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BUY VNITBB «TATM WW NDC STAMM .J VOLUME NO. LXIX BLUFFTON SOLDIER REPORTED MISSING IS WAR PRISONER Pvt. James StonehiU Is Held German Prisoner After Cap ture in Belgium BULLETIN Pfc. Ned Schultz, 20, son of Mr. and Mr®. Theo. Schultz of Kibler street is a prisoner of was in Germany, it was learned by his parents Wednes day afternoon. He was reported as missing in action December 16. Pvt. James Stonehill, son of Mr. and Mrs. Swan Stonehill, of East Elm street, reported missing in ac tion on the German front on Decem ber 17, is in a prison camp in Ger many, his parents learned Sunday. Notification that Pvt. Stonehill was a prisoner of the Germans first came in a telegram from the War Depart ment, which had been advised of that fact by the International Red Cross. On Tuesday, his parents received a card written by him on January 16 in the prison camp. He told them that he was alive and well in an undisclosed location. Pvt. Stonehill was inducted into the Army on January 8 of last year, and in October was sent overseas. He was graduated from Bluffton High school in the class of 1943. His parents were notified on Jan uary 17 that he had been missing in action since Dec. 17, dating back to the time of the German breakthru in Belgium Pvt. Stonehill is the second Bluff ton youth to be taken prisoner of war recently. Last week Mr. and Mrs. Levi Althaus west of Bluffton were notified that their son Pfc. Ralph Althaus was in a German prison camp. Observe Golden Wedding Sunday Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Amstutz of North Main street will observe their Golden wedding anniversary Sun day. A basket dinner will be held at noon for the near relatives fol lowed by open house from 2 to a o’clock in the afternoon at the Noah Basinger home on South Lawn ave nue. Mr. Amstutz, 79 and his wife, 77, are pioneer Bluffton residents. They were married March 27, 1895. Their seven children are: Harry Amstutz, Pueblo, Colorado, and Ray mond Amstutz at home Mrs. Estella Mahrenholz, Seattle, Wash. Mrs. Pauline Hitz and Mrs. Edith Schaff ter, Chicago Mrs. Helen Robinson, Cleveland and Mrs. Josephine Main of Ada. They also have 10 grand children and one great grandchild. Francis Schumacher Wounded In Germany Cpl. Francis Schumacher, son of Mr. and Mrs. Eli Schumacher, of west of Bluffton, suffered a head wound on the Western battlefront in •Germany on March 11, according to word received Tuesday afternoon by his wife, the former Florence Ver hoff of Kalida. The telegram from the War De partment did not disclose the ex tent of his injuries nor the circum stances under which they were re ceived. He is in a hospital in France. Schumacher who has been over seas about one year is with an ar mored reconaissance group of the Ninth Armored Division, which cap tured the Remagen bridgehead on the Rhine. He was graduated from Pandora High school, and is a brother of Mrs. Robert Benroth, of South Main street, and Mrs. Milton Reichenbach and Mrs. Denver Zimmerly, of near Bluffton. Council To Aid In Harmon Field Upkeep A grant of $150 to be used in the upkeep and maintenance of Harmon field, Bluffton’s summer recreation center, was made Monday night by the town council. This sum will be turned over to the board of education which holds title to the field. The board at its meeting last week authorized an ex penditure of $300 to pay for the services of a caretaker this sum mer. Graduates From Navy Air Technical School Cpl. Wilhelm Amstutz, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Amstutz north west of Bluffton was graduated last week from the Naval Air Technical school at Corpus Christi, Texas, ac cording to word received here. He has since been transferred to the Naval base at San Diego, Calif. Overseas Veteran Home On Furlough Cpl. Harold Andrews who has been in the European war area for the past 15 months is spending a 28 day convalescent furlough at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Andrew's south of Bluffton. He arrived here Monday. At the termination of his furlough he will take further treatment at a military hospital in Colorado. He w’as previously hospitalized for a month in England. Cpl. Andrew’s has tw*o brothers overseas, Cpl. Frederick Andrews in France and Pvt. Robert Andrew's in Germany. EGGS FOR EASTER PLENTIFUL HERE AND PRICE IS RIGHT Situation in Contrast to 1944 When Oversupply Flooded Local Market Eggs Bring 39 Cents Dozen in Stores This Spring 29c Last Year Plenty of eggs will be available for Easter in Bluffton this year, but prices will be 10 cents a dozen high er than in 1944 when an oversupply dropped the market to the lowest level in recent years. Farmers are getting 32 cents a dozen for quality eggs this year and the retail price is 39 cents, in con trast to the situation w'hich, prevail ed last spring when the producer received 22 cents and stores were selling eggs for 29 cents. Demand is especially good at present because of the usual Easter upswing and demand for hatching eggs, but warmer weather of the last week has helped increase the supply and no shortage, is anticipat ed. Prices thru the Easter season are expected to remain steady, with little fluctuation in either direction. This year’s market price is about the same as that of two seasons ago when the retail price w’as 40 cents a dozen, and is in marked contrast to the situation prevailing in 1932 at the depth of the depression when farmers received nine cents a dozen for eggs. Low Price In 1944 The market situation at Easter last spring was the worst since depression days for the farmer, for with prevailing high prices for feed a return of 22 cents per dozen net ted the producer no more money than nine cents in 1932. Few’er eggs are being produced this spring than last year when markets w’ere glutted and for several weeks the producer found it impos sible to sell his products. Also, more eggs are being eaten, because of increased stringency of meat ration ing bringing the substitution of eggs as the principal item on many menus. Housewives favor eggs as a meat substitute, for they are a valuable source of proteins, iron and vitamins A, and D. They also lend them selves readily to many forms of cooking skill, and in addition to serving as the principal dish for a meal can be used as tasty touches for other dishes. Hold Union Services Here Thru Holy Week Bluffton Easter Parade This Year Will Be Gayest Since Start Of ar Union services will be held thru Holy week beginning next Sunday, it is announced by the Bluffton Minis terial association. Dr. John Ver steeg, superintendent of Methodist churches in Lima district will speak from Sunday thru Wednesday nights. His addresses will be: Sunday, Methodist church, “Make Up Your Life”. Monday, First Mennonite church, “On Your Own”. Tuesday, St. John’s Reformed church, “Generous to a Fault”. Wednesday, Methodist church, “Pay Day”. On Thursday night a united com munion service will be held at the First Mennonite church. Good Friday services will be held at the Presbyterian church in the afternoon from 12:30 to 3 o’clock. On Easter Sunday the young peo ple’s federation will present a can tata at the sunrise service at St. John’s Reformed church at 6:30 o’clock. On Easter Sunday evening a union adult choir will appear in a pro gram, directed by Mrs. Pearl Mann. All evening services will be held at 8 o’clock. Emphasis in Women’s Clothing on Frivoloty and Color This Spring Heavy Early Buying Depletes Stocks in Women’s Wear ing Apparel Bluffton folks are dressing up for Easter this year in a manner that will make the style parade the gayest and most colorful since the start of war. Warm weather of the past week has added to the Eastern holi day air. Clothing sales have jumped ap proximately 50 per cent since the Easter shopping rush began, and re tail store authcnities are predicting that the amount spent for the spring fashion parade will top the record 1929 figure. Women are buying the more frivo lous items, with emphasis on gay colors and feminity, sales clerks say. Frivolol Hats Hats, more frivolous than usual, are an evidence of the trend. Al most all of them have veils and flow ers, adding to the cost, but with money plentiful few questions are raised about the amount required for the Easter purchase. Local retailers said the first of the week that the problem is not one of attracting customers, but rather ob taining merchandise. Stocks in many lines of wearing apparel are ex hausted, they said, with replacements uncertain, while selections are low in others. With a lot of money in circulation and only a few things to spend it on, the family budget will allow more expenditures in the purchase of Easter clothing this spring. No Budgeting Now In pre-war days, the Easter budget had to be planned in relation to other springtime expeditures, which often included the purchase of a new car. Now automobiles are not avail able, and a plentiful supply of ready cash cannot even go into operating the old family bus because of the rigid driving restrictions imposed by gasoline and tire rationing. Families who in other years might have planned to put their money into a new house count that expenditure out now. New homes cannot be built and many persons don’t want to buy any old type structure, pre ferring to wait until a modern res idence can be constructed. Spending for Easter clothing, however, apparently is coming from money received in current wages and salaries. War bonds are not being cashed to pay for the Easter buying splurge, is evidence- that the serious business of winning and financing the war still remains in the minds of area residents. Opposing Groups Seek Control Of A. C. & Y. Control of one of Bluffton’s rail roads, the Akron, Canton & Youngs town is the prize for which a tense battle was being waged at Akron Wednesday between opposing groups of the road’s stockholders. Upon the outcome will determine whether control of the road will go to a group of Cleveland and eastern financiers or to its management headed by its 41-year-old president, H. B. Stewart, Jr., who has the support of Akron industrialists. The validity of proxies for a re ported 1,500 or fewer shares is ex pected to determine the outcome of the meeting which was in its second day Wednesday. The road was released February 1, 1944 from an eleven year trusteeship and since that time has built up a two and one-half million dollar cash reserve which is a focal point in the battle for control. Bluffton Man In English Hospital Pvt. Omar Welty who was wound ed in France, February 9, has been transferred from a Paris hospital to a hospital in England, according to word received by his wife residing south of Bluffton on the Dixie high way. Pvt. Welty was wounded in the back and ribs. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Sylvanus Welty of this place. Real Estate Deal Mr. and Mrs. Rolland Guider have sold the former Ira Troxel property on Riley street to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Emans. Mrs. Emans and family will occupy the residence. Her husband is now in Naval serv ice. 1 HE BLUFFTON NEWS A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 1945 AIRPORT INTEREST REVIVES AS LINES SEEK AIR ROUTES Two Additional Firms File Ap plications That Would In clude Bluffton Only Municipally Owned Air port Can Qualify for Fed eral Aid Renewed impetus was given to the movement to procure a municipal air port here when tw’O applies.were filed the first of the week with the Civil Aeronautics board in Washing ton for permission to operate airlines in Ohio on a route that would take the planes directly over Bluffton while flying between Lima a- i Find lay. The applications filed this week are the latest additions to a num!.seek ing franchise rights for air routes in this section. According to Clayton Biv has been instrumental in the development of sentiment for an airport here, two of the firms applying for franchise have designated Bluffton as a stop, providing suitable landing facilities were supplied. Other propo- lines, it is believed, would land planes here if there were adequate airport accom modations. Three Groups Seek Franchise Three groups at present are endeav oring to obtain franchises for the op eration of airlines thru this district, and for Bluffton to be listed as one of the regular stops a municipal air port answering Civil Aeronautics Board standards must be ‘established here. Additional incentive flor the town to make a decision soon relative to the airport proposal is the fact that fed eral funds will be availabl for post war airport dvelopment if arrange ments are completed in time. An engineer representing the Civil Aeronautics Board in a survey here last fall indicated that Bluffton can qualify for federal assistance in de veloping an airport if v‘L proper pre liminary steps are taken in securing a site and putting up buildings. C. A. B. requirements are for an air field of at least 80 acres, with a hangar and facilities for stocking gas oline and oil. Title must be held by the municipality to qualify for gov ernment aid. Funds Available With these minimum requirements met, federal funds will be available for draining, field lighting and con structing runways, it was pointed out. Dayton and Western Airlines, of Dayton, was one of the firms filing an application this week to establish an airline thru this area. Terminals would be in Cincinnati and Detroit, with the route going thru Dayton, Lima, Findlay and Toledo. This corporation is owned by three major inter-city bus companies, one of w'hich is the Cincinnati and Lake Erie Transportation Co. which now operates buses thru Bluffton. Tse second application filed by the Ohio Air Express Corp., of Columbus, also wants permission to cover vir tually the same route. The latter firm would use airplanes only, and the former concern plans to use both airplanes and helicopters. In New Locations Don Edie and family have moved from Pandora to the Willard Frank hauser property at the intersection of Route 103 and the county line east of town. Ad. Klapp and family have moved from the Hankish apartments above the Todd grocery to the Cherry street property recently purchased from Mrs. Agnes Warkentin Moore. Mrs. Moore and family have moved to Ottawa. Robert Edinger and family have moved from Arcadia into the Hankish apartment. Eding er is section foreman on the Nickel Plate railroad. Harry Hauenstein and family have moved from the Sam King farm east of Pandora to the John Hall farm west of Pandora. The King farm, owned by Mrs. P. C. Steiner of Pandora will be operated by her son Hayden Steiner, formerly in structor in manual training at Bluff ton high school. Mrs. Eva Kohli is occupying an apartment above the former Helen’s Hat shop in the Mrs. M. M. Kibler building. Will Leave Soon For Coast Guard Service David Anderson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Anderson of Orange township has enlisted in the coast guard and will be called next w’eek to begin training. Spring, cold, damp and chilly, ar rived officially Tuesday night at 6:38 o’clock followed later in the night by a driving rain which effectually re moved all vestiges of warm weather of the past week and sent the ther mometer down to the upper thirties. The cold snap, however, is not un usual for this time of year, weather records indicate. They disclose that in only four years during the last 60 years has it failed to snow in April. Average date of the last killing frost since 1871 is April 22 and the average light frost for the same period is May 14. The average date for the last snow of the season is April 18. “Know-how” Gained in Previous Seasons Seen in Better Plot Management Lessons Learned Will Be Ap plied in Fourth Year of Gardening Victory gardeners, perhaps a little less enthusiastic but far wiser than when they first started wielding rakes and hoes at the outbreak of war, got their gear into shape and began work on their fourth year of wartime gardening during springtime weather of the last week. In their first three years of vic tory gardening Bluffton residents have learned many lessons, most of which are applied now in using their brains to save their backs. One of the most common mistakes in the early days of victory garden ing was in the selection of too large a plot of ground, and only thru ex perience did many amateurs learn that it isn’t the size of the garden as much as the skill of managing it that produces the best results and fills the home vegetable cellar in the fall. Spring Arrives Cold, Damp And Chilly As Warm Spell Vanishes Another lesson learned the hard way by many was the knowledge that it isn’t the bubbling-over zest of early spring, evaporating with the hot days of mid-summer, that gets things done, but rather a carefully mapped plan of work and crop rota tion. Planting early crops that can be harvested in early summer and fol lowed by later maturing vegetables can go far toward eliminating un necessary work, and still produce the same results that a larger plot could give. Three years of gardening have taught many that the duties of their regular jobs do not permit much time for outside activities, and that it is better to tend a small garden well than to plant a plot too large for the time they have to spend on it. Robert Burkholder Gets Honor Rating Victory Gardeners Again At Work Less Enthusiastic But Far Wiser Robert Burkholder, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harvey H. Burkholder, of west of Bluffton, was honored last week by selection as honor man of his company at the U. S. Naval Train ing Center, Sampson, N. Y. The Bluffton youth will complete his boot training this week and is expected home on a furlough the latter part of the week. He graduated from Bluffton High school in the class of 1944, and was a star athlete during his four years in school. Bluffton’s drive to raise $3,000 in the annual Red Cross War Fund campaign was nearing the $2,300 mark this week, according to a re port made by Woodrow Little, chair man of the local solicitation. Reports of 85 of 87 solicitors showed a total of $2,210 raised so far in house-to-house solicitation. An additional $86 is reported by members of the Lions club in the solicitation of business firms, organ izations and industries, with final report from that source expected by the close of the week. Births The following births at Bluffton hospital: Mr. and Mrs. Ray Johnson, Bluff ton, a girl, Rae Ann, this Wednes day. Mr. and Mrs. Brice Henry, Jr., Lima, a boy, Tuesday. Mr. and Mrs. Orlin Wilch, Rawson, a boy, Tuesday. Mr. and Mrs. Cleland Amstutz, Pandora, a girl, Joyce Eileen, Sat urday. Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Elliott, Bluffton, a girl, Joyce Irene, last Wednesday. TOWN.MAY SUPPLY FIRE PROTECTION THRUOT DISTRICT All of Nearby District But Un ion Twp. May Come Under New Arrangement Beaverdam Shows Interest in Contract Richland Town ship Accepts After delivery of Bluffton’s new fire truck-pumper this spring, the municipality may have the respon sibility of providing rural fire pro tection for all of the rural area within an eight-mile radius of here, except for Union township, north of town, Mayor W. A. Howe said fol lowing a meeting of the council, Monday night. Expanding interest in Bluffton’s proposal to add rural fire protection as a regular part of its service was evidenced in appearance at the council meeting of a delegation from the Beaverdam village to inquire into details of the arrangement. Richland township has completed negotiations with the town for fire protection at a flat rate of $250 per year, and Orange township trustees have signified that they are ready to complete arrangements for the service on a similar basis. $125 Annual Fee Cost of fire protection to Beaver dam would be $125 annually, it was explained at Monday’s meeting with O. E. Bowers, president, Carrie Cook a member and Ruth Durkee, clerk, of the Beaverdam council who con ferred here with the Bluffton council. With Richland and Orange town ships and Beaverdam participating in the fire protection setup, Bluffton would receive a total of $625 each year. It was pointed out this would barely cover the outside area’s proportionate share of the cost of operating and maintaining the equip ment in an average year, without contributing to its original purchase price. Red Cross War Fund Drive To Raise $3,000 At $2,296 Mark This Week Confidence that the town’s goal of $3,000 will be reached was expressed by Chairman Little. He is assisted in conducting the drive by Mrs. J. S. Steiner, co-chairman. In past years, the town has charged a nominal flat rate of $25 for every call outside the corpora tion, but inasmuch as there was no agreement for any specific party to be responsible for payment reim bursement for such runs often was not forthcoming. Bluffton’s new fire truck, is scheduled for delivery this spring, will have a 400-gallon booster tank filled with water, which would be available as soon as the equipment arrives at the fire, thereby fitting it for rural fire fighting. Former Bluffton Resident Married Wedding of W. A. (Dean) Hall, former Bluffton resident now living in St. Louis to a widow of that city took place in St. Louis, Sunday, ac cording to word reveived here the first of the week. Hall, who was reared in Bluffton in the early days of the town is 83 and his bride is 58. In France Pfc. Karl Aukerman has arrived with an Army unit in France, ac cording to word received here. He is a brother of Chas. Aukerman, man ager of the A. & P. store. Acal BUY uwmu» NUMBER 48 DEFERMENT GIVEN BLUFFTON MAN IN APPEAL DECISIONS Board’s Classification of Registrants Reversed in Only One Appeal Seven Other Registrants Re main in Class 1-A, Includ ing BlulTton Man Only one of eight appealed 1-A draft classifications rated deferment in appeal decisions announced this W'eek by Allen County Draft Board No. 3, which has jurisdiction over all of rural Allen county, including Bluffton and Richland township. Gerald D. Crawfis, of Bluffton, re ceived the deferment in the only Ap peal Board reversal of the Local Board’s classification, it was an nounced. A classification of 2-A was granted on an appeal by C. F. Niswander, employer of the registrant. Another Bluffton man, Harold Crawfis, was retained in Cl&ss 1-A by the Appeal Board. He had been classified 1-A by the Local Board. Other decisions announced by the board were: Winford Desmond Bell, Spencer ville. ClassiAed in Class 1-A by Local Board. Lima Tank Depot ap pealed. Classification of 1-A upheld by the Board of Appeals. Elmer Isaac Ramga, St. Marya. Classified in Class 1-A by Local Board. The Goodyear Tire & Rub ber Co. appealed. Classification of 1-A upheld by the Knightstown, In diana, Board of Appeals. Frederick Lawrence John, Elida. Classified in Class 1-A by Ixcal Board. W. C. Hansbarger, appealed. Classification of 1-A upheld by the Board of Appeals. Jack Leroy Smith, Dayton, Ohio. Classified in Class 1-A by Local Board. Registrant appealed. Class ification of 1-A upheld by the Board of Appeals. William Albert Roeder, Spencer ville. Classified in Class 1-A by Lo cal Board. Lima Tank Depot ap pealed. ClSxstfflcatfcm of 1-A upheld by the Board of Appeals. This clas sification was appealed to the Presi dent. Presidential classification, 1-A. Bluffton Woman Will Sail Friday For Syria Barbara Joyce Hauenstein will sail Friday from New York for Beirut, Syria, to become a teacher in a girls’ school operated by the foreign mission board of the Presby terian church. Miss Hauenstein, accompanied by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Hauenstein of Campus drive left Sunday evening for New York pre paratory to sailing. She will go direct to Alexandria, Egypt, and from there to Beirut. Her first year abroad will be spent in Jerusalem studying the Arabian language. Altho classes in the school are conducted in English the language of the country is Arabic of which teachers are re quired to acquire a speaking knowl edge. The girls’ school was formerly part of the American University of Beirut, which latter was taken over by the Syrian government several years ago. For the past three years Miss Hauenstein has been an instructor at a southern mountain school operated by the Presbyterian mission board at 1 Sunset Gap, Tennessee. Operetta At High School On Friday An operetta “In Grandmother’s Garden” will be staged by the Bluff ton high school chorus in the audi torium, Friday night at 8 o’clock. A matinee performance also will be given on Thursday afternoon at 1:30 o’clock. The production is staged under di rection of Miss Harriet Brate, in structor in public school music. Principals appearing in the cast are: Jean Ann Steinman, Ray Follas, Helen Burkholder, Malcolm Basinger, Sarah Amstutz, Paul Reichenbach, Joanne Harmon, Jean Ann Burcky, Marilyn Stratton, Jean Burkholder, Marilyn Fett, Joan Burkholder, Mary Bauman, Wanda Tschiegg, Imogene Wenger and Alice Jean Bixel. Women's Shop Here Has New Owner Mrs. Paul Clark has purchased Helen’s Hat Shop, women’s accessory I store on South Main street, it was announced by the former owner, Mrs. I Helen Wells Tuesday. The new I owner has already taken possession.