50 years ago
May 22, 1974
— GROUND BREAKING FOR FASCO TUESDAY
Officials of FASCO, Industries, Inc. the City of Cassville, Chamber of Commerce and Industrial Development Corp., have jointly announced ground breaking ceremonies next Tuesday, May 28 for the new company manufacturing facility here. The announcements came shortly after election results were tabulated in Tuesday’s election. Representing FASCO will be R. W. Gysel, vice president, motor division; Peter Weis, vice president, Missouri motor division; Morris Castleberry of the Ozark plant, who will be the Cassville superintendent, and Mike Prueter, sales manager. The groundbreaking will begin at 5 p.m. at the plant site on the Sales Parn Road here. The public is invited to attend. A short program will be held at the site, with a music unit from the Cassville schools. Representing local interests will be Mayor Bill LeCompte, Bob Mitchell, C of C president, Bill Wiley, IDC chairman and Joe Ellis, IDC attorney. Representing the Missouri Division of Commerce and Industrial Development, which was most helpful in several stages of planning, will be Don Estell, industrial development specialist.
— FULL AMBULANCE SERVICE AWAITS COURT DECISIONS
The Barry County Court left ambulance service to this area in a state of limbo last week during a meeting with officials of the South Barry County Emergency Rescue Corporation. The district, established in a vote one week ago among 12 townships of south Barry County, will be without a governing board of directors until August. Court attitude was not to appoint an interim board before the regular primary election. At this time the decision can be made without extra costs, at first estimated at $2,500 by the court. While the ambulance district law does not say the court can appoint a board until the election, it does not say they must wait the additional 90 days from now. Representing the not-for-profit corporation at the meeting, Don Grant, Steve Burch and Bob Mitchell, requested the court put the district into operation by making temporary appointments. None of the three members Roscoe Eden, Walter Cooper or Emil Schad would consent to such action. County Clerk Chester Snider said his office has tentatively computed the six director districts for the ambulance service area, as nearly as possible on population lines. This would include the following, including population figures: Ash 529 and Washburn 735, 1264; Butterfield 484 and Exeter 993, 1477; Flat Creeks would be two, rural and city, 3,261; Jenkins 306, Mineral 631, Mountain 133, Shell Knob 230 and White River Two 300, 1,600; Sugar Creek 815, Roaring River 380 and White River One 300, 1495. Voters of the 12 townships recently gave an 80 percent approval to formation of the district. The vote was 795 in favor and 152 against in balloting May 14. Decisions that will await the board include an operator of the service, setting of rates, acquiring equipment and reimbursement of the present services for costs involved in establishing the district. Formation of the district received clearcut majorities in nine of the townships involved. One had a tie, one voted no on the issue and another gave a single vote plurality to the idea. Carried with the formation was a 15c per $100 assessed valuation tax levy to assist in financing the district. Officials of the current ambulance service plan further sessions with the court between now and filing deadlines for the prospective board candidates to assist with an orderly transition of the service. The court did take action in their session this week opening the filing of prospective candidates for the board. Snider’s office will accept filings from this time until the pending election. Board candidates can file for staggered terms representing the district in which they reside.
— ORCHARDS APPROVED
John Vollenweider of Vollenweider Orchards between Cassville and Exeter, has been approved by the SMSU board of regents as a consultation team member to evaluate the agricultural program of the Mt. Grove fruit experiment station. The team, consisting of college representatives from the University of Arkansas, Southern Illinois University and Ohio Agricultural Research, is scheduled to meet June 10-11.
— COURT’S JAIL PROJECT NOW UNDER CONTRACT
The Dick Ruestman Construction Company of Joplin, apparent low bidder, has been awarded the contract to build the new Barry County jail. Reustman’s bid was $74,730, for the jail, which will be located on East Street in Cassville between Fifth and Sixth. The present jail was constructed in 1908. The contract for jail equipment was awarded to T. J. Tysdal, Inc. of St. Louis. Tysdals bid was $20,120. Architects for the job are Hood-Rich Architects and Consulting Engineers of Springfield. Cost of their work is $5,691. Total cost of the project thus far is $100,541 and will be paid through Revenue Sharing funds. The new building will include eight cells, plus juvenile and female detention areas, office space, a dispatcher area, evidence and weapons storage space, kitchen, fingerprint and file room, visiting booth, and interrogation room. Although it is known the county court has approached some individuals concerning the possible sale of the present jail site, no official announcements have been made regarding disposal of the property. With the exception of minor refurbishing projects at the courthouse and salary adjustments, virtually all the county’s Federal Revenue Sharing funds have been earmarked for the jail project. Administering the project the three-member court includes: Presiding Judge Roscoe Eden, Southern Judge Walter Cooper and Northern Judge Emil Schad. The lot purchased for the new jail is two blocks south of the present site and was purchased from Mr. and Mrs. Bill Edmondson. The front of the jail will face the parking lot of the First National Bank. The masonry building is expected to be ready for use by Sheriff Vernon Still and his staff by this fall. Initial ground work on the project commenced Tuesday with the removal of trees at the site.
40 years ago
May 23, 1984
— WORLD’S FAIR FEATURES WELLS GLASS DOOR UNITS
The 1984 World’s Fair at New Orleans has a feature that includes aluminum sliding glass doors made by Wells Aluminum, Inc. in their Cassville plant. The units were selected as a participant in what fair officials say will prove one of the most popular exhibits of the fair. Located just inside the south gate, the Energy Saving House is a cooperative exhibit to show the world’s foremost products for better living. Elvin Kime, plant manager, said the madein- Cassville M-2000 commercial energy saving six foot by six-tight units, and every product exhibited in the structure Were carefully chosen by a World’s Fair Product Review Board specially com- missioned for the project. Only a select group of companies was considered, and only one company for each pre-determined category was invited to participate. Wells, a subsidiary of Revere Copper and Brass, Inc., has been in Cassville since 1973. The local plant produces in excess of 70,000 of the units for both residential and commercial installation annually. Present employment is 40 persons. The company also operates an extrusion and manufacturing facility in Monett. The 1984 Energy Saving House is a 7,400 square foot facility that is educational, entertaining and fun. The three-level structure features exhibits which are an integral part of the whole plan, such as insulation, windows, doors, ventilation equipment, roofing, siding and fireplaces, as well as building materials and techniques. Cutaway sections of the walls, roof, ceiling, floor, etc., show these products and materials in detail. Wells officials said the exhibit is not a “dream home,” but a practical, innovative solution to energy conservation. Every product, every innovation, every suggestion presented, they say, can be used in your own home today. Wells and the parent company have headquarters in South Bend, Ind. Manufacturing facilities are also operated in Michigan, South Carolina, Georgia and elsewhere in Indiana. Wells began operations 11 years ago in facilities provided for the firm at a West 11th Street location here. Growth later necessitated constructing a new facility on Sales Barn Road. The present industrial plant, containing 38,000 square feet, is leased from the Cassville Industrial Development Corporation.
— PAVING COMPANY ADDS EQUIPMENT
Hutchens and Son Paving Co. of Cassville has installed a new 120 ton-per-hour drum asphalt mix plant at their quarry operation east of Purdy. The equipment, computer controlled, is approved for all types government paving contracts. Evan and Phil Hutchens, operators of the firm, said the equipment was purchased from Wayne Boyd of Asphalt Drum Mixers, Inc. in Indiana. Initial work with the equipment included full filling some of the company’s paving operations in Cassville. Phil Hutchens said the modern plant included equipment to pass standards of the Environmental Protection Agency. Blending of oil and aggregate and temperature control is accomplished by programmable controllers. Mix is stored in a 40-ton silo for loading onto trucks for transportation to the job site. Hutchens said the equipment would increase the firm’s production and quality capabilities.
30 years ago
May 11, 1994
— THEY WATCHED ECLIPSE
Some followed recommended procedures, others used welding helmets, exposed film or simply their sunglasses, but most Cassville observers to Tuesday’s annular eclipse used the paperpin hole method to view the event. Cassville got clear skies for the process that went through late morning. There was only limited activity on the R-4 schools campus where there was an apparent concern about youngsters looking up into the sun with resulting eye damage. A number of viewers around the public square, adults in type, were using exposed film and even welding helmets, neither of which were on the approved list for viewing. Others took the opportunity to use a piece of paper in which a pinhole had been punched and then projected the progress of the moon suspending the sun’s act on the sidewalk in front of passing spectators. The process took about sixty minutes to complete and won’t be back this way for another 20-30 years. First graders in Sue Cavness’ class got a special thrill out of a projection on paper. Cassville happened to be within a 150-mile wide swath across the country which was able to see the eclipse. The band stretched from Arizona in a northeast direction to Maine. The southwest Missouri position was rated as a front row view of the event by astronomy professor George Wolf of Southwest Missouri State University. During the process, about 90 percent of the sun was covered, the remaining sunlight forming a ring of fire, or annulus around it. In past eclipse situations, the process has been photographed by the Cassville Democrat, but that staff member is no longer present. Bo James of Cassville reminded the staff of past photographic activities along these lines while the eclipse was in progress.
— $1.8 MILLION CITY BUDGET FISCAL ‘95
Cassville city council’s public hearing on a fiscal year 1995 budget calls for total expenditures of just over $1.8 million according to council minutes. The figures represent $1,049,915 in general revenue and $822,750 in water-sewer funds. An in-black budget resulted in council action, showing $771,150 revenue in general revenue with an anticipated balance of $625,000 available. Water and sewer revenues are set at $638,625 showing an available balance of $120,000. Most significant of the new budget items is $340,000 proposed for a street program late this summer. Also outside the usual expenditure status is chlorination of water systems, anticipated to cost $50,000.
