Timeline From The Past: Train Derailment, Maple Leaf Farms
From the Files of the Kosciusko County Historical Society
Editor’s note: This is a retrospective article that runs a few times a month on InkFreeNews.
Sept. 10, 1968 — The derailment of a Norfolk and Western freight train in South Whitley early today caused the temporary evacuation of residents when it was feared that the train carried poisonous chemicals and high explosives.
The 34-car derailment at 2:10 a.m. in the main section of town brought police and firemen to the scene.
Sept. 12, 1967 — Maple Leaf Farms Inc., today the nation’s second largest producer and processor of ducklings, is between Milford and Leesburg, near Dewart Lake.
Maple Leaf Farms was started in 1958 by Don Wentzel and Miles Igo. In the first year of operations, 300,000 ducklings were produced for markets in the Midwest. This 10th year of operations will produce 1.5 million ducklings, or 20 percent of total national ducklings production.
Sept. 17, 1964 — Hobart Creighton and Mrs. Fred (Lucy) McKown Sr. today hold the title of Warsaw’s 1964 “Man and Woman of the Year” bestowed upon them last night at the 53rd annual dinner meeting of the Chamber of Commerce.
– Compiled by InkFreeNews reporter Lasca Randels