The Bluffton news. [volume], June 08, 1939, Image 1

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BLUFFTON NEWS
The Advertising Medium for^
Bluffton Trade Territory
VOLUME NO. LXIV
AUGUST PRIMARY
IS POSSIBILITY
Contest for Municipal Offices
May Develop Before Friday
Deadline.
Primary Election Required in
Event Contests Arise on
Party Tickets.
Politics always uncertain ap
peared to be running true to form
in Bluffton, Wednesday, as the pos
sibility of contests on party tickets
for municipal offices developed.
In event of contests it will be
necessary to hold an August pri
mary to determine the party candi
dates for the disputed places.
Rumblings following the drafting
of a Republican ticket a week ago
and the Democratic ticket Tuesday
night, gave indications that although
the two slates had the endorsement
of local party chieftains, all was
not peace and harmony within the
ranks.
Deadline Friday
Whether or not contests will de
velop in one or both of the two local
political camps probably cannot be
determined until after the deadline
for filing of candidates, Friday.
Party leaders were non-committal
Wednesday morning and political ob
servers have adopted a wait-and-see
attitude. Off the record forecast, an
August primary to settle intra-party
disputes would not be a surprising
development
Under the new state law, pri
maries will not be held here on off
years when there are no contests
for nominations. Should one or
more contests develop, a primary
election will be called to determine
candidates for the disputed places.
Wedding Held In
Youngstown Church
The Woodland Avenue Lutheran
church of Youngstown was the
scene of an attractive June wedding
Saturday afternoon when Miss Ruth
Huber, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Sidney Huber of Bluffton became the
bride of Paul C. Deitler of Gilboa.
Rev. Paul A. Adams, uncle of the
bride and pastor of the church was
the officiating minister. The couple
was unattended.
The bride was attired in a blue
crepe frock with cerise trimming and
her accessories were in white. She
wore a matching corsage of sweet
heart roses.
Preceding the ceremony, the bride’s
aunt Mrs. Paul Adams, at the or
gan, played “To a Rose’’. For
traveling the bride wore a biege and
japonica dress with matching acces
sories.
Mr. and Mrs. Deitler are at home
in their newly furnished home in
Gilboa. Mr. Deitler is employed
here at the plant of the Triplett
Electrical Instrument company.
In New Locations
Jesse Basinger, Bluffton barber
located on West Elm street has pur
chased a shop in Jenera. Mr. and
Mrs. Basinger have moved to that
place.
Mr. and Mrs. E. G. Kramer have
moved from the Zanna Staater prop
erty on South Jackson street to the
J. Norman King property on South
Main street.
Mr. and Mrs. Glen Ramer and
daughter have moved into the Die
fendeifer property on Mound street
recently vacated by A. R. Holden
and family who moved to Toledo.
The Ramer family vacated the form
er A. D. Gratz property on South
Main street which has been pur
chased as part of the site for Bluff
ton’s new post office.
Mr. and Mrs. Harold Montgomery
of Washington street have moved
to the M. L. Gilbert property
consisting of residence and one acre
of ground east of Bluffton on Route
103 which they recently purchased.
Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert have moved
to the forty acre farm southeast of
Bluffton which they recently pur
chased from Ira Kimmel.
Mr. and Mrs. Russell Trippiehorn
have moved from the Wm. B. Augs
burger property on West Elm street
into the Washington street property
vacated by Mr. and Mrs. Harold
Montgomery.
Mr. and Mrs. John Rogers have
moved from their farm northeast of
Bluffton on the Dixie highway to
their property on South Main street.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Nonnamaker
and daughters will move from the
Franz farm near Mt. Cory to the
Rogers farm.
Commencement
Speaker
TYR. L. A. Pechstein, dean of
teachers college University
of Cincinnati, who will deliver
the class address at the Bluff
ton college graduation exercises
in the First Mennonite church
next Tuesday morning at 10
o’clock. He will speak on the
subject “Youth Looks Ahead”.
NEW BRIDGES ON
RUAD PROGRAM
?our New Structures to be
Built and Others Widened
On Dixie Highway
mprovement Program Includes
Bridge Near Beaverdam,
Scene of Fatal Crash
Construction of four new bridges
between Bluffton and Lima on the
Dixie highway will be included in a
$175,000 highway program for Allen
and Van Wert counties which O. C.
Kohli, chief engineer of the Lima di
vision of the state highway depart
ment, announced has been proposed
for completion this summer.
Four new bridges would be built
and four or five smaller bridges and
culverts would be widened, according
to present plans.
Suggested improvements are expect
ed to greatly reduce driving hazards
along the 15-mile stretch of the Dixie
between here and Lima. One of the
bridges to be widened is located
about one mile south of Beaverdam
near the Dr. Fred Foust farm where
two persons were killed last winter.
Preliminary survey already has
already been started along the route,
Kohli reported. Members of the de
partment’s regular maintenance crew
are at work widening the smaller
spans.
Also included in the Allen county
proposal is the improvement of four
mile strip of the Lima-Spencerville
road, starting at Spencerville and
continuing four miles east of the
town. The road is to be windened
and re-surfaced.
LIBRARY TO CLOSE
The Bluffton public library will be
closed Thursday, Friday and Satur
day of next week during which time
the librarian Miss Ocie Anderson
will be on a week’s vacation at her
home in Pennsylvania.
South America has adopted mod
ernistic architecture much more
widely than we have in the North
ern American continent, R. L. Trip
lett told members of the Bluffton
Lions club at a dinner meeting Tues
day night in the Walnut Grill.
Week To Be Filled With Program
Of College Graduation Events
Triplett, president of The Triplett
Electrical Instrument Co., made a
two-months’ trip through South
American countries last winter. Fol
lowing a short talk he showed pic
tures taken on the tour.
Modernistic Architecture Prevalent
In South America, Lions Are Told
Many buildings extremely modern
istic in design are found in the prin
cipal South American cities, and the
style has affected home, business and
factory construction.
Rapid growth is characteristic of
cities in the countries visited.
Buenos Aires, largest South Ameri
can city, reports an increase of
400,000 population during the last
President Ramseyer to Deliver
Baccalaureate Address in
Chapel, Sunday
Commencement Exercises to be
Held in First Mennonite
Church Next Sunday
Events honoring the Alumni will
open a crowded four-day commence
ment program on the Bluffton col
lege campus, this Saturday.
Baccalaureate services will be the
feature of Sunday’s schedule, and
Monday will bring the ever-popular
Bluffton Day ceremonies with crown
ing of the May Queen and the at
tendant colorful festivities.
As a climax to commencement
week, diplomas will be presented to
a class of 45 graduating seniors next
Tuesday morning. Dr. L. A. Pech
stein,'dean of the teachers college,
Cincinnati university, will be the
class speaker, taking as his subject,
“Youth Looks Ahead”.
Alumni Program
Saturday’s program has been plan
ned principally for the alumni. Out
standing events of the day’s pro
gram include the Varsity luncheon
at noon, a baseball game in the
afternoon between the varsity and
alumni, and the alumni banquet in
the evening. Ralph Locher, ’36, will
be toastmaster.
President Lloyd L. Ramseyer will
deliver the baccalaureate address at
3 p. m. Sunday in the chapel. His
subject is “Foundation Stones”.
Final concert appearance of the
year will be made at 7:30 p. m.
Sunday by the vesper choir, singing
under the direction of Prof. Russell
A. Lantz. The concert will be given
in the First Mennonite church.
Crown May Queen
Bluffton Day exercises on Monday
will bring the traditional colorful
ceremonies on the campus, in the
opinion of many the outstanding fea
ture of commencement week.
In the attractive ceremony, hal
lowed by tradition, Esther Ramseyer
will be crowned May Queen. Donita
Hartzler is Maid of Honor.
Many other events are scheduled
for Monday, including class reunions,
senior exercises, an informal music
hour, presentation of a concert by
the college orchestra and in the
evening staging of Shakespeare’s
“Merchant of Venice”, in the ampi
theatre.
Following graduation exercises
Tuesday morning, the events of com
mencement week will be ended with
the commencement luncheon.
New Peas From
Bluffton Garden
Second Of June
NEW peas from a Bluffton
garden on the second day of
June established what is believ
ed to be a record for early peas
in this locality.
The peas were raised by I. W.
Welty at his home on West Elm
street where he has a flourish
ing variety of garden truck and
vegetables.
Wittenberg Graduates
Former Bluffton Girl
Miss Mary Elise Heckathorn,
former Bluffton high school student
was graduated from Wittenberg
college, Springfield, at the commence
ment exercises held Monday. She is
the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Earl
Heckathorn of Springfield, who
formerly resided here.
two years. In Sao Paulo, third
largest city, a new residence is be
ing completed every hour, an indi
cation of the rapid expansion of the
metropolis.
United States firms have a virtual
monopoly on electrical lines in South
America, Triplett learned. In gen
eral South Americans feel German
products are inferior, and when they
are purchased it is only on a straight
price basis.
American automobiles are assem
bled in South American plants, parts
being sent there from here, and in
Buenos Aires more than 45,000 men
gain their livelihood as auto assemb
lers.
Reports on the state Lions con
vention in Cleveland were given pre
ceding Triplett’s talk by N. E.
Byers, Homer Gratz, Ed R. Reich
enbach, I. B. Beeshy and M. M.
Bogart.
rHE BLUFFTON NEWS
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INT ERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, JUNE 8, 1939
TICKET FILLED
BY DEMOCRATS
No Contests Develop at Party
Meeting Held Tuesday
Night
A. D. Wells as Mayor and Lee
Coon as Marshal Head
The Ticket
Democrats at a party meeting
Tuesday night filled the municipal
ticket, and no contents developed for
any of the 13 office^.
Republican nominations also were
uncontested last week and if no one
else enters the field wfore the filing
deadline this Friday there will be no
August primary.
A. D. Wells, nominee for mayor,
heads the Democratic ticket. Nom
inees also were nmned for clerk,
treasurer, marshal, cwncil and board
of public affairs.
The complete ticket is as follows:
For Mayor—A. D. Wells
For Clerk—Carold Steiner
For Treasurer—Samuel Bixel
For Marshal—Lee Coon
For council—Evan Basinger, Or
den C. Smucker, Menno Badertscher,
J. R. Stratton, R. AjPatterson and
F. A. Hofer.
For Board of Public Affairs—Cal
Balmer, William Luginbuhl and A.
C. Burcky.
RAINS BREAK
DROUGHT HERE
Corn and Potato Stands Show
Marked Improvement as
June Showers Appear
Wheat Crop is Maturing Earlier
Than Usual: Yield Pros
pect is Uii&rtain
Rain last week, the first of any con
sequence in more than a month, was
seen as a great benefit to all crops,
especially those sowed late in the
season.
Wheat and oats, in some cases hurt
considerably by the long drought, are
too far along to be helped materially
by the rain, but the moisture was a
real blessing for other crops, particu
larly corn and potatoes.
Wheat is ripening earlier than usu
al, and the straw is quite short. Con
flicting reports are received relative
to the yield. Some farmers report
the heads will be well filled, but oth
ers are not so optimistic in view of
the long spell of dry weather.
Timothy Crop Short
Oats prospects are not at all good,
and the yield is expected to much be
low’ average. Timothy hay, now head
ing, is short and the crop will be light.
The first stand of alfalfa was not so
good, but should rains continue regu
larly the second cutting may be bet
ter.
Corn and potatoes received the most
benefit from the rain, and both give
evidence at this time of producing
pumper yields.
An indication of the prolonged spell
of dry weather is seen in the fact that
more rain fell on the first two days
of June than thruout the entire month
of May. Gardens and lawns which
were reflecting the lack of rain look
materially better since the showers of
ast week.
With The Sick
Dr. S. K. Mosiman, president
emeritus of Bluffton college was at
Huron Road hospital, Cleveland, for
observation, Tuesday.
Miss Alice Ludwig who has been
at the home of her nephew, Dr.
David Steiner in Lima taking treat
ment for an eye ailment has return
ed to her home on Poplar street with
her condition improved.
Albert Deppler is ill at his home
on South Main street.
Mrs. Emil Garau who has been ill
at her home on South Main street
for several months was reporter in
a critical condition, Wednesday.
Mrs. J. J. Esau who underwent an
operation at the Bluffton hospital
recently is convalescing at her home
on South Main street.
Quinten Burkholder is convalesc
ing at his home north of Bluffton
following an operation which he
underwent at the Bluffton hospital.
David Wenger who has been a
patient in the Bluffton hospital for
the past month is improving.
1ENNE1H
Mennonite Middle District Meet
Will Open In Bluffton
Saturday, June 17
Addresses and Sermons On
Program for Opening
Day’s Sessions
Most Popular College Man
Possibility of the re-establishment
of a Mennonite seminary will be one
of the subjects discussed at a three
day meeting of the Middle District
Mennonite conference in Bluffton,
June 17 to 20.
Since the Witmarsum seminary on
the Bluffton college campus was
closed, the church has had no sem
inary and it is understood that a
memoranda will be submitted from
the General Conference committee
relative to the matter.
More than 100 delegates from five
states, in addition to those from the
Bluffton and Pandora areas are ex
pected to attend the meeting here.
Opening session of the conference
will be held on Saturday afternoon.
Sermons and addresses will be
featured on Sunday’s program, and
matters of conference business will
be discussed on Monday and Tues
day. Meals will be served each noon
and evening during the course of
the conference in the Methodist
Episcopal church.
Preparations for visitors attending
the conference meeting are nearing
completion. States which will be rep
resented are Ohio, Indiana, Illinois,
Iowa and Missouri.
E. J. Hirschler, Bluffton college
professor is president of the confer
ence. Other officers include Rev.
Mullett, Napannee, Ind., vice-presi
dent Gerhard Buhler, Bluffton, sec
retary and E. A. Lugibihl, Berne,
Ind., treasurer.
Prof. Hirschler and Rev. Mulllett
will preside at the conference ses
sions.
Local Man To Head
Celina Light Plant
Harvey Beidler, Bluffton college in
structor and former superintendent
of the Bluffton municipal electric
light and waterworks plant has been
employed as superintendent of the
municipal electric light plant at Ce
lina.
That Beidler had been selected for
the Celina position became known
the first of the week when he re
signed as instructor in physics and
mathematics at the college.
The resignation becomes effective
at the close of classroom activities
the end of this week. Beidler will
take up his new duties at Celina on
Monday. The family will continue
to reside here on South Jackson
street for the present.
1 Beidler was superintendent of the
Bluffton municipal plant from 1921
to 1923. He was later in charge of
the heating and lighting plant of a
large Toledo retail store. During
the past year he was a member of
the college faculty here, taking
classes of Prof. E. J. Hirschler who
was obliged to give up some of his
work on account of illness.
Altier, Bluffton college senior who
has been voted by the student body as the
most popular man on the campus. Thd selection
as most popular man carries with it the honor of
escorting the May Queen, Miss Esther Ramsejer.
who will be crowned next Monday amid colorful
ceremonies on the campus.
Altier has been prominent in collegiate activities,
particularly athletics and student government. His
home is in Girard. Ohio.
Re-establishment Of Seminary To
Be Discussed At Conference Here
INISH WATER
MAIN CLEANING
blueprint of Lines will be
Drafted from Data Ob
tained in Cleaning
Manholes will be placed Above
Mr,ery Valve in Municipal
Water Mains
Cleaning of Bluffton’s water mains
will be completed the latter part of
this week, bringing a close to the pro
gram which has been under way here
for the last six weeks.
Following completion of the pro
ject, detailed blue-prints of the net
work of water lines will be drafted,
the first in the town’s history, Supt.
John W. Swisher said.
If there have been previous blue
prints they have been lost, Supt.
Swisher pointed out. Unless draw
ings are made at this time knowledge
of the mains gained from the clean
ing program will be lost as present
employes leave the municipal system.
Nearly four miles of mains have
been cleaned in the six-weeks pro
gram, and workmen have found nine
valves which waterworks officials did
not know existed. They were in bad
condition, some only partly open and
all in need of repair.
Difficulty also was experienced dur
ing the cleaning program in deter
mining where junctions had been
made of different size mains. Data
relative to this also will be incuded
on the blue prints, to aid in future
work.
After the cleaning program is con
cluded, a manhole will be placed above
every valve in the water system.
Each valve will operated every 30
days to make sure they are kept in
working condition.
Mains on W. College avenue now
are being cleaned and the work will
be concluded the latter part of this
week bringing the extensive program
to a close.
After the cleaning has been ended
about 30 days will be required to put
the streets back into first-class con
dition, it was announced.
Bluffton Couple
Is Wed In Lima
Wedding of Miss Vivian Patterson
and Rolland Guider, both of Bluffton
was solemnized Saturday afternoon
at the home of Rev. Snow in Lima.
The couple was accompanied by Mr.
and Mrs. Robert Runser, brother
in-law and sister of the bride.
The bride is the daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Ralph Patterson and a
graduate of Bluffton high school in
the class of 1937. Since her gradu
ation but ilrtb viupluVed ii» tl'.C
plant of the Triplett Electrical In
strument company.
Mr. Guider, the son of Mr. and
Mrs. Ray Guider residing near Bluff
ton, is a graduate of Ada high school
in the class of 1937. The couple will
reside on the Roy Rogers farm north
east of Bluffton.
BLUFFTON
A Good Place to Live and a
Good Place to Trade
NUMBER 6
NEW CITY WATER
AERATUR IN USE
Apparatus Recommended by
State Health Board in
Operation Here
Estimate Aerator will Require
Five Tons of Coke Every
90 Days
With the new coke-type aerating
sy stem in use at the Bluffton muni
cipal water works, the local planf^
is nearing the completion of a prtf1
gram to comply with changes s^r
gested last spring by the state
board of health.
A fine niesh copper screen win be
built around the aerator within the
next week as a protective measure,
following which the covered reser
voirs will he cleaned.
Walls of the reservoirs will be
scraped and washed down by work
men to eliminate any possibility of
larvae of midges hatching in the
water. It was believed that small
wrigglers found in the water supply
during the spring were larvae of
the midges, and that eggs were
laid by the small flies in the pre
vious aerating system.
In the new aerating procedure the
water is sprayed in the air and in
falling runs thru three coke-filled
trays. Much of the sulphur and
lime content of the water adheres
to the coke.
Approximately five tons of coke
are used in the aerator, purchased
at a cost of about $50. Sulphur and
lime deposits eventually will fill the
coke and replacement will be re
quired.
It is difficult to determine how
long coke will remain usable, but
Supt. John W. Swisher estimates
that the supply will have to be
changed about every 90 days. Coke
taken from the aerator will be wash
ed, dried and then burned.
Last Rites For Eli
Fett Held Wednesday
Succumbing to a heart attack, Eli
Fett, 78, died suddenly at his home
on Bentley road Monday morning.
He had been in apparent good health
and had just returned from a trip
to town.
He was a pioneer resident of this
community and widely known here.
In denominational affiliations he was
a member of the Defenseless Men
nonite church,
Funeral services were held Wednes
day afternoon in the Ehenezer Men
nonite church with Rev. Ci iiford Gra
bill of the Missionary church officiat
ing. Interment was in the Defense
less cemetery.
Surviving are his wife of this place
three sons Alvin and Calvin Fett,
both of Pennant, Saskatchewan and
Gerhardt Fett ■$ Lima three daught
ers Sylvia at home, Mrs. Lydia Bar
tels of Toledo and Mrs. Amerlia Wel
t\ of Bluffton two step-children Mrs.
Christina Harris and Dwight Stotts,
both of Lima two brothers, Ed of
Beaverdam and Albert of Ashley,
Mich. and two sisters, Mrs. Ella
Fenton and Mrs. Catherine McCoy,
both of Bluffton.
Amstutz-Matter
Nuptials Sunday
Wedding of Miss Doris Amstutz
and Robert Matter, both of Bluffton,
took place in Van Wert, Sunday
morning. The wedding vows were
received at his home by Rev. L. C.
Davis, pastor of the Van Wert
Church of Christ.
The bride iq the daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. S. F. Amstutz, southeast
of Bluffton and is a graduate of
Bluffton high school in the class of
1938.
Mr. Matter is the son of Mr. and
Mrs. Orville Matter of near Bluff
ton and is a graduate of Bluffton
high school in the cTass of 1935.
Births
Mr. and Mrs. Waldo Wilkins are
the parents of a son born at Bluffton
hospital, Saturday.
A daughter was born to Mr. and
Mrs. Arthur Schumacher of Ottawa
at Bluffton hospital, Sunday.
A daughter was born to Mr. and
Mrs. David Culp of Pandora at
Bluffton hospital, Saturday.
Mr. and MYs. Maurice Kohli an
nounce the birth of a son, Thursday.
Mr. and Mrs. Norman Triplett are
the parents of a son born at Bluffton
hospital, Monday.