The Bluffton news. [volume], October 26, 1939, Image 1

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BLUFFTON NEWS
The Advertising Medium for
Bluffton Trade Territory
VOLUME NO. LXIV
SEWER SYSTEM
PLANS DISCUSSED
Advantages of Proposed Dis
posal Setup Explained at
Meeting Monday
Bluffton’s Share of Cost of
$400,00 Project Would be
$100,000 Speaker Says
Bluffton’s proposed $400,000 sani
tary sewerage disposal system would
provide an adequate outlet for every
home and business establishment in
the town, it was pointed out Monday
night at a public meeting in the high
school auditorium.
C. S. Finkbeiner, representing the
firm of Champe, Finkbeiner and As
sociates, Toledo engineers, was the
principal speaker at the meeting,
which had been called to explain the
$80,000 bond issue to be presented at
the November election.
In the propsed system, a “T”-con
nection would be placed in the main
sewer line at each lot. A six-inch
connection would be run from the
main to the property line of each oc
cupied lot. 5
Advantages Cited
Design of the system was said by
Finkbeiner to be ample to care for
Bluffton’s sewage needs for 75 years.
He declared it would remove pollution
from the creeks, eliminate the odor
and abate the mosquito nuisance.
A modem sewage disposal plant of
the separate sludge digestion, trick
ling filter type, is proposed. Operat
ing cost per year is estimated at
$2,500.
Cost of the sewer system and treat
ment plant would be $400,000 with
WPA aid, of w’hich Bluffton’s share
is $100,000. If the same improve
ments were constructed without feder
al funds, the cost to Bluffton would
be about $225,000, it was pointed out.
$80,000 Bond Issue
Should the bond issue carry at the
polls, Bluffton’s share of the cost
would be raised by $80,000 of general
obligation bonds, and $20,000 in mort
gage revenue bonds.
The monrtgage revenue bonds
would be secured by a mortgage on
the sewer and plant, and would be re
tired by an annual sewer rental
charge. Unoccupied properties would
not be charged for rental until a
building was erected. The sewer
rental charge likely would be 50
cents a month, or $6.00 a year.
Industries and establishments con
tributing more than the average
amount of sewage would pay a pro
portionately greater sewer rental.
$257,000 In Wages
In construction of the proposed
sewage system and treatment plant,
the WPA would expend $257,000 in
wages and would purchase $23,000
worth of materials. The town would
pay $72,000 for materials, a large
portion of which would be bought
thru local dealers.
Northwestern Ohio cities which have
sewage disposal systems were an
nounced by Finkbeiner, as follows:
Bowling Green, Bryan, Carey, Cold
water, Columbus Grove, Delphos,
Findlay, Fostoria, Haskins, Hicksville,
Lima, McComb, Minster, New Bre
man„ St. Marys, Toledo, Van Wert,
Wapakoneta and Waseon.
Elect Officers For
Youth Federation
Young people’s organizations of
Bluffton churches elected officers for
the coming year at their annual ban
quet held Monday night at the
Church of Christ.
The group also voted to change
the name of the organization from
the District Christian Endeavor to
Young People’s Federation.
The following officers were chosen:
Pres., Darvin Luginbuhl vice
pres., Harriet Cooney sec.-treas.,
Mary Lou Carr program chairman,
Louise Dunifon social chairman,
Phyllis Steiner social service chair
man, Magdalene Oyer publicity,
Mary Alice Howe chorister, Herbert
Oyer pianist, Jeanne Baumgartner
pastoral counselor, Rev. J. A. Weed.
Births
Mr. and Mrs. Homer Baumgartner
of Pandora are the parents of a
daughter born at Bluffton hospital,
Thursday.
A daughter was born to Mr. and
Mrs. Carl Blackburn of Jenera at
Bluffton hospital, Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. James Bailey of
Lima are the parents of a daugh
ter born at Memorial hospital in
that city, Saturday. Mrs. Bailey is
the daughter of Mrs. Cora McGeorge
of Lima, formerly of Bluffton.
/7.„ ,/ 7
Surprised
IVHILE attending the Bluffton
1 college inaugural banquet at
Ropp hall, Friday night, Dr.
Kenneth I. Brown (above)
president of Hiram College and
head of the Ohio College as
sociation received a telegram
that he had been elected to the
presidency of Denison university
at Granville, Ohio. Dr. Brown
was unaware that he was being
considered for the place.
INAUGURAL AT
COLLEGE HERE
Dr. Lloyd Ramseyer Formally
Installed as Bluffton College
Head.
College Presents Its First Hon
orary Degrees in Ceremony
Friday.
Events attending the inauguration
of Dr. Lloyd Ramseyer as president
of Bluffton college last Friday took
an unexpected turn when Dr. Ken
neth I .Brown who delivered the prin
cipal address at the inauguaral cere
monies was notified shortly thereaf
ter of his election to the presidency
of Denison university of Granville by
the trustees of that institution.
Dr. Brown, president of Hiram col
lege and head of the Ohio College as
sociation, was notified of his election
to the Denison presidency in a tele
gram delivered while attending the
inaugural banquet at Ropp hall here
Friday night.
Although previously unaware that
his name was being considered as a
possible head of the Granville insti
tution, Dr. Brown indicated that he
would accept the post and resign his
present position at Hiram.
Delivers Principal Address
Dr. Brown, one of the younger gen
eration of Ohio college heads spoke
on the subject “The Ideal of a God
Centered Education.”
Eightieth Anniversary Of
Church Of Christ Sundav
Dr. Brown pointed out that any
(Continued on page 8)
Diphtheria Protection
For Beaverdam Pupils
Immunization against diphtheria
will be available to all pupils of
Beaverdam schools at a treatment
clinic to be held at that place Fri
day, it is announced by officers of
the Beaverdam Parent-Teacher asso
ciation.
Immunization treatment will be
given at the school by Dr. W. C.
Laycock, Beaverdam physician in
cooperation with the Parent-Teacher
association. The treatment will be
given without charge, with consent
of parents.
For several years this treatment
has been available to children brot
to the Beaverdam pre-school clinic
but a number of older pupils have
not had opportunity for immuniza
tion which will be available Friday.
Seventieth anniversary of the
founding of the Bluffton Masonic
lodge was observed in a special meet
ing of the order here Friday night.
It was on October 20, 1869, that
a charter was granted to the Bluff
ton lodge which has been active since
that time. Of the sixteen charter
members of the order, none is now
living.
Many Former Members to At
tend Morning and After
noon Services
One of Bluffton's Pioneer
Churches Established Here
In 1859
Eightieth anniversary of the Bluff
ton Church of Christ, founded in
1859, will be observed Sunday at
special services in the church build
ing on Elm street.
Anniversary services will be held
in the morning at 9:15 and the after
noon at 2:30 o’clock with dinner be
ing served at noon in the church
basement. All present and former
members of the congregation and
friends are invited.
The Church of Christ, known in
the early days as the Disciples
church, was organized May 29,
1859, at a meeting in a barn on the
R. H. Cox farm, near Bluffton.
Evangelists Here
In charge of formation of the new
congregation were Z. T. Green and
William Wilson, evangelists. Ap
pointments at the organization meet
ing included Johnathan Clark and
John A. Ewing, elders Ralph Ewing,
deacon, and John A. Ewing, clerk.
Decision to build a church, one of
the first in Bluffton, was reached by
the newly formed congregation on
July 2, 1859, at a meeting in the
home of Jonathan Dunlap.
Thomas Murray and John A.
(Continued on page 8)
To Head Eastern
Electrical Concern
Roland Bixler, formerly of Bluff
ton, for the past four years director
of publications of the National Ex
change club with headquarters in
Toledo, has resigned that place to
accept an industrial position in New
Haven, Conn.
He will be in charge of marketing,
advertising and office management
of J-B-T Instruments Incorporated,
a new manufacturing concern which
will market electrical industrial in
struments.
Mr. and Mrs. Bixler are spending
several weeks in Bluffton with their
parents, Mr. and Mrs. D. W. Bixler
and Mr. and Mrs. R. L. Triplett be
fore moving to New Haven early in
November.
Real Estate Deals
Mrs. Lois Gallagher of Chicago,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George
Warren of Orange township has pur
chased the D. E. Stonehill property
in New Stark. The property will be
occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Warren
who are at present living with their
son Wm. Warren on the Cal Ewing
farm. The real estate deal was
made by the H. W. Althaus agency
of this place.
BUILDING HOUSE
Masonic Lodge Here Observes
70th Anniversary Friday Night
Last of this group was Andrew
Hauenstein, pioneer Bluffton phar­
Lazarus Basinger has started con
struction of a residence on a Thur
man street site leased from J. E.
Steiner. Old timers in Bluffton re
member the place as the location of
the millrace of the Wm. Richards
mill operated during the early days
of the town.
TO SPEAK HERE
Frank Pauley, of Columbus, rep
resenting the Ohio Emergency Com
mittee will speak in the high school
auditorium, Thursday night, Nov. 2
on the proposed Bigelow amendments
to the Ohio constitution.
PEACE CONTESTS HERE
Prince of Peace declamation con
tests will be held in Bluffton
churches on Saturday and Sunday
evenings, November 4 and 5, it was
announced the first of the week.
Twenty-six local contestants have
entered.
macist and one of the first four
members to be initiated into the
lodge. Mr. Hauenstein died two
years ago after a membership rec
ord of sixty-eight years.
The order now has a membership
of 108 with Harold Kennedy as
master and G. R. Bogart, secretary.
The meting on Friday night was
informal at the close of which re
freshments were sedved by women
of the Eastern Star order.
THE BLUFFTON NEWS
NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INT ERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1939
STATE ACTION IN
PAVING IS URGED
Condition of Bluffton’s Main
Street to be Presented to
Department
’ermanent Improvement Under
taken Next Summer Will
Be Recommended
Condition of Bluffton’s Main
street pavement, an important link
on Route 25, the Dixie highway, is
to be officially brought to the at
tention of the state highway depart
ment this week, it was announced by
members of the Bluffton town coun
cil.
Announcement was made by coun
cil members following an interview
with O. C. Kohli of Lima, state resi
dent division highway engineer.
Kohli, they said, had agreed to take
up the matter with the state high
way department in Columbus in an
attempt to work out a satisfactory
solution for maintenance of the
street which is said to be rapidly
deteriorating due to large numbers
of loose brick.
What plan will be determined up
on by the state highway department
is not known, however, it is regard
ed as definite that any work of a
permanent nature will not be under
taken until next spring.
No Hot Mix This Fall
Hot mix asphalt with stone chips,
a treatment earlier suggested as
feasible for a temporary top this
fall will probably be abandoned be
cause of the lateness of the season.
A somewhat similar hot mix treat
ment, w’hich is reported to have pro
duced satisfactory results, may be
given the street as a permanent sur
facing next summer.
Unofficial estimates place the cost
of such a project on Bluffton’s one
and one-fourth miles of pavement
at $18,000. The greater part of
such cost would be paid by the state
with the municipality paying a
smaller portion. None of the cost,
however, would be assessed against
abutting property owners.
Talk Temporary Measures
Council members stated the first
of the week that Resident Engineer
I Kohli assured them that temporary
measures would be taken to keep
the pavement from further damage
during the winter.
Pavement involved in the program
to be presented to the state highway
department extends from the south
corporation line north to the A. C.
& Y. grade crossing.
The present pavement which was
laid twelve years ago consists of a
six inch concrete foundation, one
inch sand cushion and a three inch
brick top held in place with asphalt
binder.
With The Sick
Mrs. H. T. Unruh underwent a
major operation at Bluffton hospital,
Wednesday morning.
Jesse Stratton, Bluffton man em
ployed at the Lima Locomotive works
is a patient in Lima Memorial hos
pital where he was taken when he
become suddenly seriously ill while
at work Monday afternoon. His
condition is reported improved.
Mrs. Minnie Henry returned to
the Cleveland Clinic Wednesday for
treatment.
Tom Murray, formerly of Bluffton,
is seriously ill at his home in Find
lay w’ith kidney complications fol
lowing an attack of pneumonia. His
mother, Mrs. Jean Murray of this
place is at his bedside.
Mrs. Katherine Badertscher, regis
tered nurse, who was painfully in
jured in a fall down a flight of
stairs at her home on South Jack
son street early last week is improv
ing at the hospital here.
Oliver Locher who is convalescing
following a kidney operation has
ben removed from St. Luke’s hos
pital in Cleveland to the apartment
of his sister, Miss Ruth Locher in
that city. He is expected to be
brought to his home here Saturday
or Sunday.
Two Enlist In Navy
And Start Training
Burdette Clark and Raymond Duff
man of Bluffton have enlisted in the
U. S. Navy at the Cincinnati re
cruiting office, it was announced the
first of the week.
They are now at the Naval Train
ing station at Newport, Rhode
Island, where they will receive three
months of training.
Clark is the son of William Clark
and Duffman the son of Merle Duff
man, all of this place.
Former Orange Twp.
Girl Is Married
A w’edding of interest to those of
this vicinity was solemnized in late
afternoon last Tuesday when Miss
Lillie Henry, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Lester Henry of Forest form
erly of Orange township, and Chas.
Franz son of Mrs. Herman Franz of
Stony Ridge, Ohio, were united in
marriage in the St. John’s Lutheran
church at Stony Ridge.
Rev. Dwight Miley officiated using
the single ring ceremony in the pres
ence of the immediate families.
The bride was attired in a street
length dress of royal blue velvet
with brown accessories. Her cor
sage was orchid lilies and baby
breath.
Miss Mabel Battles of Bluffton,
her only attendant, wore black wool
crepe with black accessories and
corsage of chrysanthemums and
baby breath.
Walter Franz, brother of the
groom, was best man.
The couple left on a short trip
through the Dells of Wisconsin and
on their return will reside in their
newly furnished home at Stony
Ridge.
College Homecoming Day Bride
MRS. PAUL
rligh And Grade
Schools Close
Here On Friday
T)UBLIC schools in Bluffton
will be closed all day Friday,
it was announced the first of the
week by Supt. of Schools A. J.
B. Longsdorf.
No classes will be held in the
high and grade schools and in
structors here will attend the
annual meeting of the Northwest
Ohio Teachers association in
Toledo on Friday and Saturday.
Because of the closing of
school on Friday, the Bluffton
Wapakoneta high school football
game scheduled for this week
will be played Thursday night on
Harmon field.
Ebenezer Choir To
Present Cantata
Gaul’s sacred cantata “Ruth” will
be presented at the Ebenezer Men
nonite church by the choir Sunday
night at 7:45 o’clock.
The choir of forty voices is direct
ed by Miss Henrietta Schneck. Solo
ists are Miss Esther Luginbuhl, Mrs.
Wilford Steiner, Miss Geraldine
Grismore and Mr. Francis Niswan
der. Mrs. Milo Lora is accompanist
Red Cross First Aid
School Opens Nov. 2
First aid course to be given in
Bluffton under auspices of the local
Rer Cross chapter will open on
Thursday night, Nov. 2 in the high
school cafeteria at 7:30 o’clock.
The course will be given by two
instructors from Lima. Enrollment
is open to anyone over seventeen
without cost except small charge for
textbook.
Photo—Neu-Art Studio.
DETWILER
o
Wedding Ceremony
In College Chapel
A Bluffton college romance culmin
ated in a wedding in the chapel on
the annual Homecoming day when
Miss Margaret Gratz, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Homer Gratz of Bluff
ton became the bride of Paul Det
wiler, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry
Detwiler of Souderton, Pa., Saturday
afternoon at 2:15 o’clock.
In attendance at the nuptials were
the immediate families and friends
many of whom came from a distance
to attend the wedding and also
homecoming festivities.
A colorful combination of white
and yellow prevailed in appointments
for the affair including decorations
in the chapel and the tall white
cathedral tapers which shed a golden
glow over the bridal party against
a background of ferns and grenery.
Dr. Lloyd Ramseyer, president of
Bluffton college officiated at the
service, using the double ring cere
mony.
The bride entered the chapel on
the arm of her father who gave
her away. She was gowned in ivory
satin and carried a bouquet of
chrysanthemums and yellow rose
buds.
Her maid of honor, Miss Frances
Ramseyer of Smithville, a college
friend, wore a velvet gown of rust
shade for the occasion.
For her attendants, the bride chose
two classmates Miss Mary Smucker
of Wooster and Miss Margaret
Berky of Bluffton who wore green
and gold velvet respectively. The
ringbearer, little Joan Gratz, sister
of the bride, was attired in yellow.
The bridegroom was attended by
William Moyer of Quakertown, Pa.,
a classmate and close friend. Ush
ers were Elvil Souder and Nelson
Sell of Souderton, Pa., Cyril Kinsey
and Stanley Fretz, college senior,
both of Lansdale, Pa.
A half-hour musical program pre
ceded the wedding with organ selec
tions by Miss Frances Jones, Bluff
ton college junior vocal numbers by
Miss Mildred Unruh, college class
mate of the bride and violin rendi
tions by Miss Ethel Jean Marshall,
Miami university sophomore and
high school classmate of the bride.
Following the wedding a reception
was held at the home of the bride’s
parents after which Mr. and Mrs.
Detwiler left on a ten days’ wedding
trip thru the east. On their return
they will reside in the Fett apart
ments.
The bride who was graduated from
Bluffton high school in the class of
1938 is a sophomore in Bluffton
college. Mr. Detwiler w’as gradu
ated last spring from Bluffton col
lege and is now proprietor of the
Hy-Grade dairy here.
Nelson Brooks, Known
Here, Dies At Niles
Nelson Brooks, 93, a frequent
visitor here in past years, died at
Niles, Ohio, Tuesday. Mr. Brooks
was a brother-in-law of the late Mrs.
A. L. Conrad of this place, and was
well known to a number of Bluffton
people. He is survived by three
sons. Funeral services will be held
Thursday at Niles.
BLUFFTON
A Good Place to Live and a
Good Place to Trade
NUMBER 26
FEUD SCUTTLES
WPA PROJECTS
Sidewalk and Road Jobs Here
Caught in Jam Between
Two Offices
Allen County Engineer and
Toledo District WPA Head
Hurl Charges
Two proposed Bluffton area WPA
projects have been delayed in what
appears to be a feud between the of
fice of the Allen County Engineer
Walter J. Neidhart and district WPA
headquarters in Toledo.
Both projects were filed in August,
but there has been no further action,
and the latest development finds the
offices of the county engineed and the
WPA blaming each other for the de
lay.
One of the projects is for Bluffton
sidewalks and streets, an improve
ment program that- would provide
work for 100 men for two months.
Road Work
Improvement of the Bentley road is
sought in the other proposal, work
that would employ 73 men for one
month.
Last Saturday County Engineer
Neidhardt accused district WPA of
ficials of attempting to “duck the
blame for failing to provide more jobs
for Allen county’s needy”.
He declared that the district office
in Toledo delayed decisions on road
projects throut the summer, until
most of the work had already been
completed by county employes.
Neidhardt issued his statement af
ter W. B. Schmul, WPA director for
the district, said Allen county projects
had not been approved because the
county engineer failed to provide ade
plans and specifications.
Makes Changes
In answer the county engineer de
clared all proposals had been sbmit
ted on standard WPA requisition
forms, and that a complete set of
plans was submitted for each pro
ject. At no time was any indication
given that proposals were not com
plete, Neidhardt declared.
The county engineer said that all
told there are 10 Allen county pro
jects awaiting approval, the earliest
of which was filed in June, and the
last in August.
Neidhardt said that during the last
summer the county has built approx
imately 80 miles of road, and that if
WPA approval had been awaited, only
about one-fourth as much work would
have been completed.
Ewing-Basinger
Nuptials Sunday
At the home of the officiating
minister, Rev. L. B. Remaley in
Arlington, took place the wedding of
Miss Gertrude Ewing of Bluffton
and Floyd Basinger of Pandora, Sun
day morning at 9 o’clock.
Rev. Remaley, minister of the
Bluffton Church of Christ and pastor
of the bride received the w’edding
vows in the single ring ceremony.
The bride wore for the occasion a
moss green ensemble with black ac
cessories. Her corsage w’as of yel
low’ roses, yellow’ and rose snap
dragons and chrysanthemums.
Attending the couple wrere Miss
Laura Hiestand of Bluffton, a close
friend of the bride and Freeman
Basinger of Pandora, brother of the
bridegroom.
Following the wedding the couple
left on a week’s motor trip to New
York City and other eastern points.
On their return they will reside in
their newly furnished home on the
Clem Basinger farm south of Pan
dora.
The bride is the youngest daugh
ter of Mrs. Earl Ew’ing residing east
of Bluffton in Orange township. She
W’as graduated from Bluffton high
school in the class of 1937.
The groom, the son of Mr. and
Mrs. Walter Basinger of Pandora,
is a graduate of Pandora high school
in the class of 1933 and has been en
gaged in farming since that time.
In New Locations
Mr. and Mrs. Wilford Gratz will
move the first of November from the
Stalder property on Riley street to
the Misses Marcella and Lilas Ba
singer property on North Main
street.
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Chidester
and son have moved from the Mrs.
John Biome property on North Main
stret to the Mrs. John Fett property
near Beaverdam.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Neiswander
have moved here from Findlay and
are occupying the Biome property
vacated by the Chidester family.