The Bluffton news. [volume], May 04, 1939, Image 1

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BLUFFTON NEWS
The Advertising Medium for
Bluffton Trade Territory
VOLUME NO. LXIV
COAL PRICE UP
SHIPMENTS OFF
Large Consumers of Coal Have
Sufficient Supply for
Present Needs
Retail Dealers with Limited
Supplies Report Little*
Demand for Fuel
Coal shipments for domestic con
sumption in Bluffton are approach
ing the vanishing point, a survey of
the local situation revealed the first
of the week.
With mines generally closed thru
out Ohio, Kentucky and West Vir
ginia, due to differences between op
erators and union miners, supplies
of eoal available have been sharply
curtailed.
No shipment to local retail dealers
have been reported for more than
.a week. Large industrial consumers
here have been obtaining a few
shipments at a sharply increased
price.
Little Retail Demand
Retail dealers here generally re
port limited supplies of fuel avail
able. For this, they say, there is
very little demand as householders
are apparently hopeful that the com
ing of warm weather will make addi
tional purchases unnecessary.
Local plants and other consumers
who use coal in quantities are facing
no acute shortage at present.
Largest of this group, the gener
ating plant of the Central Ohio
Light & Power company reported
8,000 tons of coal in its bins which
will be ample for from two to three
months operation. Plan attaches re
ported that no shipments had been
received recently.
Price Skyrockets
Bluffton’s municipal light plant re
ported a three weeks’ supply. Coal
has been obtained recently, but offi
cials of the Board of Public Affairs
pointed out that the price is unus
ually high.
In normal periods, the municipal
plant buys coal from West Virginia
at 65 cents a ton at the mine. At
present the price for coal of the
same kind is $3 a ton. In view of
the shift in price Ohio coal now is
being bought at a price of $2 a ton
at the mine.
Bluffton college’s heating plant has
a supply sufficient for two more
weeks, and by that time operators
feel there will be little additional
need for fuel.
Bluffton’s high and grade" schools
have supplies in their bins sufficient
for the rest of the heating season,
it was reported.
Brotherhood Hears
Address By Jurist
Problems of the juvenile court
were described by Judge Raymond
P. Smith, Allen county probate
jurist, at a Father-Son banquet
sponsored by the Reformed Church
Brotherhood, last Thursday night at
the St. John’s Reformed church.
Special music was presented by
Bud Luginbuhl, accordionist, and by
the Brotherhood vocal quartet. C. A.
Stauffer, president of the Brother
hood, wras toastmaster. More than
100 attended.
A membership contest is under
way, to be closed in May, and at
last week’s banquet meeting the two
teams were tied.
New Industries Are
Sought By Beaverdam
Mr. and Mrs. V. F. Foltz, former
residents of Bluffton, this week pur
chased the large brick building in
Beaverdam that up until five years
ago served as a repeater station for
the A. T. & T.
Foltz, Nickel Plate agent in
Beaverdam, i-esided in Bluffton and
was an operator at the tower north
east of town, before being assigned
to the Beaverdaih post.
The transaction was closed thru
C. H. Tesky, of Cleveland, attorney
for the A. T. & T. Foltz said ef
forts would be made to induce a
small industry to locate in the build
ing. Consideration wld not dis
closed.
Births
Mr. and Mrs. Cal Garmatter are
the parents of a son born at Bluff
ton hospital, Friday.
A son was born to Mr. and Mrs.
Harry Sutter of Pandora at Bluff
ton hospital, Thursday.
Word has been received of the
birth of a daughter, Lauretta Louise
to Mr. and Mrs. Donald Rupright
of Ney, Ohio.
Two From Here Win
In State Contest
Two Bluffton High musicians won
“superior” ratings in the state music
contest held last Saturday at Ober
lin. These ratings, the highest
awarded, make the local students
eligible to compete in the national
meets.
Herbert Oyer, winner in the tenor
solo competition will enter the na
tional vocal contest at Anderson,
Ind., May 12-13.
Richard Mumma, winner in the
susaphone solo division will enter
the national instrumental contest at
Indianapolis, the week of May 15-20.
6:30 p. m. Junior and Senior C. E.
TOWN LEASES
BUCKEYE LAKE
Floats Will be Taken From
Quarry this Week Repairs
Start at Once
Maynard Coon Named Manager
Of New Municipal Swim
ing Center
Buckeye Lake was leased this week
by the Bluffton town council from the
Central Ohio Light and Power com
pany and work will be started at once
in reconditioning facilities of the
swimming center for the coming seas
on.
The two floating beaches will be re
moved from the quarry the latter
part of this week, and following ex
amination they will either be repaired
or replaced.
Contract for removal of the floats
was given to Albert Garmatter at a
cost not to exceed $6. Weight of the
two has been estimated at 30 tons,
and Garmatter said it likely will take
a crew of 12 about two days to re
move them from the quarry, using
heavy block and tackle.
In completing plans for the sum
mer, the council named Maynard Coon
manager of the swimming center,
pending acceptance of terms. Under
the proposed setup income from the
sale of swimming tickets will be shar
ed by the town and manager on a
50-50 basis.
Proceeds from concessions and the
lental of suits and baskets will go to
the manager, but he will be respon
sible for the stocking of these items.
Cost of tickets will be determined
later, and will depend largely on the
expense entailed in repairing equip
ment. Proceeds of a community auc
tion sponsored by the Lions club ag
gregating about $400, will be turned
over to the town to defray a portion
of repair expenses.
Lease for the swimming center was
signed by the council following re
ceipt of a liability insurance policy
protecting the town against mishaps.
The policy covers $5,000 liability
for one person and $10,000 for one
accident. It cost the town $100. In
surance as required under terms of
the lease has been taken out on the
bathhouse in the amount of $1,000 at
a cost of $24.20.
String Quartet
Here On Friday
Closing offering of the year on
the Bluffton College Music Course
will be presented Friday night at
8 o’clock in the college chapel with
the appearance here of the cele
brated Rink String Quartet.
Carl Rink, first violinist of the
quartet, is one of the first violinists
in the Chicago Symphony orchestra.
Other members of the touring
group include Carl Racine, second
violin Guido St. Rizzo, viola, and
Vera Rehberg, cello.
Rendition of chamber music by the
string quartet has been widely ac
claimed. Rare old Italian instru
ments are used by the artists.
Solt Will Head
Radio Club Here
Harold Solt, Bluffton college stu
dent and part time employe of the
Triplett Electrical Instrument com
pany, was elected president of the
Bluffton Amateur Radio club for
the coming year at the annual elec
tion of officers Monday night.
Solt is owner and operator of am
ateur radio station W’80LE.
Other officers elected were: vice
president, Nelson Herr secretary
treasurer, Don Corson activity man
ager, James Benroth.
Wheat Market Here Is Highest
Wednesday Since Last Summer
Price is Quoted at 73 Cents Per
Bushel: Crop Prospect
Here is Good
Corn Planting in Bluffton Dis
trict Awaits Coming of
Warm Weather
In a sudden upsurge of activity,
wheat prices on the Bluffton market
registered 73 cents a bushel, Wed
nesday morning, the highest since
last summer, dealers stated.
The market, which has held al
most dormant in the low and mid
dle sixties since the holidays took
an upturn on reports of unfavorable
outlook in the southwest, according
to reports here.
Outlook for the crop thruout this
section is said to be generally good,
according to farmers, although early
spring freezing and thawing has
done damage in spots.
Spring Planting Late
Spring planting, generally will be
unusually late this year with sche
dules disrupted by long continued
wet and cold season. Much of the
oats acreage which could not be
sowed due to unfavorable conditions
is being switched to soy beans.
With hard frosts Monday and
Tuesday nights, farmers pointed out
that there must be a sharp reversal
of weather conditions before corn
planting.
Thus far there has been no com
planting in the Bluffton district this
season. Last year a sizeable part
of the crop went in the ground the
last week in April.
The major portion of the corn
crop is generally planted here dur
ing the ten-day period May 10 to 20.
Little, if any planting is expected
to be done before that time this
year.
H. B. Adams Dies
Funeral Thursday
Prof. Harold B. Adams, 81, retired
piano instructor, died at his home
on South Lawn avenue, Tuesday
morning at 3 o'clock. His death
followed a year of ill health, the
last six weeks of which he had been
confined to his bed.'
Funeral services will be held at
his residence Thursday afternoon at
1:30 o’clock with Rev. J. A. Weed
of the Methodist church officiating.
Interment will be in Woodlawn cem
etery, Lima.
Mr. Adams, former piano instruct
or in Bluffton college resided in
Bluffton for the past twenty-five
years. During the past few years
he taught privately and conducted
a sheet music store in Lima.
He was born in Whitley county,
Indiana, September 20, 1858. Edu
cated in a country school he later
attended Valparaiso university and
studied music in Chicago.
During his teaching career he
taught at Holton, Kansas Baldwin
university, Berea Heidelberg uni
versity, Tiffin Lima college and
Bluffton college.
In 1881 he married Ida Griffith
of Plymouth who died in 1894. Four
children born to this marriage all of
whom survive are Ray Adams,
Seattle, Wash. Mrs. Walter Lauf
fer, Columbus Mrs. Dwight Bair,
Champaign, Ill. Mrs. G. E. List, Jr.,
New Kensington, Pa.
In 1896 he married Julia Acker
man of Lima who survives together
with their son Rev. Paul A. Adams
of Youngstown.
Also surviving are a sister, Mrs.
Olie Terman of Larwill, Ind., ten
grandchildren and one great-grand
child.
Wed At Home Of
Minister Here
Wedding of Miss Evelyn Kohler
and Chas. Fridley both of Bluffton,
took place in a quiet ceremony at
the home of the officiating minister,
Rev. Chas. Armentrout of the Pres
byterian church, Saturday night at
8 o’clock.
The vows were received by Rev.
Armentrout, the single ring service
being used. The couple was unat
tended.
Following the ceremony the couple
left for Toledo where they spent
Sunday with relatives.
The bride, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Samuel Kohler residing south
of Bluffton is employed at the
Triplett plant here. Mr. Fridley is
the son of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Frid
ley, north of town.
The couple will reside at the
home of the bride where Mr. Fridley
will take charge of the Kohler farm.
THE BLUFFTON NEWS
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INT ERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, MAY 4, 1939
START CLEANINS
OF WATER MAINS
Nearly Two Truck Loads of
Deposits Taken From
One-Block Sector
Hard Deposits of Sulphur and
Lime Found by Cleaning
Crew
Nearly two triick loads of sulphur
and lime deposits v -re taken Monday
and Tuesday nights from the one
block stretch of the water main on
Poplar street between the municipal
plant and Main str. vt.
In the eight-inch mains the clean
ing crews found a xery hard deposit
ranging in thickm s from one-half
to inch. A truck load of sulphur and
lime was removed Monday night and
work on the same sector was contin
ued Tuesday in order to clean out the
remainder.
Water lines on Main street between
Popular and Cherry streets will be
the next section to be ceaned, it was
announced.
Water Shut Off
To permit the work, city water will
be shut off Thursday and Friday
nights this week and Monday and
Tuesday nights next week. Service
is discontinued from 9 p. ni. until
midnight, and patrons are requested
to make preparatu accordingly.
It is estimated that approximately
six weeks will be required to complete
cleaning of the mains. Practically
all the work will be done late at night
due to the fact that water service
must be discontinued on the section
of the mains which is being worked.
Bluffton’s three-mile network of
water line has not been cleaned since
the municipal plant began operations
here 40 years ago.
Religious Education
Program Sunday Eve
Religious education classes in the
Bluffton schools will present their
annual spring program at the high
school gymnasium, Sunday night at
7:30 o’clock.
The program will be under direc
tion of Miss Janet Henderson, in
structor in religious education in the
schools here.
The following program has been
arranged:
Quiet music
Devotions—5th and 6th Grades
Song—First Grade
Memory Work—f’ourth Grade
Music—Choir
Dramatization ‘‘The Unjust Ser
vant”—Fourth Grade
Song—Second Grade
Memory Work—Third Grade
Dramatization—‘‘Abraham Stops a
Quarrel”—Fifth Grade
Offering
Congregational hymn
Members of the Seventh and
Eighth Grades will have on display
projects illustrating the book of
Acts.
Return From Motor
Trip To California
C. G. Coburn of this place accom
panied by his sister Mrs. May Hay
ward and her daughter Mrs. Walter
Pearson of New York city returned
Saturday from a five weeks’ motor
trip to the Pacific coast.
The party visited twenty states
and Old Mexico and coVered a dis
tance of 8,000 miles. Mrs. Hayward
and her daughter left the first of the
week for their home in New York
city.
Miss Vera Ross Coburn of New
York city, daughter of Mr. Coburn,
who accompanied the party west re
mained at Hollywood, Calif.
One of the highlights of the trip
was encountered at Omaha, Ne
braska, where they party witnessed
the celebration in observance of the
building of the Union Pacific rail
road thru Omaha seventy years ago.
Residents of the city were garbed
in costumes of that period, grew
beards and hoop skirts were all the
vogue. False fronts were placed
thruout the business section, simi
lar to those seen in the city in 1869.
PEACE SPEAKER
“Christ or Chaos” will be the sub
ject of a sermon to be given in the
First Mennonite church Sunday
morning at 10 o’ckxjk by Dr. Elmer
Cutshall.
Dr. Cutshall, prominent in the
Methodist church was formerly
president of Iliff School of Theology
in Denver and also Wesleyan Uni
versity of Nebraska. He is widely
known for his work in the interest
of world peace.
Officers of the Bluffton Business
association announced the following
places will be closed on Thursday
afternoon beginning this week and
continuing until September 1:
Meat markets—Basinger’s, Bigler
Bros.
Dry cleaners—Alspach & Son,
Suties.
Siefield bakery, Mumma Electric
shop, Helen’s Hat shoppe, S. F.
Nonnamaker shoe repair, Basinger’s
Furniture store, Neu-Art studio.
Citizens National Bank, Drs. D. C.
and Gordon Bixel optometrists.
Dry goods—Peter Gratz, Lape Co.
Game Came Into Existence in
1839 First Curve Ball
Thrown in 1867
Sound Picture Shown at Lions
Club Meeting and at Public
Gathering
Produced in celebration of the
game’s centennial, “100 Years of
Baseball,” an official American league
sound film, was shown here twice
Tuesday night.
Coach A. C. Burcky, thru whom the
film was brought to Bluffton, pre
sented it at a dinner meeting of the
Lions club, and later showed it at a
public meeting in the high school aud
torium.
In the film was traced the develop
ment of baseball from its rudimen
tary form to the present highly
scientific play of the major leagues.
Evolution of the game was pictured
from the creation of the first set of
rules by Abner Doubleday in 1939.
It was 1845 before the first baseball
dub was organized, after Alexander
J. Cartwright had suggested improve
ments including limiting the game to
nine innings and extending the dis
tance between bases to the present 90
feet.
In 1867 the curve ball was devel
oped by William A. Cummings, and
nine years later bats were imited to
the present length, 42 inches, after
they had grown to absurd proportions
is a defense measure against the
curve.
Gloves and masks did not appear
i until some 40 years after the inaug
uration of the game, or about 1880
The first recorded slide was that
made in 1866 by Robert Addy.
Numerous comparisons were made
I in the film between new and old
styles of play, and big league stars
appeared in exhibitions of pitching,
fielding and batting. In closing views
of the 1938 world series were shown.
In connection with showing of the
picture, Coach Burcky conducted a
15-minute normal session of his base
ball theory class, which is composed
of Bluffton college students studying
the finer points of the game.
Soldner Resigns
At College Here
G. T. Soldner, Bluffton college
field secretary for the past two
years has resigned his position it
was announced the first of the week.
The resignation will become ef
fective after the close of the present
school year. There are no plans at
this time for filling the place, it
was stated by Dr. L. L. Ramseyer,
president of the college.
With Soldner’s resignation came
the announcement that he has been
appointed to the sales staff of In
vestors Syndicate of Minneapolis.
The family, now living in the Mrs.
Sarah Geiger pioperty on Cherry
street, will continue to reside here.
To Graduate From
Engineering School
Lysle Cahill, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Carl Cahill of Jefferson street, will
be graduated from Fenn college,
Cleveland, May 19. He will com
plete the course in electrical engin
eering. Cahill was home, Sunday,
visiting his parents here.
It’s Leap Week at Bluffton col
lege—that annual open season for
man-hunting coeds—during which
time the girls of the institution may
with perfect propriety ask the men
students for dates.
Stores To Close Thursday
Afternoon During Summer
Barbers—Lewis, Patterson, Swank.
Variety stores—Ruff’s 5c to $1
Shalley & Son.
Groceries—A. & P., Badertscher’s,
Baines, City Market, Community
Market, Steinvi's Honicstore, Todd’s.
Hardwares—L. T. Greding, John
Fett & Sons.
Dentists—Dr. F. & E. W. Basinger.
Physicians—Dr. Bixel, Dr. Steiner,
Dr. Soash, Dr. Travis.
Clothing and shoe stores which
will close on Thursday afternoon
after June I are: Economy store,
Fred Gratz, Walter Gratz, Steiner
Huser.
Evolution Of Baseball Traced In
Film Shown Here Bv Coach Burcky
With The Sick
A. J. B. Longsdorf, superintend
ent of the Bluffton schools has been
confined to his home on South Lawn
avenue on account of influenza com
plications since last week. He is
expected to resume his duties this
Thursday.
Mrs. Ruth Krohn is critically’ ill
at the home of her daughter, Mrs.
Orlo Marshall of Rockport.
Improvement is reported in the
condition of G. A. Lehman, of Ro
chester, N. Y., who is seriously’ ill
with heart trouble in a hospital in
that city. He was a former music
instructor in Bluffton college.
Mr. and Mrs. John Garlinger have
received word from !s Angeles that
their great granddaughter, Karol
Lynn Kell, is ill with bronchial pneu
monia.
Mrs. Lillian McConnaughey, form
erly of Bluffton who was a surgical
patient in Lima Memorial hospital
is improving in a convalescent home
in that city.
Mrs. Oscar Lora of South Main
street who underwent a major opera
tion at the Findlay hospital two
weeks ago is convalescing nicely.
Mrs. Mayne Milk, who has been
ill with heart trouble since last win
ter is improving at her home in
Orange township.
Mrs. A. E. Lugibill who has been
critically ill at Bluffton hospital with
heart trouble and complications for
the past month was slightly im
proved, Wednesday morning.
No change is reported in the con
dition of David G. Niswander who
is seriously ill at the Bluffton hos
pital with infection in his right
hand.
Oliver Locher, who has been ill
with a kidney ailment, returned
Wednesday to Cleveland for treat
ment at Huron Road hospital.
Husband Of Former
Resident Succumbs
James C. Callahan, Findlay resi
dent and husband of the former
Miss Mary Wilson of Bluffton, died
at his home in that city. Death was
due to cariconoma. Interment was
made at his former home in Mans
field.
It’s Leap Week At Bluffton College—
Coeds Paying For Movies And Soda
Leap week, a Bluffton college
tradition, is a week end set aside
every year by the Student Senate
Mr. Callahan was formerly con
nected with the sales department of
a lithographing concern but retired
two years ago on account of failing
health.
His wife who survives, was a
member of a pioneer Bluffton fam
ily. She left here nearly thirty
years ago. Three children by a
further marriage also, survive.
Old Barrel Scraper
In News Window
A relic of pioneer days, recognized
by only a few’ in these modern times,
is on display this U-eek in the win
dow of The Bluffton News.
It is a barrel scraper used by
Isaac Habegger, pioneer farmer of
the County line road, on the farm
now occupied by Clem Suter. The
scraper was brought in for display
by Joseph Habegger, son of the
ow’ner, w’ho also lives north of town.
The implement has a wood handle
about one foot in length at one end
of which is a round blade with a
knife edge. It was used to scrape
the inside of charred barrels.
of the institution when the girls do
the dating and also pay the bills
for movies and sodas.
Leap week officially opens Friday
night and continues until Monday
night. It is reported that some of
the coeds are getting off to a flying
start and are now busy arranging a
full week end program.
A Good Place to Live and,
Good Place to Trade
NUMBER 1
NEW AERATOR
IS COMPLETED
oke-Typc System Placed in
Use at Municipal Water
Works Monday
Use of New System Eventually
Will Result in Better
Tasting Water
Likelihood that use of a new aer
ating system at the municipal water
works eventually will result in bet
ter tasting water was predicted this
week by Superintendent John W.
Swisher.
Construction of the new coke type
aerator was completed at the re
servoir Monday afternoon to the ex
tent that water could be run thru
the new system. It is likely that
a few minor adjustments may be
made, after which the entire aerator
will be enclosed with a fine mesh
screen.
In the new’ aerating procedure the
water is sprayed into the air and
in falling runs thru three coke filled
trays. Much of the sulphur and
lime content of the water is expect
ed to adhere to the coke, thereby
resulting in an improved supply for
the tow’n, Swisher pointed out.
New Aerator More Compact
Bluffton’s new aerator is much
more compact than that formerly
used, which will simplify enclosing
it with a fine mesh screen to keep
out filies and dirt.
It is felt, however, that protection
from wrigglers, such as found this
spring, will be eliminated by the
new system, without the need of the
screen, because the w’ater is contin
uously in motion and flies w?ould be
prevented from laying eggs.
Construction of the new aerator
was started last week immediately
after it had been recommended by
the state board of health. Sugges
tions of the board will be entirely
complied with as soon as reservoirs
are cleaned and the elevated tank
is screened.
Iii New Locations
L. II. Foltz and family are occupy
ing their property on South Main
street, having moved from apart
ments in the Chas. Patterson resi
dence, adjoining.
E. L. Krouse and family who oc
cupied the Foltz property have
moved to Lima.
Glen Ramer and family have
moved from the Mrs. Wm. Amstutz
property on Mound street to the
South Main street property vocated
last month by A. D. Gratz and
family. The property has been pur
chased by the federal government
as the site for Bluffton's new post
office. Work on the site, however, is
not expected to begin for several
months.
Wm. Amstutz and family who
have occupied the property of the
late Mrs. Jacob Amstutz on Mound
street will move into the residence
vacated by Ramer.
Harry Shrider and family expect
to move soon from the Biederman
property on South Main street to
Arlington w’here he operates a fill
ing station.
Wayne Harris and family will
move early this month from the
Mrs. Fred Hahn property, the form
er Rudolph Althaus property, at
North Law’n avenue and Elm streets,
into their property on Riley street
purchased recently from Mrs.
Gladys Rainey of Findlay.
Adam Amstutz and his sister, Miss
Barbara Amstutz who sold their
farm west of town, are occupying
the property on Spring street which
they recently purchased. Levi
Frankhauser and family who form
erly occupied the property have
moved to Lima.
Mr. and Mrs. Clayton Bixel expect
to move soon from their home on
South Main street into apartments
now’ being fitted up on the second
floor of the Bixel Motor Sales build
ing at North Main and Elm streets.
Real Estate Deals
Wayne Harris has purchased the
Mrs. Gladys Rainey property on
Riley street recently vacated by Ken
neth Jackson. Harris expects to oc
cupy the property shortly moving
from his present location at North
Lawn avenue and Elm street The
deal was made by Althaus & Collins.
Norman Triplett purchased three
building lots in the Schumacher ad
dition on Grove street between the
S. V. Heckathorn and Mrs.
Edna
Badertscher properties the first of
the week.