The Bluffton news. [volume], February 24, 1944, Image 1

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VOLUME NO. LXVIII
RESURFACING OF
MAIN STREET WILL
START THIS SPRING
State Highway Department Will
Improve Thorofare Carrying
War Trucking
Two Inch Asphalt Tar Surface
Will Be Put Over Present
Brick Street
Resurfacing of Bluffton’s main
street, delayed for more than two
years because of the war, will be
started early this spring, it was
learned this week from informed
sources near the state highway de
partment.
Improvement plans mapped by
state highway officials provide for a
two-inch asphalt tar surface thru
town. Altho the extent of the im
provement has not been definitely
learned, town officials expressed their
belief that it would extend from
Bentley road to the Allen-Hancock
county line north of Bluffton, a
distance of one and one-half miles.
Raise Street Level
This will make the street two
inches higher than its present level,
and catch basins will have to be
raised as a part of the program.
Improvements are badly needed to
the street, over which all Dixie
highway traffic passes thru the town.
Inasmuch as the Dixie is one of the
nation’s principal war trucking
routes, approval of the re-surfacing
is said to have been obtained as a
war measure.
Proposed In 1939
Bluffton’s municipal council has
been urging the state highway de
partment to improve the street since
1939, but official red tape delayed a
start on the project prior to the
outbreak of war, and the curtailment
of highway work that followed Pearl
Harbor resulted in another two-year
delay.
Main street’s present brick pave
ment was completed in 1927. It
consists of a six-inch concrete foun
dation one-inch sand cushion and a
three-inch brick top held in place by
asphalt binder.
Resurfacing of the street will
eliminate a traffic hazard represent
ed by steel rails of the abandoned
Western Ohio interurban line, which
follows the center of the thorofare.
Mother Of William
Edwards Dies In West
Mrs. Mary Edwards, 58, of Gomer,
mother of William Edwards, of the
Basinger furniture store, died at noon
last Saturday in a hospital at Tucson,
Arizona, where she and her husband
were spending the winter.
Edwards went to Chicago Wednes
to meet the funeral party arriving
there at noon from the West. Her
body will be taken to the home in
Gomer, Wednesday night. Funeral
arrangements, as yet are incomplete.
Survivors include her husband, John
William of this place, the only son,
and Mrs. Robert Feaster, of Elida,
a daughter. Mr. Edwards operates a
grain elevator at Gomer.
Old Homestead Is
Still In Agin Family
The old Agin homestead, east of
Bluffton in Orange township, which
has continuously been in the pos
session of the Agin family since
sturdy pioneers wrested it from the
wilderness more than a century ago,
passed on to other heirs of the
family this week.
Merle Agin, Wadsworth, Ohio, at
torney purchased the homestead from
his father, Jesse W. Agin of Ada,
who in turn received it from William
Agin, father of Jesse and grand
father of Merle.
The original deed, made out to
William Agin was signed by Presi
dent Martin Van Buren who was
in office from 1837 to 1841 and the
farm has ever since been in posses
sion of the Agin family.
War Department
Film Shown Here
Three showings of the first in a
series of U. S. Army War Films, “The
War Department Reports to the Na
tion,” were made Monday in the Bluff
ton high school auditorium for em
ployees of The Triplett Electrical In
strument Co. and adult members of
th families.
.ncluded in the film were many ex
citing sequences from captured Ger
man and Japanese films, among which
was pictured the takeoff of Jap car
rier based aircraft to attack Pearl
Harbor.
Collar Bone Broken
In Auto Collision
Cliffton Neuenschwander, 34, is in
the Community hospital with a frac
tured collar bone received in an
automobile collision at the road in
tersection at the Ebenezer Mennonite
church two miles west of town last
Saturday evening.
His car was in a collision with an
other driven by Fred L. Benner, of
Rawson. Both
badly damaged,
was southbound
coming frbm the
automobiles were
Neuenschwander
while Benner was
west.
Neuenschwander is the son of
Reuben Neuenschwander, northwest
of town.
DRAFT BOARD GETS
ORDER TO REVIEW
FARM DEFERMENTS
Directive is Sent Out by State
Headquarters Wednesday
Morning
Blanks to be Furnished for Last
Year’s Farm Work and
1944 Plans
Allen County Selective Service
Board No. 3 was notified Wednesday
by state headquarters to review
classifications of all II-C and II1-C
registrants having agricultural de
ferments and requested the board to
secure complete current information
for the files of all such registrants.
“Under the recent directive from
National Headquarters it is now im
perative, Col. C. D. Goble, State
Director pointed out, “each such reg
istrant considered must produce in
1944 a minimum of sixteen war units
of food and fibre by his own per
sonal and direct efforts to warrant
further deferment.
“The information in the file must
contain convincing information that
the registrant is essential to the
farm or farms on which employed,
and that a reasonable but unsuccess
ful effort has been made to secure
a replacement before he can be
granted further deferment and fur
ther, hereafter all War Units must
be productive units.”
A revised form has been furnished
County USDA War Boards to be
used in submitting information to
local boards on registrants engaged
in agricultural activities. This form
will furnish information on the 1943
production, as well as the 1944 pro
gram, considering the condition and
quality of livestock on the farm the
1943 yield of grain compared to
neighboring farms, and the regis
trant’s work-record, both on the
farm and non-agricultural employ
ment during the past five years.
This report will also furnish in
formation relative to the members
of registrant’s and employer’s family
having agricultural experience, who
are not presently engaged in an ag
ricultural activity.
“Replacibility of the registrant is
of the utmost importance”, Col. Go
ble said, and added: “The law pro
vides for deferments under certain
conditions, but such deferments are
granted for the convenience of the
Government, never for the conven
ience of the registrant or his em
ployer. The law specifically states
that a registrant may be deferred
when he is found to be necessary to
and Aftalarly engaged in an agri
cultural jjccupation or an agricultur
al endeavor essential to the War
effort
“A registrant deferred because of
his agricultural activity or occupa
tion may be deferred only so long as
he is necessary
gaged in such
or agricultural
a satisfactory
obtained.”
to and regularly en
agricultural activity
endeavor, and until
replacement can be
Federal Job To Former
Local Woman's Spouse
Walter G. Rusher, Columbus Grove
attorney, has closed his office at that
place to accept a position as adjudi
cator with the U. S. Veterans ad
ministration at Brecksville, near
Cleveland.
His wife is the former Mildred
McHenry, daughter of Mrs. Ella
McHenry of North Main street and
their daughter Betty is a freshman
in Bluffton college. The family will
move to Brecksville this spring.
Rusher, a graduate of Ohio North’
ern law school, has practised his pro
fession since 1927. He has been
active jn veterans affairs.
HIE BLUE
Those Red And Blue Tokens, Latest
Rationing Wrinkle, Coming Next Week
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE
Little Discs will Provide Change
and Ease Public’s Arith
metic Woes
Red Tokens will be Used for
Meats and Blue Tokens for
Processed Foods
Next Sunday brings a change in
OPA food rationing procedure with
the advent of the token system, de
signed to simplify change-making
problems. However, several old type
stamp values will
March 30.
Best bet is to
stamps first. On
Tokens Worth 1 Point
The new procedure under token
change rationing provides on Feb.
27 that small discs called tokens be
come valid for one point each,
tokens are for meat and blue
processed foods.
Funeral services were held Tues
day afternoon in the St. Paul’s Luth
eran church near Jenera, for Philip
P. Marquart, 85, retired farmer, who
died at 5:10 o’clock Sunday morning
at his home five miles east of Bluff
ton in Orange township.
Mr. Marquart had been bedfast
for nine months at the farm home
where he resided for 62 years. He
was a former member of the Orange
township board of education.
Officiating at the last rites was
Rev. A. W. Baumann, pastor of the
St. Paul’s church. Burial was in
the church cemetery.
Mr. Marquart was born April 20,
1858, in Findlay. His parents were
George and Elizabeth (Wilch) Mar
quart. On October 5, 1881, he was
married to Elizabeth Redick, who
survives. Two years ago the couple
celebrated their 60th wedding anni
versary at a community gathering
in the Orange Center school.
In addition
vived by six
and William
John, Ed and
ton four daughters,
Kempf, Bluffton Mrs. Minnie Main,
Rawson Mrs. Amanda Hartman and
Mrs. Francis Gossman, Ada two
sisters, Mrs. Charles Bormuth, Je
nera and Mrs. Ami Marshall, Linda,
Calif. and two brothers, William
Marquart, Bluffton, and Ed Mar
quart, Beaverdam,
grandchildren and
children.
BLUFFTON, OHIO,
hold good through
use the old type
Feb. 27 they will
be green K, and stamps in
Book 4, good for processed
through March 20. Brown Y
Z stamps in Book 3 will be
for meats, fats and the like
March 20. Each of these stamps
will be good for the number of
points just as they have been.
food
and
good
thru
Red
for
D^«
On Feb. 27 blue A-8, B-8, C-8,
and E-8 stamps in Book 4 become
valid for processed foods. Each
stamp is good for 10 points. Blub
tokens will be given as change for
the stamps.
Red Stamps Valid
Also on Feb. 27 red A-8, B-8 and
C-8 points in Book 4 become valid for
meats, etc. Each stamp, likewise,
is good for 10 points and red tokens
will be used as change.
Green one-point stamps may be.j
used through March 20 for
cessed food purchase change
red one-point stamps for meat
chase change.
pro
and
pur-
Philip Marquart
Rites On Tuesday
to his wife he is sur
sons, Milton, Charles
C. Marquart, Jenera
Philip Marquart, Bluff-
Mrs. Lillian
There are 44
32 great-grand­
Mrs. Elizabeth
Victoria Boehm
Two daughters,
Klingler and Mrs.
died during the influenza epidemic
of 1919.
Film Will Be Shown At
Union Church Service
“Journey to Jerusalem”, a relig
ious film depicting scenes in the
early life of Christ will be shown at
Bluffton’s monthly union church
service, Sunday night, March 5 at
the high school auditorium at 7:30
o’clock.
The film is based on the play of
that title written by Maxwell Ander
son and staged by Elmer Rice, both
Pultizer prize winners.
The film is brought here and pre
sented under auspices of the
ton Ministerial association.
Biuff-
To Speak Here On
Sunday Afternoon
Rev. Don Falkenberg of Colum
bus will deliver an illustrated lecture
in the high school auditorium Sun
day afternoon at 2:30 o’clock. Rev.
Falkenberg is president of the Bible
Meditation league. He will be heard
also at the Ebenezer Mennonite
church on Sunday morning.
THREE
AREA CASUALTIES
IN WAR THEATRES
I
—&
^3 S
Staff Sergeant Oian Herr In
jured in Bitter Fighting On
Italian Boot
Two Nephews of
sons Also on
In
No details of the extent of his in
juries or how they were received were
forwarded to his mother, but reports
indicated they will net be
Sgt. Jack Trippdehdm, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Noah Trippiehorn, of Limo,
a gunner in the U. S. Army air forces
is missing in action over Germany.
He has been overseas about two
months and his plane was shot down
on his third mission over Europe.
Trippiehorn is a nephew of Fred
Triblehorn and Daniel Trippiehorn,
both of Bluffton, land the young man
is well known here. His wife lives
in Flint, Mich.
Ths third casualty was Pvt. Martin
James Thornton, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Jesse
Grove, who died at Churchwood, Eng
land, on Feb. 6.
W. Thornton, of Columbus
He is the second of his family to be
injured in the war, another brother.
Jerome, having been wounded in the
Pacific about one year ago.
Pianist To Open
Concert Series
Josef Wagner, pianist and com
poser will
night in
o’clock in
Bluffton
series.
appear next Tuesday
Ramseyer chapel at 8
the opening number of the
college annual concert
is internationally known
circles and has appeared
with leading symphony
in this country and
Wagner
in musical
as soloist
orchestras
Europe.
His appearance here will be the
first of a series of three numbers
making up the concert series, it is
announced by Prof. Russell Lantz
of the college department of music.
Other attractions of the series are
a vocal recital by Harold Hough,
New’ York city tenor on April 12,
and the Cincinnati Symphony String
Trio featuring Emil and Walter
Heermann on April 21.
Masonic Father-Son
Banquet On Thursday
More than 100 Masons and their
guests will attend a George Wash
ington Birthday banquet
ton lodge
Thursday.
ESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
RSDAY, FEB. 24, 1944
FROM
uffton Per
Ity Lists
Reflecting the increased tempo of
American war activities in the Euro
pean theatre, three Bluffton area men
were listed as casualties in official war
department notices received during
the last week by their parents.
Staff Sergeant Ohar Herr, son of
Mrs. Alice Herr, who resides south of
town on the Bentley road was in
jured in bitter fighting now going
on in the Italian peninsula.
is a nephew of
of Spring street,
three children as
The young man
Mrs. Elmer Diller
He left a wife and
survivors,
were obtained.
No details of his death
Staff Sergeant Herr’s injuries evi
dently shortly came after his exper
iences as an American artillery obser
ver were written up in “Yank,” army
weekly. In this exploit, he crouched
for six days and task's in a foxhole
atop a hill with enemy guns trained
on the spot in an attempt to wipe
him out.
in the Bluff
p. m. this
hall at 6:30
Findlay, a
well known
Hunter, of
Mason and a
Dwight
prominent
speaker, will give the address of the
evening. Special music also will be
presented.
The banquet, honoring the memory
of George Washington, America’s
most distinguished Mason, will be
served by the Order of the Eastern
Star.
Bluffton Man Passes
State Engineer Tests
Gerald W. Clever of South Main
street, was one of 34 successful
candidates who took the Ohio engin
eers’ registration examination held in
Columbus, January 13-14, it was an
nounced the first of the week by the
State Board of Professional
Engineers and Surveyors.
Those passing the test are qualified
to practise in the state. A class of
49 candidates took the examination.
Clever is employed at the electric
generating plant of the Central Ohio
Light & power company here.
ON NEWS
Plans for raising funds to obtain
an oxygen tent for Bluffton Com
munity hospital were announced by
the Women’s Auxiliary of the hos
pital the first of the week.
An oxygen tent is used in treat
ment of pneumonia and heart ail
ments and the hospital has been
handicapped thru the lack of this
equipment, it is explained.
Cost is estimated at $700 and
churches and organizations in Bluff
ton and surrounding town will be
solicited for contributions. Indi
viduals wishing to contribute may
leave money with Mrs. D. W. Bixler
or Mrs. Reese Huber.
Last Two Calls of Local Boards
Take Many Young Men
From Farms
Production of Crops Dependent
On How School Pupils
Will Cooperate
With area selective service boards
cutting deeply into the reserve of
young men under 22 years of age
who have been deferred for agri
cultural work, Bluffton district farm
ers this week regard the critical
shortage of farm
serious than ever.
Majority Called Farm Youths
In both cases the majority of the
registrants were single young
under 22, who previously had
deferred for farm work.
Few Returning
Plan Campaign To Raise Funds For
Oxygen Tent For Bluffton Hospital
Farm Manpower Shortage Greater
As Army Calls Youth Under 22
manpower more
draft procedure
young men on
Present trend of
as it affects the
farms was disclosed in heavy calls
for pre-induction physical examina
tions from two boards in this area
during the past
week.
of last week Allen
3, with supervision
Richland township,
On Wednesday
county board No.
over Bluffton and
sent 175 men to Toledo for physical
examinations. The next heavy call
was from board No. 2 of Hancock
county which summoned 80 men on
Monday.
men,
been
A continuation of the trend,
observers report, would
handicap the production of food
stuffs on Bluffton district farms this
summer, for they point out that no
replacement labor is available from
any source.
farm
seriously
More than ever, it begins to ap
pear that whether intensive cultiva
tion of farm crops will assure a
maximum yield will depend largely
on “youth power”, or how school
boys and girls make themselves
available for vital farm work.
to
Farms
In a few cases there have been
reports of migration back to farms
of rural-bred men laid off at war
plants because of cutbacks, but the
supply for this source has been ex
tremely limited so far.
In Hancock county’s pre-induction
call last Monday the following Bluff
ton area men were included: Charles
Guy Barger, Rawson Adrian Leo
Basinger, Route 3, Ada George
Franklin Bower, Route 1, Jenera
Paul Wright Cook, Route 2, Bluff
ton Marion Harold Marquart,
Route 1, Bluffton Donavin Richard
Montgomery, Route 3, Ada Adelbert
Carl Schaller, Route 1, Jenera Gail
Oscar Traucht, Route 1, Jenera
Irvin Edison Vandemark, Route 3,
Ada Jimmy Martin Watkins, Route
1, Mt. Cory and John Benjamin
Johnson, Bluffton.
Former Local Woman
On Tour Of Mexico
Dr. Helen Barnes of Findlay, a
former Bluffton woman, left the first
of the week for a tour of Mexico.
Dr. Barnes, a member of the class
of 1881, the first to be graduated
from Bluffton high school was for
many years world secretary of the
Y. W. C. A., and widely traveled.
Mexico is one of only two countries
of the world she has never visited.
The other is Russia.
Another Ration Stamp
Is Now Good For Pork
Bluffton housewives are getting
more pork this week under an OPA
ruling which has made spare stamp
No. 3 in war ration book 4 good for
the purchase of 5 points worth of
pork until Saturday. Lard is ex
cepted
The “bonus” stamp also will be
good for buying all types of sau
sage regardless of whether they are
made from pork.
Promotions
Gerald Caris, now stationed in
England with an army unit has
been promoted from the rank of ser
geant to that of staff sergeant, ac
cording to word received by his wife
the first of the week.
Francis W. Luginbill, son of W. J.
Luginbill, of Bluffton, has been pro
moted to Machinist Mate Third Class
Petty Officer, and has also qualified
as a salvage diver. He is at New
York City awaiting further assign
ment with a Navy salvage crew.
Bluffton Scouts
In County Offices
Six representatives from Bluffton’s
two Boy Scout troops filled Allen
county offices last Saturday in a
Boy Scout week observance at the
court house.
here who filled offices
were Robert Stratton,
the board of county
Those from
for the day
chairman of
commissioners Charles Trippiehorn,
sheriff Maynard Pogue, recorder
James Howe, common pleas judge
Don Augsburger, probate judge
Robert Ramseyer, prosecutor and
Kenneth Bracy, county engineer.
Other county offices were filled by
Elida Boy Scouts, and Lima scouts
occupied all Lima city offices. Each
Scout performed the duties of his
office during the time he served.
Income Tax Men
At Mayor's Office
Deputy collectors
ternal revenue office
Mayor’s office next
Tuesday and also on Monday, March
6 to assist taxpayers in preparing
their income tax returns. Income
tax money returns must be filed on
or before March 15.
from the in
will be at the
Monday and
Kindergarten Will
Reopen On Monday
Kindergarten
Monday it was
by Miss Mary
i will reopen next
i announced this week
Sypos, instructor,
four and
enroll at
held in
New pupils,
of age, may
Classes are 1
school building.
years
time,
grade
five
that
the
State Patrol Get
Auto Left Here
An automobile apparently abon
doned at the side of the Dixie high
way a short distance north of the
county line was turned over to the
state patrol by Marshal Lee Coon
the first of the week.
The car, a Hupmobile sedan, was
first seen
Saturday,
cense.
standing at the roadside,
It bore a Findlay li-
Ebenezer Broadcast
A girls’ trio consisting of Misses
Vera and Vidella Bucher and Eloise
Lora will be heard in the radio pro
gram of the Ebenezer Mennonite
church broadcast from Findlay sta
tion WFIN, Sunday afternoon at
3:30 o’clock. Mrs. Milo Lora will
accompany.
Real Estate Deal
George Read residing north of
Bluffton on the county line has pur
chased the Miss Alice Stager
dence on South Lawn avenue,
session will be given March 1.
will move from the 80 acre
known as the Wilkins place which
he sold to Irvin Fisher last month.
Fisher will occupy the place next
month, moving from the former
Brundige farm.
resi
Pos-
Read
farm
Arrives In England
Cpl. William McCafferty has ar
rived in England with an army unit,
it was learned by his parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Carl McCafferty the first
of the week.
Births
The following births at Bluffton
hospital:
Mr. and Mrs. Herschel Moser of
Columbus Grove, a daughter, Fri
day.
Mr. and Mrs. Waldo Wilkins of
Blufftoa, a daughter, Tuesday.
NUMBER 44
AREA HONOR ROLL
WILL BE ON HIGH
SCHOOL GROUNDS
Outdoor Listing Will Honor Men
and Women In Uniform
From This Area
Movement Sponsored by Bluff
ton American I^egion Post
and Legion Auxiliary
Bluffton’s World War II honor
roll, sponsored by the American Le
gion and Legion Auxiliary, will be
erected this spring on Bluffton High
school grounds facing Main street.
Permission to use the location for
the outdoor roll, honoring the men
and women in the sendee of their
country from Bluffton and the sur
rounding area, has been granted
the board of education.
Names of more than 500 men
women in this area will be on
honor roll, it is estimated by
sponsors,
be listed.
by
and
the
the
Anyone in uniform may
Dedicate Memorial Day
Construction of the honor roll will
be completed in early spring, and it
will be dedicated with appropriate
ceremonies on Memorial Day.
First move in a drive to raise
funds for the project was a benefit
bridge party sponsored by the Legion
Auxiliary, held Tuesday night in the
Legion hall. The sum of $132.50
was realized.
Design and other details of the
honor roll
committee
Auxiliary
will be worked out by a
composed of Legion and
members.
Will Kohli, Former
Bluffton Man, Dead
Will Kohli, 67, who operated a
meat and grocery business at Payne
died at that place
His death followed
illness.
last Wednesday,
a four months’
He was a native
son of the late Eli
here about 30 years ago.
who survives is the former Celia
Bigler, also a Bluffton native. A son
Philip of Payne and daughter Mrs.
Ruth Johnson of Ft. Wayne also
survive together with one brother
and two sisters.
of Bluffton, and
Kohli and lived,
His wiffc1
Funeral services were held at
Payne, Friday afternoon followed by
burial at New Haven, Indiana.
County Tax Books
To Close Saturday
Next Saturday will be the last
day for
taxes for
period, it
Treasurer
payment of real estate
the December collection
is announced by County
Ray Barnett.
Leaves For Navy
Robert Albro, son of Rev. and
Mrs. A. F. Albro, has been inducted
into the navy and is in training at
Great Lakes Naval Training station.
Albro was one of four men from
Hancock Selective Board No. 2 who
were in the first group to take the
pre-induction physical examinations
at Toledo in January.
Pianist-Composer To
Play Here Tuesday
Josef Wagner, pianist-composer,
who has won honors both in Europe
and this country, will present a re
cital in Ramseyer chapel at 8 p. m.
next Tuesday under auspices of
Bluffton College
music.
the
of
department
the
broke into
limelight, when at
won first prize in
piano competition
Wagner first
European concert
the age of 20 he
the international
at Dresden, Germany.
Two years later he was the winner
of the Chopin international prize in
competition at Warsaw, Poland. Fol
lowing those triumphs he played in
recitals and appeared with many
major symphony orchestras abroad.
Since coming to the United States
he has appeared as soloist with the
symphony orchestras of New York,
Philadelphia and St. Louis, and has
been presented over the CBS and
NBC radio networks.
He will present the following pro
gram
Italian Concerto—3 movements. Bach
Sonata, minor, Op. 31, No. 2,
Beethoven
Prelude in Minor, Rachmaninoff
Four Waltzes ........................ Brahms
Caprice in E Major ...-------- Liszt
Toccata -----------------Joseph Wagner
Two Mazurkas Chopin
Fantasie—Impromptu ____ Chopin
Polonaise—A-flat Major ___ Chopin