The Bluffton news. [volume], July 31, 1941, Image 1

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BLUFFTON NEWS
The Advertising Medium for
Bluffton Trade Territory
VOLUME NO. LXVI
HEAT WAVE HERE
CONTINUES WITH
HIGH HUMIDITY
Most Extended Hot Weather
Suffered Here Since 1936
Reaches 102 Degrees
Thuudershowers Tuesday After
noon and Night Bring
Temporary Relief
Temporary relief from eight days
of scorching weather and high
humidity in which the mercury twice
topped 100 degrees came to Bluffton
Tuesday afternoon and night in the
form of thundershowers but with
high humid conditions Wednesday it
appeared that the heat wave has not
yet been broken.
Weather forecast Wednesday in
dicated additional thundershowers
late Wednesday night and more
moderate temperatures by Thursday,
making a full week of what is the
most extended heat wave experienc
ed here since 1936.
Starting a week ago Tuesday, the
heat blitzkrieg sent temperatures in
to the 90’s on eight successive days,
with a maximum of 102 degrees
recorded on Saturday.
Sunday’s weather was a little dif
ferent, the mercury reaching the
100-degree mark in the afternoon.
Electric fans were at a pre
mium in Bluffton the first of the
week and dealers’ shelves were
swept bare of everything in the
low and medium price range.
Some retailers said they could
have disposed of twice as many
fans as they stocked.
On Monday, an afternoon shower
helped very little after a maximum
of 99 had been recorded. Excessive
humidity added to the general dis
comfort.
Little indication of a break in the
heat assault was seen on Tuesday
until shortly after' the noon hour
when a Heavy rainstorm and over
cast skies brought a rapid drop in
the thermometer after it had climb
ed into the 90’s for the eighth day.
Showers Bring Belief
Additional showers Tuesday- night
and the weather forecast of con
tinued showers brought hope that
the long siege of extreme heat
finally had been broken and that
lasting relief was in sight.
One-hundred degree temperature
in Bluffton last Saturday and Sun
day was the hottest weather the
area has experienced since Sept. 15,
1939, when a mark of 102 degrees
was set.
Since then there has been no 100
degree weather here and the preced
ing three years were free of ex
treme heat. In July, 1936, however,
the area suffered a seveiday heat
wave in which the mercury went to
100 oi- better every day, reaching a
maximum of 104 degrees on the
14th.
Rainfall Monday and Tuesday also
brought relief to parched crops,
lawns and gardens in the district,
alleviating drought conditions that
were beginning to be apparent.
Fern Stuart Has
New Teaching Job
Miss Fern Stuart, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Earl Stuart residing north
of town on the Dixie highway, has
been appointed instructor in home
economics and Latin at the Sugar
Creek township high school in
Vaughnsville, it was learned here the
first of the week. Miss Stuart grad
uated from Bluffton college in the
class of 1936.
Huber Street Walks
Cost 77 Cents Foot
Cost of laying sidewalks on the
newly opened stretch of Huber street
was 77 cents a running foot instead
of 92 cents, as previously reported.
Town Clerk W. O. Geiger an
nounced the correction this week,
pointing out that a portion of the
labor originally charged to the Hu
ber street project represented cor
poration labor on Kibler street.
Births
The following births at the Bluff
ton hospital:
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Eisenbach,
Pandora, a girl, Friday.
Mr. and Mrs. Irvin Fisher, Mt.
Cory, a girl, Tuesday.
Born to Dr. and Mrs. Arnold Set
tlage of New Berryport, Mass., a son
Randolph William, July 19. Dr. Set
tlage is the son of the late Rev. W.
A. Settlage, pastor of the Bluffton
Reformed churches about 20 years
ago.
Ten Different Kinds
Of Fish Identified
In Seining Big Riley
rpEN different kind of fish were
identified among the hun
dreds caught in seining opera
tions at the Big Riley creek be
tween the Harmon Field dam
and the College avenue bridge
Monday afternoon.
The fish were taken out of the
creek after drought and hot
weather caused the creek to
back up and become contaminat
ed. Foster Rossman, district
fish warden, and J. J. Johns,
Allen county game protector,
identified the following fish tak
en from the creek: blue gills,
bull heads, black bass, rock bass,
channel cats, sunfish, white suck
ers, common shiners, carp and
top minnows.
All of the living game fish
were placed in the quarry of the
nearby municipal water works.
HUNDREDS OF FISH
KILLED IN CREEK
INVESTIGATION ON
Analysis by Fish Management
Agent Shows Carbon Di
oxide in Water
Game Officials Seine Creek
From Harmon Field to Col
lege Ave. Bridge
Hundreds of fish were smothered
in creek water contaminated by car
bon dioxide in Big Riley creek from
the Harmon Field dam to the Col
lege avenue bridge early Monday
morning, according to an analysis
and report made by Foster Rossman,
fish management agent of District
No. 1 from Ottawa, who made an
investigatkm- here Monday after
noon.
Rossman, with J. J. Johns, Allen
county game protector, and Dr. Gail
Miller, Allen county health com
missioner, made the investigation
following reports Monday morning
that the banks of the creek were
lined with hundreds of dead fish.
Mayor W. A. Howe and Silas Diller,
president of the Sportsmen’s club,
were also present for the investiga
tion.
Samples Tested
Samples of the cret’x water tested
by Rossman, who has a portable
laboratory for that purpose, were
definitely alkali. Mayor Howe stat
ed that according to Rossman’s re
port, following the laboratory test,
milk and refuse from the local plant
of the Page Dairy Co. fermented and
caused carbon dioxide gas whose
chemical action drove the oxygen out
(Continued on page 8)
To Operate Private
Kindergarden Here
Mrs. Wayne Harris has announced
the opening of a private kindergard
en in Bluffton when school opens for
the fall term early in September.
Classes will be conducted in a room
in the grade school building.
Mrs. Harris is experienced in this
type of work having taught in pri
mary grades for six yeears. Furth
er details may be obtained by tele
phoning the superintendent’s office
at the high school.
Old Time Bluffton
Man Visiting Here
Moses Cullom, aged 77, who left
Bluffton when a youth of 20 years, is
visiting some of the old timers here.
Cullom was born near Bluffton and
as a youth was employed as a clerk
in the dry goods store of Daniel
Russell, pioneer merchandiser here.
Cullom’s mother, Mrs. Octavia Cul
lom, who died when he was four
years old, is buried in the old cem
etery on Jefferson street.
Leaving Bluffton 57 years ago,
Cullom has since resided at Hart
ford, Michigan. He came here the
first of the week accompanying his
daughter and her husband, Mr. and
Mrs. Jack Forbush of Hartford who
are now on a motor trip thru the
east.
This is his first visit in Bluffton in
fifty-seven years with exception of a
brief stop which he made here twelve
years ago. Besides his daughter he
has a brother, Frank and sister,
Mrs. Harriet Jones, both residing in
Columbus.
New Electric Refrigerators And
Stoves Gleam In Bluffton Kitchens
Record Number of Installations
Are Being Made Here This
Summer
High Level of Employment Re
flected in Home Moderniza
tion Program
Kitchens in homes thruout the
Bluffton district are going modern
this summer. This was revealed in
a survey the first of the week which
disclosed that electric cooking and
refrigeration units are being in
stalled at the rate of from four to
ten weekly in territory served by
Bluffton’s municipal electric light
plant.
Figures on this summer’s installa
tions, believed to be a record here,
are supported by data from local
dealers who report a large sales vol
ume in both electric cooking and re
frigeration equipment.
In addition to the kitchens which
are receiving the major benefit from
this summer’s improvement program,
there are reports that this fall may
see a substantial volume of auto
matic stokers for furnaces installed
in homes here.
Reflects Full Employment
The home modernization under way
this summer reflects a high level of
employment here, and this together
with rising volume of business and
payrolls making for increased con
sumer buying power.
Employment thruout the Bluffton
district this summer is the greatest
in more than a decade, as is evi
denced by the fact that transient la
bor to aid in harvest work on farms
is almost unobtainable.
The current demand for help has
taken nearly all Bluffton labor off
VVPA rolls—five are reported as em
ployed on the Dixie highway im
provement project north of Bluffton.
Increases Current Load
Electrification of household appli
ances has been responsible to a con
siderable degree in stepping up the
current load at Bluffton’s municipal
electric energy plant. It has been
pointed out by plant officials that
should the present trend continue
there will be a need for additional
generating equipment. The July col
lection for June current consumption
was $6,325.17, the highest in the his
tory of the plant.
Complete use of electric service for
lighting, small appliances, refriger
ation, cooking and water heating will
cost about $12, it was shown in a
survey of typical home current con
sumption charges i eleased by the
Federal Power Commission.
Appliances
Bluffton’s minimum bill of 50 cents
will buy 10 K.W.H., it is shown in
the breakdown. Lighting and small
appliances will run the bill to about
$1.90. Refrigeration will result in a
bill of $3.90. Adding an electric
range will run the bill to $7.40, the
report shows. Complete electrifica
tion can be obtained at a charge of
$12.40. Approximately 500 K.W.H.
are required for that phase of the
service the report stated.
“Most Popular Man'9
Is Called In Draft
George Radulovich, voted last
spring the most popular man in
Bluffton college and prominent vars
ity athlete, has been called for army
training, it was announced the first
of the week by Allen County Draft
Board No. 3.
Radulovich was graduated last
month from Bluffton college. His
home is in Lima. He is one of 12
Allen county men who will leave
Thursday morning for the army in
duction station in Toledo.
Others who are included in this
draft call are: Emerson LaVern Lug
ibihl, Bluffton Route 2 Joseph
Francis Grant, Pandora Route 1
Royal Downey, Beaverdam Leslie
Newton Ackerman, Lafayette Law
rence Delbert Cattell, Elida Charles
Albert Bowers, Cairo Marvin Mur
len Bogart, Thomas Henry Hunt,
Clyde William Breitigan, Harold El
lison Neeper and Donald Eugene
Prine all of Lima.
Loses Part Of Finger
While Combining Oats
Clarence Greiner, tenant farmer
residing west of town on the former
Clymer farm owned by Waldo Hof
stetter, lost part of the fourth finger
of his right hand while combining
oats Friday afternoon.
The accident occurred when Grein
er’s finger was caught in the mech
anism of the combine and the knife
severed the finger at the first joint.
He secured medical attention at the
office of a local physician.
LHE BLUFFTON NEWS
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, JULY 31, 1941
RISE IN PRICE OF
MILK TO BECOME
EFFECTIVE FRIDAY
Home Consumers Will Pay One
Cent a Quart More, Distrib
utors Announce
Schedule Will be Pints, 6c
Quarts, 10c gallons 34c
Whipping Cream, 15c
Pi cs of milk t* ho» e ’pzmers
Blufiton will oe Oisefi one cent a
quart effective Friday. it was an
nounced bj Bluffton tnilk d’stributois
Wednesday monunst
The price increase has been made
necessary by added feed sts and an
additional premium of one and one
half cents a quart bemg received by
district farmers for tindr milk com
pared to the price at year ago.
The following schedule of milk
prices was announced: Pints. Cc
single quarts, 10c jjgdlon, 34c whip
ping cream, 15c quhrt chocolate
milk, 11c.
Even with the increase Bluffton
prices in comparison v other towns
and sections are stiS favorable, it was
pointed out. In Lima ilk is 12c a
quart, in most Peimsvvania milk
dealers get 13c a quart and in Florida
the price is 16c, local.
The increase wil| apply both to
home deliveries and stun purchases.
POLITICAL FRONT
QUIET AS AUGUST
PRIMARY LOOMS
Politics is Dormant with Elec
tion Less Than Two
Weeksi Off
Interest Expected to Center on
Mayoralty Rave on Both
Tickets
With the August 12 primary elec
tion less than two weeks in the
offing, campaigning remains at the
dormant stage altho there are two
contests on the Republican ticket
and one on the Democratic slate.
Principal activity so far as ac
tivity is concerned is expected in
the mayoralty race on both tickets.
Four candidates are in the field
two seeking the nomination for each
party. Wilbur A. Howe, the incum
bent, and N. E. Byers are the Re
publican aspirants and Democratic
candidates are John E. Steiner and
Russell L. Magee.
Contest for Clerk’s Job
The other contest is for village
clerk on the Republican ticket with
James F. West and Zelma Ingalls
seeking the nomination.
West who is a candidate for a
second term still holds the title of
corporation clerk, altho he has been
in military training since last
spring. When he was called into
service the vacancy was filled by the
council which designated W. O.
Geiger deputy clerk. Geiger is un
opposed as candidate for clerk on
the Democratic ticket.
With six councilmen to be elected,
the Republicans have only five candi
dates in the primary and they also
filed only two nominations for the
Board of Public Affairs, with three
posts open.
Democrats have a full slate in the
primary, with the maximum number
of candidates for each post.
Potato Thieves Flee
From Nightwatchman
Potato thieves were routed at the
Mrs. S. S. Motter farm on a field
across the Riley creek opposite the
Ed Smith residence on the corner of
Grove and Kibler streets Tuesday
morning at 2:00 o’clock.
The potatoes were drying on the
ground and when the thieves began
throwing them into a parked truck,
it attracted the attention of nearby
residents who summoned John Gar
linger, temporary nightwatchman.
By the time Garlinger arrived on
the scene the thieves apparently be
came suspicious and fled. Garlinger
patrolled the area every 30 minutes
until daylight but no trace of the
thieves could be found.
An inventory taken of the potatoes
in the morning by Myron Motter,
son of Mrs. Motter, showed that the
thieves had succeeded in stealing
only two or three bushels of the po
tatoes.
Bluffton and Richland township
residents contributed 210 pounds of
aluminum to the national defense
program in response to a canvass
for the metal made thruout the dis
trict.
Of the total amount collected, it
was estimated that 150 pounds were
brought in by the Boy Scouts who
covered the town and 60 pounds by
the 4-H Club members who solicited
in the township. The aluminum was
stored in the town hall.
The Scout canvass was directed by
Scoutmaster Karl Gable. The 4-H
Club project was under direction of
Harry Barnes, high school vocational
agriculture instructor with Ralph
Robt. Oyer, Supervisor, Asks
That Kerosene be Poured
Down Home Drains
Mosquitoes Have Been Breed
ing in City Drains, Town
Employes Find
Coperation of Bluffton residents in
the mosquito control program was
asked this week in a joint appeal by
Robert Oyer, in charge of spraying
operations, and Mayor W. A. Howe,
general supervisor of the local pro
gram.
Control of the mosquito nuisance
by killing the larvae at creeks, catch
basins and stagnant pools is only one
phase of the program and to make it
completely effective it is necessary
to have resident cooperation, it was
pointed out.
If every resident in town would
pour a pint of kerosene down each
drain and toilet in the house the
control would be nearly 100 per cent
complete, it was stated by Oyer.
Breeding in Drains
Mosquitoes have been breeding by
the milHons in drains, evidence of
which was given in the past week
when municipal employes had occa
sion to open several drains for repair
operations.
Pouring kerosene into home drains
and toilets would kill the larvae at a
very important breeding source. This
would be necessary only once a week
for two or three weeks, it was stat
ed by Oyer. It would cost each resi
dent only a few cents and it would
practically rid the town of the pest.
The most important source of mos
quito infestation has been the creeks
and systematic spraying has been
proceeding according to regulai
schedule. Millions of larvae are
killed every day by this method and
were it not for the systematic appli
cation of the larvicide it is likely
that the town would again be in
fested by swarms of the pest so com
mon in previous years.
Larvae Killed
A representative of the News ac
companied Oyer as he sprayed var
ious points of infestation on the Big
Riley creek at the north side of the
town Monday morning. Almost im
mediately after spraying the larvae
ceased their rapid movements and
were killed by the action of the spe
cially prepared larvicide.
Some sections of town have report
ed a considerable amount of mosqui
toes this summer and other sections
have found the pest to be practically
non-existant. Many residents near
the Bluffton college campus have
complained about the presence of the
pest. This is likely due to the fact
that the larvae were hatched before
they were discovered at the lagoon
on the campus created by heavy
spring rains.
Warm Growing Season
The warm and wet growing season
was especially conducive to mosquito
breeding and account in part for the
presence of the pest this year des
pite the control program. This to
gether with the large number of
them in drains has created the prob
lem, it was pointed out.
Resident cooperation is also asked
in the matter of looking for wrig
glers in other breeding places about
the home such as cisterns, barrels,
tubs and buckets of water, leaky
pipes, tin cans, uncovered cess pools,
plugged roof gutters and down
spouts, damp cellars and piles of
rubbish.
Town, Township Give 210 Pounds
Of Aluminum For Defense Use
Cooperation Of Residents In
Mosquito Control Program Urged
Anyone finding wrigglers at any of
these places should either report the
matter to Oyer or kill them with
kerosene. Many residents have been
of assistance in this matter, Oyer
reported.
Vitamins in Milk
Vitamins A, B, D, and all are
found in milk.
Althaus and Harry Burkholder in
charge and the truck driven by Bert
Balmer.
The aluminum filled about two
thirds of the city’s three ton truck
when the load was delivered to the
state highway garage at Lima by
Marshall Lee Coon, Monday.
Principal items contributed by res
idents of the town and township were
cooking utensils such as kettles, pans,
coffee pots and tea kettles.
The metal will be sold as scrap
aluminum by the federal government.
Money derived from the sale will go
directly to the United States Treas
ury to be spent only by act of Con
gress.
BLUFFTON SCHOOL
BUDGET FOR NEXT
YEAR IS $79,842
Increase of $2,100 in Appropri
ations is Asked of County
Budget Board
Rise in Teachers’ Salaries,
Maintenance Costs and Re
pairs are Noted
Increased expenditure of approxi
mately $2,400 is sought in a proposed
budget of 879.842 for the operation
of Bluffton public schools in 1942, it
was disclosed this week.
Finishing touches fn the budget
were completed this week by the
board of education, and the next stop
in the process will be submission to
the Allen county budget commission
for approval.
Next year’s proposed budget of
$79,842 includes $67,250 asked for
school operating »expenses
hiiL
592 required for bond retirement and
interest.
Current Budget $77,489
Current budget for 1941 is $77,489,
including $64,500 for the operating
fund and $12,989 for bonds.
Teachers’ salaries for 1942 u en
tail additional expense, the board
pointed out, because of a decision to
raise the rate of pay to 95 per cent
of the local schedule, instead of con
tinuing at the 90 per cent figure in
effect this year.
Maintenance of *el ool equipment
also will cost more in 1942 because of
repairs to heating boilers required in
both grade schuui end high school
buildir.js.
a-’dition, the ..n'. ot supplies and
i.cijer.tal labor a’%o is mounting.
Francis Pifer To
Teach In Findlay
Miss Francis Pifer, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Ami Pifer of Orange
township, has accepted a position as
teacher in Findlay public schools.
Miss Pifer has been employed for
the past four years as instructor in
Ottawa county school, resigning that
position to take the Findlay post.
She is now attending the summer
session at Bowling Green State uni
versity where she will graduate at
the end of the summer term with the
degree of Bachelor of Science in Ed
ucation.
She visited Sunday at the home of
her parents.
Maple Tree Struck
By Lightning Bolt
Struck by a bolt of lightning, a
large maple tree, at the front of the
lawn of the Mrs. John Fett property
on South Main street, was shattered
in the thunder storm here early
Tuesday afternoon.
Fragments of the tree were hurled
across the street on the lawn of the
Don Conrad property.
Oliver Zimmerman
Hurt While Diving
Oliver Zimmerman, of South Main
street, operator of the Steiner Hatch
ery, suffered severe lacerations of the
forehead and chest at 8 p. m. last
Sunday when he struck bottom while
diving into the Columbus Grove
municipal swimming pool.
Following treatment at the office
of a Columbus Grove physician, Zim
merman was removed to the Bluffton
Community hospital where he spent
the night
A Good Place to Live and a
Good Place to Trade
NUMBER 14
MIDDLE DISTRICT
CONFERENCE HERE
AUGUST 12 TO 14
18 Churches, Representing 5,
400 Communicants Will
Meet at Ebenezer
Represents Third Meeting of
Conference in Bluffton
Last Here in 1939
Representatives of eighteen church
es of the Middle District Conference
of Mennonites will meet in the 53rd
session of the organization at the
Ebenezer Mennonite church, west of
Bluffton, August 12 to 14.
Churches of the Middle District
Conference are located in Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa, Missouri and Ohio.
Four churches in the Bluffton district
are members of the conference. These
are the Grace and St. John congre
gations of Pandora and the Ebenezer
and First Mennonite of Bluffton.
5,4(10 Members
The Middle District Conference is
one of seven district conferences
v nich make up the Mennonite General
conference and represents an aggre
gate membership of 5,40ii communi
cants.
This is the third occasion in which
Bluffton has entertained the Middle
District Conference. The first meet
ing was held here in 1915 and the
second at the First Mennonite church
in June of 1939. The General Con
ference, which consists of 145 Men
nonite churches, has held its triennial
sessions in Bluffton twice previously,
one in 1911 and then again in 1933.
Clearing House
The conference brings together
ministers and prominent laymen of
the district and serves as a clearing
house for matters of common concern.
Over one hundred registered dele
gates augmented by hundreds more
of district laymen are expected to at
tend the sessions.
The sessions will be opened with
the conference sermon by Rev. A. S.
mi'nfsfer-at imWew ami
former president of Bluffton college,
at the Ebenezer church, Tuesday
night, August 12.
Women’s Program
A program by the women’s mis
sionary societies will be held Wednes
day night and the Young People’s so
cieties will have charge of the pro
gram on the last night of the con
ference on Thursday.
Officers of the conference are:
Pres., Rev. A. S. Rosenbeger, Dalton
Vice-pr s., Rev. William Penner. Way
land. Iowa Secy.. Rev. G. T. Soldner,
Bluffton Treas., E. A. Lugibill, Bern
Ind.
Delegates
Elected delegates from Bluffton
district churches are as follows:
Ebenezer—Rev. and Mrs. A. C.
Schultz, W. J. Luginbuhl, S. S. Bixel,
Joseph Thompson, I). J. Basinger,
David Niswander, Waldo Hofstetter,
Gid Garmotter, Phillip Hilty, Willis
Amstutz.
St. John—Rev. and Mrs. “P. J.
Boehr, Milford Haas, Menno Augs
burger, Haydn Basinger, Mrs. N. N.
Soldner, Leia Steiner, Marvin Leh
man, Clarence Schneck.
First—Rev. H. T. Unruh, Mrs. Ed
win Arnsutz, Miss Edith Augsburger,
I Mr. and Mrs. D. W. Bixler, Gerhard
Buhler, Lawrence Burkahlter, Ezra
Moser, Mrs. S. K .Mosiman, Mrs. Le
nore Myers, Mrs. S. F. Pannebecker,
Dr. L. L. Ramseyer, Dr. J. S. Schultz,
Orden Smucker, Rev. G. T. Soldner,
John Tosh.
Eye Injury Suffered
By Nello Steinman
Injuries to both eyes were suffered
last Thursday at Laport, Ind., by
Nello Steinman, of Bluffton, a weld
er working on an elevated water
tank at that place.
A completed tank was being tested
by air pressure and when the blast
got out of control Steinman’s eyes
were injured by a sheet of sand
and steel.
He was confined for two days un
der the care of a physician, but is
recovering rapidly from the mishap,
it was learned this week.
Laverne Hochstettler
In Army Air Corps
Laverne Hostettler, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Walter Hostettler near Bluffton,
has volunteered for the United States
Army air corps and is located at
Bowman Field, Ky.
After preliminary training in Co
lumbus, Hostettler left for the Ken
tucky post where he will be located
for the three year enlistment