The Bluffton news. [volume], September 21, 1939, Image 1

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BLUFFTON NEWS
The Advertising Medium for
Bluffton Trade Territory
VOLUME NO. LXIV
NEUTRALITY ACT
SUPPORT URGED
Present Law Should Remain
Unchanged Congressman
Tells Audience
Representative Jones of Fourth
Ohio District Speaks Here
Tuesday
The present neutrality act should
stand without change, Congressman
Robert Jones of Lima declared in an
address before the Bluffton college
student body, Tuesday, as he out
lined the position of the United
States in relation to the war in
Europe.
Jones, Republican, representative
in congress from the Fourth Ohio
district and former Allen county
prosecutor spoke to the student body
of the college at the morning chapel
exercises.
Jones who lined up at the last
session of congress with the majority
opposed to provisions of the Neu
trality act as advocated by President
Roosevelt, indicated in his speech
here that he has not changed his
position and will remain w’ith those
standing for provisions of
as previously enacted w’hen
reconvenes this w’eek.
Commenting on the danger of in
vasion in case the totalitarian states
win in the present war, he pointed
out that America can produce more
steel products than the entire group
of nations “over there” in case we
have to. Also, our geographical po
sition makes it practically impossible
for outsiders to attack us success
fully.
The congressman concluded with
a statement that too many persons
are “blind to the blessings of free
America in the enjoyment of those
inestimable rights and privileges of
a free people, a precious heritage
from our forefathers.”
Named Health Nurse
In Montgomery County
Miss Besse Patrick of Dayton,
formerly of Bluffton has been ap
pointed to the staff of the Montgom
ery County board of health as pub
lic health nurse in
district.
the Miamisburg
Miss Patrick is
Bluffton high school
1933 and the Miami
School of Nursing in 1936.
past three years she has
active nursing in Dayton,
the youngest daughter of Mrs. Min
nie Patrick of North Jackson street.
a graduate of
in the
Valley
i
the law
congress
Plea
Support Present Law,
The congressman pleaded for strict
support of the present Neutrality
act so as not to “plunge ourselves
into a war to make the w’orld safe
for democracy” and then end it with
another “unfair treaty”. “Freedom”,
he declared, “is on the shores
America”.
of
the
the
Warning against propaganda,
speaker declared that “during
next fewr months the inflow of prop
aganda will make the 1914 cam
paign seem like a trickle”. Foreign
propaganda agencies are already set
up in this country, he said.
class of
Hospital
For the
been in
She is
Hold Mennonite Song
Festival Sunday Night
A union song festival will be held
in the St. John Mennonite church
Sunday night at 8 o’clock with the
musical talent of four Mennonite
churches included on the program.
Besides the St. John church, other
participating churches will be the
Bluffton First Mennonite, Ebenezer
and Grace church of Pandora.
Besides special vocal and instru
mental numbers there will be group
singing by the entire audience led
by Harold Reusser of Ohio State
university, Columbus, formerly of
Bluffton college.
Births
The following births at Bluffton
Community hospital:
Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Holden.
Bluffton, a daughter Diana Mary
belle, Thursday.
Mr. and Mrs. Virgil Sommers,
Li -a, a daughter, Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs Clair Herr, Pandora,
a daughter, Tuesday.
he
Cherry Tree
Here Bearing
Second Crop
Tpi) Steiner, of South Main
street, has the second crop
of cherries ripening on a tree in
his back yard, altho he expects
that frost will come too soon to
permit harvest of the fruit.
A month or so ago a fire built
near the tree scorched the leaves.
They withered and fell from the
tree, but during the recent warm
spell new leaves sprouted, fol
lowed by blossoms, and now
cherries are growing on branches
for the second time this year.
ASK STATE AID IN
PAVEMENT REPAIR
It’s Hard Life For Poor College
Frosh—This Is Initiation Week
mergency Exists with Brick
Loose on Main Street,
Councilman Says
Conference to be Arranged this
Week with State High
way Chiefs
Bluffton town council will seek
state aid this fall in repairing the
Main street pavement which it is said
will be badly damaged if allowed to
go thru the winter in its present con
dition.
Deceision to seek state aid came
Monday night at the council meeting
after the street committee of that
body* pointed out that large numbers
of the brick in the pavement have be
come loose, allowing water
thru to the street’s concrete
tion.
to seep
founda-
member
Councilman M. M. Bogart,
of the street committee declared that
to go thru a winter season of freez
ing and thawing would work almost
irreparable damage to the pavement
in its present condition.
Want “Hot Mix” Top For Street
In applying for state aid in main
tenance work on the street, the coun
cil will seek to have a tar binder used
to hold the brick in place and a “hot
mix” asphalt top placed over the en
tire street, including the concrete
strip and abandoned traction line
track in the center of the highway.
Arrangements are being made for
a conference this week w’ith O. C.
Kohli of Lima, state resident division
highway engineer at which time the
entire council is expected to take up
the matter and later go to Columbus
if necessary.
The tar binder and hot mix surface
treatment, it is said, will put the
street in serviceable condition for a
number of years to come.
Laid Twelve Years Ago
The present pavement laid twelve
years ago has been subjected constant
ly to the heavy day and night traffic
which goes over the Dixie highway.
The pavement is ten inches in depth
consisting of a six inch concrete foun
dation, one inch sand cushion and
three inch brick top, with asphalt
binder poured over the top.
War Cancels Plan
Study In Paris
To
Plans for
a Bluffton young woman
Paris in preparation for
service in Africa have
the pres-
to study in
missionary
been cancelled because of
ent European war.
daughter
Gratz, of
Miss Catherine Gratz,
of Mr. and Mrs. Peter
South Jackson street, was notified
last week that she is not to sail from
New York City bound for Paris, on
October 19, as she had originally
planned.
She was told, however, that she
should be in readiness to go later
if satisfactory arrangements can be
made.
Pending further notification Miss
Gratz is returning to Ft. Wayne
where she will resume her former
work as a home missionary.
On October 19 she had planned
to leave fur Paris where she was to
spend a year in advanced study of
French. Following completion of the
course she was going to French W est
Africa where she would have been
located in a mission station on the
western border of the Sahara desert.
Freshmen Put Thru Queer
Antics by Members of
Sophomore Class
First Year Students in Grotes
que Garb Seen on Streets
Down Town
Pity the poor frosh—this is initia
tion w’eek for mote than 8(f Bluff
ton college freshmen and life is any
thing but easy. Sophomores who
are in active charge of the initiation
laid down the weeks program at a
meeting Monday morning at 6 o’clock
to which all Freshmen were sum
moned.
Just to give the first year stu
dents a view’ of the seamy side of
life they were commanded to wear
their clothing inside out all day
Monday. First year men w’ith their
trousers pockets dangling outside
were seen parading thru the busi
ness district during the day.
Tuesday found a new’ program ar
ranged by which freshmen were at
tired in grotesque garb—one was
seen in the afternoon wandering
thru the campus with a pair of dark
glasses and carrying a lighted lan
tern while another had a blind man’s
tincup for alms suspended from his
neck.
Sophomore girls had their inning
Wednesday when freshmen coeds
w’ere notified to appear for classes
with double makeup. Just in case
there was an insufficient quantity
of makeup the second year
w’ere ready to add plenty more
it suited their taste.
Shaving is forbidden from Mon
day morning until the close of ini
tiation season on Thursday night.
Each freshman—both boys and girls
—must ask a sophomore for a “date”
during the week.
On Monday and Tuesday nights
freshmen boys captured and blind
folded by sophomores were taken into
the country in automobiles w’here
they were let out to find their way
back on foot.
One car containing three freshmen
and three sophomores driving north
on the College road failed to take
an “S” curve at the Henry Huber
farm and overturned at the side of
the road. No one w’as seriously
hurt, altho Todd, freshman from
Delta and end on the football squad
received a shoulder bruise which will
keep him out of the Bluffton-Kenyon
football game next Saturday.
Old Skating Rink
Building Changed
Bluffton’s old skating
ing is being changed
marking the passing of
erected some thirty-five
when roller skating was
dey.
rink build
this week,
a structure
years ago
in its hey-
building, a
at the rear
Second floor of the
large barnlike structure
and owned by E.
of the post office
G. Steiner of the
and Master Feed
moved as part of
gram under way to better house the
hatchery apd feed jnill.
Steiner Hatchery
mill is being re
a remodeling pro-
Besides its use as a skating rink,
the second floor of tji^ building was
the playing floor of Blufftpp^ first
basketball team which made history
about that time. Among those who
played on the team giving the town
its first taste of basketball were Dr.
J. S. Steiner, Sidney Hauenstein,
Isaac Geiger, of Minneapolis C. C.
(Jolly) Woods, of
Geiger, oLuis
Cleveland, and Elmer (Sam)
burger of Lima.
Bluffton
girls
until
for
The freshmen are hoping
warm weather on Thursday as all
first year students are ordered to
appear in full dress from the waist
up—and wear gym shorts or slacks
to make up the remainder of their
costume.
Augs-
More Leave To
Attend College
Paul Kliewer, student at Wheaton
college, Wheaton, Ill., for the past
two years is enrolled in the forestry
school of Oregon State college at
Corvallis, Oregon.
Kenneth Stover, graduated from
Bluffton college last spring has. en
rolled in Bonebrake Theological sem
inary in Dayton.
Miriam Steiner, Stella Augsburger,
Helen Schumacher and Harold Welty
have enrolled in Ft. Wayne Bible
institute.
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE^NT ERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1939
LAND LEASED FOR OIL OPERATIONS NEAR TOWN
Real estate activity in Bluffton
centered on Grove street this week
w’ith the starting of construction of
two residences and the prospect of
a third being built this fall
spring.
Start Building Two Houses On
Grove Street May Build Third
next
or
resi-
of
Norman
Contracts for construction
dences have been let by
Triplett and Jack Remde, both con
nected with The Triplett Electrical
Instrument company here,
tion is scheduled to start
nesday, with the houses completed
early in November,
Excava-
this Wed-
on Grove
Both houses will front
street occupying all the building lots
on the south side of the street be
tween the S. V. Heckathorn resi
dence and that of Mrs. Edna Bader
tscher at the corner of Grove street
and College road.
Remde will build on the lot ad-
SEWER BALLOT
TO 8E SEPARATE
Will Not Appear On Same
Ticket as Municipal Candi
dates, Nov. 7
Proposed Installation Would
Eliminate Stream Pollu
tion, Claim
Former Bluffton Man Home From
Europe Gets iLast Ticket On Boat
Bluffton’s proposed sewage bond is
sue which will be decided at the fall
election will be one of forty-one or
more different ballots to be issued to
voters of Allen county on Tuesday,
November 7.
Ballots containing the sewage bond
issue proposal will be separate from
the ticket containing names of can
didates for municipal offices.
Arrangements for placing the mat
ter on the ballot and submitting the
proposal to a decision of electors were
made by the town council following
protests received from local residents
during the summer complaining of
the condition of Riley’ creeks said due
to stream pollution.
Eliminate Pollution and Odor, Claim
Installation of a sewerage system
will eliminate the present stream pol
lution and odor, it is said by repre
sentatives of Champe, Finkbeiner and
Associates, Toledo engineering firm
who appeared before the council in
the matter.
Sewage disposal, under the system
proposed by the Toledo engineers
would effectually do away with dis
comfort caused by domestic and dairy
wastes now poured into the streams,
it is asserted.
The proposed system, it is also de
clared, will make the present cess
pools unnecessary and do away with
cleaning and maintenance costs.
Decrease Mosquitoes
While the proposed sewage system
would not entirely eliminate Bluffton’s
mosquito nuisance, it is declared by
engineers that the trouble would be
materially lessened thru a cleanup of
the streams.
Of the estimated cost of the system,
placed at $400,000, one-fourth would
be paid by the town on condition of
three-fourths being supplied thru fed
eral WPA funds.
Present plans for financing the
town’s share is to authorize $80,000
in bonds at the November election to
be met thru a tax levy and $20,000 in
bonds to be paid thru a service charge
of approximately fifty cents per
month by each property’ tapping into
the system. A part of the service
charge paid by property owners would
also be used for operating purposes.
In order to carry at the election,
however, the $80,(MM) proposed bond
‘ssue must receive not less than 65
per cent of the total vote cast.
WINDOW EXHIBITS
A bumper pear, weighing one
pound is an attraction in the News
window exhibits this week. The pear
was raised by Grover C. Devier on
South Main street.
CHANGE DATE OF FAIR HERE TO DEC. 6 8
joining that of Mrs. Badertscher
Tripletts residence will occupy
two remaining lots adjoining
Heckathorn residence.
The third residence, now in pros
pect is that of the Misses Bertha
and Mary Lugibill who have pur
chased the Lysle Baumgartner build
ing lot on Grove street adjoining
residence of Rev. P. A. Kliewer
posite the Heckathorn residence,
definite decision on building has
been made, it was reported Tuesday.
The Lugibill sisters now reside with
their uncle Amons Neuenschw'ander,
w’est of Bluffton.
the Triplett and
will make three
Schumacher addi
The other property
Construction of
Remde residences
home built in the
tion this year,
being that of Harry Bogart front
ing on College road and now near
ing completion.
mmet Harshbarger Crosses
Atlantic on Liner Crowded
With Americans
’Ians Changed when German
Line Cancels Sailing
Lands at Hoboken
news
and
the
the
the
op*
No
yet
Dr.
the
the
she
How’ a former Bluffton man,
Emmet Harshbarger, obtained
last ticket sold for passage on
Dutch liner Veendam before
sailed from Europe crowded with
Americans fleeing the war zone, be
came known Tuesday as the first
word was received from him by rela
tives here.
Ho
ago
and
Dr. Harshbarger arrived in
boken, New’ Jersey, two weeks
w’here he w'as met by his wife
two sons. The family left imme
diately for Newton, Kansas, where
he is an instructor in Bethel college.
Word of his safe arrival was re
ceived here this week by Mrs. Hash
barger’s sister, Mrs. G. T. Soldner of
Cherry street.
German Line Cancels Schedule
Dr Harshbarger returned to the
United States on a small Dutch
liner, The Veendam, after a North
German Lloyd line on which he had
booked passage cancelled its sailings
because of the prospect of war.
Stranded in Europe by the change
of events, Dr. Harshbarger had dif
ficulty in arranging for his return
passage and w’as fortunate to obtain
booking on the Veendam According
to w’ord received here he obtained
the last ticket sold.
Dr. Harshbarger was one of eleven
Americans who attended the Acade
mic of International Law at The
Hague, Netherlands, during the past
summer on fellowships granted by
the Carnegie Peace Endowment.
Dr. Harshbarger was an instruct
or in Bluffton High school for four
years, from 1926 to 1930. For sev
eral years he has been in instructor
at Bethel college.
Mrs. Sarah Geiger, of this place,
mother of Mrs. Harshbarger, W’eni
East with her daughter, and has re
mained there to visit another daugh
ter, Mrs. Carl Nordstrom, of Cam
bridge^ Mass. She will return here
l^ter in the fall.
Birthday Greetings
Sent To Frank Scott
Frank Scott, pioneeer Bluffton
resident, observed his ninety-second
birthday anniversary last Saturday.
In rememberance of the occasion he
received a large number of greeting
cards from friends here, for which
he expressed warm appreciation and
thanks.
r. Scott,
banker and manufacturer here is
now* retired.
dent of Bluffton for some sixty
years and resides on East Kibler
street adjoining the home of his
daughter Mrs. Elmer Ewing on
South Main street. He was also
for many years president of the
board of public affairs in charge of
Bluffton’s municipal electric light
and waterworks plant.
a former merchant,
He has been a resi
Change in the date of Bluffton’s
annual agricultural fair from the
middle of October to the first week
in December was announced Tues
day night following a meeting
the fair’s board of directors.
of
in
to
in
The fair this year will be held
a three day showing, Wednesday
Friday, December 6 to 8. Change
the date of the fair is due to the
fact that the middle of October finds
many farmers too busy with fall
work to enter exhibits, it was ex
plained.
The fair was previously held in
December until the past four years
when the date was advanced to
October.
SI,300 IN BRIDGE
REPAIR PROGRAM
Commissioners Authorize Work
On Cherry and Grove
Street Spans
Both Bridges Badly in Need
Repair Crew of Six
Doing Work
of
A bridge repair program in Bluff
to undertaken by the Allen county
commissioners will involve an esti
mated expenditure of $1,350 it was
stated the first of the week.
Two bridges being repaired here are
the Cherry street bridge over Big
Riley creek and the Grove street
bridge spanning Little Riley.
A bridge repair crew of six men
working out of the office of County
Engineer Walter Neidhart has been
here for the past two weeks engaged
in the repair job.
$1,000 Repair at Cherry Street
H. G. Bickel, foreman in charge
estimated that the repairs on the
Cherry street bridge would amount to
I $1,000. The bridge, said to have been
baldy in need of repairs now has new
sidewarlks, new angle iron underlying
supports and guard rails together
with a pointing up of the foundation.
A repair project on the Grove street
bridge included pointing up of foun
dation, new sidwalk and guard rails.
Both bridges have been given a coat
of aluminum paint, which besides be
ing waterproof will be more easily
distinguished by motorists at night.
Roadway of both bridges will also be
given a tar chip top as soon as other
work on the structures is completed.
Former Bluffton
Jeweler Is Dead
Adolph Lee, 72, former Bluffton
man, died at his home in Odem,
Texas, recently, according to w’ord
received here by relatives the first
of the week.
He died September 1 following a
paralytic stroke. Funeral services
were held at Odem September 3 fol
low’ed by burial at that place.
Mr. Lee operated a jewelry store
and watch repair business in Bluff
ton some thirty-five years
Later he moved to Texas where he
operated a cannery for a number
of years.
ago.
His w’ife, of Odem, who survives
w’as formerly Rosa Amstutz of this
place, a sister of Mrs. Otto Am
stutz south of.tpw’n and Mrs. Walter
Marshall AUY^r^nge'tbwnsWipf
Also surviving are two daughters
Mrs. Clayton Mohle of Brownsville,
Texas, and Mrs Harold Baylor, of
Odem two sons Raymond of Wis
consin and John of Odem. A half
sister, Mrs. Eugene Tschiegg
near Beaverdam also survives.
of
With The Sick
Mrs. I. N. Harris is ill with a heart
ailment at her home south of Bluffton
on the county line.
Ray Kern who has been a patient
in the University hospital, Colum
bus, receiving treatment for a stom
ach ailment, has been removed to
his home at the Bertche farm on
the county line.
Miss Gertrude Hilty who recently
underwent an operation at a Lima
hospital has been brought to the
Bluffton hospital for treatment.
Kenneth Hilty has been removed
from the Bluffton hospital to his
home in Pandora where he is con
valescing w’ith a broken leg.
Frank Dray, patient in the Cleve
land clinic the past week has been
removed to his home east of town.
BLUFFTON
A Good Place to Live and a
Good Place to Trade
LEASES SIGNED
FOR 685 ACRES
Test Well to be Put Down in
District North of
Is Plan
lllness Is Fatal
To Young Mother
Funeral services for Mrs. Robert
Edinger, 24, of Lima, formerly of
Bluffton were held Wednesday after
noon at the Diller funeral home
here. Rev. Hilliard Camp of Olive
Branch United Brethren church east
of Bluffton officiated
Interment was made
cemetery.
■V-
NUMBER 21
Bluffton.
Territory
Found
Ago
Revive Drilling in
Where Oil Was
Half-Century
for oil will be revived
a district between three
miles north of Bluffton
Drilling
shortly in
and four
where some of the first oil was
found in this
century ago.
half a
area nearly
known the
reports from
first of
reliable
This became
the week thru
sources that 685 acres of farm land
had been leased by Bowling Green
and New York interests which are
now said to be
several thousand
tion.
seeking options on
acres in this sec-
already leased is
College road north
The territory
principally along
of the Amstutz cannery, located in
Putnam and Hancock counties.
Leases on the land have been signed
during the past three weeks sinc^
the first of September.
Farms already leased are those of
Homer Zimmerly, 40 acres Arden
Zimmerly, 80 acres Leonard Zim
merly, 80 acres Will Carr, 120
acres Roy Hauenstein, 40 acres
William Habegger, 45 acres Alva
Yenner (on Peter Geiger farm), 80
acres: Sam Welty, 80 acres, and
John Boehr, 120 acres.
Drill Test Well
A test well will be put down on
one of the farms before spring, ac
cording to present plans. Location
of the well has not yet been deter
mined.
The interests leasing the prospec
tive oil field near Bluffton now' have
two wells near Dupont in the north
west corner of Putnam county, ap
proximately 35 miles northw’est of
(Continued on page 5)
at the services,
in Maple Grove
Sunday evening
Mrs. Edinger died
in Bluffton Community hospital from
a kidney ailment and meningitis fol
lowing a six weeks illness.
Mrs. Edinger, the former Kathleen
La Donna
Bluffton,
daughter
Steele.
Steele was born south of
September 29, 1914, the
of Mr and Mrs. Lawrence
She was married in 1931 to Robert
Edinger who survives together with
two sons James Lee aged four and
Jerry Scott, six weeks. A brother
Donald Everett Steele also survives.
Takes Position With
State Welfare Dept
Carl Smucker, formerly of Bluff
ton, has accepted a position with
the state department of public wel
fare and will be engaged in work
dealing' with juvenile delinquency, it
was stated the first of the week.
Mr. Smucker, second son of Mrs.
B. D. Smucker of South Lawn ave
nue has been engaged for several
years in work in this field in Stark
and Columbiana counties.
He and his wife will move from
their present residence in Alliance to
Columbus where he will take up his
duties with the state agency on
October 15.
College Enrollment
Shows Increase
Enrollment in Bluffton college for
the current year is 213, according
to a statement from the office of
the registrar, Tuesday morning The
total last year one w*eek after regis
tration w’as 208.
Of the regular students enrolled
this year, 81 are freshmen, as com
pared with 68 freshmen last year.
Three special students are enrolled
in the conservatory with this num
ber expected to be materially in
creased by late registrations.