The Bluffton news. [volume], July 30, 1942, Image 1

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.VICTORY
BUY
UNITED
STATES
DEFENSE
'BONDS
AND
STAMPS
VOLUME NO. LXVH
WOMEN'S CORPS
IS FORMED FOR
CIVILIAN DEFENSE
New Unit to be Organized
Under Auspices of Bluffton
Defense Council
Canvass Will be Made Latter
Part of August for Gasses
Sept. 10
Formation of a women’s corps for
home defense, under the auspices of
the Bluffton Civilian Defense Coun
cil, is being made here, according to
an announcement made this week by
Clair Fett, general chairman.
Purpose- of the unit is to have a
women’s corps well grounded in mat
ters of home defense and trained to
take action in case of emergency.
Classes, taught by a competent
instructor, will start Sept. 10. The
Bluffton council decided not, to start
before that time because of vaca
tions and canning, Fett said.
Canvass
A house to house canvass of all
the women in the community will be
made the latter part of August. In
this canvass, the work of the corps
will be explained and volunteers will
be invited, it was stated.
Content of the course will be
similar to that given the men’s air
w arden group. It will include meth
ods of dealing with incendiary bombs
and extinguishing fires, refugee
rooms, blackout procedure, air raid
instructions, etc.
The unit will cooperate with the
present civilian defense organization
whose concern is the prevention of
disaster in case of enemy action or
other emergency.
Committees
Mrs. L. L. Ramseyer will be gen
eral chairman of the new unit. Mem
bers of the committees, assigned by
districts, are:
1. Mrs. Lysle Baumgartner, chair
man Mrs. W. E. Diller, Mrs. Walter
Stratton, Mrs. B. W. Travis, Mrs. M.
D. Soash, Mrs. D. W. Bixler, Mrs.
Fay Isham, Mrs. Raymond Conrad,
Miss Rhoda Matter, Mrs. Floyd
Harris.
2. Mrs. Arthur Amstutz, chair
man Mrs. Swan Stonehill, Mrs. W.
B. Augsburger, Mrs. Fred Lingel,
Mrs. Grover Soldner, Mrs. Robert
Murray, Mrs. Albert Benroth, Mrs.
Earl Luginbuhl.
3. Miss Rita Hankish, chairman
Mrs. A. C. Burcky, Mrs. Ralph Bad
ertscher, Mrs. Forrest Steinman,
Mrs. Hiram Huser, Mrs. Millen
Geiger, Mrs. Harry Bogart, Mrs.
Russell Lantz.
4. Mrs. Guy Corson, chairman
Mrs. Harley Augsburger, Mrs.
Robert Lewis, Mrs. Gordon Bixel,
Mrs. Fred Hahn, Mrs. L. M.
Thomas, Mrs. Wayne Harris.
Funeral Services
For John Bixler
Funeral services for John Bixler,
75, widely known retired farmer,
were held at the Ebenezer Mennon
ite church Wednesday afternoon.
Mr. Bixler died suddenly at his
home three and one-half miles south
of Pandora of a heart attack Mon
day morning at 10:30 o’clock. He
arose at his customary hour Mon
day morning but a short time after
ward became ill and was forced to
go back to bed where he died.
Born in Putnam county, Mr. Bix
ler had live in this region for 50
years. One of a family of 12 child
ren he is survived by two brothers
Adam and Abraham Bixler, both of
Pandora.
He had made his home for many
years with a son, Milton. He was
a member of the Ebenezer church.
Rev. A. C. Schultz, pastor, offi
ciated at the services. Burial was
in the Ebenezei’ cemetery.
Accepts Ordnance
Post In U. S. Army
Herbert Coon, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Lee Coon of South Jackson street,
has accepted a position as ordnance
inspector for the United States army
at Columbus.
He completed a 12 weeks’ course
at Case School of Applied Science in
Cleveland this summer in prepara
tion for the post. His duties will
consist in the inspection of army
ordnance material in the different
war plants at Columbus.
He has resigned his teaching posi
tion at Millersburg High school
where he was instructor in chemistry
and mathematics.
Mr. and Mrs. Coon were home
Sunday visiting their parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Lee Coon and Mr. and
Mrs. J. I. Luginbuhl, south of town.
It’s An Ill Rain—
Or Wasn’t It—That
Came Wednesday
IT’S an ill rain—or wasn’t it—
that thunderstorm that rumbl
ed over Bluffton early Wednes
day morning accompanied by
one of the heaviest downpours
of the season.
East of Bluffton in the Olive
Branch district water was re
ported standing in the fields
after the storm and thruout the
district the rain added its bit to
the sweltering humidity which
has blanketed this section for
the past week.
Abundant rainfall has made
gardens burst into rows and
rows of beans and peas. The
same rain is rotting hay, knock
ing down over-ripened oats and
generally upsetting the time
table of the farmer who is al
ready at his wits end because of
a shortage of help.
SECOND CANNING
SUGAR RATIONING
STARTS TUESDAY
Will Continue Next Week Thru
Friday at High School
From 1 to 10 p. m.
’rocedure Similar to That Used
In Early June is Expect
ed Again
More than 28,00 pounds of sugar
are again expected to be rationed to
Bluffton school district residents as
canning sugar purchase certificates
will be issued for the late fruits at
the Bluffton High school cafeteria
starting next week on Tuesday and
continuing thru Friday.
The rationing will take place from
1 to 10 p. m. on the assigned four
days under the direction of A. J. B.
Longsdorf, superintendent of schools,
and a corps of public school teachers
and other volunter workers.
Procedure Similar
While it is exnected that the pro
cedure will be similar to that em
ployed in the June canning sugar ra
tioning for the early fruits, Supt.
Longsdorf is awaiting instructions
and upplies at a meeting in Lima
headquarters Monday.
The late fruits are beginning to
ripen sufficiently for canning and
Bluffton housewives are anxious to be
gin the final summer canning pro
gram. Late fruit include apples,
plums. peaches, apricc ts, pears,
grapes, and other fruits ripening af
ter August 1.
It has been requested that as many
as possible obtain their registration
certificates during the assigned four
days. Facilities are set up to give
the authorization in a minimum of
time and with efficiency.
35 Pound Average
Boys Of 37th Division Give Black
Natives First Taste Of Ice Cream
It is expected that the sugar per
mits will run about the same as the
35 pound average per family as last
time. This figure varies considerably
with the size of the family.
With about 800 families in the
Bluffton school district this would
make a total of 28,000 pounds of sug
ar to be rationed this time if approx
imately the same average holds again.
If the same regulations prevail
again in the canning sugar rationing
program for late fruits each family
unit will be allowed nine quarts of
fruit per person in the family.
Sugar for the nine quarts was is
sued on the basis of one pound for
every four quarts of fruit canned.
Adequate So Far
Sugar supplies have so far been
adequate to meet the needs but fed
eral authorities have pointed out that
this condition could be changed sud
denly according to the shipping situa
tion in the Caribbean area.
Retailers, industrial users and cus
tom bakers are required to go di
rectly to the Allen county rationing
headquarters in the courthouse at
Lima to obtain their authorizations,
Longsdorf stated.
Abroad With 37th
Kenneth Luginbuhl, in service with
the 37th division, has been promoted
to the rank of sergeant, according
to word received here by his wife.
The promotion took place May 26 at
which time the division embarked for
foreign duty. Sgt. Luginbuhl is a
clerk in the headquarters company,
quartermaster battalion.
iananas and Cocoanuts Plenti
ful and Watermelons Huge,
Soldier Writes
Barefooted Natives Wear Skirts
Few Whites are Seen in
That Region
Where are they—those boys of the
37th division, many of whom are
from Bluffton—recently reported as
having arrived safely overseas and
ready for action?
While there has been no official
announcement as to their location or
when they may see action, the boys
are acquainting the black native in
habitants with some of the finer
things of civilization—including ice
cream—according to a letter from
Robex-t Ream who is with the 37th.
Ream, son of Mr. and Mrs. Wil
liam Ream of near Ada, writes:
“The natives here are very black,
have big bushy hair, wear skirts
and no shoes. They work for be
tween three and four dollars a week.
“It has rained here every day for
the past seven days. I don’t like the
hot days but the nights are pleas
ant with nice cool breezes playing
and a rain every four hours.
“There are plenty of bananas and
cocoanuts and watermelons grow as
big as 40 inches in circumference.
“Only two meals a day were
served on our way over. After I
recovered from seasickness, I gained
about five pounds. Now, I don’t
mind the rolling ocean.
“There is a native boy here who
can speak fair English and gives us
the facts about the place. We gave
him some ice cream and he nearly
went wild over it. There are few
white people here.”
Last Rites For
Mrs. Clyde Yer per
Funeral services for Mrs. Clyde
Yerger, 59, of South Jackson street,
will be held at the Paul Diller fun
eral home Thursday afternoon at
2:30 o’clock.
She died at her htrW' Mdffffigy
afternoon at 3:30 o’clock after be
ing in failing health for one year
and bedfast for the past week with
heart trouble. She was thought to
be improving until Thursday.
She was born August 6, 1882, in
Orange township the daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Christian Roth. Her
father preceded her in death.
She was a member of the Jenera
Lutheran church where she was
pianist several years. Rev. E. J.
Penhorwood of Lima will officiate
at the services.
She is survived by her husband,
Clyde Yerger, and three children
Mrs. Zora Basinger, Lima Georgia
at home, and Wayne, Fort Benning,
Georgia her mother, Mrs. Eliza
Roth of Findlay a brother, Ira Roth
of near Jenera.
Burial will be in the Maple Grove
cemetery.
TO RESUME CLASSES
The Red Cross classes in First Aid,
taught by Mrs. B. W. Travis, will be
resumed at the High School it was
announced Wednesday morning. Mrs.
Travis has returned from a two
weeks’ vacation trip and will resume
instruction at the Tuesday night
meetings. There are only three more
meetings required to finish the course,
it was stated.
Births
The following births at the Bluff
ton hospital:
Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Wells, Co
lumbus Grove, a girl, Sara Ellen,
Saturday.
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Lewis, a girl,
Catherine Ann, Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. Arden Baker, a boy,
Keith Arden, Monday.
Mr. and Mrs. Howard Devore, Ot
tawa, a girl, Frances Ellen, Monday.
Mr. and Mrs. Racine Warren,
Louisville, Ky., a boy, Charles Fred
erick, Friday.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Franklin
Beech, a girl, at the home of hex
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles
Burkholdex- of North Jackson street,
on July 13. Mrs. Beech was form
erly Miss Jeanette Burkholder.
Rev. Harmony Will
Talk Sunday Night
Rev. W. L. Harmony, of Findlay,
and pastor of the Bluffton Lutheran
church, will be the speaker in the
third of a series of services to be
held at the Harmon Field stadium
Sunday night at 8:15 o’clock.
In case of rain the services will
be held at the St. John’s Reformed
church. The public is invited.
rHE BLUFFTON NEWS
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY’
BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 1942
FIRE DESTROYS
BIG BARN HIT
BY LIGHTNING
uoss on Edwin Niswander
Farm, Estimated at sfo,OOO
Partially Insured
Mrs. Niswander Overcome by
Smoke and Shock: Bluffton
Firemen Aid
Struck by lightning, a large mod
ernly equipped barn together with
all of its contents burned to the
ground on the Edwin Niswander
farm two miles north of Bluffton on
the Allen-Hancock county line, dur
ing a thunder storm Sunday after
noon at 3:30 o’clock.
Following the bolt of lightning the
entire structure burst into flames
and it was impossible to save any of
the contents. A dog, trapped in the
burning structure was rescued by
breaking a window. There was no
other livestock in the barn at the
time.
Mrs. Niswander, overcome by
(Continued on page 8)
WISH FOR TROLLEY
FREIGHT AS TIRE
BAN HITS TRUCKS
Mew OPA Ruling Denies Tires
For Transport of Non
essential Items
Defunct Western Ohio Interur
ban Line Would be Boon to
Town Now
Bluffton retailer- are eyeing long
ingly—almost lo' rly these days—
those rails of th* A’estern Ohio in
■fernrban Rfrk CM* embedded in
1 Bluffton’s main street and fervently
wishing that the trolley system was
back in business.
It’s all happened since the latest
OPA regulation has been announced
which bans the purchase of new
tires for wholesale trucks that de
liver non-essential merchandise to
business houses.
That term nonessential as OPA
sees it, is going to cover a lot of
territory—and consequently compli
cate enormously the problem of the
retailer in receiving goods from his
wholesale source of supply, since
(Continued on page 8)
Nurse In Training
With Hospital Unit
Miss Josephine Steiner, daughter
of Dr. and Mrs. J. S. Steiner is in
training for military service with
the Yale hospital unit at Camp Ed
wards, Cape Cod, Rhode Island, it
was announced the first of the week.
Miss Steiner is a graduate of the
Yale School of Nursing at New
Haven, Conn., and has been con
nected with the hospital at that
place.
St. Marys Lawn Fete
This Thursday Night
Annual lawn fete for benefit of
St. Mary’s Catholic church will be
held on the church lawn this Thurs
day evening. Extensive preparations
have been made for the occasion and
a large attendance is anticipated.
General chainnan in charge of ar
rangements is the Rev. Nicholas
Bouschere.
With The Marines
Eugene Steiner, son of Amos
Steiner of Toledo, former Bluffton
resident, has enlisted in the Marine
corps and is stationed.at San Diego,
Calif., it was learned the first of
the week.
Enlists In Army
John Romey, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Elmer Romey has enlisted in the
anny and is stationed at Ft. Hayes,
Columbus, it was announced the first
of the week. Romey was graduated
in June from the law school of Ohio
State university.
BUILDING OPERATIONS
John Chidester is remodeling his
residence south of the Phillips school.
Russell Leiber residing south of
Bluffton is building an extension to
his bam.
Lieut. Ivan Geiger, former Bluff
ton resident and athlete at Bluffton
High school and Bluffton college, has
been selected from a group of 20
United States Coast Guard officers
to be Lieut. Jack Dempsey’s assist
ant in the guard’s Manhattan Beach
Training station at Brooklyn, N. Y.
His duties will include assistance
in the administration of daily details
and assuming of complete responsi
bility in the absence of Lieut. Demp
sey, which is about half the time.
The Manhattan Beach station of
the Coast Guard physical training
unit is the largest in the country.
On the staff are 33 expert instruct
ors in boxing, wrestling, jiu jitsu,
etc.
After filling out an application
blank at the office of the board of
elections, absent voters receive a bal
lot which they vote at the time and
deposit at the office.
Ill Voters
Voters who are ill may obtain bal
lots upon certification of the attend
ing physician. This cextification
must be to the effect that the voter
will be unable to go to the polls on
election day.
Former Bluffton Man Chosen Assistant
To Lieut. Jack Dempsey In Coast Guard
The station trains 1,500 to 2,000
Voters Who Will be 21 Before
November Election May
Vote in August
Absent Voters Ballots Now
Available at County Board
Of Elections
With balloting in the August 11
primary election less than two weeks
in the offing, little interest has been
evidenced locally in the battle be
tween rival candidates for county,
district and state nominations.
Active campaigning, however, is
rapidly approaching a climax and
residents of the town and commun
ity likely will become more election
conscious in the next few days.
In line with the forthcoming bal
loting, it has been pointed out that
if a voter becomes of age before the
election on November 8, he is eligible
to vote in the primary. This applies
even if he is not of age at the time
of the primary.
Political Interest This Summer
Points To August Primary Election
Absent .Voters Ballots
Voters who are or intend to be
at least 50 miles from their voting
precincts on election day are eligible
fox- absent voters ballots, it was an
nounced.
Ballots for voters of the above
class may be obtained at the office
of the Allen County Board of Elec
tions in Lima. Deadline fox* appli
cation for ballots will be Friday,
August 7, at the close of the day’s
activity.
Upon receipt of the physician’s
certificate, the board will send an ap
plication form to the votcx- which
must be filled out before a ballot
can be received. After the applica
tion is returned to the board, a bal
lot is sent by registered mail.
After marking his choices, the
voter returns the ballot to the board.
Also by registered mail. The return
letter must be postmarked not later
than the day before the election and
must arrive at the board’s office be
fore the official count is made.
In New’ Locations
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Griffin are
occupying the Mrs. M. M. Kibler
apartment above Ruff’s store re
cently vacated by Woodrow Little
and family. Mr. and Mrs. Griffin
recently came hexe from Arkansas
and he is employed at the Triplett
plant. Mr. and Mrs. Little and
family are occupying the Clayton
Bixel residence, formerly the Boehr
property on Grove street.
Mr. and Mrs. Clair Leiber are oc
cupying the Nile Murray property
on Thurman street, having recently
moved here from Arlington. The
property was previously occupied by
Nile Murray who moved to the Alva
Scoles farm.
Bluffton Teacher To
Receive M. A. Degree
Miss Theresa Slusser, Bluffton
High school instructor in English
and history, will receive the Master
of Arts degree from Bowling Green
State university at summer com
mencement exercises set for Friday,
August 7.
She is among the 88 school teach
ers and students who will receive
their degrees at the summer convo
cation.
men in the United States Coast
Guard service daily. Several major
news reel companies filmed the ac
tivities of the training unit this
week. Geiger is shown in the film
refereeing a boxing match.
Lieut. Dempsey is very demo
cratic and well liked by all of his
associates, Geiger stated.
Lieut. Geiger has been coach and
principal of the high school at Van
Buren. He graduated from Bluffton
High school in the class of 1927 and
attended Bluffton college later gradu
ating from Ohio State university.
His wife is the former Miss Wini
fred Thompson, daughtex- of J. A.
Thompson of Spring street. She
and their two children will move to
Brooklyn in the near future.
GOOD OUTLOOK FOR
OATS HARVEST IN
BLUFFTON DISTRICT
’remising Showing of Crop
Offsets Poor Results Chalk
ed up by Wheat
Potato Market Shows Indica
tions of Rise Soys, Toma
toes, Com Good
Offsetting the smallest wheat crop
in recent years, oats this summer are
expected to turn in a yield of aver
age or better, according to opinion
expressed by farmers who are in the
midst of harvest.
A crop average from 60 to 80 bush
els is anticipated, altho this estimate
may be cut somewhat in this section
where part of the crop has been blown
down in storms of the past month.
A season of unusually favorable
grooving weather is proving a boon
to other crops including corn, toma
toes, soybeans, pickles and potatoes.
Corn Looks Good
Corn, backbone of farm crops here
is giving evidence of a yield better
than was earlier anticipated, in view
of late planting, some borer damage
and smaller acreage than a year ago.
Soys, likewise are expected to make
one of the best records in recent years
both in yield per acre and total pro
duction.
Large increases in acreage of toma
toes in the district northwest of
Bluffton has followed opening of new
canneries in that section, with both
prices and crop yields better than a
year ago. Pickles also are in demand
by canneries with better than average
crop at satisfactory prices.
Potatoes Promising
Potato growers who have been look
ing forward to a market of $2.50 per
hundred pounds this season may get
more than this figure, it was indicated
the first of the week when the mark
et developed unexpected strength.
Most of the crop in this section will
be harvested in August. The prevail
ing price of $2.50 is moxe than twice
that of a year ago when growers re
ceived $1.10. Potatoes are being sold
here at retail for 55 cents a peck.
This week will witness the end of
harvest season marketing of the
wheat crop. Wheat marketed here
was about half the usual volume re
flecting lower yields due to unfavor
able conditions early last spring, re
stricted acreage resulting from gov
ernmental policies and storage of
grain on farms in anticipation of
higher prices.
Local Woman Will
Teach In Beaverdam
Mrs. Charles Patterson, formerly
Miss Caiol Cookson of South Jack
son street, will teach commercial sub
jects and English at Beaverdam
High school next year.
Mrs. Patterson graduated from
Bluffton High school in the class of
1936 and from Bluffton college in
the class of 1940. She has been
teaching for the past two years at
Buxbank, Ohio.
Triplett, Howe On
War Chest Board
Two Bluffton men were named on
executive committees of the Allen
County War Chest at an organiza
tion meeting in Lima last Thursday.
Mayor W. A. Howe is serving on
the executive committed, and R. L.
Triplett is a member of the budget
and admission.
a w
BUY
UNITED
STATES
SAVINGS
fBONDS
AND9UMM
NUMBER 14
RETAIL MEAT
SHORTAGE IS
LOOMING HERE
Retail Ceiling Price and
High Livestock Costs Are
Difficulty
’ork and Beef Production Ade
quate to Meet Needs Scar
city Artificial
Bluffton, along with the rest of
the country, faces a critical meat
shortage unless some adjustment is
made between the government’s ceil
ing prices on dressed meats and the
unrestricted advance of livestock
prices.
Local meat retailers viewed with
concern a situation which has al
Top price for hogs $14 on
the Bluffton market Wednesday
morning was 80 cents below the
twenty-two year record made
here last week. Drop in price
followed heavier offerings coming
on the market.
ready resulted in acute shortages in
Ohio cities the past week where
meat markets were unable to supply
their trade because the skyrocketing
prices of livestock, especially hogs,
have wiped out dealers’ profit mar
gins.
Since most of the meat sold in re
tail markets here is processed local
ly, the curtailment is not felt as
acutely as elsewhere at the present
time.
Ample Livestock Supplies
Working out of the price ceiling
plan as naw administered has re
sulted in a situation which finds
ample supplies of livestock on the
hoof but retailers counters badly de
pleted.
Seriousness of the situation was
reflected when the representative of
a Lixna meat packing firm serving
this territory reported that 67 retail
outlets on his route had suspended
business pending price adjustments.
A survey revealed that most pack
ers have cut their pork kills by
half and beef kills about 20 per cent.
Shortages at Packing House
Because of restricted packing
house operations, meat retailers here
disclosed the first of the week that
they were faced with a shortage of
some items which are purchased
from packing house sources.
Some dealers here saw in this
condition a switching of popular
tastes from pork and beef which are
under ceiling restrictions to mutton,
poultry and fish, for which no ceil
ing has been prescribed.
It is pointed out that the current
situation is aggravated by the fact
that this is the slack season in live
stock sales. Larger shipments of
hogs and cattle to the central mar
ket this fall may bring about an
easing of the present market, it was
said.
Mennonite Church
Elects New Pastor
Rev. Jesse Smucker, pastor of the
Bethel College Mennonite church of
North Newton, Kansas, was elected
to the pastorate of the First Men
nonite church of Bluffton at a con
gregational meeting after services
Sunday morning.
If he accepts the call he will fill
the vacancy created by the resigna
tion of Rev. H. T. Unruh, present
pastor, who leaves to accept the pas
torate of the Hillsboro, Kansas, Men
nonite church, effective September 1.
Advance In Rank
Robert Dillman, son of Mrs. Budd
Dillman has been promoted to the
rank of corporal at Ft. Eustis, Ga.,
where he is in training. Previously
engaged in the repair of army mech
anized equipment, Corp. Dillman is
now engaged in clerical work.
In Australia
Master Sgt. Robert Root has ar
rived safely in Australia, according
to a cable message received by his
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Root
of North Mound street.
APPEARS IN RECITAL
Miss Ruth Fenwick, Lima mezzo
soprano, will be presented in recital
at Bluffton college chapel, Friday
night at 8:30 o’clock. She will be
accompanied by Miss Sara Moyer.
WINDOW EXHIBITS
Some fine specimens of plums rais
ed by Chester Huber south of Bluff
ton are on exhibit in the News win
dow.