The Bluffton news. [volume], January 09, 1941, Image 3

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THURSDAY, JAN. 9, 1941
Traffic Toll Reaches
New Record
toll
for
54,
Allen county’s traffic fatality
reached 85 for the year and 12
December when Matt Letovich,
Josephine, Pa., was killed as his auto
mobile struck a bridge near Gomer
in U. S. Route 30. He was alone.
The 35 deaths compare with 27 for
1939.
Coon Dogs Trapped
Underground
“Jack” and “Husky”, two valuable
coon dogs owned by Owen Ainsworth,
Van Wert, were hot on the trail of
a coon in the Orley Kreider woods
near Spencerville.
Tracks of the hunted animal led
to a 20-inch tile and the dogs with
out hesitating, entered the drain.
The dogs were rescued at noon the
next day by hunters and farmers a
half mile from the point where they
entered the ditch. Thanks to the
owners of the land in that imme
diate area, the men were permitted
to dig to the tile drain at various
points ranging from 24 to 30 inches.
Taking into consideration the angles
of the tile, the men figured the dogs
traveled at least three-quarters of a
mile underground.
Tax Rate Slash Is
Predicted
A further reduction in the Allen
county tax rate, as a consequence of
the forfeiture-sale program now be
ing pushed for collection of delin
quencies, was predicted by Allen
County Auditor Floyd B. Griffin as
1940 ended.
Allen county’s staggering tax de
linquency load was reduced $151,
965.44 in the past year, Griffin
pointed out, after officials started
forfeiture proceedings. A total of
2,077 parcels of real estate upon
which taxes had been delinquent for
more than three years were offered.
Births Outnumber
Deaths In 1940
Births outnumbered deaths in Al
len county during 1940, according to
records of Dr. G. E. Miller, county
health
births was recorded during the 12
month period, as compared with 271
deaths. Of the births, 145 were
boys and 166 were girls.
commissioner. A total of 311
Declares County Needs
New Jail
Allen county needs a new jail!
Thus does Sheriff William V. Dal
ey greet 1941 with a declaration
whjch he hopes will turn out to be
a New Year’s resolution on the part
of county officials and voters.
For, he points out, the present
FARMERS
NEWS NOTES FROM FOUR COUNTIES
building which houses both the
sheriff’s residence and the jail is so
obsolete and unsanitary,
tion overcrowded, that
government has declared
federal prisoners”.
not to men
the U. S.
it “unfit for
in 1870 and
The structure, started
completed a year later, has a single
block of 16 cells—one of which has
been converted into a shower—a
women’s ward which is a small
room 20 feet square on the second
floor, and a juvenile ward, on
third floor, also 20 feet square.
the
Good Samaritan
Receives Burns
J. A. Sherer, about 45, of Delphos,
miraculously escaped being electro
cuted last week when he attempted
to remove some electric wires from
a county road near here.
He was reported convalescing
Thursday from severe hand, arm
and feet burns.
He told authorities he and his wife
were traveling in the Allen-Van
Wert county line road, two miles
southwest of Delphos, when he no
ticed a telegraph pole had been
knocked down,
the road.
Wires were across
to remove the wires
"hot” one. Sherer
He attempted
touched a
removed to a physician’s office
treatment.
and
was
for
New Factory At
Delphos
R. J. Williams, of Delphos, is
erecting a new building of concrete
tile, 50 by 50 feet, which when com
pleted will be used for the manu
facture of ice machines, electric
fence control and airmatic signals.
The new building will have two
rooms and machinery of the plant is
expected to be in operation within a
short time.
County Has 333 Miles
Of Improved Roads
Allen county closed the year 1940
with a
proved county and township roads,
in addition to the state-maintained
highways.
total of 333 miles of im-
This was revealed in the final re
port of County Engineer Walter J.
Neidhardt, whose term expired Jan
uary 6 on which date Hobert W.
Mumaugh took office.
A total of 101 miles of new bi
tuminous surfaced roads was
structed during the year and
miles of old bituminous roads
rebuilt, Neidhardt reported.
con
four
were
204 Airplane Pilots
Trained
Student pilots numbering 204 flew
a total of 454,200 miles from Lima
airport during 1940, Ben Arquitt,
manager, announced Wednesday.
Included in the 204 students were
80 whose courses were sponsored by
the Civil Aeronautics authority,
PLAIN TALK
this spring
this Spring are facing conditions dif­
ferent than they have known for more than
twenty years. Especially is this true in the market
for farm tractors where much of the same mater
ials that go into a tractor are also needed for the
national defense program.
If you are in the market for a tractor, do not
delay. There is nothing to be gained by delay, and
you
may lose much. This year, of all times—it is
McCormick-Doering Dealer
which is the government's program
of training non-military pilots
possible military activity. The
maining 164 paid for private
struction.
for
re
in-
Labor Board Orders
Lima Vote
The Labor board ordered last week
an election within 30 days to deter
mine whether policemen employed at
the Lima, Ohio, plant of the West
inghouse Electric & Manufacturing
Co. want to be represented in col
lective bargaining by the C. I. O.
United Electrical, Radio & Machine
Workers union.
County Sends 185
To CCC
be-
Allen county sent 185 boys
tween the ages of 17 and 23 years,
to CCC camps in five states during
1940. Included were 176 white and
nine colored youths.
The last 1940 contingent of 60
youths, taken in October, was the
year’s largest. In January there
were 44 accepted, 40 in April and
41 in July.
1,137 In Lima State
Hospital
Allen county’s city inside itself—
The Lima State Hospital for the
Criminal Insane—saw its population
decline slightly and watched many
improvements during 1940, Dr. Her
man M. Turk, superintendent, re
vealed in a year-end report.
Population of the institution as
the year ended was 1,137 or 10 less
than a year ago. The all-time peak
population was 1,173, records show.
At present there are 973 male and
164 female inmates.
The institution has a total of 180
employes, including 134 men and 46
women.
Relief Costs County
$32,043
Direct relief in Allen county out
side Lima, together with surplus
commodity distribution, WPA and
CCC certification work for Lima ami
the county, cost $32,043.4G during the
first 11 months of 1940.
Hfirry R. Corwin, county area re
lief supervisor, said February was
the most costly, aggregating $6,
541,55, when there were 325 families
embracing 1,140 persons provided
with necessities at a cost of $5,
089.25. There were 90 cases opened
during the month and only 39 closed.
Postal Receipts Pass
$300,000 Mark
Postal receipts in Lima passed the
$300,000 mark in 1940 for the first
time in the city’s history, Postmaster
Earl Leach’s annual report revealed
last week.
The receipts for 1940 were eight
to the man who is thinking of buying a tractor
C. F. NISWANDER
important that you decide early and place your
order to insure delivery by the time spring work
opens.
We have been fortunate in obtaining delivery
of two carloads of new Farmall tractors within the
past week. We invite you to see them—these new
1941 tractors with all the dependability for which
Farmall is noted—and no advance in price. You
will save money by placing your order now.
Bluffton, Ohio
JjftQtt EXCLUSIVE FARM Al I FEATURES
THE BLUFFTON NEWS, BLUFFTON, OHIO
per cent above those for last year,
and
cent
The
over
17 per cent.
December receipts were 21 pet
above those for December, 1939.
increase for the last quarter
the same period in 1939 was
434 Get Social Security
Benefits
More than 434 persons in the
seven counties served by the Lima
field office of the Social Security
board are now receiving monthly
checks under the old-age and sur
vivors insurance plan which went
into operation January 1, 1940.
are
em
So-
Now receiving monthly checks
workers who have retired after
ployment in jobs covered by the
cial Security act, wives over 65 who
are married to and living with hus
bands of this group widows who are
over 65 and who were married to in
sured workers at the time of the
death of the latter, widows with
children under 18 at the time of the
worker’s death, also dependent aged
parents of insured workers who had
neither widow nor child eligible for
the monthly checks at the time of
the worker's death.
Reports were for the area served
by the Lima field office, the counties
of Allen, Auglaize, Hancock, Hardin,
Mercer, Putnam and Van Wert.
Tax Deadline Is Near
With the Jan. 20 deadline for pay
ment of first-half 1940 real estate
taxes only two weeks away, Allen
County Treasurer Byron H. Dershem
warned Saturday that the usual long
extensions of time connot be granted
this year.
Both first and second-half collec
tions must be completed before per
sonnel of the treasurer’s office
changes next September, he pointed
out.
Real estate tax receipts Saturday
amounted to $3,152.48, bringing
total for the week to $34,490.47
for the first-half collections thus
$93,403.38, Dershem revealed.
the
and
far
Farm Institute Season
At Hand
Allen county Farm Institutes—
four state aid and four independ
ent—will commence Monday, Janu
ary 20, and continue through Feb
ruary 6.
This announcement was made Sat
urday by James H. Warner, county
extension agent, who reported the
Harrod state aid institute, the first
in the county, will be conducted Jan
uary 20-21.
Quail Hunting Is
Requested
Lima and Allen county sportsmen
and farmers are lending their sup
port to a movement to legalize wing
shooting of quail, a sport that has
been extinct for some 20 years.
movement here
by the Sports
Protective asso
Ted Siferd is
The quail-hunting
is being supported
mens and Farmers
ciations, of which
president, and countless numbers of
unaffiliated sportsmen and farmers.
Signers are petitioning the Ohio
general assembly and Gov. Bricker
to enact legislation which will in
clude in the general code of Ohio the
quail among game birds.
Lima Man Heads State
Teachers
H. C. Roberson, head of the Indus
trial Arts department at South High
school, was chosen president of the
Ohio Education association at the
mid-winter meeting of the organiza
tion held January 3 and 4 at the
Deshler-Wallick hotel in Columbus.
First classroom teacher to hold this
office, Roberson was elected by dele
gates from cities, exempted villages,
and counties of Ohio. He succeeds
Dean E. J. Ashbaugh, of Miami uni
versity!
HANCOCK COUNTY
More Defense Courses
Planned
Plans are under way for launching
national defense vocational education
courses in several Hancock County
schools, similar to the courses that
are about to begin their third term
in Findlay.
The federal government for the
last year has financed such schools
in cities, and now has allotted $288,
000 to Ohio for similar courses in
towns of 2,500 or less and in the
farming areas. The schools are for
young men between 17 and 25 and
no longer in school. There is no
tuition.
Statistics show’ that three out of
every five farm boys must find em
ployment outside of the farm. The
defense education schools are de
signed to develop skill in fields where
there is a good demand, such as
wood-working, trucks, motor me
chanics and electrical work.
Liberty township, Arlington, Raw
son and Vanlue schools already have
indicated their intention to establish
such courses.
Death Takes Former
Banker
Alfred Bloomingdale, Sr., 64, form
er prominent Findlay clothing mer
chant, died from a heart attack last
week in Springfield, Ohio, where he
had resided the last four years.
Mr. Bloomingdale was a charter
member of the Chamber of Com
merce and at one time was a di
rector of the old Buckeye Commer
cial Savings Bank. He was a 32nd
Degree Mason and was a member of
Findlay Elks Lodge No. 75.
Fewer Killed In Traffic
Mishaps
The 1940 total of traffic fatalities
in Hancock county stood at 21 with
the close of the old year. It was
two less than a year ago when 23
persons were killed in Hancock coun
ty highways.
Jenera Ditch Improve
ment Refused
Petition for improvement of a
ditch providing drainage for the vil
lage of Jenera was dismissed by the
i ,u Ml
aa. 1’
_____
’4A
board of county commissioners Tues
day after it had been determined
and decided by members of the board
that the cost would exceed the prob
able benefits.
Petition for the improvement was
filed by Victor Hickman, mayor of
Jenera, on authorization of the vil
lage council.
Three New Post Office
Records Set
The Findlay post office closed the
year 1940 with three new records as
far as receipts are concerned.
Receipts for the year established
a new high, the quarter was up and
the month of December was better
than any other December in the
history of the office.
Postmaster W. T. Ault said Thurs
day that receipts for the year just
ended amounted to $180,589.77 com
pared to $167,935.33 in 1939. The
difference represents a gain of about
7.5 per cent, he said.
HARDIN COUNTY
Seek Vote On Water
works Purchase
A second petition carrying 177
names calling for a referendum on
the purchase of the Ada water plant
by the village from the Ohio Power
Co. for $68,000, and the issuance of
$100,000 in mortgage revenue bonds,
for the purchase and improvement of
the plant, was filed with Clerk R. S.
Hover last week.
It replaces a previous petition
which is believed to be invalid be
cause of legal technicalities.
Clothing Sent To War
Sufferers
Ninety dresses and sixty sweaters
fashioned by Kenton clubs and indi
viduals as well as by the girls in the
National Youth Administration resi
dent center at Lima, last weex were
shipped to national Red Cross head
quarters in Washington, D. C., f
use in war relief work in Europe.
NY A girls fashioned 40 dresses,
while the Kenton Chapter of Women
of the Moose made the remaining 50
dresses, Mrs. Clara Stewart, secre
tary of the Hardin County Red
Cross chapter, said.
506 Ask AAA Benefits
Five hundred and six additional
applications for soil conservation
benefit checks were received by the
Hardin county AAA committees and
approved. They will be sent to the
state office where checks will be is
sued shortly after the first of the
new year, according to Harley Shick,
chairman.
Will Mobilize Women
For Peace
Charging that the men of the
world have failed miserably in their
attempt to bring peace to the world,
C. E. Wharton, of Kenton, defeated
candidate for the U. S. Senate in the
primaries last May, last week for
warded to Washington a proposal for
the formation
Peace Legion” composed
the nation’s women.
Prince of
entirely of
Burton K.
a leading
In a letter to Senator
Wheeler, (D) Montana,
isolationist, Wharton declared that
every woman would want to join
such a league. Men could become
only honorary members in the legion,
designed “to guide the hand of con
gress in our platform of no war and
the return of prosperity, and to try
to remove all who have a war com
plex from office.
Fire In Ada Business
Section
A spectacular two-hour blaze that
threatened the principal business sec
tion of Ada and caused an estimated
damage of $3,000 attracted residents
from their beds last Friday. There
were no persons injured.
Almost a total loss was the Homer
Ruebush plumbing shop where fire
of an unknown origin started. A
Pennsylvania railroad tower emphye,
half a block north, first noticed
blaze and summoned the fire
partment.
the
de­
the
The plumbing shop occupied
rear portion of a business block
housing a drug store and a popular
confectionery known as the “Sugar
Bowl”.
Have 2,333 Callers
In 1940
For the second year, a record has
been kept of all persons calling at
the Elihu Ream home on North
Johnson street in Ada. A total of
2,333 called during 1940 as com
pared with 1,534 in 1939.
Again in 1940 as in 1939, August
was the top month when 298 friends
visited
lowest
Ream
month
the Ream home. June was
when only 78 called, but the
family spent most of that
in California.
34 Republicans Are
Certified
The names of 34 Republicans were
certified
Strong,
county
Hardin
tive Committees after a patronage
meeting.
to Engineer-elect Paul K.
who assumed the office of
engineer Monday, by the
County Central and Execu-
Nine Die In Traffic
Fatalities
Traffic accidents took a slump dur
ing 1940 in Hardin county, and only
nine fatalities were recorded in the
12-month period as compared with 13
for 1939, acording to Coroner Ken
neth W. Preston.
Of the nine who died in traffic,
six were killed at railroad crassings.
The worst was that which killed
Branch Barnett, his nine-year-old
daughter and four-year-old son.
Ada Turkey Raiser
Takes Own Life
Slashing his chest with a razor
and then firing a .22 calibre rifle
bullet into his head, Lemuel Virgil
Fisher, 59, Ada turkey raiser ended
(Continued
on page 7)
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