with the Potawatomi Festival.
The City Workers; for all they do to help us get the grounds ready. Harrison Steel, Neumayer Lumber, Attica Fire Dept., Attica Police Dept., Attica High School FFA, the sponsors of the Kiddie Tractor Pull. Bill Craft and staff for putting on the Car Show.
GretaBrown for organizing the Karaoke Contest, Karmen Freeman and Kim Phillips for organizing the Baby Contest. Donna Sullivan of Willow Enterprises/A Little Bit News for all her help with advertising the festival, Irene Harmeson for all her hard work on the flower beds at the festival grounds and helping with anything that needed to be done. We wouldn't have this festival without her.
Rocky Rothrock for his help every year, Cindy Mendoza and staff for parking cars. Cindy Brown and family for keeping the restrooms clean and all the other work they did. Bonnie Ruskin for all she does every year, working with the flea market. Sandy Sundt for all she does and taking care of the food court. To Bobby Schriber for making sure the stage is set up for us every year, as well as all the other work he does. Raleigh Molden, Charles DeSutter, and Don Opperman for their help every year. Dianna Molden for getting all the volunteers to help at the gate every year and all her other help. To all the people who worked at the gate. Linda Brown, for putting the Gospel Show together every year. Donna Brier for organizing the Jogawatomi Walk, Dianne Hysong for the Heritage Crafts, Fred Evans for Home Improvement and Treasurer, Stelia VanDamel, Secretary, Harold VanDame for making sure we have electric and water and cleaning up the trash. For all the help we get from other people, to numerous to mention . Everyone did a great job. We couldn't have the Festival without all the help and hard work from all these people every year.
Thanks to Everyone,
Dema Freeman
Potawatomi Festival Committee Member
Head of Entertainment
Willows Garden
By: Willow
Nature never did betray the heart that loved her. Wm. Wordsworth
BURDOCK
Burdock is also known as Beggar’s Buttons, and Coltbur. It is credited by the Hawaiians known there by its Japanese name gobo, with the ability to increase strength and endurance. Hawaiians who need stamina to perform some arduous task have been known to repeat the popular expression, "I need gobo." The Burdock is a sturdy plant, its Latin name Actium derives from the Greek work meaning "bear," is found in many countries all over the world. Various cultures have discovered its versatility in culinary as well as medicinal.
The burdock plant is alternately despised as a troublesome wee
d and sought out as a cherished healing herb. As far as troublesome is concerned it not only can take over a garden when introduced, but when you dog comes home with the little hitchhikers tangled in their fur, it is a real problem untangling them. It was introduced into North America by early European settlers, it grows along roadsides, in ditches, hedgerows, and waste places throughout most of the United States and Canada. It also grows in Asia, and particularly Japan where it is cultivated as a healing plant.
This is a biennial plant with long dull green stalks and large, up to 12 inches long, oval leaves with many veins. The leaf resembles rhubarb because of their size, shape and wavy edges and the underside is gray, covered with a fine down. The stalks and leaves are usually stripped with purple patterns. In it’s second year of growth, fuzzy looking purple blossoms top the thick seed stalks that can grow up to 3 feet high. Those pesty little hitchhikers, the burs, follow the flowers. These burs are covered with bristly stickers that make them stick like Velcro. The plant sends down a long thick taproot, which is the part that is used medicinally.
To plant burdock, though I can’t imagine why anyone would see the need to since they are so easy to identify and grow so prolifically in this area, set seeds ¼ inch deep in rows that are about 2 feet apart. When the seedlings establish, thin them to about 6 inches apart. The plant thrives in a deep bed of well-rotted compost, manure, sawdust, leaf mold, wood chips, and other light loose material. Sawdust is an especially good addition to the bed because it increases porosity and makes it easier to pull up the roots. Fine would chips would also help. If the bed is too shallow or not porous enough, the roots well are very difficult to dig up, since they grow to over 12 inches long. A thin spade or posthole digger can help unearth stubborn roots.
For medicinal reasons, treat the burdock as an annual by harvesting its roots at the end of the growing season in the plants first year of growth.
Follow the drying procedure I have given in the past for the drying of roots. The leftover tops make an excellent mulch and compost ingredient.
In China and Japan the burdock root is not only consumed because of its excellent taste but also for its strengthening and nutritive qualities. The fresh root is skinned and sliced into thin rounds and added to soups, vegetables, stir-fries, and meat dishes. A rich tasting miso broth, fortified with sea and land vegetables, including burdock is a classic Japanese soup. To make this simple soup see this weeks recipe. The nutritional benefits of burdock and those of the seaweed which contain 10 to 20 percent more minerals than land plants make this a very healthy soup.
Europeans and Americans alike enjoy the leaves and stalks of the burdock as a vegetable. You can gather the tender young leaves of the first year burdock in early spring. Blanch them in water, and use them as a salad vegetable. Peed and served in a salad or cooked like asparagus, the young leaf stalks also make a good savory vegetable dish. When the plants reach their second year of growth the immature flowers stalks can be peeled to yield a tasty pith. Remove all parts of the outer rind and cook this pith like the roots.
In addition to its culinary uses, burdock has some long-standing medicinal applications. Burdock leaf poultices have been used for centuries to treat gout in Europe and China. In Chinese medicine, the seedpod is dried and used for colds and coughs, swelling of the throat, boils and measles. Both the European and Chinese herbalists have long considered burdock roots lightly warming, moistening effect an excellent tonic for the lungs and liver, and a good blood purifier. When the leaves are used in an infusion or a decoction of the root, it is traditionally used as a wash for various skin problems, including ringworm, acne, measles rash, and burns. This sturdy plant the Burdock’s nourishing and healing properties make it a very valuable plant.
Be Blessed
Willow
TOWN CRIER
Your Community Events
WEST LEBANON -Community Clothing Room - Free Clothing. Nazarene Church 503 High Janet Booth 893-4989 Margo White - 762-6319.
WARREN COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: - meets the second Tuesday of every month at the Warren County LEDO office in Williamsport at 4:00pm. For more information call Jamie White at 762-6055. chamber@warrenadvantage.com
VEEDERSBURG - Food Pantry Operation Ministries (Church of God Ministry Center), 702 W. Second t. (765)294-5740. Food Pantry and Thrift Store Hours - Thursday & Friday 2-6 pm, Saturday, 9 - noon.
Fountain/Warren County - Fountain/Warren Co. VFW hold Bingo every Friday at 7pm., and AYCE Fish and Chicken Fry the 2nd Friday of each month from 4:30 - 6:30.
COVINGTON - Fountain County Clerks Building/Museum - Open May 1 until the last Saturday of October. Open 1:00 - 4:30
Special arrangements for special program can be made. Call Carol Freese 765-793-2710
Please join the Chamber of Commerce for
BUSINESS AFTER HOURS
and meet the Learning Center's new director, Lisa Cruea. Tour the Learning
Center and see what classes are coming up in this beautiful facility.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008 5-6 p.m.
Refreshments will be served
Warren County Learning Center
QUESTIONS? Call Jami White, Chamber Coordinator, at 765-585-6906
CRYTOQUOTE
RVZTLFR
EXAMPLE
To sale the puzzle, one letter stands for another. Aas in the word "EXAMPLE" above "R" stands for "E". Sentence structure and grammar rules and sentence structure are another clue.
XNRBR ZQ MJ TZPZX XJ XNR VPJHMX JG
SJJK XNVX DRJDTR WVM VWWJPDTZQ,
VWWJPDTZQN, ZG XNRC KJM’X WVBR FNJ
SRXQ XNR WBRKZX. - VMJMCPJHQ
Last Weeks Answer
For an impenetrable shield, stand inside yourself. - Henry David Thoreau
Here's a tip on this weeks puzzle: Z = I
