The Bluffton news. [volume], March 21, 1940, Image 1

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BLUFFTON NEWS
The Advertising Medium for
Bluffton Trade Territory
VOLUME NO. LXIV
MARCH 27 TO
BE BLUFFTON’S
CLEAN UP DAY
Council Designates Next Wed
nesday for Annual Spring
Cleanup Here
Date this Year is Nearly One
Month Early to Aid in
Mosquito Campaign
Marking the opening of an exten
sive program aimed at eliminating
Bluffton’s summer mosquito infesta
tion, the town’s annual municipal
spring cleanup will be conducted next
Wednesday, March 27.
Cleanup Day has been set nearly a
month earlier than usual to permit a
start on the eradication of mosquito
breeding places before the larvae seas
on is here.
In hopes of making the mosquito
control program a success, 100 per
cent cooperation in Cleanup Day is
urged by Mayor Wilbur A. Howe and
members of the town council.
Remove Rubbish Free
During the cleanup drive the truck
owned by the town will remove debris,
tin cans and rubbish free of charge
if the items are placed in containers
for easy handling.
All such rubbish-filled containers
should be placed on alleys or streets
in spots easily accessible by truck.
No ashes will be hauled by the
cleanup crew, and residents are urged
to make other arrangements for dis
posing of them as quickly as possible.
In announcing the drive, Mayor
Howe urged residents of the town to
cooperate to the fullest in cleaning up
their properties, so that Bluffton
might go into the spring season with
a spick-and-span appearance.
War On Mosquitoes
Removal of tin cans ,rubbish and
piles of other debris will go far to
ward eliminating possible breeding
places for mosquitoes and the cleanup
program will mark the first step ne
cessary in opening a mosquito control
program here.
Annual cleanup day activities in the
spring are beneficial to the town, and
the cost is relatively small, the mayor
said.
Altho the cleanup crew may not be
able to cover the entire town in one
day, everyone is requested to have de
bris ready for removal on the day set
by the council.
Nine More Days To
Buy 1940 Auto Tags
Motorists have only nine more
days to obtain their 1940 auto tags
if they wish to drive their cars on
or after April 1.
That was the warning sounded
Wednesday by Robert Lewis, Bluff
ton district distributor, who reported
that sales have been moving slowly
thus far and there are indications of
a heavy last-minute rush.
No extension will be allowed this
year, Lewis said. Headquarters for
the distribution of auto tags are in
the Steiner Chevrolet garage.
With The Sick
John Swisher, superintendent of
the electric light and waterworks
plant is attending to his duties with
his right arm in a sling. Swisher
sustained an injury to his upper
right arm when it was hit by a
falling timber while putting in the
foundation for the new turbine at
the municipal plant here.
Mrs. Wm. Ryan of Orange town
ship is a patient in Findlay hospital,
ill with quinsy.
Miss Ruth Murray is convalescing
at the home of her parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Lloyd Murray of South Main
street following an operation at
Bluffton hospital.
Miss Rachel Schaublin who re
cently underwent an operation at
Bluffton hospital is improving at the
home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Walter Schaublin south of Bluffton.
Alva Morrison, formerly of Bluff
ton, now in Pine Hurst, N. C., is
slowly recovering from a slight
stroke which he suffered three weeks
ago.
Henry Wehrly of Pandora, well
known here is ill at the home of his
sister, Mrs. Regina Lemley of that
place following a stroke last week.
Edgar Bixel and family residing
west of Bluffton will move soon to
Richmond, Ind., where he will take
treatments at a sanitarium.
Angler Catches
Five Pound Bass
As Season Opens
pERHAPS last Sunday’s
spring-like weather gave
you the urge to go fishing—but
did you do anything about it?
William T. Phillips, of near
Bluffton, an employe of the Cen
tral Ohio Light and Power Co.,
anxious to be the first fisherman
to wet a line in the National
quarry, tried his luck during the
afternoon.
The result—a five-pound small
mouth bass, caught while he
was fishing off the light plant
bulkhead.
SEEK OPTION
FOR SEWAGE
PLANT SITE
Mayor is Given Power to Ne
gotiate with Utility for
Five Acre Tract
Council Wants Two Year Op
tion on Land Near West
End of Buckeye
Preparing for the possibility that a
movement may be revived for a mu
nicipal sewage disposal system, the
Bluffton village council Monday night
authorized preliminary negotiations
for an option on a site for a disposal
plant.
Their action followed announce
ment that funds for the federal gov
ernment’s share of a proposed disposal
system may be approved at Washing
ton this spring, despite the fact that
the town voted down the WPA pro
ject presented at the polls last No
vember.
At Monday’s meeting, the council
authorized Mayor Wilbur A. Howe to
contact officials of the Central Ohio
Light and Power Co. relative to the
possibility of taking a two-year op
tion on the site which has been rec
ommended as a suitable location for
a sewage disposal plant.
The proposed site is on land owned
by the power company at the western
end of the Buckeye quarry.
It consists of a triangular strip con
taining approximately five acres on
which the old “dynamite house” is
located, bounded by the Bigler road,
the A. C. and Y. railroad and the
western extremity of the Buckeye.
Should WPA approval of the project
be granted in Washington, govern
ment funds would be available for
construction of the sewage disposal
system here, providing funds for the
municipality s share of the cost would
be made raised later.
Altho there is no sentiment as yet
for revival of the disposal program,
a campaign might be launched should
WPA funds be drafted. It is to pre
pare »r that contingency that the
town council decided to take steps to
obtain an option on the site near the
Buckeye.
Announce Census
Enumerators Here
Homer Bracy of North Main
street has been appointed to take the
census in Bluffton, beginning early
next month, it was announced the
first of the week.
Census enumerators in the rural
districts of Richland township will
be Leonard Gratz and Willard Jen
nings.
Births
Mf. and Mrs. Paul Stauffer of
West College avenue are the par
ents of a daughter Pauline Ann born
at Bluffton hospital, Tuesday.
It’s here—spring the season of
flowers, romance—and housecleaning.
Although the weather gave no indi
cation of the fact, spring officially
arrived at 1:24 o’clock Wednesday
afternoon, according to those who
figure such things down to the fine
point.
FARM HOME
TAKES FIRE
FROM FLUE
Bluffton Fire Truck Makes Run
To Home of Omer Augs
burger, Wednesday
Blaze Fanned by Strong March
Wind Controlled by Use of
Chemical Outfit
Fanned by a strong March wind,
a fire which threatened to destroy
the farm dwelling occupied by Omer
Augsburger and family in Orange
township was checked when the
Bluffton fire department made a
hurried run to the scene of the blaze
shortly before noon, Wednesday.
Augsburger occupies the Mrs.
John Ewing farm two miles east of
Bluffton on Route 103.
The blaze, believed to have origi
nated from a defective chimney was
discovered by Mrs. Augsburger while
preparing dinner.
Responding to a telephone call
for aid, the Bluffton fire department
arrived on the scene in time to save
the dwelling with use of the chem
ical apparatus.
Damage estimated at $200 was
confined principally to the kitchen
interior and part of the exterior
siding.
Yes, It’s True—Spring Arrived
In Bluffton Wednesday Afternoon
MANY CENSUS
QUESTIONS FOR
FARMERS HERE
Enuerators to Have Over Two
Hundred Questions for
Rural Residents
Census Queries Cover Many
Phases of Farm Operation
And Properties
Farmers of this area will have 232
questions to answer when census
enumerators come calling on them
within the next two weeks it was
learned last week.
In order that occupants of farms
may be somewhat prepared when the
census is started the first week in
April, sample farm schedule blanks
are being mailed to rural boxholders.
Other samples are available at county
offices.
In the farm census will be questions
on practically every phase of farm
operations.
Information will be sought on farm
tenure, acreages, values, mortgages,
taxes, other sources of income, farm
expenditures, number of automobiles,
trucks, tractors, kind and number of
livestock, crops harvested last year,
including fruits and vegetables, etc.
Census enumerators also will ask
farmers if they have had any dealings
w’ith cooperatives, the amount of
honey produced, how many fur pelts
were taken fypm the farms and many
other questions.
Program Takes Shape
For Lions Club Revue
Seventeen amateurs specializing in
novelty and musical acts have been
signed to appear in the Bluffton
Lions club revue which will be pre
sented Tuesday night, April 2, in
the Bluffton High gymnasium.
Other entries are being received,
and anyone interested in competing
for the $25 offered in prizes are
urged to contact either P. W. Stauf
fer or Dr. Gordon Bixel.
Arrival of spring one day ahead
of the usual date is due to the fact
that this is leap year, which has put
one extra day into the calendar.
Next year spring should put in her
appearance also on March 20, but
six hours later in the day. The fol
lowing year spring will arrive on
the traditional March 21.
FHE BLUFFTON NEWS
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 1940
g.UESTLONIiAIRE JO EVERYo BLUFFTON HOUSEHOLDER
Easter—one of the outstanding
events on the church calendar, a har
binger of spring and marking an im
portant milestone in mercantile circles
will be observed in Bluffton over the
week end.
Preparations for the occasion are
seen in pre-Easter activities which are
absorbing the interest of the town
this week. Special programs in
churches, new Easter wardrobes and
the perennial interest in home gard
ening-all are apparent.
Union Good Friday sendees will be
held at the Presbyterian church from
1 to 3 p. m. with pastors from the
various Bluffton churches speaking
during the two hours.
The annual Easter bazaar sponsor
ed by the Woman’s Auxiliary for ben-
Wealth And Poverty
Contrasts In
farmers sign
FOR TRIPLE A
CROP PROGRAM
Twenty Percent of Richland
Township’s 375 Farmers
Accept Contracts
Committee in Charge Plans a
House to House Canvass
During April
Approximately 20 percent of Rich
land township’s 375 farmers already
have signed comnltf nre contracts for
the 1940 Federal Jt^A farm program,
it was announced this week.
Signing was started two weeks ago,
with 75 contracts being drafted in two
Thursday meetings in the Richland
grange hall.
Additional signatures will be obtain
ed in a house to house canvass of the
rural area, it was announced by Amos
Moser, chairman of the Richland
township committee in charge of the
drive.
It is expected that this year’s con
tracts will be about the same in num
ber as those obtained in 1939 when 80
percent of the township’s 375 farmers
signed compliance agreements. Clos
ing date for the campaign is May 1.
Require Full Compliance
In signing contracts this year,
farmers must agree to both corn and
wheat restrictions to obtain parity
payments, it was pointed out by Mos
er. This differs from the program of
preceding years when a farm operator
could comply with one phase of the
AAA program and disregard the oth
er.
Under the 1940 program, the parity
allotment for com is five cents a
bushel, and that for wheat is ten
cents a bushel. With the parity pay
ment and adjustment, the total com
payment will be 15 cents a bushel,
and that for wheat 19 cents a bushel.
In making com and wheat acreage
allotments, the 1936-1937 season is
used as the base year. Moser said
that in 1939, a farmer with an 80
acre farm received approximately
$200 under the AAA program for full
corn and wheat compliance.
Members of the township AAA com
mittee include Moser, the chairman,
Willard Jennings and Sol Steiner.
Fred Mueller and D. E. Daily are the
alternates.
In New Locations
Lloyd McCarty has moved from
the Basinger property on Thurman
street to the Chidester farm south
of town which he recently pur
chased.
Carl Binkley who occupied the
Chidestei* farm has moved to
Beaverdam.
Rev. A. F. Albro who occupied the
Todd property in Cherry street has
moved to the Lloyd Basinger prop
erty on Jefferson street.
Burl Moyer has moved from the
Mrs. Edith Mann apartments on
North Main street to the Tudd prop
erty.
Mrs. Ella Long is moving this
week from the Chas. Patterson prop
erty on Cherry street to the Mrs.
Mann apartments. The Patterson
property is expected to be remodeled
this spring.
Myriad oi Pre-Easter Activities Occupy
Center of Interest in Bluffton This Week
efit of Bluffton hospital will be held at
the C. F. Niswander implement store
all day Saturday.
The Easter-egg hunt on Harmon
field, one of the high spots of the year
for Bluffton kiddies will be held Sat
urday afternoon. All children are in
vited to the frolic which is under di
rection of the Woman’s Auxiliary of
Bluffton Legion post.
A one day vacation will be observed
by the public schools when classes will
be dismissed all day Friday. Classes
at Bluffton college will continue as
usual.
With the weather clearing and
brisk the first of the week local re
tail stores were anticipating the first
rush of spring trade the last of this
week and outfitters are looking for
Are Striking
Cuba, Speaker Says
Relief or Social Agencies are
Unknown, Bluffton Man
Tells Lions
Bluffton High School Basket
ball Team are Guests of
Club, Tuesday
In Cuba people are either very
rich or very poor, Edgar Chamber
lain told members of the Lions club
Tuesday in describing a winter vaca
tion trip to Havana.
Chamberlain’s talk was given at a
dinner meeting of the club in the
Walnut Grill, at which 11 members
of the championship Bluffton High
basketball team and their coach,
Dwight Diller, were guests.
A middle class such as we have
in the United States is unknown in
Cuba, Chamberlain explained at the
session.
At one extreme is the very rich
class, which controls the business,
economic and political life of the
country. They have no concern or
sympathy for the poorer majority of
the populace who must scrape a liv
ing together as beat they can. There
is no such a thing as relief or social
service work on the island for the
unfortunate.
In Havana the Spanish custom of
an afternoon siesta results in the
cessation of all business activity dur
ing the hotter hours of the day.
During the winter all business closes
from noon until two o’clock, and in
the summer they do not re-open un
til four o’clock.
Cuban women are never seen on
the streets of Havana during the
day, which is quite a departure from
the everyday life of the typical
American city.
Mr. and Mrs. Chamberlain spent
several days in Cuba during the win
ter. They flew by airplane from
Florida to Havana, a distance of 90
miles.
While there they visited all the
places of historic interest in the Cu
ban capital, including a trip to see
the wreckage of the United States
Battleship Maine which was sunk in
the Havana harbor just before the
outbreak of the Spanish-American
war.
Easter Bazaar
The annual Easter bazaar for
benefit of the Bluffton Community
hospital will be held at the C. F.
Niswander implement store all day
Saturday. All foodstuffs donated
for the bazaar should be sent by
9:30 a. m. if possible. The bazaar
is under direction of the Woman’s
Auxiliary of the hospital.
Bluffton youngsters will look for
the treasure left by the Easter rab
bit at Harmon field Saturday after
noon when they participate in the
annual Easter Egg hunt sponsored
by the Bluffton American Legion
post and the Auxiliary.
Should weather prove unfavorable
the egg hunt and contests will be
held in Legion hall instead of at
the recreation center. Starting time
for the event will be 2:30 p. m.
Those in charge of the program
estimate that 100 dozen gaily colored
Easter eggs will be used in setting
the stage for the annual egg hunt.
considerable belated trade on Satur
day.
Easter services will be ushered in
with a sunrise service under auspices
of the Young People’s Federation at
the Methodist church at 6:30 o’clock.
Rev. H. D. Camp of Rawson will be
the guest speaker.
Special services will be held in
churches thruout the town on Sunday
morning.
A cast from the Young People’s
Federation will present a three act
drama “A Crown of Thorns” at St.
John’s Reformed church, Sunday ev
ening at 8:15. The play is also sched
uled for presentation at Rockport
Presbyterian church on Good Friday
night at 7:30.
65 COUNTY
CANDIDATES
ENTER RACE
Large Number of Aspirants in
Field for Primary to be
Held May 14
County Commissioner and
Sheriff Nominations are
Most Sought After
Hold Kiddies Easter Egg Hunt At
Hannon Field Saturday Afternoon
With a field of 65 candidates filing
petitions for major offices, Allen
county and the district will have one
of the liveliest primary election cam
paigns in years, it was indicated last
Friday night when the filing deadline
was reached.
Two county offices are especially
popular with candidates—those for
nominations for two seats on the
county commission and for sheriff’s.
Eleven candidates, seven Democrats
and four Republicans ,have entered
the race for the commissioner nomi
nation. Seeking the sheriff’s office
are five Republicans and two Demo
crats.
12 Contests On Ticket
In the May 14 primaries Democrats
will have contests for seven offices,
and Republicans will compete for
nominations on five tickets.
Fourteen candidates .eight Republi
cans and six Democrats ,will be un
opposed.
Republicans who have a clear field
include Congressman Robert F. Jones,
State Senator Fred R. Seibert, State
Representative L. H. Myers, John H.
Davison, candidate for probate judge
Prosecutor Paul T. Landis, Hobart M.
Mummaugh, candidate for county en
(Continued on page 8)
Union Good Friday
Service In Afternoon
Union Good Friday services will
be held in the Bluffton Presbyterian
church from 1 to 3 p. m. this Fri
day, with the program consisting of
seven 15-minute sessions.
Theme of the service will be on
Christ’s “Seven Last Words on the
Cross”.
Pastors leading the seven services
will be Revs. L. Harmony, E. G.
Steiner, A. F. Albro, A. Kliewer,
H. T. Unruh, Emil Burrichter and
M. Armentrout, speaking in order
named.
Special music will be presented at
each session by Bluffton college stu
dents. Those attending may enter
or leave as they desire since each
session will be presented as a sep
arate service.
Participation in the afternoon’s
festivities will be limited to child
ren up to and including the sixth
grade. Prizes will be awarded to
winners in the special contests.
Legion and Auxiliary members
will provide most of the eggs, but
cooperation of others will be wel
comed. Colored eggs may be left at
Fett’s hardware until 1 p. m. Satur
day. Each Legion and Auxiliary
member is to provide two dozen
eggs.
Bluffton Boy Scouts will assist in
conducting the event again this year,
it was announced.
Good
NUMBER 47
DISPOSAL OF
GARBAGE BY
CITY TALKED
Council Orders Card Mailed to
Every Family in Town
First of Next Week
Returns will Provide Basis for
Action by Council on
Garbage Collection
Every Bluffton householder within
the next week will have an oppor
tunity to express his sentiment on a
proposal to inaugurate a municipal
system of collecting and disposing
of garbage.
Projected plans for the town-wide
collection and disposal of garbage,
tin cans, rubbish and ashes were
discussed Monday night at a meet
ing of the town council.
Cost to each family for the service
is estimated at $2 for a year-around
system, payable 50 cents quarterly
at the mayor’s office.
To Mail Cards
To determine local sentiment
toward such a service, a canvass of
all Bluffton residents will be made
the first of next week by a mailing
of reply post cards.
Explanation of the proposal will
be made on the card and postage
paid reply post cards will be at
tached on which local householders
will be asked to mark whether they
are in favor of the plan and mail
same.
No signature is required on the
return card, Mayor Wilbur A. Howe
pointed out. Purpose of the mailing
is to determine the sentiment of
residents, and does not obligate any
one in any way.
Cards
fob
All
Should anyone fail to receive a
card in the mailing he can obtain
one by calling at the mayor’s office.
Answers must be in the hands of the
town administration by March 29.
Any action taken in the matter by
the town council will be guided by
the sentiment expressed in the re
turn post cards, it was pointed out
Wednesday. The matter will be dis
cussed further at the first council
meeting in April.
Full Time Job
Should the system of collecting
and disposing of garbage and rub
bish be inaugurated, bids would be
received and a contract let for the
work. With more than 500 resi
dences in the town, besides apart
ments and business houses it is
pointed out that the garbage col
lection contract would mean a full
time job
The $2 per year rate for private
homes would not apply to business
places having large quantities of
garbage. For these a higher rate
would be fixed. Should the total re
ceipts for the collection service fall
short of the amount due the garbage
collector, it is proposed that the
town make up the deficit.
Collections Twice Weekly
Under the proposal, collections
would be made at each house at
least twice weekly, and the entire
project would be under the direc
tion of the Allen County Board of
Health.
Compulsory participation in the
program would not be required, but
any householder who did not partici
pate would be held responsible for
a satisfactory disposal of his gar
bage and rubbish.
Systematic collection and disposal
of garbage, tin cans, etc., thruout
the spring and summer will be neces
sary to make Bluffton’s new
mosquito control program a success,
it was pointed out at Monday’s
meeting of the town council.
Camera Club Is
Organized Here
Organization of the Bluffton Cam
era club was effected at a meeting
of sixteen amateur photographers at
the Neu-Art studio, Monday night.
Officers chosen were: President,
Carnld Steiner vice president, Ralph
Blosser, sec’y.-treas., Paul Soldner.
Meetings of the club will be held
on the third Friday of each month
at the studio. Programs will include
talks by professional photographers,
displays of pictures taken by club
members and a discussion of photo
graphic materials and methods.