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Merry Christmas VOLUME NO. LXVIII CHRISTMAS SPIRIT PRESENT DESPITE WARTIME SETTING Town Short On Decorative Frills But Spirit of Season Same As Ever Churches Plan Christmas Programs In Keeping With Season Schools To Close Altho shorn of some of its peace time frills, and despite the fact that members of many a family circle are scattered about the globe at army locations, Bluffton’s observance Saturday of its best-loved holiday this Christmas will differ little from that of other years. Everything is in readiness here for the Yuletide, the shopping rush having passed its peak last Saturday, and Christmas mailing is reported well in hand at the Bluffton post office. Opening the musical observance of the season, the Bluffton College Choral Society last Sunday night presented its annual rendition of Handel’s oratorio, “The Messiah” in the Bluffton High 'gymnasium. In keeping with the spirit of the season, churches of the community will present Christmas programs on Christmas Eve and the following Sunday. Schools have additional Yuletide entertainment arranged. Bluffton High and Grade school pupils are looking forward to a week’s holiday recess which will start with the close of school on Friday afternoon. They -will return to class es Monday morning, Jan. 3. Bluffton colleg will have a slightly longer vacation extending from Thursday, Dec. 23, at 4 p. m., until Tuesday morning, Jan. 4. Business generally will be suspend ed in Bluffton on Christmas and the following day. Bluffton war in dustries will close, the first holiday this year on which they have entire ly curtailed operations. Eva Montgomery Rites On Monday Mrs. Eva Montgomery, 80, who resided at a farm home south of Bluffton until three years ago, died last Saturday morning at the home of a daughter, Mrs. Von Spellman, in Ada. Mrs. Montgomery had been seriously ill for a week. Death was attributed to the infirmities of age. She was born Jan. 9, 1863, in Hancock county, the daughter of Jacob and Mary (Zeller) Bloom. William Montgomery, her husband, died in 1934. Until three years ago when she went to Ada to live with her daughter she had spent all her married life on a farm south of Bluffton. Survivors include one son, Charles Montgomery, Mrs. Ernest Klingler and Mrs. Spellman and a foster daughter, Mrs. Mae Tschantz, all of Ada. A brother, William Bloom, lives at Garretsville, O. Mrs. Montgomery was a member of the Liberty Chapel Evangelical church in Orange township. Funeral services were held Mon day afternoon at the Lantz and Cretors funeral home in Ada. Rev. Irwin Kauffman of Mt. Cory, officiat ed. Burial was in the Thompson cemetery. Former Resident Dies In Leipsic Mrs. Matthew Perkins, 75, form erly of near Bluffton, died at her home in West Leipsic, Tuesday morning. The family formerly lived south of Bluffton on the county line on the farm now owned by John Dunbar, the former Lafe Owens place. Funeral services will be held Thursday afternoon at the West Leipsic U. B. church, Rev. O. E. Hawk officiating. Interment will be in Harmon cemetery near Gilboa. Besides her husband she is sur vived by four children: Harry Per kins of Toledo Ford of McComb Calvert of Fostoria and Mrs. Etta Ostrander of Leipsic. A brother, Newton Harris, lives in Findlay. Christmas Programs Defenseless Mennonite, Friday, 8:00. St. John’s Reformed, Friday, 7:30. Missionary Church, Friday, 7:30. Presbyterian, Friday, 8:00. Methodist, Friday, 7:30. Ebenezer Mennonite, Friday, 8:00. Emanuel’s Reformed, Saturday, 8:00. First Mennonite, Saturday, 7:30. Winter Officially Arrives Wednesday Winter officially arrived in the Bluffton district at 12:30 p. m. Wed nesday when the sun on its monoton ous annual journey reached the southernmost point of its journey and started back in this direction. With the winter solstice falling on Wednesday, the day was the short est of the year. Long nights will continue for quite a while before there will be little appreciable dif ference in the abbreviated period of daylight each day provides. To add the proper atmosphere, weather forecasts indicate this dis trict may expect colder weather on Thursday. NINE LOCAL MEN TAKEN INTO ARMED FORCES AT TOLEDO 31 Registrants Sent By Draft Board No. 3 Are Inducted Into Service Army Takes 16 of Group: 10 Go Into Navy And Marines Get Four Nine Bluffton men were among 31 Allen County Draft Board No. 3 registrants who passed physical ex aminations at the Armed Forces In duction Center in Toledo, last Saturday. The local men acecpted for the various branches o fthe services in cluded: Richard Oberly, air force Floyd Herr, Norman Kirtland, Herbert Conrad, James Stonehill, Byron E. Betz, Ralph Althaus and Robert Oberly, all in the army and Edgar Evan Huber, in the Marines. Of the 31 from Allen county who passed their physical examinations 16 went into the Army 10 into the Navy four into the Marines and one into the Air Corps. Those taken by the Army are to report for induction three weeks from last Saturday. Navy and Ma rine candidates wil get their call earlier, but no date has been set yet. Others who passed at Toledo in cluded Philip Piper, and Robert Piper, both of Beaverdam Walter Kraft, Lima Robert Roth, Cairo Virgil Mather, Delphos Clarence Clevenger, Lima Homer Gaskill, Spencerville William Brinkman, Lima, and Richard Druckemiller, Del phos, all in the Navy. Leo Bowsher, Lima Ivan R. Clum, Ada: Henry Glasco, Lima Charles Bockey, Delphos Charles Niedecker, Delphos Verne Thomas, Lima Eu gene Archer, Lima, and Ray Dodds, Lima, all in the Army. Marine candidates were George K. Miller, Jr., Delphos John H. Point, Spencerville, and Paul Heiser, Ada. Funeral On Thursday For Mrs. John Welty Funeral services for Mrs. Mary Welty, 77, wife of John Welty, will be held at the First Mennonite church Thursday at 2:30 p. m. Mrs. Welty died at her home on Cherry street, Tuesday night, after threb years of failing health. Death was attributed to influenza. She was born in Wayne county the daughter of Peter and Rebecca Leh man and was married May 31, 1914, to Mr. Welty who survives together with five step-children. They are Mrs. Lillian Senff, mis sionary to Belgian Congo, Africa Lee Welty, Pandora Adaline and Harry Welty at home and Mrs. Ella Ross of Swanton. Also surviving are a sister and three brothers: Mrs. Carrie Hofstet ter and Harvey Lehman of Califor nia, Mo. Reuben Lehman, Deer Creek, Okla., and Frank Lehman of Versailles, Mo. Rev. J. N. Smucker will officiate at the funeral services, assisted by Rev. A. F. Albro. Interment will be in Ebenezer cemetery. Births The following births at Bluffton hospital: Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Young, Leip sic, a son, Saturday. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Von Stein, Bluffton, a daughter, Sunday. Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Wyncoop, Pan dora, a son, Sunday. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Lingel, Bluff ton, a daughter, Monday. Mr. and Mrs. Burdell Huber, Bluff ton, a daughter, Monday. Bluffton Officer In Charge Of Signal Installations At Tehran Conference Capt. Herbert Luginbuhl Also Commanded Troops Re viewed By President Bluffton Man Responsible For Signal Installations Serving Allied Legations Capt. Herbert R. Luginbuhl, Bluff ton native stationed in Oran, was the officer in charge of all signal installations serving the Russian, British and American legations dur ing the historical three-power con ference at Tehran, it was learned this week. As the commanding officer of a detachment of signal troops reviewed by President Roosevelt, Capt. Lug inbuhl also appeared before the Commander-in-Chief. The President returned Capt. Luginbuhl’s salute at a distance of six paces during the review. It was a trying assignment, for the Blufftqp man was on 24-hour daily duty during the conference. However, everything went off with out a hitch, he reported, and altho he didn’t get much sleep it was worth it. Capt. Luginbuhl has been in Oran for the last year. First news of his responsibilities during the allied conference was learned here this week when he sent newspaper clippings from Teh ran to his wife, the former Clorinda Steiner, who is living on South Main street. Before going into the Army, Capt. Luginbuhl held a responsible posi tion with the American Telephone and Telegraph Co. Mary Eden Same Weds George Bower Mary Ellen Bame, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Bame, of North Jackson street, became the bride of George Franklin Bower, son of Mr. and Mrs. Andy Bower, of Jenera, in a quiet ceremony at the St. Paul Lutheran parsonage in Jenera, last Friday night at eight o’clock. Rev. Bauman, pastor of the church, officiated at the double ring ceremo ny. For the occasion the bride wore an aqua blue gown with black acces sories, and a sweetheart necklace, a gift of the groom. Following the ceremony the young couple left for a weekend trip thru southern Ohio. They will reside on the Bower farm eight miles east of Bluffton. A graduate of Bluffton High school, the bride until recently was employed by The Triplett Electrical Instrument Co. of this place. $125 Damage In Fire At G. L. Preto Home Damage estimated at $125 resulted from a fire at 6 p. m. last Wednes day at the residepce of G. L. Preto, on Cherry street. The blaze was caused by* an over heated chimney, Fire Chief Guy Corson said. Chemicals were used to extinguish the blaze. Preto’s residence is generally known as the former Battles prop erty. Tokens To Supplement Use Of Ration Books Two billion dime-sized ration tok ens will go into circulation Feb. 27. The Office of Price Administration announced the nation’s shoppers will start trading ration stamps for the red and blue tokens at retail stores on that date but reminded everybody that the ration currency will supple ment, not replace, the regular ration books. The vulcanized fiber tokens are be ing manufactured now by the Os borne Register Company of Cincin nati. The original order called for 900,000,000, half red and half blue, but OPA boosted the order to 1,100, 000,000 red tokens and 900,000,000 blue. Stamp strips will be torn off hori zontally from ration books when the token plan becomes effective. A regular schedule of validity dates will be established. Consumers will get 50 blue processed food points a month, and 30 meat, fats and butter red points semi-monthly. OPA said the tokens will make it unnecessary to issue ration books as frequently as at present. LIBRARY HOURS The public library will be closed during the holiday vacation except on Thursday and Friday, Dec. 30 and 31 when it will be open in the after noon and evening. FHE BLUFFTON-NEWS A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, DFA GOOSE, DUCK GAIN FAVOR FOR XMAS HOLIDAY DINNERS Chicken Prices Higher No Turkeys Available On General Market Many Bluffton Families Will Serve Geese and Ducks This Year Goose and duck—once traditional main course items of the Christmas dinner—this year are regaining much of their former popularity. For the last decade or so turkeys and chickens have eclipsed geese and ducks as the favored meat course for the holiday feast, but it is a dif ferent story this yea' when no tur keys are available the general market and chickens are selling at considerably’ higher retail prices. That geese and ducks were again installed as popuia? favorites was seen in the early trend of Christmas buying, and local dealers report marked increases in the sale of both. Live-weight retail price of geese and duck is 27 cents a pound this year, with chicken bringing 32 cents. Turkey is not available at all, except for a few who place early orders with farmers v, no raised their own flocks. All prices are up slightly this winter. Chicken advanced to 32 cents a pound from last year’s quotation of 27 cents. Geese and ducks, selling for 27 cents this year, brought 20 cents in 1942. Egg prices are about the same as last year, ranging from 30 cents a dozen for pullet eggs, to 41 cents for choice lots. SI. John's Reformed Sunday School Elects Carl Derringer was chosen super intendent of the St John’s Reformed Sunday school at qre annual election of officers Sunday kiorning. C. A. Stauffer was named assistant super intendent. Other officers elected were: Secretary, W. O. Geiger assistant, Paul Greding treasurer, Roy Hau enstein assistant, Henry Balmer chorister, Mrs. Paul Greding assist ant, W. A. Amstutz pianist, Bettye Lewis assistant, Mrs. Mard en Basinger librarian, Margaret Groman assistant, Richard Minck. Harold Andrews Ends Specialist Training Pfc. Harold E. Andrews, son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul W. Andrews, of Route 2, Bluffton, has graduated from basic and advanced courses of the communications school at Fort Benning, Georgia.. This is one of the five special courses offered to qualified para chutists, and only the better men from each qualifying class receive instruction, a school bulletin an nounced. Red Cross Elects Officers For Year Mrs. J. S. Steiner was named chairman of the Bluffton Red Cross chapter for the coming year at the annual election of officers held Tues day night. Other officers elected were: Vice chairman, Mrs. Paul Studler sec.-treasur., Mrs. Edith Mann. Directors: One year term, M. M. Bogart, Edgar Hauenstein two year term, C. G. Coburn, Mrs. Forrest Steinman three year term, G. R. Bogart, Mrs. J. S. Steiner. Rationing Calendar So that you may keep in mind the numerous important war-time ra tioning dates, the Bluffton News is publishing this weekly reminder: JANUARY 15—Last day to use Stamp No. 29 in Ration Book 4 for 5 pounds of sugar. SHOES—Stamp No. 18 in Ra tion Book 1 good for one pair. Stamp No. 1 on “Airplane” sheet in Ration Book 3 good for one pair. JANUARY 1—Last day to use Brown Stamps L, M, N, P, Q, in Ration Book No. 3 good for meats, cheese, canned milk, can ned fish, butter, lard and other edible fats. JANUARY 20—Last day to use Green Stamps D, E and in Ra tion Book No. 4 for processed foods. JANUARY 21—Last day to use Coupon No. 9 in A books for three gallons of gasoline. 23, 1943 James Benroth, son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Benroth, of North Main street, serving with United States forces in India, has received an Army citation for developing a spe cial tester for checking special air plane panel equipment. Benroth developed the tester to as sist him in his work in India, and his superior officers were so im pressed with its performance that they sent it to this country to de termine if it was practical for adop tion as standard airplane testing equipment. In the citation thanking him for his new test equipment design, Col. J. W. Gurr, of the air corps, ad vised Benroth that additional testers Ensign And Mrs. Richard Caris In Northbound Train Wrecked In N. C. Local Couple Helps In Rescue Work: Mrs. Caris Now At Home of Parents Two Bluffton persons were among the fortunate number who escaped when north and south bound luxury trams of the Atlantic Coastline rail road collided in North Carolina early last Thursday morning, killing 69 persons and seriously injuring more than 100. Ensign Caris, of the Navy, was be the northbound Tamiami Champion were unhurt except for minor bruises when the train crash occurred at 1:30 a. m. in an isolated section of North Carolina. Ensign aris, of the Navy, was be ing transferred to Baltimore, and Mrs. Caris was accompanying him as far as Washington, from where she came to the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Triplett, in Bluff ton. Thrown Mrs. Caris was sitting up in her berth to see what time it was when the crash occurred. Both she and her husband were thrown from their berths by the impact. Occupants of their pullman car were badly shaken up and some were bruised, but there were no fatalities. They were two cars behind the one in which practically all occupants were killed. Mrs. Caris said the lighting and heating services of the train were put out of commission, making it difficult to search among the wreck age for the injured and take care of them. It was cold outside and there was snow on the ground. Rescue Work Slow Passengers who were unhurt helped in the rescue work, and the injured were put in the pullman berths of cars that were not wreck ed. Some doctors and nujies ar rived at daybreak, but it was noon before there was treatment for the less severely injured. The train was due in Washington, D. C., at 8 a. m. Thursday, but it was Friday night before Ensign and Mrs. Caris arrived there. She came on to Bluffton immediately, ar riving at the home of her parents, Saturday afternoon. The wreck occurred when three cars derailed from the south bound train tore up the rails of the north bound flier. War Curios Sent Home By Vandemark An interesting collection of South Pacific war curios has been sent home to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Emmit Vandemark, who resides be tween Bluffton and Ada, by their son, Corp. Myron Vandemark. Included among Corp. Vande mark’s souvenirs are two Japanese rubber suits, one Japanese ammuni tion bag one pair Japanese field glasses two pairs chop sticks one insignia from a Japanese uniform one can Japanese healing powder an ash tray made of Japanese shells, and a grass skirt. Corp. Vandemark has been in an army hospital for the last three months, recovering from an attack of malarial fever. TO MOVE HERE Albert Gossman, residing south east of Bluffton will move to town in January and occupy the property known as the former Storer residence at Cherry and Mound streets which he recently purchased. James Benroth Gets Army Citation lor Designing Air Corps Tester Two Bluffton Persons Unhurt In Tragic Train Wreck That Killed 69 from Berth of the same kind have been made up and sent to other fields. Col. Gurr added, “It is a pleasure to commend you for your originality and initiative in the development of this design. That and your unselfish attitude in making it available for others is most commendable and is a credit to you and the service.” Working with test equipment is nothing new to Benroth, for he learned a lot about testers and in struments while an employe of The Triplett Electrical Insrument Co., of this place, before he went into the army. The Bluffton youth was with one of the first American units to land in India, and has been stationed there continuously since that time. WHITE CHRISTMAS PROSPECTS GAIN AS HOLIDAY NEARS Cloudy Weather Following Cold Wave Results in Odds Fa voring Snow Eighteen White Fourteen Green Christmases Here In Last 32 Years Snow flurries Wednesday morning materially increased hopes for a “White Christmas” this year, altho predictions of colder weather may cut short prospects for a heavy snowfall before Saturday. Last year, Bluffton had snowfall on Christmas for the first time in seven years, and grownups and children alike are hoping for a repetition this? Yuletide. In the last 32 years Bluffton has had 18 white and 14 green Christmas es, the records reveal. But, in the 16-year period beginning with 1928 there have been occasions when it was quite scant. 12 Inches in 1916 The heaviest snow of the 32-year span was in 1916 when a blizzard blanketed the ground with 12 inches of snow. In 1935, the Bluffton area had eight inches of snow, the heaviest in recent times. Last year, snowfall did not come to Bluffton until Christmas Day, Start ing at noon, the snow covered the ground to a depth of more than two inches by nightfall. Most of it dis appeared on the following day, how ever. The all-time warm record was Bluffton’s Christmas weather in 1932 when the thermometer recorded a mark of 62 shortly afternoon. 32-Year Record The 32-year record of Christmas weather for Bluffton is as follows: 1911, no snow 1912, no snow 1913, trace of snow 1914, seven inches 1915, three inches 1916, 12 inches 1917, seven inches 1918, trace of snow 1919, one inch 1920, no snow 1921, no snow 1922, trace of snow 1923, no snow 1924, five inches 1925, one inch. 1926, three inches 1927, no snow 1928, one inch 1929, five inches 1930, no snow 1931, no snow 1932, no snow 1933, no snow 11*4. three inch es 1935, eight inches 1936, no snow 1937, no snow 1938, no snow 1939, trace of snow 1940, no snow 1941, no snow 1942 ,two inches. Rdlph Marshall Is Graduated At O. S. U. Mrs. Rosamond Marshall, residing in Beaverdam, has received word that her husband Pvt. Ralph Marsh all stationed at Camp Cooke, Calif., has been graduated with the degree of bachelor of science in agriculture at commencement exercises of Ohio State university, Friday. Marshall received the degree of bachelor of science in agriculture. He was an enlisted reserve student at Ohio State University until last April when he left for California to take up basic army training. CLOSING NOTICE The following stores will close Friday at 6 p. m.: The Lape Co., A. & P. Store, Basinger Furniture store, Walter Gratz, Bluffton Imple ment & Harness Co., Mrs. Peter Gratz, Ruff’s. 1 Merry Christmas NUMBER 35 HEAVY VOLUME OF XMAS MAIL SETS NEW RECORD HERE Holiday Business This Christ mas Season Will Surpass Yast Year’s Mark Peak of Mailing Rush Came Much Earlier, However, To Make Handling Easier With cancellations for December already nearly 12,000 ahead of last year’s figure, a new all-time record .for outgoing mail has been establish ed at the Bluffton post office this Christmas season. Altho much of the 1943 Y’uletide mailing was done in October and November, cancellations at the post office from Dec. I to 20 amounted to 72.061, as compared with 60,613 can cellations last year, it was announced by postal officials. Earlier mailing has been the only thing that made it possible for the post office department to cope with the record volume of letters and parcels handled. Heaviest Dec. 13 The heaviest volume of incoming mail this year was on Monday, Dec. 13, nearly two weeks in advance of Christmas. On that day 104 sacks of incoming mail were cleared thru the local office. By contrast, Monday of this week, when 87 sacks of incoming mail was received, was considerably lighter than is usual on the Monday before Christmas. Last year, for example, the Monday preceding the holiday brought a flood of lry sacks of mail for local postal employes to handle. Outgoing mail, too, was posted Ihiuch earlier than in g/jt years. The heaviest day was Friday, Dec. 10, when 84 sacks were made up and dispatched. On Monday, Dec. 13, there were 81 sacks of outgoing mail, and the volume Monday of this week dropped to 57 sacks. Last year on the Monday before Christmas there were 63 sacks of outgoing mail. *uood Delivery Altho help is restricted this year, local delivery of the record volume of Christmas mail is well in hand because mailings generally were made earlier than usual, local postal officials pointed out. All first-class mail has cleared thru regular delivery channels on its customary schedule, they said, and altho there was a backlog of un delivered greeting cards with l*i cent postage at the post office on Monday, all of it will be in the hands of the Bluffton persons to whom it is addressed by the middle of the week. Air Mail Greater Air mail cancellations at the local post office also have shown the ef fects of the Yuletide, it was an nounced. On Monday there were 264 air mail letters as compared with 96 one year ago, and the average so far this month has been 150 daily in comparison with 70 per day last year. A large volume of Christmas mail was. handled at the post office as early in October, to meet the dead line for mailings to servicemen over seas, and much of the normal home land mailing was completed in November. Cancellations for the last half of November this year were 18,993 in comparison with a total of 18,017 for the same period last year. The largest single day of letter cancellations at the post office for this Christmas season was last Fri day when 9,954 went thru the machine. Most of that mail, how ever, was for local delivery. Bluffton WAC Has Picture In Paper Sgt. Mary Jane Carr, of the WAC daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Carr, four miles north of Bluffton, found her picture in Dayton news papers last week, shortly after she was transferred from Brooklyn to Wright Field. The photograph showed Sgt. Carr busy with a soldering assignment in the engineering laboratories at Wright field. In the explanation, the newspaper said in part, “Sgt. Mary Jane Carr is the first of technical and adminis trative personnel that will make up a squadron of more than 500 WACs to report for duty at Wright Field.” Before enlisting, Miss Carr was an employe of The Triplett Electrical Instrument Co., of this place. BLUFFTON MARKETS Wednesday morning Grain (bu. prices)—Wheat $1.57 old corn $1.05 new corn 94c oatst 70c soys $1.80.