The Bluffton news. [volume], October 05, 1939, Image 1

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BLUFFTON NEWS
The Advertising Medium for
Bluffton Trade Territory
VOLUME NO. LXIV
BUILD TWO MORE
HOMES THIS FALL
Lugibill Sisters and Ed Smith
To Erect New Houses on
Grove Street
Five New Homes Being Built in
Grove Street Area Since
Last Spring
New residence construction this
fall which has centered in the West
Grove street area between Lawn
avenue and Riley creek bridge took
on added activity the first of the
week when it was announced that
two more residences would be built
before winter.
The two new houses are those of
the Misses Bertha and Mary Lugibill
who recently purchased the Lysle
Baumgartner lot opposite the S. V.
Heckathom residence and Ed Smith
who last week purchased a lot from
Mrs. W. A. Triplett at the corner of
Grove and Kibler streets, opposite
the Howard Stager residence.
Work on the Lugibill residence has
been started with excavation now
under way for basement and founda
tion. The residence is located on the
north side of the street between the
E. S. Lape and Rev. P. A. Kliewer
properties.
When completed it will be occupied
by the Lugibill sisters who now re
side with their uncle Amos Neuen
schwander west of Bluffton.
Another Residence Starts Soon
Smith, who is employed as engin
eer at the generating plant of the
Central Ohio Light & Power com
pany here, is expecting to start con
struction of a residence at once on
the site which he acquired last week.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith moved here a
year ago from St. Marys where he
had been employed previously as an
engineer at the Central Ohio’s gen
erating plant. They are now living
in the Rolland Stratton apartments.
Construction of the Lugibill and
Smith residences will make five
homes to be built in that area this
year, the other three, which are be
ing built in the new Schumacher ad
dition, being those of Harry Bogart,
Norman Triplett and Jack Rem de.
Bluffton To Have
Local Option Vote
Bluffton’s local option election is
assured as a part of the November
7 balloting, officials of the Allen
county board of elections announced
last week after petitions presented
to them had been certified.
The Bluffton vote is to be for the
purpose of prohibiting the sale of
everything except 3.2 per cent beer.
This would mean a ban on the sale
of wine and beer of more than 3.2
alcoholic content.
Sale of hard liquor has been pro
hibited here since the 1933 election
when Bluffton’s vote was against
the repeal of the state prohibition
amendment and also the eighteenth
amendment to the federal constitu
tion.
Board officials also announced that
petitions have been filed fiom
Beaverdam to prohibit sale of liquor
and beer, except the 3.2 brand.
Official action on the proposal is ex
pected to be taken by the board
this week.
First Concert In
Series Wednesday
Opening offering of the year in
the Bluffton College Concert series
will be presented at 8 p. m. this
Wednesday in the Bluffton High
school auditorium with the appear
ance here of Virgilio Lazzari, basso
of the Metropolitan and Chicago
Opera Associations.
With Lazzari will be Olga Trevi
san, a well known soprano, who will
sing several featured selections. She
is the daughter of the director of
the Chicago municipal opera.
An added attraction to the concert
will be the second portion in which
Lazzari and Miss Trevisan appear
in costume, singing and depicting
scenes from the opera, “The Barber
of Seville”.
Charles Lurvey will be the accom
panist for the concert presentation.
Lazzari’s appearance here will be
the first of three concert offerings
in the college concert series, Prof.
Russell A. Lantz announced.
RETURN FROM WEST
Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Romey and
daughter, Miss Carolyn Romey re
tu med home last Thursday from a
five we ’’s' motor trip thru the west.
They visited the San Francisco ex
position "nd other points of interest,
also relatives enroute.
Frost Is Seen On
Pumpkins By Early
Risers This Week
TpROST—the first of the season,
kept its traditional rendez
vous with the pumpkins in the
fields and on the trees here Sun
day morning. Damage done was
negligible.
Temperatures fell as low as 34
degrees to mark the arrival of
frost on Sunday and Monday
mornings. Weather was consid
erably warmer on Tuesday and
Wednesday.
AUDITOR’S REPORT
Report of 56 Pages Gets Scant
Attention at Meeting
Monday Night
Examiner Makes Findings and
Recommendations Cover
ing Three Years
Findings and recommendations of
J. E. Gotherman, examiner from the
State Bureau of Inspection and Super
vision of Public Offices who made an
audit of Bluffton’s municipal finances
and accounting methods received
scant attention from the town council
at its meeting Monday night.
Copy of a 56-page typewritten re
port filed by Gotherman following his
examination here last summer was
received by Mayor W. A. Howe, Fri
day. The mayor submitted the report
to council members who gave it a
brief and cursory examination shortly
before the session adjourned.
No official action was taken on the
report but individual members ex
pressed the off the record opinion
that many of Gotherman’s findings
ahd recommendations were unwar
r^nted.j As the meeting adjourned
thUr« was no indication that the
council rrftagted to give the report
any further consideration.
Since any action to carry out rec
ommendations of the examiner would
ordinarily come from the council, it is
belived that the report will be drop
ped.
Recalls Caustic Criticism
Gotherman’s report recalls caustic
criticism of the examiner which was
voiced by the town council while he
was making his examination here last
June.
At that time the council ignored
the examiner’s verbal recommenda
tion that the present practise of the
municipal electric light plant in furn
ishing free street lighting be discon
tinued and that the municpality pay
for its street lighting, taking the
money from the general fund and
transferring it to the light fund. The
recommendation is again contained in
the formal report filed with the
mayor.
The examination of Bluffton’s mu
nicipal records for a three year period
from July 21, 1936 to June 8, 1939,
discloses no shortage in funds, but
makes many findings in accounting
practise and procedure.
Two Principal Findings
Two of the larger findings were in
favor of the municipality against
Bluffton college and Bluffton Com
munity hospital.
Findings against the college was
for $2,732 which the examiner said
was due electric light and water ser
vice representing the amount of its
I bill dropped by the board of public
I affairs after a settlement payment of
the college’s delinquent accounts pri
or to February, 1937. The examiner
said the board had no authority to
compromise a utilities bill.
The account was included in the re
financing plan now in operation thru
which certain assets of the institution
are segregated for the payment of
outstanding debts of the institution
prior to February, 1937. These assets
are now in process of liquidation for
payment of the accounts, and aggre
gate of seventeen per cent, having
been paid to date.
Finding against the hospital was
for $2,819 for light, heat and water
which Gotherman pointed out was
furnished without charge. This ar
rangement was made by the board of
public affairs when the present hos
pital was opened two years ago, with
(Continued on page 8)
George Miller of College road is
judging exhibits in the educational
department of the Putnam county fair
at Ottawa, this week.
Bluffton Real Estate Market
Shows Burst Of Fall Activity
Farm and City Properties
Change Hands in Deals
Made During Week
New Purchaser Takes Over
Management of Star Motion
Picture Theatre
With farm and town properties
changing hands the past week, to
gether with one change in business
and a building program of five new
residences, Bluffton real estate enters
the fall season showing its greatest
activity in many months.
A change in the business section
was announced the first of the week
when A. T. Worthington, Bluffton
motion picture proprietor announced
sale of the Star theatre to George
Carmack who recently moved here
from Findlay.
Carmack has taken over operation
of the show and will continue it in
its present location in the Leland
Sechler block. Carmack a year ago
purchased half of the Rolland Strat
ton block, formerly the Bluffton
Manufacturing building, and at that
time it was reported that he would
remodel the property into a motion
picture establishment. However, he
has made no announcement of such
plans at this time.
Worthington, likewise has made no
indication as to his future plans
since disposing of the theatre.
Residences Change Hands
The Misses Marcella and Lilas Ba
singer, daughters of Philip Basinger
residing south of town on the Dixie
highway have purchased the A. D.
Wells property on North Main
street, formerly known as the Close
property. The property, it is under
stood w’as purchased as an invest
ment and will be rented.
Mrs. Sibyl Mollett, sister of Mrs.
Wells has purchased from the Home
Owners Loan Corporation the South
Main street residence known as the
Geo. Hacker property, formerly the
Geo. Murray property. The prop
erty is now occupied by Ray Mum-
Mrs Mollett and Mr. and Mrs.
Wells will occupy the property this
falL The Mumma family expect to
move into the H. A. Alderfer prop
erty on South Main street vacated
several months ago by the Robert
Cooney family.
Farm Land Sold
Lazarus Basinger has sold his
farm of three and one-half acres
northwest of Bluffton to Miss Rosa
Welty, daughter of Solomon Welty
whose farm adjoins the Basinger
place.
Basinger has leased a building lot
from J. E. Steiner adjoining the
latter’s property on Thurman street
and expects to construct a' house
this fall.
The real estate deals were made by
the Althaus & Collins agency of
this place.
To Address Young
People Here Sunday
Miss Roberta Chapman, Columbus
Y. W. C. A. worker will address a
union young people’s meeting in the
Methodist church here Sunday even
ing at 6:30 o’clock She will relate
experiences and observations in
Europe last summer as a delegate
to the International Christian Youth
conference at Amsterdam, Holland.
Miss Chapman’s appearance here
is in appreciation of the part the
local Epworth League of the Metho
dist church took in sponsoring her
trip. The meeting however, is be
ing promoted by the District Chris
tian Endeavor.
n’0
H. S. Gridders To
See Ohio In Action
Fifteen members of the Bluffton
High football squad will be taken to
Columbus this Saturday to witness
Ohio State’s clash with Missouri,
the opening contest of the season
for the Buckeyes.
Coach Dwight Diller and Faculty
Manager Sidney C. Stettler will ac
company the group.
High school day is being observed
on the campus of the state uni
versity in connection with the open
ing grid tilt of the season. Students
from 1,262 high schools of the state
have been invited.
JUDGE AT FAIR SCHOOLS CLOSE THURSDAY
Bluffton’s high and grade schools
will be closed all day Thursday to
give pupils an opportunity to attend
the Putnam county fair at Ottawa.
rHE BLUFFTON NEWS
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INT ERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1939
NEW HOSPITAL
HEADJS NAMED
Miss Helen Maxwell Assumes
Superintendency of Com
munity Hospital
Assistant Will be Miss Sylvia
Biederman Change is
Effective at Once
Miss Helen Maxwell, daughter of
Mrs. Elizabeth Maxwell, of this place,
was named superintendent of the
Bluffton Community hospital at a
meeting of the board of directors
Monday night.
For the last three years Miss Max
well has been assistant superintendent
in charge of surgery at the hospital
here and preceding that she had ex
perience in other institutions.
She succeeds Miss Stella Burkhold
er, who has been superintndent here
since January, 1937, and who was as
sistant superintendent for four years
prior to that time.
Miss Maxwell is well fittted for the
superintendent’s post, having had
wide experience in the field of nursing
since graduating from Lima f.Iemorial
hospital in 1931. She was for some
time on the nursing staff of the Lima
District Tuberculosis hospital, and lat
er had charge of the nursery depart
ment of Touro hospital in New Or
leans.
Miss Sylvia Biederman will be the
new’ assistant superintendent, succeed
ing Miss Maxwell. She formerly
taught in the Bluffton grade school,
and has been connected with the local
hospital since her graduation from
Lima Memorial hospital last year.
A third registered nurse to be nam
ed later also will be employed at the
Bluffton hospital to complete the
staff. Miss Burkholder’s* resignation
does not become effective until Oct.
23, but she is now’ on her vacation and
will not return to active duty. As a
consequence Miss Maxwell already
has assumed charge of the institu
tion.
A. A. A. Committee
Will Be Elected
Committeemen to- represent Rich
land township in administration of
the Agricultural Conservation pro
gram during the coming year will
be elected at a meeting at 7:30 p. m.
this Thursday in the Richland
grange hall.
Among other meetings scheduled
in Allen county are the following:
Monroe township, Cairo town hall,
7:30 p. m. Thursday and Jackson
tow’nship, Lafayette town hall, 7:30
p. m. Monday.
Dates of the various elections
were announced by Clay Miller,
chairman of the Allen County Con
servation association.
1500 Buy Drivers’
Licenses For 1940
Drivers’ licenses for 1940 have
been sold to 1,500 motorists in the
Bluffton area, Robert Lewis, local
registrar, announced Tuesday.
In addition 78 persons have bought
chauffeurs’ licenses, making an ag
gregate of 1,578 permits sold here.
Lewis said headquarters for the
sale of driver’s permits will be main
tained for the remainder of this
week in the Steiner Chevrolet
garage, altho it is believed that most
of those who will buy drivers’ li
censes now’ have them.
With The Sick
Oliver Locher who unnerw’ent an
operation at St. Lukes hospital, Fri
day for removal of
his right kidney
is convalescing nicely. Mrs. Locher
who was in Cleveland over the week
end returned home Tuesday night.
Ross Gottshall, Bluffton resident
who w’as in a hospital at Millersburg
the past week is now convalescing at
his former home in Killbuck, near
that place. Gottshall received three
fractured ribs as the result of an
accident at Killbuck two weeks ago
when a ditch in which he was work
ing caved in and he was buried un
der several feet of earth. Mrs.
Gottshall has been at his bedside
since the accident.
Plan District C. E.
Banquet October 23
The Bluffton District Christian En
deavor organization will hold its an
nual banquet and election of officers
on Monday night, Oct. 23, it w’as
announced the first of the week.
Place for holding the banquet has
not yet been determined.
Department Has Answered Only
Two Fire Alarms Since
January 1st
Report Made in Connection with
Announcement of Fire
Prevention Week
Bluffton’s municipal fire depart
ment has had to answer only two
calls within the corporation limits
since last January 1, it was an
nounced this week as the town pre
pared for the annual local observ
ance of National Fire Prevention
week, from October 8 to 14.
With three-fourths of the year
past and only two fire thus far,
Bluffton’s fire loss is expected to be
materially lower for 1939.
Last year on Oct. 1, the town’s
fire loss aggregated $3,035, accord
ing to records of Clarence Stonehill,
clerk of the fire department. This
fall at the same time the loss is
only $1,515.
$1,500 Loss
Bluffton’s fire department also has
answered one call from outside the
town, making a run to the Clarence
Benner farm between Mt. Cory and
Rawson, where a garage was de
stroyed. The loss was undetermined.
The Bluffton department is well
equipped to handle fire of any kind,
it was pointed out in connection with
opening of fire prevention week
actiivities.
Good Equipment
More than 1,500 feet of hose in
good condition is available for fight
ing fires, and the town is well served
hy 57 fire hydrants located within
I the city limits. Bluffton’s modern
motor pumper, purchased in 1928,
has a rated pumping capacity of
500 gallons per minute.
Adequate departmental equipment,
I however, represents protection only
in case of fire, according to Fire
Chief Guy Corson. Prevention to be
effective must start in the home.
With chilly mornings and evenings
of the fall season bringing many
stoves and furnaces into use after
the neglect of spring and summer,
the danger of fire is multiplied many
times, the chief said.
In fighting fires, Chief Corson is
assisted by a capable department
personnel made up of H. E. Augs
burger, Lester Niswander, Clarence
Stonehill, Harold Stonehill, Charles
Young, Fred Martin, Isaac Brobeck
and Edw. Badertscher.
Bird Girl At Lions
Ladies9 Night Dinner
The Bird Girl, Miss Juanita Mc
Comb, presented an unusual program
of varied entertaining features at a
Ladies’ Night dinner of the Bluffton
Lions club Tuesday evening in the
Walnut Grill.
A crowd of approximately 80
Lions, their wives and other guests
enjoyed the two hour offering.
Miss McComb and her assistant
opened their program with the pre
sentation of bird calls, followed by
charcoal sketching and cartooning
and clay modeling.
The concluding part of the even
ing’s entertainment consisted of a
motion picture travelogue, showing
the outstanding attractions of Yel
lowstone National park, the Smoky
Mountains and Florida.
Miss McComb is a well-versed na
ture student and has travelled ex
tensively thruout the United States
i pursuing her hobby.
EVERYONE LOSES
(An Editorial)
TN war there are no winners—everyone loses—and no one
realizes this more clearly than American business. The
National Association of Manufacturers does a public serv
ice in its widespread campaign to drive this fact home to
the American people.
Statement of the association’s position, sponsored by
its local member, which appears in this edition of the News
is worthy of the thoughtful consideration of every citizen.
The organization, representing as it does, business
leaders throughout the nation speaks authoritatively for
that group when it declares unqualifiedly that American
industry hates war.
War is a losing game—America can stay out if it so
wills.
Bluffton Fire Loss This Year
Is Expected To Be Much Lower
in
Blaze
Largest of the two 1939 fires in
Bluffton was that which razed the
residence of Mrs Ada Miller, on the
Bentley road. Loss was estimated
at $1,500. The second blaze was at
the home of Mrs. Orpha Harris, on
South Main street, where an auto
mobile was damaged to the extent
of $15.
Bring Remains Here
For Burial Wednesday
Burial services for Mrs. Clara
Worthington, 74, former Bluffton
resident, were held at Maple Grove
cemetery, Wednesday afternoon.
Mrs. Worthington died at her
home in Lima, Monday morning of
a heart ailment. She had been ill
for three years.
She was the widow of Chas. F.
Worthington and the mother of A.
T. Worthington of this place.
Funeral services were held in Lima
Wednesday afternoon with Rev. C. S.
Grauser, pastor of Trinity M. E.
church officiating. Following the
services the remains were brought
here for interment.
Besides her son here she is sur
vived by two other sons Charles of
Chillicothe and Edmund of Alger
and three daughters, Mrs. Grace
Bell of Greenville, Pa. Mrs. Jessie
Bender and Mrs. Carl Knerr both
of Lima.
Two sisters surviving are Mrs. D.
W. Fox of Bluffton, Mrs Una David
of Los Angeles and one brother
Arthur Fensler also of Los Angeles.
Fifteen grandchildren also survive.
Lodge Here Observes
25th Anniversary
Twenty-fifth anniversary of the
founding of Bluffton Eastern Star
chapter was observed in the Masonic
hall, Friday night. Large delega
tions of visitors were here from
chapters in Lima, Findlay, Van
Wert,, Ottawa, Lafayette, Ada and
Columbus Grove.
Principal speaker of the evening
was Mrs. Mary Wollerman, of To
ledo, worthy grand matron of the
order. Mrs. Audrey Hofer, worthy
matron of the Bluffton chapter pre
sided.
Origin of the Eastern Star order
was recounted in a paper read by
Mrs. Hazel Todd and Mrs. Reigh
Amstutz gave a history of the local
chapter. Recitations were given by
Miss Grace Freet and Clair Bower
sox. Talks were given by Mrs. Lilly
Cooper of Findlay and Mrs. Helen
Dessenberg of Lima.
Music for the evening consisted of
piano numbers by Mrs. Stella
Marshall and Mrs. Eddyth Baum
gartner volacist accompanied by Miss
Bernice Huber.
First P. T. A. Meeting
Here Next Tuesday
First meeting of the Bluffton
Parent-Teacher association for the
current school year will be held at
the high school cafeteria next Tues
day night at 7:30 o’clock.
The following program has been
arranged: Devotionals, Rev. E. G.
Steiner group singing led by Miss
Ruth Lambertus welcome, Supt. A.
J. B. Longsdorf response by Mrs.
Chas. Hankish, president discus
sion: “A State Board of Education”,
led by Supt. Longsdorf and W. A.
Howe.
Following the business session at
the close of the program, an in
formal reception will be held.
Commemorative
Stamps On Sale
Commemorative stamps in observ
ance of the 300th anniversary of the
introduction of printing in colonial
America were placed on sale this
week at the Bluffton post office.
On the stamp is shown a repro
duction of the Stephen Daye press,
first to be used in America. At the
upper right the stamp carries the
dates 1639-1939. At the extreme
top appears the inscription, “300th
Anniversary of Printing in Colonial
America.”
The special stamp is of three-cent
denomination.
BLUFFTON
A Good Place to Live aad a
Good Place to Trade
NUMBER 23
DUCKEYE PIPE TO
START LINE SOON
Large 10 Inch Line to Trans
port Crude Oil Will be Laid
Thru Bluffton
Crew of Between 100 and 200
Men Expected to be Here
During Construction
Confirmation of earlier reports that
the Buckeye Pipe Line Co., of Lima,
will lay a new ten-inch line thru
Bluffton this fall was seen in the
company’s request for right-of-way
Monday night at a meeting of the
town council.
Acting on the matter, the council
granted permission to cross Bentley
mad, College avenue, Cherry street,
Jefferson street and the County Line
ad with the new line, which will
follow the present route of the com
pany’s right-of-way.
Indication that the work will start
soon is seen in the request made by
G. G. Roberts, of Lima, right-of-way
agent for the pipe line company. His
written statement included in part,
“The Buckeye Pipe Line is about to
lay a 10-inch crude oil pipe line.”
The new line is to be laid from the
Adgate Pumping station, near Lima,
to Cygnet, confirming earlier reports
which could not be substantiated un
til this week.
According to present information a
crew of between 100 and 200 men will
be stationed here soon, and will make
Bluffton their headquarters while
working on the line in this area.
Residents of the town who have fa
cilities for roomers have been contact
ed relative to quarters for the large
crew.
The company’s present right-of-way
thru Bluffton which the new line will
follow’, runs east of and parallel to
the Nickel Plate railroad tracks.
Approximately 46 miles of new 10
inch line will be laid in the project
between Lima and Cygnet.
,. u
Couple Marks 56th
Wedding Anniversary
Marking the fifty-sixth wedding
anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. S. W.
Steiner, a family gathering was held
at their home three miles west of
Bluffton, Sunday
Although the w’edding anniversary
occurred on Wednesday of last w'eek,
the observance was held on Sunday
when all children and grandchildren
w-ith two exceptions, were present
for the occasion.
Unable to attend were tw’o grand
children Robert Oyer, student in
Hahnemann Medical college, Phila
delphia, and Miss Ruth Oyer in
nurses’ training in Chicago.
Mr. and Mrs. Steiner have resided
in their present location during
nearly all of their married life and
have a large circle of friends who
extend congratulations.
Present for the occasion, Sunday
were:
Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Steiner and
daughter Kathleen of Toledo Mr.
and Mrs. Fred Moyer, Sarah, Rich
ard and Carolyn Moyer, Mr. and
Mrs. Floyd Moyer and sons Alan
Keith and Donald Kent of Mt. Cory
Mr. and Mrs. Stanton Steiner and
son Thomas of Lima Mr. and Mrs.
Gerhard Buhler, Genevieve, Joanne
and Gerhard Samuel Buhler and
Mrs. Adella Oyer and Evelyn, Herb
ert and Alice Oyer and Edwin Rice.
Takes Pastorate In
Church In Illinois
Rev. Victor Augsburger, son of
Eli Augsburger of this place who
has been attending Northern Theo
logical seminary in Chicago has ac
cepted the pastorate of a church in
Kasbeer, Ill., about one hundred
miles w’est of Chicago.
Rev. and Mrs. Augsburger who
recently moved to their new location
spent several days last week visiting
here.
Births
Mr. and Mrs. Amos Klingler are
the parents of a daughter born at
their home in Orange towmship,
Wednesday morning.
A son w’as born to Mr. and Mrs.
Myron Trippiehorn of Orange town
ship at the Community hospital, Sat
urday.
Announcement has been received
here of the birth of a son to Mr.
and Mrs. Michael Hill of Deshler
the past week. Mrs. Hill w’as Miss
Thelma Rupright, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. T. A. Rupright formerly
of Bluffton.