The Bluffton news. [volume], July 20, 1944, Image 1

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BUY
UNITED
■TATES
SAVING*
FtONDS
VOLUME NO. LXIX
HOUSING SITUATION
CRITICAL WITH NO
HOUSES FOR RENT
New School Superintendent Un
able to Find Rental
Property
Church Abandons Plans to
Bring Resident Minister
Here
Bluffton’s housing shortage is
more critical than ever this summer,
and about the only way a would-be
renter can obtain a property is buy
his own.
The avalanche of applicants that
greets every home owner when he
has a vacancy, and the number of
advertisements seeking a place of
residence give every indication that
the present situation is the most
serious in the history of the town.
When one apartment was vacated
recently, there were 24 applicants
for the place, and there are many
reported instances of persons who
have been seeking a place to rent
for months.
Latest developments in the housing
situation this week finds the shortage
of residential properties affecting
plans being made by Bluffton’s new
superintendent of schools and by the
Presbyterian church in obtaining a
pastor for the duration of the war.
No Vacancies
Supt. Ralph Lanham, who will take
up his new duties as head of Bluff
ton public schools on August 1, has
been unsuccessful in finding a place
to live, and he may have to leave his
family in Mt. Victory and board here
until a house can be rented.
Plans of the Bluffton and Rockport
Presbyterian churches to bring a
pastor here to fill the pulpit during
the absence of Rev. Ernest Bigelow,
who left last Sunday as an Army
chaplain, have been modified because
of the housing situation.
Originally a full-time pastor was
sought, but present plans are to
have a pastor come here over the
weekends, inasmuch as it would be
impossible to find a residence for a
minister serving here on a full-time
basis.
Rev. Bigelow and family occupied
an apartment here, in which Mrs.
Bigelow and infant son will continue
to make their home. The church
manse has been rented for several
years to a worker in a local war
industry.
Workers Seek Homes
Meanwhile workers in local in
dustrial plants and business places
are seeking living accommodations
which cannot be obtained. Many
who would like to live here are resid
ing in surrounding towns and coming
to work here by private car or bus.
Altho it virtually is impossible to
find a house for rent there are many
properties for sale locally. Rent
ceilings which have made it impos
sible for landlords to raise rents
have tended to make the owners more
wiling to sell inasmuch aS there are
no limits to sale prices.
This means that many a would
be renter who has been unable to
find a residence has had to buy his
own, but the only’ drawback to that
procedure is the delay’ encompassed
in the “red tape” routine necessary
to require the present occupant to
move.
Mennonite Conference
Meetings Cancelled
Summer meetings of two Mennon
ite church conferences, scheduled for
the month of August, have been can
celled because of ODT wartime re
strictions on travel, it was announced
this week.
The Middle District conference,
which convenes annually, was to hav(e
met August 13 to 15 at Pulaski,
Iowa, and the Mennonite General
conference had planned its triennial
meeting at North Newton, Kansas,
August 17 to 23.
Both sessions were postponed for
at least one year after the Office of
Defense Transportatiqn asked offi
cials of the conferences to omit the
meetings this year, because of trans
portation difficulties.
Named In Command
Of Army Air Field
Lieut. James Griffith, formerly of
Bluffton has been named in command
of the army air field at Marysville,
Calif., being transferred from the
army air base at Oroville, Calif., it
was learned the first of the week.
Lieut. Griffith and Mrs. Griffith,
the former Miss Zitella Getties of
this place, will continue to reside at
Oroville, some 35 miles distant.
New School Head
T1ALPH S. Lanham, 38, Bluff
ton’s new school superintend
ent, who will assume his duties
here August 1. He has been
superintendent of schools in Mt.
Victory, Hardin county for the
past three years and expects to
move his family here as soon as
housing accommodations can be
obtained.
HATCHERIES IN
BLUFFTON AND
PANDORA SOLD
Bluffton Hatchery Co. and Pan
dora Hatchery Sold to
Celina-Wapakoneta Chain
Ownership of Bluffton Hatchery
Changes Hands First Time
in 24 Years
With acquisition of the two hatch
eries in this area, the Celina men are
expanding the operation of a chain
of hatcheries they own in the Celina
Wapakoneta district.
Wahlie will move here to be in
charge of the Bluffton and Pandora
hatcheries, but Albert Winkler and
William Luginbuhl, operators of the
Bluffton Hatchery, have been asked
to remain with the organization.
When he can find a place to rent
or buy will determine the time when
Wahlie will establish his residence
locally.
Organized in 1920, the Bluffton
Hatchery was one of the first in this
area, and it
24 years.
Carl Trippiehorn Returns Home After
Ten Months On Battlefront In Italy
the
Blutffon’s oldest hatchery,
Bluffton Hatchery Co., operated
continuously for 24 years, was
Tuesday to Henry Amstutz and Ed
ward Wahlie, both of Celina, who at
the same time announced purchase of
the Pandora Hatchery operated by
Eldon Hilty.
here
sold
had been operated for
the concern at the time
included I. B. Beeshy,
Albert Winkler, vice­
Officers of
of the sale
President
president D. W. Bixler, secretary
treasurer and William B. Lugin
buhl, manager.
Price involved in the transaction
was not disclosed.
Norval Scales Dies
In Hospital Here
Norval Scoles, 71, retired farmer
living south of Bluffton, died
Bluffton hospital Wednesday
noon at 12:30 o’clock.
Surviving are his wife, son Clay
ton Scoles of Lafayette and two
daughters Mrs. Coy Binkley of Ada
and Mrs. Rhea Althauser at home.
A brother Emmet Scoles of Beaver
dam also survives.
The body has been taken to the
Paul Diller funeral home here.
of the
for several days with his mother,
Mrs. Homer Zimmerly, of near Bluff
ton.
During the time he vsited here,
Lieut. Welty left his plane in Colum
bus. In his crew were two fliers
from Akron and one from Detroit,
who also went to their homes.
After returning to Columbus later
in the week the group flew to New
York City, then to Washington, D.
C., and from there took a southern
route on the return to their base.
Army Air Man On Cross Country
Flight Stops Here To Visit Mother
off in a cross-country
ht, Lieut. Myron Weltv
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE
Orange Township Man Saw
Action in North African and
Italian Campaigns
British Praised By Trippiehorn
as Excellent Soldiers Eisen
hower Popular General
Carl Trippiehorn, son of John
Trippiehorn, of Orange township, is
home for the first time in two and
one-half years after going through
the North African and Italian in
vasion campaign overseas. He ar
rived here last Thursday.
Trippiehorn saw action for four
months on the Anzio beachhead, and
was with a tank unit that helped
drive the Germans back through
Rome early this summer. He got
within two miles of Rome and saw
the Eternal City from a hill before
After going through the campaign
in Tunisia, North Africa, the
Orange township man was sent to
Italy last fall, and was there from
September until June.
Winter weather in the Italian pen
insula is not as cold as here, but the
atmosphere is quite damp which
(Continued on page 8)
Delta Pastor To Fill
Presbyterian Pulpits
Bluffton
will fill the pulpits of the
and Rockport Presbyterian churches
here beginning next Sunday.
Invitation to Rev. Donaldson to fill
pulpits of the two churches was ex
tended by action of congregational
meetings after granting a leave of
absence to the pastor,
Bigelow who enlisted
chaplain.
v. Ernest
an army
last Sunday
Rev. Bigelow left
evening for Cambridge, Mass., for
five weeks of training in the army
chaplain’s school at Harvard uni
versity. His leave of absence here
is for the duration and six months
thereafter.
Because of difficulty in obtaining
housing accommodations in Bluffton,
Rev. Donaldson will continue his res
idence in Delta and spend Saturdays
and Sundays here. He formerly held
pastorates in Huron and Montpelier,
Ohio, and is at present recording
clerk of Toledo Presbytery.
Advanced In Rank
Mrs. Mary Deppler has received
word that her brother Raymond
Schaublin, who has been stationed
for the past 18 months in Iran,
been promoted from the rank of
jor to lieutenant colonel.
James Gratz, son of Mr.
Leonard Gratz has been
from fireman first class
tender third class.
in the
A
incom-
Funeral arrangements are
plete but services will be heli
ably Friday afternoon. Burial will
be in Pleasant Hill cemetery.
has
ma-
Mr.
sta
has
Raymond Schumacher, son of
and Mrs. Cyrus Schumacher,
tioned at Camp Gruber, Okla.,
been promoted to the rank of private
first class.
Floyd Herr, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Nelson Herr, stationed at Camp
Hood, Texas, has been promoted to
the rank of corporal.
and Mrs.
promoted
to water
Course In Spanish
Added At College
department
Spanish language
be added to th
se of study this fall
will
Bluffton college
with
an
Frank
M. A.
J. Batterson, who has
degree in Spanish from Ohio State
university, teaching the classes. Bat
also had educational ex­
perience in
Spanish
curriculum
the increasing demand for persons
with a knowledge of the language in
furthering trade relations with Mex
ico and South America.
Argentina and Uruguay,
has been added to the
at the college because of
With The Invasion
Forces In France
John
is with
Romey formerly of Bluffton
the Army in the invasion of
the week. His wife, Mrs. Mary
Bender Romey who has been a dep
uty in the office
11 IE BLUF ON NEWS
BLUFFTON, OHIO, T1
JULY DRAFT
IS SMALL!
RECENT MlINTHS
—.
Current Call in Contrast to that
of June When 72 Men
Were Inducted
Only eight men will be inducted
into the armed force? from Allen
County Draft Board No. 3 in July.
This is the smallest number of men
taken in any recent month, and the
situation represents a eirect contrast
to June when 72 registrants were
inducted.
No Bluffton men are included in
the group of eight inducted last
Saturday. Half of those taken in
the call were volunteers and the
other four were drafted 18-year-old
youths. s J..£
next draft call which will
e in August is expected to be
up entirely of 18-year olds,
The
come
made
and it, too, may be small in compari
son with the large quotas taken early
last spring.
July’s induction of ordy eight men
shows a marked drop from June
when there were 72 inductions and
May when 53 registrants were taken.
In April 45 men Were drafted,
making a total of 170 men in three
months.
Those inducted
from Draft Board
day included Wil
Spencerville Ma
fayette Route 2
Delphos Myron
fayette Route 2
son, Harrod Virgil
phos Richard J.
and William Abram,
Freda Fritchi
To Jacob I
Rev. E. J. Penhorwood, pastor of
the church, officiated in the impres
sive single-ring ceremony, attended
by members of the immediate fami
lies. The wedding took place on the
18th birthday anniversary of the
bride.
For the occasion the bride and
bridesmaid were dressed in blue with
white accessories, and both wore
corsage of pink roses. Miss Doris An
derson, of Columbus Grove, was the
bridesmaid, and John Warkentin,
brother of the groom, was his best
man. Both the groom and best man
wore brown suits.
Following the wedding a reception
was held Saturday evening at the
home of the groom’s mother on
Cherry street. Refreshments were
served, with the serving table cen
tered by a large wedding cake sur
mounted by a miniature bride and
groom. Many beautiful gifts were
received.
Open house was held at the newly
furnished apartment of the young
couple in the Hankish building over
the Todd grocery, later in the even
ing.
On Sunday they left for Cleveland
on a short trip along the lake.
graduated last
bride
from Bluffton
she was active in school af
Warkentin wt
The
Mr. and
liamstown, a son,
r. and
Columbus Grove.
Lynn,
ESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY’
DAY. JULY 20, 1944
CALL
ST IN
Only Eight Men in Current
Quota: None Sent Satur
day from Bluffton
High school
spring
where
fars.
medical discharge from the
November is employed as
meta worker with the firm
enger Brothers in Lima.
was
given a
army in
a sheet
of Clev-
Births
Bluffton
The following births in
hospital:
Cpl. and Mrs. Robert Barkimer, a
daughter, Barbara Ann, Thursday.
Mrs. Barkimer is the former Mary
Ellen Burkholder.
Mrs. G. W. Neff of Wil
Saturday.
Joseph Sobosly of
a daughter, Sherry
Mrs.
Tuesday.
and Mrs.
a daughter, Tuesday. Mrs.
is the former Bernadine Ri
of this place.
Mr.
Lima,
Cotner
dinger
of Ernest Mills,
of courts for the
left Tuesday for
she will reside,
of Mr. and Mrs.
past eight months
California
Romey is the son
E. C. Romey of South Main street.
where
rtho Cotner
Tuesday.
Mr. and Mrs. Dale Wilson of Raw
son, a daughter, Tuesday.
Announcement has been made of
the birth of a daughter, Carol Jean,
on Friday, to Mr. and Mrs. Richard
Ludwig of Lima, formerly of Bluff
ton.
She expects to leave the last of
August for Bogata, Colombia, work
ing under direction of the Mennonite
General Conference Board of Foreign
Missions.
pointment was made tfie first of
week by a representative of
board.
Blufftor
last Satur
McKinley,
Staup, La
er Pothast,
Bowers, La
A. Richard-
Elwer, Del
Delphos,
mcerville.
Wed
arkentin
idest daugh-.
Miss Freda Frii
ter of Mr. and ft
of South Jackson street, was wed
last Saturday afternoon to Jacob
Warkentin, son of Mrs. Agnes War
kentin Moore, of Cherry street, in a
ceremony at the South Side Church
of Christ in Lima.
In 1943, actual expenditures were
$115,286.44, and in 1942 an all-time
high mark of $132,933.40 was spent.
In both of those years, there were
increased costs resulting from the
purchase and installation of a turbo
generator at the municipal light
plant.
The budget discloses that Bluffton’s
municipality operated garbage collec
tion system is practically on a pay
ing basis. With approximately 200
patrons, the town collects $400 for
services against a total cost of $500.
Provision is made in the budget for
the additional $100 needed to balance
the fund.
Funeral Sunday For
Elizabeth Basinger
Funeral
afternoon
home for
Basinger,
Former Bluffton Nurse To Work With
Children Of South American Lepers
Miss Inc
former assistant
Bluffton hospita
appointment as
tendent
among children
Announcement of her ap
the
the
Miss Soldner is a native of Berne,
Estimated Receipts For the
Year Expected to Reach
Total of $139,745
Estimate Expenditures for Year
Will be $105,061 $7000
Less Than in 1945
approved Mon-
completion of routine
sion by Town Clerk W. O. Geiger,
for inclusion in the county program.
Total receipts for 1945 and esti
mated balances that will be on hand
at the start of the year will given
the town a total of $139,745.22, dur
ing the 12-months period, a record
high mark, according to the budget-
W’ith expenditures for the year
estimated at $112,838, a balance of
$26,917 should be in the town treas
ury at the close of 1945.
Tax valuation of the town in de
wy for 1945 was set
at $2,895,1
Expenditures in 1945 will be ap
proximately $7,717 more than in
1944, because of increased cost in
operating the many municipal serv
ices, it was announced. Aggregate
amount expected to be expended this
year by the town is $105,061.80,
based on actual expenditures for the
first six months and an estimate for
the rest of the year.
in the Pau! Diller funeral
Mrs. Elizabeth Catherine
died last Wednesday' night in Bluff
ton Community hospital.
Mrs. Basinger had been in failing
health for the last four years and
had been a patient in the hospital
for 11 months. Death was attribut
ed to a heart ailment.
Officiating at the rites were Rev.
V. C. Oppermann, pastor of the St.
John’s Reformed church, and Rev.
Roy Longnecker. Burial was in the
Thompson cemetery in Orange town-
The daughter of George and Eliza
beth Pifer, she was born in Orange
township Sept. 16,
married to Mr. Bas
13, 1898.
ce next Sunday
J. L’nruh, a me
on August
Mrs. Basinger was a memtH
the Riley Creek Baptist church.
To Teach Music In
Col. Grove Schools
Miss Janet Bigler, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Otto Bigler of South Main
street has been hired as instructor
in instrumental music in the Colum
bus Grove schools for the coming
year.
A number of friends from Blufft
Cost Of Running Bluffton In 1945
Will Be $112,838 According To Budget
here
accept the South American appoin
ment. She is one of five medici
missionaries who are being sent
the mission board to Colombia. The
will work among the untainted chik
50 CITED HERE FOR
FAILURE TO SHOW
AUTO USE STAMP
Representatives of
Revenue Department
Checkup Here
Two Penalties Provided
Purchasing or Not Display
ing Tax Stamps
About 50 Bluffton area
nal Revenue in Toledo found they
were not displaying the 1944 federal
use tax stamps on their automobiles.
In making a check of automobiles
on Bluffton streets and in* parking
lots, the federal men issued a sum
mons to each one who did not have
the purple use tax stamp displayed,
requiring them to appear at a hear
ing in the post office.
Those who conducted the checkup
here pointed out that the law not
only requires that the stwnp .he pur
chased but also that it must be dis
played.
Penalty for operating an automo
bile on and after July 1 without
having purchased the 1944 use tax
stamp is a maximum of $25 and 30
days in jail. A similar penalty ap
plies for those who drive a car
without displaying the stamp, even
tho it may have been purchased.
Two Penalties
This means there are two penalties
—one for not buying the stamp and
the other for not displaying it. Total
fine for not buying a stamp and
failing to display it therefore would
amount to $50 and 60 days in jail.
Revenue collectors warned during
their stay here that the drive against
violators will continue until all have
been summoned to hearings.
“Patriotic citizens have bought the
stamps and are displaying them.
Thereby they are furnishing money
to purchase material for the war
effort. It is unfair for those good
citizens to carry their part of the
load while careless and selfish people
operate their motor vehicles without
the stamp,” an announcement
The revenue office said.
Mr.
and Mrs. Walter
Army
While at Keesler Field,
of the Army Air Forces
Command, he will be given
classification, and medical
chological test
completes this
to a college
months further study.
bro-
Survivors include the husband, a
son, Adrian, at home, and two
thers, Milton Pifer, of Jenera,
Ami Pifer, of Ada.
to move to
The Mrs.
pect to move
XV I tn except
for Not
from
Evan Neiswander
At A eesler Field
and psy-
If he successfully
Real Estate Deals
The Ira Slusser farm of 60 acres
south of Bluffton on the Bentley
road has been purchased bv Michael
Bernius of Ada.
Mr. and Mr
farm
Lima
Mr. and Mrs. Karl Devier have
purchased a property in Lima and
expect to move there soon. They re
cently sold their East Elm street
residence here to Mrs. Corrin King
Blackburn of Kalida who expects to
move here with her family.
BUY
VMITBB
ITAT»|
pinrn
'BONDI
STAMM
NUMBER 13
CORN YIELD WILL
DEPEND ON RAINS
IN NEXT TEN DAYS
Crop Now in Tassel is in Critical
Stage and Must Have
Moisture
Early Potatoes and Sweet Com
Yields Hard Hit: Drought
Continues
area this sum
upon the amou
Bluffton
mer will
nt of rainfall
depend largely
within the
net ten days.
Com now in tassel and ready to
form ears is at a critical stage. Suf
ficient moisture provided by heavy
rainfall to offset effects of the current
drought, would result in a bumper
crop, farmers stated.
respite pro
tions, the stan
drought but aljundant
nounceu
orought conai
little effects of
rainfall, lacking
development of
itial to
.ion oi a lairiy heavy
eek ago and light show
’, there has been no rain
for the past month.
downpour a w
ers on Tuesday
in this district
Internal
Make
Wheat Harvest
average yield,
the stand show
and unseasona
and early July
Nears End
1 no wheat narvest wmen nas pro
ceeded withou
when the' sho
interr
ti pt ion received
the weather
esday morning
up threshing,
r, is nearing its
this time will
the crop.
?k fron
wers Tu
nt to ho
howeve
a day iit
The harvest,
end and loss o
not effect proc
Oats cutting
with prospects
is scarring inis weeK
of not more than an
The straw is short and
ts effects of late sowing
ible*heat of late June
Sweet
Com Hard Hit
Early sweet
this year fi•om
com nas
three
drought, corn ear
oeen narti nit
sides—the
worms and com
the com borer in
been well worked
out.
Ravages of the borer and the com
ear worm are much less in the late
planted sweet corn, experts state, and
appears that the season for grow
ing perfect sweet com is shortened
largely’ to the month of August.
Drought conditions have severly hit
the early potato crop which in some
places is virtually a failure. Like
wise lack of rain has cut victory’ gar
den yields of beans, peas and other
canning crops up to fifty per cent.
Early’ apples, also are extremely
scarce.
Outlook for the tomato crop in this
district will be directly in proportion
to rain in the immediate future. This
will also affect the late potato crop
and yield of the later planted sweet
com.
To Enter Bluffton
Insurance Agency
Diller has resigned his po
clerk in the Greding hard
enter the lutzi insurance
sition as
ware to
agency, it was announced Tuesday.
His resignation at the hardware
establishment with which he has been
connected for a number of years will
become effective at the end of this
week and he will assume his connec
tion next Monday with the insurance
agency formerly operated by his
father-in-law, the late W. F. lutzi
whose death occurred July 2.
Associated with Diller in the busi
ness will be his wife, Helen lutzi
Diller, youngest daughter of the late
owner who for several years served
Fred C. Badertscher will take Dil
r’s place in the hardware. Bader
cher, a Richland township trustee,
the residence at South Main and
High streets which he purchased
from heirs of the late Hiram Locher.
Fred Fritchie Is In
Invasion Of France
Frederick H. Fritchie, Jr., 22, son
of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Fritchie, of
South Jackson street, was a member
of a U. S. Naval crew in the Amer
ican assault force which invaded
France in June, it was learned this
week.
Following the invasion Fritchie
was advanced in rating from Store
storekeeper
citation for meritorious performance
of duty from his commanding officer.
This was Fritchie’s second action
with an invasion force. In Novem
ber, 1942, he was in the North Afri
can campaign.
He also has a brother in the navy,
Byron Fritchie, now located in Con
necticut. Before joining the Navy
the Bluffton youth was a clerk with
the Central Ohio Light & Power Co.