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BUY UNITED •nates savings /bonds VOLUME NO. LXIX AREA CONFERENCE CALLED HERE FOR FIRE PROTECTION Officials of Richland and Orange Twps., and Beaverdam are Invited Project to be Discussed with Town Council at Meeting Monday Night First step in the resumption of Bluffton’s effort to modernize the municipal fire department by the purchase of an additional truck pumper will be conferences with trustees of surrounding townships to determine what extent they will want the town to provide fire protection for them in the future. Clerk W. O. Geiger at the direc tion of the council has sent invita tions to Richland and Orange town ship trustees and Beaverdam officials to meet with the council next Mon day night to learn whether they are interested in fire protection from Bluffton. Announcement of the negotiations was made this week by Mayor W. A. Howe, as the matter of purchasing a new truck-pumper was re-opened again by the town council. This is a continuation of a fire department modernization program started three years ago when purchase of a new fire pumper was authorized by voters with the passage of an $8000 bond issue for that purpose in the November, 1941, election. However, with the outbreak of war, the council found it impossible to obtain delivery of a new fire truck, and a contract which had been let for Mack equipment later was cancelled. Restrictions Relaxed Government restrictions on the purchase of fire equipment now are being relaxed, however, and the council is again considering the proposal inasmuch as bonds author ized by the voters still can be issued in whole or any part thereof decided by the council. Size and type of new fife equip ment will depend largely on the degree of rural fire protection sur rounding districts may wish to ob tain from Bluffton, and conferences on that subject are being arranged .as a guide to the council. If Bluffton is to continue provid ing fire protection for those areas as in the past, more equipment will be necessary. It also will make a difference in the type of fire truck purchased inasmuch as Bluffton has adequate water supply for pumping whereas the other districts have areas where sufficient water is not (Continued on page 8) To Teach Music In Lima School Miss Rita Hankish who taught public school music at Ney, Ohio, has resigned her position at that place to accept a similar position in the Washington school in Lima. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hankrfh of this place. Keep Fox Hoiles Handy In France “It’s a good idea to have a fox hole handy, here in France”, writes Cpl. Joe Mumma, son of Mr. and Mrs. Forrest Mumma, who is with the American invasion forces in France. Cpl. Mumma landed on the Nor mandy coast on June 10, four days after the first invasion units. He is with an army unit of anti-aircraft artillery. Wins Navy Wings And Commission Robert Wallace Bayless, 20, son of Mr. and Mrs. Vance Bayless form erly of Toledo, now living at Brad enton, Florida, has won his Navy wings and has been commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine corps reserve, it was announced the first of the week. His mother is the former Miss Martha Diller, a native of Bluffton. Lieut. Bayless who recently com pleted his training at Pensacola Na val Air Training center has been assigned to Cecil Field, Jacksonville, Florida, to receive specialized train ing in combat service. He is a graduate of Rossford High school near Toledo and at tended Maryville college, Tenn., where he was prominent in athletics. His preliminary service training was received at Tennessee State college, the University of Georgia and Lam bert Field, St. Louis. School Bus Driver Quits Never Dented Fender In 11 Years AARON Messinger, Bluffton school bus driver for the past 11 years announced his resignation the first of the week. Messinger established an un usual record for careful driving, not having as much as dented a fender during this entire period. His resignation will be presented to the board of education at its next meeting. STRAW IN DEMAND BUT FARMERS ARE WARY OF SELLING Wartime Industrial Uses Boost Price in Stack to 35 Cents Bale Note of Caution Develops on Farms as Outlook for Crops is Clouded Straw—a by-product of the wheat crop is this summer proving an un expected source of cash income for the farm as an active market for it has developed within the past fortnight. Wartime industrial uses for straw, principally in papermaking have sent buyers scouring the countryside contracting for straw stacks of recently threshed wheat. Prices are reported as around 35 cents a bale for straw in the stack with the buyer paying baling costs. Bales will average 80 to 100 pounds each. Smaller bales made in the field by pickup balers are not as much in demand because of extra difficulty encountered in loading and transportation, it was stated. Farmers Wary Altho the price bid for straw is undeniably attractive, farmers are adopting a cautious attitude in sell ing. Straw is ordinarily used for bedding livestock thru the winter season and with the outlook in general for feed crops none too promising because of drought farm ers are hesitant in disposing any thing which might conceivably con tribute toward weathering what is expected to be a difficult winter for livestock feeders. Because of dry weather which prevailed thruout the harvest season the straw is of unusually good quality and in practically all fields where wheat was combined the straw has been cut and gathered for future use. Dry weather which favored wheat harvest is having the opposite ef fect on the corn crop and the stand is showing the results of six weeks of drought. Unless ample rains come soon, there will be a shortage of both ear corn and fodder which will hamper the livestock feeding program next winter. Sgt. Robert Cooney To End Training Soon Sgt. Robert K. Cooney, Jr., 21, the son of Mr. and Mrs. R. K. Cooney, Sr., 130 South Jackson, Bluffton, is in the final phase of training as an aerial gunner on a B-24 Liberator bomber at Davis-Monthan Field, Tucson, Arizona. For ten weeks Sergeant Cooney and the other nine airmen of his bomber crew have trained as an in dividual team, learning to work, fly and fight together. Sergeant Cooney entered the serv ice in October, 1942. He is a gradu ate of Bluffton High school. His wife lives at his parent’s address in Bluffton. In New Locations Mr. and Mrs. Francis Marquart will move soon into the Edward Marquart property on South Jack son street recently vacated by Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Cookson. Mr. and Mrs. Harry Gratz who sold their property in Lima last spring have moved into their Bluff ton property on West College avenue recently vacated by Mrs. Karl Auk erman and son who moved to Find lay. Earle Lugnbill and family will move this month to Lima where he is em ployed. They will vacate the Kitch en property on Cherry’ street recently purchased by Miss Theresa Slusser. The Slusser family will occupy the property the 'latter part of August, moving from their present location on I Bentley road. Heat Wave Speeds Area Drought Into Sixth Successive Week As Crops Wilt Scattered Showers Only Relief Since Last Heavy Rain Here June 23 Freak Storm Drenches Small Area Tuesday Wheat Stubble Fire Reported Temperatures ranging through the nineties in a recurrent heat wave send Bluffton area’s drought into its sixth successive week as a burn ing sun wilted lawns and growing crops already parched for want of moisture. Scattered thundershow’ers brought a measure of temporary relief to isolated districts but there has been nothing in the way of general rains to dispel grave concern which is manifested for livestock feed crops, particularly corn and soybeans, the outlook for both of which is ad mittedly serious. High mark of the heat wave came Tuesday afternoon accompanied by humidity which proved unusually oppressive. Two freak thunderstorms passed over small areas north and south of town Tuesday afternoon with a downpour so heavy that work in the fields was suspended for the re mainder of the day. The district north of town receiv ing the rain was on the county line in the vicinity of the Quinten Burk holder farm while south of town the downpour was in the Edgar Herr farm area. The area’s last heavy rainfall was on Friday, June 23, six weeks ago. Since that time there have been only sporadic showers affording only temporary relief. Wheat Stubble Fire Another field fire occurred on the farm of Walter Neal two and one half miles north of Bluffton on the Allen-Putnam county line Friday afternoon. Neal was reported to have been burning out a fence row when the fire spread to an adjoining field of wheat stubble and got out of con trol. The fire department was sum moned and extinguished the flames before any damage was done. Notwithstanding the drought, the most severe in recent years, Bluff ton’s municipal water supply is meeting the situation satisfactorily. Daily consumption here is running considerably over 500,000 gallons. About half of this amount goes to the Page Dairy plant the town’s largest consumer which uses the water principally for cooling milk. Former Locab Woman Crushed Under Tree Mrs. Rosalind Bracht, 43, the former Rosalind Diller of this place, who moved to Ft. Wayne, more than 20 years ago with her parents, the late Mr. and Mrs. Will Diller, was killed instantly last Thursday when struck by a large fallen tree at Lake James, near Angola, Indiana. Her husband, Edward Bracht, 51, suffered a compound fracture of the left leg and head injuries in the mishap, but is reported recovering in an Angola hospital. Mrs. Bracht’s body could not be removed from beneath the tree, which measured more than 20 inches in diameter, until part of the trunk could be sawed away. Previously weakened by a windstorm, the tree fell when struck by a sudden gust of wind. Accompanying Mr. and Mrs. Bracht at the time of the mishap were their son, Neil Edwin, 19, and several nephew’s, all of whom were uninjured. The party was vacation ing at the lake. Funeral services were held last Saturday in Ft. Wayne and burial w’as at that place. Bluffton persons attending the rites included Mr. and Mrs. Frank Stalter, Mr. and Mrs. Menno Schu macher and son, Arthur, Miss Bertha Diller, Mrs. Sam Bame, and Mrs. Noah Diller. Also attending were Edison Diller, Pandora, and Mrs. Orlo Diller, Orrville. Mrs. Bracht’s parents are dead but she is survived by her foster mother, Mrs. Frank Stalter, of Bluffton her husband the son, Neil, a sister, Mrs. Edith Nelson, and a brother, Lawrence Diller, all of Ft. Wayne. Takes Position In Hicksville Schools Miss Bernice Althaus of North Jackson street has accepted a posi tion for the coming year as in structor in English and speech in the high school at Hicksville. Miss Althaus formerly taught in the high school at Doylestown. THE BLUFFTON NEWS A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, AUGUST 3, 1941 YOUTHS IN STOLEN CAR ESCAPE AFTER CHASE BY PATROL Authorities Scour Countryside Near Lyman Barnes Farm Monday Night Fleeing Pair Abandon Auto in Ditch and Make Getaway Thru Cornfield State highway patrolmen scoured the countryside south of Bluffton early Monday night in an unsuccess ful attempt to arrest two unidenti fied youths who drove a stolen car into a roadside ditch and then abandoned it to escape capture. The car w’as abandoned at the Ly man Barnes farm on the Allen Hardin county line when the fleeing pair found their escape cut off by a state highway patrol car which blocked the roa£ as they approached an intersection. Flee Thru Cornfield The youths fled thru a cornfield ad joining the road and a short time later were seen by Barnes entering a nearby woods. A search of the area by the patrolmen, however, proved fruitless and authorities are maintaining a lookout for the pair. The automobile which is owned by John Smith of near Elida was park ed on a dow’ntown street in Lima and was stolen about 6:15 p. m. Smith, approaching the car from across the street as the pair made their getaway immediately summon ed police and state patrolmen. When recovered by highway patrolmen, the car was not damaged with exception of a smashed fnder which resulted when the auto was run into the ditch. The car was driven back to Lima under its own power. Fern Stuart Weds In Springfield Church Miss Fern Stuart, vnly daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Stuart resid ing north of Bluffton on the Dixie highway and Merrill Bruce Tingley, of Catawba, Ohio, were married in the Story-Hytes Methodist church in Springfield, Ohio, last Thursday evening. Rev. W. H. Fields, pastor of the church officiated at the ceremony w’ith members of both families iVi at tendance. Miss Dorothy Lloyd of Bluffton w’as the maid of honor and the bride’s only attendant and Burleigh Grimes of Springfield was best man. The bride wore an aqua silk suit with white hat and accessories and a corsage of pink and white glad ioli. Miss Lloyd wore a rose dress with white accessories and corsage of pink roses. Following a short wedding trip the couple will resident in Spring field. The groom is a deputy sheriff of Clark county. The bride is a graduate of Bluff ton college and during the past year was instructor in history and Eng lish in Lima Central high school. Lt. Mehollin Ends Training In England Second Lt. Harry Mehollin, husband of Mrs. Vera Mehollin, of Route 2, Bluffton, recently completed an orientation course at an air service command station in England, designed to bridge the gap between training in the States and combat soldiering against the enemy in France. His next station will be one from which the Army’s fighting planes cover our liberation of Occupied Europe. Union Services Sunday At Church Of Christ Bluffton’s monthly union church service will be held at the Church of Christ, Sunday night at 8 o’clock. Rev. Paul H. Graeser of the First Evangelical & Reformed church of Lima will be the speaker. The serv ice is one of a series arranged by the Bluffton Ministerial association. Benefit Softball Game On August 16 A benefit softball game between teams from the Bluffton Lions club and the Triplett Electrical Instru ment company will be played on Har mon field, Wednesday night, August 16 at 7:30. Proceeds will be used for improvement of Buckeye lake, Bluffton’s summer recreation spot. Lt. Calvin R. Workman, of Lima, reported missing in action June 9 in an air raid over Europe, is being held a prisoner of war by the Ger man government, his parents were notified last w*eek. Lt. Workman was a senior at Bluffton college when he enlisted in the air corps soon after the out break of war. He was a center on the football team at the school, and Car-sharing Required to Qualify for Extra Gas for Driving to Work Workers are Given Thirty Days to Make Arrangements to Conform Bluffton motorists who have been receiving extra gasoline rations for home-to-work driving must become members of a share-the-ride pro gram if they are to continue to qualify for additional gasoline sup plies. This was announced by the Office of Price Administration which begin ning on Tuesday inaugurated a na tion-wide drive to compel greater participation in automobile pooling to reduce unnecessary driving. Principal purposes of the cam paign is to conserve gasoline and tires, and to reduce wear on the country’s dwindling supply of auto mobiles. Not Enough Tires It was pointed out, for example, that home-to-work drivers are en titled to new tires, but there are not enough tires to fill their de mands. In addition, OPA officials esti mate that 4,000 autos wear out daily. This means the 28 million cars in use in 1941 have been de creased to 21 millions, and the reduc tion has thrown an increasingly greater burden on other kinds of transportation. Beginning August 1, the new OPA program will wqj-k somewhat as follows: New OPA Former Bluffton College Student Held In Germany As War Prisoner Stricter Gasoline Rationing Rules Announced By OPA Are Now In Effect Plan John Doe, who has been receiving extra gasoline for home-to-work driving, must apply for renewal of his rations every three months. But when he asks for renewal after August 1, he will obtain gaso line for only 30 days if he is not in a car pool. Within those 30 days he will have to obtain enough addi tional riders to qualify him in the car-sharing program. If, at the end of that time, he is not in the pool, the board will allow no further gasoline. Veteran Awarded Military Honors Pfc. Melvin R. Nussbaum, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Nussbaum, of east of Bluffton, has received a good conduct medal and a Southwest Pa cific service ribbon with two stars denoting having participated in ma jor battles in the Admiralty islands and in New Guinea. In addition he has a ribbon awarded to his company for being the hardest working engineers unit in the Southwest Pacific and he wears two service stripes for being overseas one year or more. Recently he sent home some gems called “cat eyes” found in the shells of a crablike fish, and he wrote that he has a Jap officer’s pistol and he will tell how he obtained it when he returns home. Home On Furlough From New Guinea Staff Sgt. Cleon Steiner who served in the Pacific war theatre for the past thirty months is home on furlough visiting his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Steiner of Thurman street. The last half of his over seas service was on New Guinea island. He will remain here until next Tuesday when he will report at a military rest camp in Miami, Florida. Named Junior Grade Lieutenant In Navy Wood row Luginbuhl, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. I. Luginbuhl south of Bluffton, who has been in naval training at Great Lakes, Ill., since last April has been commissioned a lieutenant (j. g.) and will be as signed for further training at a college to be designated soon. had previously starred on the grid iron for Lima South High school. When he was shot down over Europe, Lt. Workman was on his 40th mission as a bombardier on a B-24 Liberator bomber, serving with the 15th Air force in Italy. The information that he was a prisoner of the Germans was relayed to his family thru the International Ret^ Cross. NICKEL PLATE TO LAY NEW TRACK SOUTH OF TOWN Work Crew of 150 Mexicans Will Be Quartered Here For Three Months All Track Between Bluffton And Beaverdam Will Be Replaced New track will be laid on the Nickel Plate railroad between Bluff ton and Beaverdam this summer, with the work scheduled to start sometime newt week. A crew of 150 Mexicans will be brought here for the project, and their quarters will be in railroad cars on a siding in Bluffton. Local railroad men estimated that 25 cars will be used to house the laborers, and it is expected that they will be in Bluffton about three months. Laying of new track from Bluffton to Beaverdam, a distance of nearly six miles, will be the largest rail replacement project undertaken by the Nickel Plate in the last 11 years. The last previous work in this area was the laying of two miles of new track north of Bluffton toward Mt. Cory, two years ago. In view of the present scarcity of steel, the railroad company had to agree to return old rails to govern ment agencies in exchange for the new rails allotted for the project. Mexicans who will comprise the work crew quartered here must pass rigid U. S. government physical examinations before being permitted to be employed it was stated. General Commends Hero Who Gave Life Mr. and Mrs. Ira Wilkins, of near Rawson, former Bluffton residents, have received a letter from Major General Robert S. Beightler, com manding general of the 37th infant try division, expressing regret for the death of their son, Pvt. Francis Wilkins, who was killed in the bat tle of Munda in the Southwest Pa cific August 4, 1943. General Beightler’s letter reads: “Please permit me to extend deep and heartfelt sympthy for the great loss you have suffered through the death of your son, Pvt. Francis R. Wilkins, who was killed in action against the enemy. I sincerely re gret I have been unable to write and convey my condolences at an earlier date, but War Department policy forbade this for reasons of security. “I realize nothing can compensate for the great sorrow thus brought to you, but I am sure you will be comforted by the knowledge your son gave his life in the service of his country. He was an excellent soldier, highly regarded by his su perior officers, and one whom we were proud to have as a member of this division. His courage and devo tion to duty contributed much to the success of this unit in the fight against the enemy. “We of the 37th Division who are privileged to remain and fight on will find lasting inspiration in the heroic example of unselfish courage shown by your son.” Births The following births at Bluffton hospital: Mr. and Mrs. William Herr of near Bluffton, a son, Monday. Mr. and Mrs. Merritt Schaller of Jenera, a daughter, Tuesday. Mr. and Mrs. Woodrow Steiner, of Findlay, a son, Tuesday. A daughter, Elaine Ann, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Harold Stevens of Sandusky at the Good Samaritan hospital in that city, Monday. Mrs. Stevens is the former Mae Belle Amstutz, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Otto Amstutz south of Bluffton. BUT NUMBER 15 SON OF FORMER BLUFFTON WOMAN KILLED IN ACTION Sgt. Charles Smiley Lost When Fortress is Shot Down In North Sea All But Two Members of Crew Rescued After Being Adrift For 12 Hours Sgt. Charles Smiley, son of Dr. and Mrs. R. S. Smiley, of Tiffin, was killed in action last April 22, when the Flying Fortress on which he was a waist gunner was shot down in the North Sea. His mother is the former Louise Heighway of this place, and he was a grandson of L. M. Heighway, of north of town. Sgt. Joseph Roderick, of Evans ville, Ind., the other waist gunner, also was killed, but the surviving eight members of the crew were rescued by a British W’alrus sea plane after drifting and bailing for 12 hours on two liferafts in heavy seas. Floats 30 Seconds The big bomber was shot down when returning from a flight over Europe, and it sank in 30 seconds after hitting the water. Only one life raft could be inflated before the airplane disappeared beneath the waves, and it was three hours be fore other crewmen, treading water, succeeded in blowing up the other raft by lung power. In their 12 chilled hours adrift they watched an armada of Fort resses pass overhead, and finally at dusk they were sighted by two RAP fliers in the Walrus. Just as the eight Americans had been jammed aboard, a German Ju 88 came nosing in and started to circle the rescue plane, but two British fighter planes drove it away. Capt. Perry L. Huise, of Urbana, III., was pilot of the ill-fated fortress on the mission in which Sgt. Smiley lost his life. Gets Commission In Naval Reserve Joseph Ignat, Bluffton college graduate, now an executive of the U. S. Automatic corporation at Am herst, Ohio, has reported for active duty w’ith the Navy where he has received a commission as Lieuten ant (j. g.), in the Naval Reserve. His wife, the former Mary Nord, also a Bluffton college graduate will take over some of her husband’s duties in the Amherst plant of w’hich her father is the head. The Ignat family reside in nearby Oberlin. Real Estate Deals Rolland Koontz has purchased the property on Mound street w'here he resides, from Mrs. Maude Coon of Detroit. New Telephone Directory Friday A new’ directory now being print ed for the Bluffton Telephone com pany w’ill be distributed to patrons on Friday, it is announced by Eli Deppler, local manager of the com pany. With The Sick Noah Basinger, furniture dealer, is convalescing at Bluffton hospital following an operation for gallstones, Friday. Richard Mumma, theological stu dent, formerly of Bluffton, who is now filling a pulpit at Harrisburg, Ill., underwent an operation for ap pendicitis at that place Monday. Loretta Mae, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Nonnamaker underwent an operation for the removal of ton sils at Bluffton hospital, Friday morning. She was removed to her home on South Jackson street, Sat urday. Mrs. Dora Montgomery of Orange township who has been a medical patient at Bluffton hospital is im proving. Elmer Diller of the Bluffton Mill ing company is bedfast at his home on Spring street as the result of in juries and complications when he was struck by a ladder which he ws attempting to remove from a tree at his home last Thursday. Miss Lydia Winkler w’ho under went an operation for gallstones at Bluffton hospital last Thursday is convalescing. Gust Basinger is a patient at the Memorial hospital at Lima since Sunday for treatment and observa tion. He was very sick for a few days.