BLUFFTON NEWS
The Advertising Medium for
Bluffton Trade' Territory
VOLUME NO. LXIH
INVESTIGATE FIRE
PROTECTION HERE
Bluffton Council Plans to
Scrutinize Set-up This
Spring
Conference Started by Council
Committee Expect to
Make Tests
The matter of general overhauling
of the present fire protection set-up
will be under direction of the coun
cil’s fire and light committee con
sisting of Armin Hauenstein and
E. W. Basinger.
Fire Protection Program
Results from the conference
tests are expected to form the basis
for a program of fire protection for
the municipality to be pushed by
the council.
1
present
be the
investi-
Whether Bluffton has at
.adequate fire protection will
subject of a thorough-going
gation by the town council this
spring, according to plans now be
ing made.
Scope of the investigation, it is
understood will include the entire
present fire-fighting equipment, best
practices in its use, the question of
water supply and pressure and re
commendations for improvement
looking toward a strengthening of
the town’s protection against fire.
Dr.
Conferences Under Way
Preliminary conferences on
matter have already been held
Fire Chief Guy Corson. Other meet
ings in the future will be arranged
with the Board of Public Affairs in
charge of the municipal electric light
and waterworks plant which fur
nishes water for fire fighting.
the
with
With the opening of spring weath
er tests in various parts of town
will be made to determine the ade
quacy of present fire fighting fa
cilities,
from street
as nearly
which would
with a fire.
Plans are to run hose lines
hydrants and duplicate
as
be
possible conditions
met in actual coping
tests special atten-
During these
tion will be given to the matter of
a sufficient water supply and pres
sure. It is possible that a repre
sentative of the State Board of
Underwriters may be invited
to participate in the tests.
Fire
here
and
Action of the council in investi
gating fire protection here followed
the presentation of a petition sev
eral weeks ago from residents of
Bentley road, asking better fire pro
tection.
The petition brought to a head
the matter of fire protection for out
lying districts within the corporate
limits which residents of these
lions claim is inadequate.
sec-
Mrs. Henry Gratz
Funeral Saturday
Funeral services for Mrs. Henry
Gratz, residing three miles south
west of Bluffton were held in
Emmanuel’s Reformed church of
which she was a member, Saturday
afternoon. Rev. W. H. Lahr of Ada
a former pastor, and Rev. Emil Bur
richter present pastor of the church
officiated.
Mrs. Gratz died in Toledo hos
pital, Thursday morning, aged sixty
nine years, eleven months and
twenty-two days. She had been ill
for seven years. Following the fun
eral services, interment was made
in the church cemetery.
She is survived by her husband
one son Levi Gratz of Quincy, Flor
ida two daughters, Mrs. Lena Cox
and Miss Helen Gratz, both at home
five brothers, John and Adolph Bad
ertscher of Bluffton Gideon of Ft.
Wayne Jacob of Bloomington, Ind.,
and Peter of Lafayette. Also sur
viving is one sister, Mrs. Peter Mat
ter, of Bluffton.
Tax Collectors
Here March 9, 10
Deputies from the office of County
Treasurer Byron H. Dershem will be
in Bluffton on Thursday and Friday,
March 9 and 10, it was announced
last week.
They will have quarters in the
Citizens bank during their two-day
stop here to assist in listing personal
and classified taxes, and to collect
personal, classified and real estate
taxes.
SACRED CONCERT
The Bluffton College Vesper choir
will appear in a sacred concert at
the Ebenezer Mennonite church west
of Bluffton, Sunday night at 8
o’clock. The choir is directed by
Prof. R. A. Lantz, of the college
conservatory.
One Horse Open
Sleigh Is Going
Modern Nowdays
gpHEY have even streamlined
the old one-horse open
sleigh—and left off the horse.
Old-timers could scarcely be
lieve their eyes last Sunday
afternoon after the heavy snow
fall when some of the gay
young blades were joy-riding
up and down Main street
old fashioned open sleigh
ed onto the rear bumper
auto.
New
Used Beginning March 10
Deadline April 1
Robert Lewis New Bluffton
Distributor: Headquarters
At Steiner Garage
Same Letters
The Bluffton has received 1,350
sets of tags for passenger cars.
These bear YT and YU letters, the
same as those now in use.
ing of the tags for local
tion begins at 51 YT and
1000, then changes to YU.
First Church In Richland
Township Was Built In 1840
in an
hitch
of an
And so times change.
AUTO TAGS GO
ON SALE HERE
License Plates May be
to
Sale of auto tags scheduled
start in Bluffton, Wednesday morn
ing was delayed temporarily when
the license plates failed to arrive
here, it was announced by Robert
Lewis, local deputy registrar in
charge of distribution.
Lewis stated that he had been
in communication with state head
quarters in regard to the non-ar
rival and delivery of the tags is
pected by Wednesday night.
ex
of
by
Headquarters for the sale
license plates will be maintained
Lewis in the Steiner Chevrolet
Sales room on North Main street.
New tags may be used by motor
ists any time beginning March 10,
and all autos in operation must have
the 1939 license plates by April 1.
Number
distribu-
goes to
This year’s tags are blue and
white in color. Plates bearing two
numerals are 10 inches in length,
and those with three numerals are
12 inches long.
Application for truck and trailer
licenses also can be made thru
Lewis, but the tags are forwarded
directly from Columbus, it was an
nounced.
Lay Covers For 100
At Father-Son Dinner
An attendance of one hundred is
anticipated at the annual Father
Son dinner of the Bluffton Masonic
order to be held in the lodge dining
room this Wednesday night, it is an
nounced by Harold Kennedy, master
of the lodge. The dinner will be at
6:30 o’clock.
Speaker for the evening will be
Rev. C. C. Shedd, pastor of the First
Methodist church in Findlay. He
will speak on the subject “George
Washington as a Man and Mason”.
Rev. Shedd ranks high in masonic
circles and has held important state
offices in the order.
Hand Is Burned As
Blow Torch Flares
Wendell Duffman, 21, suffered
painful burns on his left hand when
a gasoline blow torch which he was
using at the Steiner Chevrolet
garage flared Monday afternoon.
Duffman was engaged in making
adjustments to the torch when the
accident occurred. His jumper jack
et caught fire and was pulled off
with the assistance of garage em
ployes.
He is the son of Merl Duffman of
North Main street. His burns are
not expected to prove serious.
SPEAKS AT PERRYSBURG
in
“The Social Aspect of Music
Home and Community” was the
subject of an address by Prof. Sid
ney Hauenstein who spoke before
the Parent-Teacher association at
Perrysburg, Tuesday night. The
speaker is instructor in instrumen
tal music at Bluffton college and
Bluffton high school.
Myron Gerber, Bluffton college
graduate has been instructor in
public school music at Perrysburg
for the past nine years.
Swiss Mennonites Erect Small
Structure Fashioned from
Hewn Timbers
Church Built South of Town
by Reformed Congregation
About 1860
The Bluffton News presents
the twenty-sixth installment of
the “Centennial Series" dealing
with early Bluffton history and
published in commemoration of
the one hundredth anniversary
of
Bluffton's founding.—Editor.
1840, seven years after the
settlers entered the township,
first church in Richland was
In
first
the
built,
all the denominations represented in
the township held Sunday services
in the cabins of one of their mem
bers. This
end, as well
township.
Before that the pioneers of
was true of the south
as the north end of the
church was built by the
This first
Swiss Mennonite people, and was
located on the David Neuenschwand
er farm. It measured 30 by 40
feet, and was made from
(Continued on page 8)
hewn
High School Coach
Married At Lima
Dwight L. Diller, Bluffton high
school instructor and athletic coach
and Miss Hanna Wilkins were mar
ried Saturday morning at 10:30
o’clock at the home of Mr. and Mrs.
I. A. Zay in Lima uncle and aunt
of the
sided.
bride, with whom she re-
per
the
marriage service was
in the living room by
The
formed
Rev. S. M. Davidian, pastor of the
Central Church of Christ, before the
fireplace which was banked with
huskleberry blossoms and white
flowers, and lighted with cathedral
candles in wrought-iron candelbra.
The bride, who was given in mar
riage by her uncle, wore a teal blue
crepe afternoon frock made
simple lines, and her flowers
a corsage of bride’s roses
freesia.
along
were
and
Betty
The maid of honor, Miss
Solt, of Findlay, wore a
shade crepe street-length dress, and
her flowers were a corsage of Johan
na Hill roses. Lamont Diller, bro
ther of the bridegroom, was the best
man.
Members of the immediate families
witnessed the ceremony and attend
ed a breakfast immediately following
the service. An all white effect was
used at the table which was cen
tered with a gaily decorated wed
ding cake garlanded wdth white
flowers. Tall white tapers lighted
the table, while place cards and
favors were in keeping.
Mr. and Mrs. Diller left for a
week end wedding trip, the bride
wearing for traveling a brown and
gold ensemble with browm accessor
ies. They arrived in Bluffton the
first of the week and are occupying
an apartment at the R. K. Cooney
home on South Main street.
Mrs. Diller, who is the daughter
of Mrs. Marion Warren, of Findlay,
has been employed in the offices of
Dr. H. M. Crawford, Lima dentist,
for the past three years. Mr. Diller,
the son of Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Dil
ler, of this place, is a graduate of
Bluffton high school and Central
Missouri State
Warrensburg, Mo., and is coach
physical educational director
Bluffton high school.
Teachers college,
and
at
Husband Of Local
Girl Gets State Job
Bluffton people will be interested
in the appointment of John Robert
Jones, 30, Columbus attorney, to the
position of secretary of the state
public utilities commission.
Jones’ wife is the former Lucille
Balmer,
Andrew
ton.
daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Balmer residing near Bluff-
was appointed to the secre-
Jones
tarial post last week by Governor
John Bricker. Jones is a graduate
of the law college of Ohio State
university and secretary of the
Franklin county Republican executive
and central committees.
Lima Pastor Will
Speak At Vespers
Rev. EaH Rowe, pastor of Trinity
Methodist church, Lima, will speak
at the Bluffton college vesper service,
Sunday afternoon at 3 o’clock. Spe
cial music will be provided by the
College Vesper choir, directed by
Prof. R. A. Lantz.
THE BLUFFTON NEWS
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INT ERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 1939
TOWN HAS HIGH
WATER TUESDAY
Big and Little Riley Creeks
Overflow Banks: Traffic
Is Halted
Operation of College Heating
Plant Interrupted Wed
nesday Morning
Big and Little Riley creeks which
suddenly overflowed their banks late
Tuesday afternoon and just as
quickly subsided early Wednesday
morning gave Bluffton its nearest
approach to flood conditions in recent
years.
So suddenly did the water rise
that the situation unexpectedly de
veloped serious aspects for a short
time.
Service from the Bluffton college
heating plant was suspended from
midnight Tuesday until 9 o’clock
Wednesday morning on account of
failure of the pumps at the heating
plant. These pumps are operated
during high water periods to pump
water out of the plant which seeps
in from Little Riley creek.
Resume Heat Service Wednesday
Because of interruption of the
service, college buildings, dormitories
and several private residences served
by the plant were
the middle of the
nesday.
without heat until
forenoon on Wed-
service resumed.
With heating
regular class schedules were started
Wednesday morning at 10:15 o’clock,
it was
stated by college officials.
College road
for several
when water
The
was closed to
hours Tuesday
over the road
bridge on the
one mile north
traffic
night
just north of the
Henry Huber farm
of town made travel conditions haz
ardous. The road was open Wednes
day morning.
Harmon Field Inundated
Harmon field, Bluffton’s summer
recreatibn spot and athletic field was
completely under water Tuesday
night as was also the East College
avenue road approach to the field.
The concrete stadium on the field
stood like an island above the muddy
swirling water. No damage was re
ported.
flood which covered lowlands
both creeks came from the
snow which fell Sunday and
rapidly with the coming of
The
Rosalie
along
heavy
melted
warmer weather, Tuesday,
weather Tuesday night served to af
fectually check the flood condition
and Wednesday both creeks were
again flowing nearly normal.
Colder
A. C. Spangler, Former
Mayor Here, Succumbs
Funeral services for Abram C.
Spangler, deputy Allen county treas
urer and former Bluffton mayor were
held in the Methodist church, Tues
day afternoon with the pastor, Rev.
J. A. Weed officiating.
The court house in Lima was
closed for the afternoon as a mark
of respect to the departed deputy
and county officials attending in a
body were among those who filled
the church here to capacity.
Mr. Spangler died at his home on
Geiger street early Saturday morn
ing from complications, having been
ill since last fall. He was aged
seventy years, eleven months and
twenty-five days.
A lifelong resident of Bluffton, he
held many offices in political and
fraternal circles here. He had com
pleted ten years as deputy in the
office of the county treasurer when
he became ill last fall. Previous to
that he served as mayor of Bluffton
from 1922 to 1924. He also served
as Richland township clerk and a
member of the Bluffton town coun
cil.
He was an active member of
Methodist church here and was
a number of years teacher in
Sunday school. He was secretary of
the Bluffton Odd Fellow lodge and
a member of the Maccabees.
the
for
the
His wife, Eliza Anderson Spang
ler, survives. The couple celebrated
their forty-eighth wedding anniver
sary last Christmas day. Also sur
viving are two daughters Mrs. Lida
Burkholder of Bluffton and Miss Ora
Spangler, instructor in Van Buren
high school and one son Byron
Spangler, superintendent of schools
of Mercer county.
Two brothers surviving are David
of Stanton, Nebraska, and Clem of
Denver, Colorado. Five grandchild
ren also survive.
Interment was made in Cannons
burg cemetery east of Bluffton.
Regarded Honey Bee in Omen
The Indian regarded the honey
bee as an ill omen: “Too much like
white man.”
Influenza which has assumed epi
demic proportions in many parts of
Northwestern Ohio, resulting in the
closing of a number of schools, is
not serious in Bluffton public schools
or Bluffton college, it was learned
Tuesday.
Officials of both institutions stated
Tuesday that they believed the peak
of the number of cases was reached
the latter part of last week and
that the menace was definitely on
the wane. Unless unexpected de
velopments occur there will be
closing of schools or college, it
stated.
Sudden One-Day Thaw Results
In Flooded Lowlands in
Town and Area
Bluffton during the
perienced a wintry
brought the heaviest
most severe cold wave
Influenza Situation Not Serious
In Bluffton Schools Or College
no
is
be
The illness is said to
not of a virulent type.
Supt. A. J. B. Longsdorf stated
Coldest Weather, Deepest Snow
Vanish With One Day Of Spring
1 ..........
lai my Weather u e s a
Breaks Cold Wave That
Brought Record Snow
last week ex
assault that
snowfall and
of the season,
of winter had
Then after the grip
been felt here for nearly a week,
there was a sudden reversal of
weather conditions on Tuesday, and
a spring-like atmosphere together
with a drizzling rain within a few
hours removed all traces of what
had been a record six-inch snow.
The sudden thaw brought flooded
conditions in all lowlands, and early
Tuesday evening the Big and Little
Riley creeks left their banks in the
lower parts of Bluffton.
All of Harmon field was under
water, and about six inches of water
stood over College avenue road ad
jacent to the field. Parts of the
Bluffton college campus also were
flooded.
Colder weather which came Wed
nesday morning has been predicted
for the remainder of the week, but
conditions are not expected to re
turn to those that prevailed during
last week’s frigid wave.
Near-zero weather, the coldest of
the year, struck the town and sur
rounding area last Wednesday night
and continued thru Thursday and
Friday.
It was coldest on Thursday morn
ing when the mercury dropped* to
two above zero, the lowest reading
I in Bluffton of the last two winters.
Rain and sleet which preceded the
cold snap left most roads in a
treacherous condition altho the main
highways were clear.
A real wintry setting was provid
ed on Saturday and Sunday when
the heaviest snowfall since the bliz
zard
three years ago swept the area,
snowed hard Saturday after
and intermittently thruovt the
(Continued on page 8)
It
noon
Name Romey Deputy
County Treasurer
John Romey, who was recently
graduated from Ohio State univers
ity, has been appointed deputy in
the office of Allen County Treasurer
Byron Dershem at Lima and has
taken up his duties at that place.
Romey, the son of Mr. and Mrs.
E. C. Romey of South Main street,
was graduated from the university’s
college of commerce in December
and recently returned from a motor
trip thru the west to take the posi
tion.
His appointment fills the vacancy
in the office caused by the illness
and death of A. C. Spangler, Bluff
ton resident, who was deputy in the
office
for the past ten years.
Dr.
Bauman Next
Speaker At Lions
Irwin W. Bauman, instructor
Dr.
in social science at Bluffton college,
will be the speaker at a dinner
meeting of the Lions club at 6:15
p. m. next Tuesday in the Walnut
Grill of the Pine restaurant.
Dr. Bauman’s subject has been
announced as “Capital Punishment”.
Bluffton Boy On
Broadcast Sunday
Robert Niswander, seven-year-old
son of Mr. and Mrs. Lester Nis
wander, will appear in an amateur
program over Radio Station WLOK,
Lima, from 1 to 1:30 p. m.
Sunday. The local youth will
the Hawaiian guitar on the
gram.
that Tuesday’s absences of 100 con
sisted of 45 in the high school and
55 in the grades. This, he said
made 17% absences, not all of which
are due to illness, he added. Aver
age absences run about 2%.
J. H. Loganbill, Bluffton college
dean of men stated that there were
“eight or nine ill in Lincoln hall,
men’s dormitory and several girls
in Ropp hall, women’s dormitory”.
Also there are three students in the
Community hospital, one of
Laurel
panee,
monia.
ported
whom
Nap-
Mullett, freshman ,of
Ind., has developed pneu
Mullett’s condition is
satisfactory.
re-
AREA CHORAL
CONTEST HERE
Northwest Ohio High School
Festival to be Held
Friday, March 17
Five
Competition Will be in
Classes Glee Clubs and
Choruses to Sing
High school singers representing
more than 30 schools are expected to
compete in the Northwestern Ohio
chorus festival to be held in Bluff
ton, Friday, March 17.
Boys and girls glee clubs and
mixed choruses representing schools
from five classes will participate and
entries are expected to be received
within the next week from many
schools in the district
Morning, afternoon and evening
sessions will be held in the Bluffton
High gymnasium. The event is be
ing sponsored by the Bluffton col
lege department of music, and I*rof.
Russell A. Lantz, director
department, will serve as
chairman.
of the
festival
Five Classes
Competition will be in five
with the grading based on
ment. Class CC will include
sorority is
scholarship,
and faculty
next
play
pro
classes,
enroll
schools
with less than 100 pupils Class C,
100 to 250 Class BB, 250
Class B, 500 to 750 Ciass
or more.
500
1000
to
A,
com-
Bluffton will enter Class
petition in all three events, boys and
girls glee clubs and the mixed
chorus, according to present plans.
Winners and runnerup in the local
contest will be eligible to compete in
the state contest that will be held
later at Columbus. Choral competi
tion here will be one of a series of
meets scheduled for Ohio high
schools.
Bluffton Girl In
Honorary Society
Harriet Balmer, Bluffton student
at Ohio State university, Columbus,
has been initiated into Theta Sigma
Phi, honorary professional journalis
tic sorority, it was announced the
first of the week. She is the daugh
ter of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Balmer,
residing near Bluffton and a gradu
ate of Bluffton high school.
of candidates for the
made on the basis of
journalistic enterprise
recommendation,
Selection
The Bluffton young woman is pne
of four chosen for membership this
year. She was also recently initiat
ed into Alhpa Xi Delta, social sor
ority and was chosen chapter cor
respondent for the national sorority
journal last week.
In New Locations
Mr. and Mrs. George Kimmel
moving from a farm near Ada to
farm south of Bluffton formerly
cupied by A. E. Vandemark.
are
the
oc-
Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Warren and fam
ily are moving from near Ada to the
farm of the late Calvin Ewing
of Bluffton.
east
and
Fett
Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Graham
family have moved from the
apartments to the Mrs. Zoe Zehrbach
apartments.
Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Mann have
moved from the V’. S. Dearth prop
rety on North Main street to the Mrs.
Wm. Herr property at North Jackson
and Elm streets.
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Gable have mov
ed from apartments in the Paul Dill
er property on South Main street to
the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Levi Gable on South Jackson street.
BLUFFTON
A Good Place to Live and a
Good Place to Trade
NUMBER 44
TOURNEY PLAY
OPENS THURSDAY
Bluffton High Will Meet Lucasi
Champion of Richland
Co., Thursday Night
ifteen Teams Entered in Carey
Tournament Bluffton One
Of Favorites
Tournament time is here again, and
Bluffton High eagers—with a fine
season record—will be followed by a
large crowd of partisans when the
I irates go to Carey this Thursday
night to meet their first tourney foe.
Bluffton's opening round assign
ment is against Lucas .champion of
Richland county, a team that has won
13 and lost five during the season.
The game will be played at 8:30 p.
m. on the Carey high court.
If successful in their first start, the
Dillermen will play again at 7:30 p.
m., Saturday, meeting the winner of
the Republic-Fostoria St. Wendelin
contest. Semi-final rounds will be
played next week.
15 Teams
Fifteen teams are entered in the
Carey tournament and the winner
will be eligible to compete in state
competition at Columbus. Trophies,
however, will be awarded to the win
ner, the runnerup, and the victor in
a consolation tilt played between the
losers of the two semi-final games.
Bluffton has one of the best records
of the competing teams, 10 victories
and
with
cock
bye:
lie and Fostoria St. Windelin.
three defeats. In the bracket
the Pirates are Arcadia, of Han
county, which drew a first-round
Chatfield, Salem, Lucas, Repub-
Ada, tranfered to the Carey tour
nament with Bluffton last fall, is in
a bracket with Holmes Liberty, Carey,
Butler, Van Buren, winner of the
Hancock county tourney Harpster,
Tiffin Calvert and Thompson.
Foes are Tall
Bluffton’s first-round opponents,
from a small school near Mansfield,
are reported to be playing their best
ball of the season at present. Al
tho they finished third in the Richland
county league, the team romped thru
the county tourney to cop the cham
pionship. On the team are four six
footers.
Bluffton and Ada are playing in the
Carey tournament for the first time
this winter, having been tranferred
from the Shawnee area where they
have competed for nearly two dec
ades.
It means driving a little farther for
Bluffton partisans, for Carey is 31
miles from here on State Route 103,
but there is some consolation in pre
tourney gossip that competition is not
as difficult in the new area.
Transcontinental
Honeymoon By Plane
A transcontinental honeymoon trip
by airplane was completed the latter
part of last week by Mr. and Mrs.
Harold Frederick who flew from Ash
tabula, Ohio, to their
Burbank, California.
new home in
employed at
several years
Frederick who was
the Meter Works here
ago was married in Oakland, Calif.,
on February 12. His bride, the
former Kay Ann Campbell was a
hostess for the United Air Lines.
Following their marriage the cou
ple flew east to visit his parents, Dr.
and Mrs. H. O. Frederick of Ash
tabula. Dr. and Mrs. Frederick
formerly resided in Bluffton where
he was engaged in the practise of
dentistry. Harold is their youngest
son.
College President
On Eastern Trip
Dr. Lloyd Ramseyer, Bluffton
college president was in Cleveland,
Wednesday attending the annual
meeting of the American Association
of School Supervisors. From there
he will leave Wednesday night for
a trip to New York city and various
points in Pennsylvania in the in
terest of the college.
Births
A daughter, Jeanne Arlene, was
bom to Rev. and Mrs. Chas. Armen
trout cf Cherry street at the Com
munity hospital, Saturday night.
Word has been received here of
the birth of a son to Rev. and Mrs.
W. R. Augsburger of Albany, Ore
gon, Feb. 19. Rev. Augsburger,
formerly of Bluffton, is the son of
Elias Augsburger of South Jackson
street.