The Daily Journal from Franklin, Indiana • Page 1

i 1 ii lid 15' Vol. 11, No. 226 Franklin Greenwood, Indiana, Thursday, April 18, 1974 i 1 1 1 mm. i T' 1 7 I 1 ll 'vl III ml 'N 1 -I driver was detained near the scene because of fire hoses stretched across the street. The ambulance was not on an emergency run.

(Daily Journal photos by Terry Anderson and Bob Neal) -4 6aae at an old barn located behind property in the 800 block of West Jefferton street in Franklin touched off a traffic jam between U.S. 31 and the Johnson County Memorial Hospital. The barn was located behind the Ronald Mundy residence at 844 West Jefferson street. In right photo, an A-l Ambulance Franklin barn fire results in renewed pleas for development of alternate hospital route Once again the lack of an alternate route to the Johnson County Memorial Hospital has jeopardized the safety of the community. Again the problem has been set forth for community leaders.

For a large section of Johnson county residents there is only one immediate, route to the hospital State Road 44 running west from U.S. 31. About noon Wednesday a barn fire on that State Road 44 route (West Jefferson street) blocked traffic and made the road almost impassable. As Johnson county Health Officer Dr. William Province stated, "for 20 years we've been needing an alternate route to the hospital.

The situation there could be very disastrous." Franklin Mayor Ed Vandivier noted further, "This is just an example of what could happen. The disaster is just ready to happen there." For many years this newspaper and various spokesmen for the community have been pointing out again and again the critical need for an alternate route. '5 It is not just the problem of the city of Franklin; but one that involves rural residents and those of surrounding communities. When will elected officials get together to finally act on an alternative route? What disaster will be needed to stimulate the slow-moving local governments into unity and action? What tragedy will we be reporting next time? The questions continue to go unanswered. street and parked behind the house.

However, fire hoses' were placed across the street to a hydrant on the north side of West Jefferson. "This is just an example of what could happen," Franklin Mayor F. Edward Vandivier said following the fire. "The disaster is just ready to happen there," he added. "For 20 years we've been needing an alternate route to the hospital," Dr.

Province observed. "The situation there could be very disastrous." Province revealed that he had recently written a letter to the Franklin Chamber of Commerce committee on traffic and thoroughfares stressing the need for an alternate route. Province is an officer of the Johnson County Board of Health, president of Comprehensive Health Planning and medical director of Johnson County Civil Defense. WiUwirr E. Rupp, chairman of the Chamber's traffic and thoroughfare committee, agreed that the fire brought out a ''very critical situation." Rupp the chamber has been considering the alternate route for "at least four years." The committee chairman added that his group has recently met "informally" with city and county officials to discuss the possibility of a new route.

The committee is still gathering information concerning a new route and will not act in an official capacity until "sufficient information is gathered," he said. Rupp said the need for a "new route to the west" would hinge around not only the hospital but traffic problems caused by the proposed Franklin Community Middle School and the Turtle Creek Convalescent Center, each scheduled to be constructed at the intersection of State Roads 44 and 144. While Rupp said the committee has "no recommendations to make at this point," he hoped that the Chamber could "make a move quite soon." "I think we need to sit down and get this thing settled once and for all," Mayor Vandivier said. "We're willing to do anything in our power to do this, but it's got to be a cooperative effort between the city and the county," he said. While discussing the fire and the dilemma over an alternate route, Johnson County Commissioner Glen Sanders today said, "I've been arguing for an alternate route for many years.

But the location of the route has always been the problem. Everybody wants another route, but everybody has a different opinion about where it should be located." Vandivier noted that the problem of an alternate route is compounded by the fact that the hospital is not within the city limits of Franklin. He estimated a new route exiting north of the fairgrounds and connecting at the State Roads 44 and 144 intersection would cost "between $65,000 and $70,000." "I hate to see someone die before we get something done," the mayor added. t. ik By BOB NEAL Journal Staff Writer The need for an alternate emergency route to the Johnson County Memorial Hospital was pointed out Wednesday when a barn fire in Franklin resulted in a traffic tie-up on West Jefferson street near the hospital.

Hospital officials, civic leaders, doctors and policemen agreed that the incident displayed the need for establishing an alternate route to the hospital. The fire destroyed a barn at the rear of the Ronald Mundy residence at 884 West Jefferson street. The noon fire resulted in traffic congestion and blockage of the street between U.S. 31 and the hospital for about one and one-half hours Wednesday. The blockage was compounded by the noontime traffic on West Jefferson and by slght-seerg whose curiosity resulted in the blockage of the street to fire trucks.

At least one emergency patient had difficulty reaching the hospital, according to Dr. William Province. Province said a patient from Greenwood suffered heart failure prior to the fire and was brought by his wife to Dr. Province's office on North Main street. "Luckily, his wife knew the county roads and was able to drive around the blockage," Province said.

An A-l ambulance, which transported a heart attack victim to the hospital was forced to remain at the hospital because of the blockage. A-l's second ambulance was "on station" and was available for call during the blockage, a spokesman said. Franklin police and sheriff's deputies assisting in the traffic control agreed that in case of an emergency an ambulance could have made it through to the hospital. "We were lucky this time," a policeman said. "If that fire had been in a house along the street, there would have been a fire truck right in the middle of the street." The fire was confined to the barn behind the Mundy residence, allowing fire equipment to be removed from the J.

S'n Jte; Hi I I i i'T ''-) if ill ilf mi i immmJL- Serving up politics A number of candidates appeared on the political scene Wednesday night during party gatherings at Franklin and Greenwood. In left photo, Democratic primary sheriffs candidate Tom Pritchard serves punch in the Franklin City Building to Mrs. Betty Sheek, left, primary candidate for Johnson Circuit Court clerk, and Mrs. Olive Goodlive, unopposed primary candidate for county recorder. In photo above, three of the four Republican county sheriffs candidates gather around the coffee table in Greenwood.

The candidates are, from left, Charles Henderson, incumbent sheriff John W. Means and former county sheriff Arthur (Red) Worrick. Motorist leaves scene of mishap in Greenwood A New Whiteland man was seriously injured in Greenwood Wednesday night in a four-car crash, allegedly caused by an intoxicated motorist who fled the scene on foot. Harold E. Furr, 40, 1042 Warwick road, New Whiteland, was listed in "fair" condition this morning by officials at St.

Francis Hospital in Beech Grove. The crash occurred at the intersection of U.S. 31 and County Line road at approximately 11:18 p.m., police said. Reports indicate that Furr was stopped with at least two other vehicles at the intersection when the 1973 Oldsmobile, driven by the unidentified man, crashed into the rear of Furr's Corvair. The impact of the collision forced Furr's vehicle into the rear of a 1973 Nova driven by Joseph M.

Weddle, 23, Indianapolis, and then into a car driven by John G. Reiva, 43, Indianapolis. Weddle reported he may have suffered a back injury in the accident, but was not hospitalized. Police reported the Oldsmobile also crashed into the Weddle vehicle before the four cars came to rest in the middle of the intersection. The still-unidentified driver of the Oldsmobile "staggered across the street and ran into a field," according to Weddle.

All available Greenwood police units, including the K-9 unit, and three cars from the Marion county sheriff's department were called to search for the fugitive. The Marion county sheriff's helicopter was also called to search for the man in the area immediately north of County Line road. The search was called off approximately two hours after the accident. Police said the Oldsmobile was registered to Janet M. Baldridge, Warsaw, and had not been reported stolen.

Greenwood police were reportedly attempting to contact the Baldridge woman this morning in an attempt to learn the identity of the motorist. Weddle, who along with his wife and their one-year-old daughter Amy, were in the second car struck, said he heard the Oldsmobile "coming up from behind with tires squealing." "I could hear those tires squealing for the longest time," he added. Police said the Oldsmobile skidded 30 feet before crashing into Furr's vehicle. r. Questions candidacy of 17-year-old opponent Coridit files suit against county election board Noting that publicity about Griffin's appointment to the Justice of the Peace office in February could prejudice the case in Johnson county, Strodtman said Thursday that they will probably seek a change of venue.

The members of the election board named in the suit are Merrill G. Oaks. Edward Koehrn and Frances Melton, clerk. Condit, 44, is vice president of Frazier Engineering in Southport and in charge of the marketing division. He moved to Johnson county approximately one year ago.

Griffin, 17, was appointed Justice of the Peace for White River township in February by the county commissioners and later received his commission from Gov. Bowen. He is the youngest appointed official in the history of the state. The suit, which focuses on the right of a registered voter to seek election for a state office before his 21st birthday, places the courts in the position to make a state-wide precedent-setting decision. By TERRY ANDERSON Journal Staff Writer Robert W.

Condit, a candidate for Justice of the Peace in White River township, filed suit Wednesday in Johnson Superior Court against the Johnson County Election Board. Condit charged that the election board was violating the law when they registered Marc L. Griffin as a candidate in the May primary. Condit and Griffin are GOP opponents in the upcoming primary to be held May 6. Condit cited an official opinion issued recently by Attorney General Theodore Sendak In his suit.

Condit In his suit warned, "If the court does not order the Election Board of Johnson county to remedy its action in allowing such under age person to seek such elective office, then the elective process will be reduced to a mere sham in violation of the spirit, if not the letter of the law." Noting the nearness of the May primary, Condit instructed his lawyer, Thomas Strodtman of Indianapolis, to seek a swift decision from the courts. The suit rests heavily on the idea that "the Attorney General's opinion is generally accepted as the law until a judicial opinion is given." The suit notes that the election board approved Griffin's filing on March 25, six days after Sendak sent his "official opinion" to Governor Otis Bowen. Inside today: News of interest to Johnson county business community, page 2. Stans denies helping Vesco during testimony in conspiracy trial, page 3. Judicial committee means business in demanding Nixon tapes, page 6...