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VWITBB ■TATS* VOLUME NO. LXX CROWD OF 3,000 HERE FOR FOURTH OF JULY RODEO Horses and Riders Numbering 180 on Harmon Field, Wednesday Night Aerial Circus Adds to Attrac tions Many Are Here From Distance Harmon field was thronged Wed nesday night with a crowd estimat ed at 3,000 for Bluffton’s second Fourth of July rodeo, headline sport event of the summer season. One hundred and eighty horses and riders participated in the grand entry parade which opened the even ing’s program and 100 participated in the various competitive events. Officials of the two sponsoring organizations, the Bluffton Sports men’s club and the Bluffton Saddle Horse club said there were 1,768 paid admissions in addition to free admissions for contestants, service men in uniform, children and mount ed horsemen. Besides this number, hundreds viewed the exhibition from automobiles parked near the field. Field Brilliantly Lighted Harmon field was brilliantly il luminated by electric flood lights and the big crowd applauded dis plays of skillful horsemanship until midnight. The stadium, packed long before the opening hour was the focal point for the evening’s attractions with the Rawson band furnishing music and the public address system broad casting announcements of events and winners. Overflow crowds of spectators un able to gain admission to the stad ium surrounded the football field fenced off for the events. Some brought camp chairs and’ blankets while others standing, sought points of vantage to gain an unobstructed view of the field. Ideal Weather Conditions The fact that Bluffton was one of the few places having a Fourth ot July celebration this year, together with a delightfully cool evening did much to swell the attendance. Horsemen and rodeo enthusiasts thruout Northwestern Ohio wer« here as well as the usual Fourth of July holiday crowd seeking diversion .and entertainment for what to many may be their only opportunity for vacation'this summer. That the affair would attract a large number of rodeo contestants became evident Tuesday when horse men' began arriving early in order io put their mounts thru preliminary paces and warm up on Hannon field. Approaches Jammed Streets leading to the field were jammed with parked cars on both sides of the thorofares. Notwith standing the big crowd and traffic congestion there were no accidents reported. An added attraction for the show was the aerial circus with two planes stunting. The planes were flown by Clayton Bixel of Bluffton, operator of a flying service here and Harold Carey of Lima, army primary flight instructor. Bixel’s plane was a 65 horse power Taylor craft while that flown by Carey was a 50 horsepower Piper •cub. Events were judged by Gene Franks of Van Buren, expert horse man and experienced rodeo man. Don Boyd of Findlay was announcer. Prize Winners Winners in the various events were: Grand entry’ parade—1st, $5, Col. Leon Robinson, Dunkirk 2nd, $4, Mary Jane Gustin, Bowling Green .3rd, $3, Roy Neil, Findlay 4th, ribbon, Pauline Oats, Dunkirk. Brone riding—1st, $10, Garland Gunn, Ada 2nd, $6, Ralph Motter, Ada. Ladies pleasure horse—1st, $12, Laverne Neyons, Toledo 2nd, $7, Louise Kleinhenz, McComb 3rd, $4, Pauline Oats, Dunkirk 4th, $2 Wanda Breda, Lima. Boys & Girls musical keg—1st, ^6, Margaret Curry, Bowling Green 2nd, $5, Russell Moore, Ada 3rd, $4, Jack Shindler, Col. Grove 4th rib-, bon, James Lewis, Bluffton. Men’s musical keg—1st, $6, Wm. Alstetter, Cairo 2nd, $5, James Lewis, Bluffton 3rd, $4, James Rainey, Rawson 4th, ribbon, Roger Murray, Ada. Steer riding—1st, $8, Wm. Spring er, Lima 2nd, $5, Glenn Andrews, Bluffton 3rd, ribbon, Rolland Ney -ons, Toledo 4th ribbon, Thos. Surles, Wapakoneta. Women’s musical keg—1st, $6, Louise Kleinhenz, McComb 2nd, $5, Jean Dukes, Pandora, 3rd, $4, Ruth (Continued on page S) Emanuel Boutwell Coming From Pacific S. Sgt. Emanuel Boutwell is en route home after nearly three and one-half years service in the Pacific war theatre, it was learned by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Bout well of Orange township the first of the week. Sgt. Boutwell was re cently stationed in the Philippines. NDUSTRIES AND STORES CLOSE FOR WEEK'S VACATION Triplett Plants Closed For Week And Business Places Curtail Operations Here Vacation Collaboration Plan Is Followed Here For Second Consecutive Year For the second successive year, the first week in July is being ob served as a general vacation period for most of those in Bluffton’s war pushed industries and business places who plan to take time off from work this summer. Success of the wartime collabora tion plan inaugurated last year is seen in the fact that it is being repeater this summer on an equally broad scale which finds industry and business generally almost at a stand still this week. To make it official vacation week for the town, all plants of The Triplett Electrical Instrument Co. are closed, and several retail stores, restaurants, beauty shops, the Star theatre, etc., have followed suit. Others have curtailed operations and probably never before in history have so many Bluffton persons been on vacations at the same time. All Triplett employes are taking their vacation at the same time to insure uninterrupted war production for the steady grind ahead, and local business men saw the advis ability of following suit at a time when many war workers would be out of town. Quite a number, however are spending vacations at home, because of crowded travel on trains find buses, and those who left town found reservations hard to get. Some relaxation in gasoline ra tioning, however, whereby A stamps have been made good for six gallons of gasoline instead of four made short pleasure trips pssible for many of those who remained at home. To Teach In Michigan State College In Fall Orden Smucker, former Bluffton High school teacher, has resigned his position as instructor in sociology at Stephens college, Columbia, Mo., to accept an appointment as assistant professor of social science at Michi gan State College in Lansing. Smucker will teach in the recently reorganized division of the university known as the Basic college, which at tempts to break down traditional subject matter lines. Michigan State was the first land grant college in United States and has a present en rollment of about 7,000 students and 650 faculty. Mr. and Mrs. Smucker and family will move to Lansing in September at the close of the summer term at Ohio State university where he is now teaching. Myron Vandemark Wounded In Pacific Myron Vandemark, son of Mr. and Mrs. E. A. Vandemark, of Ada, and a brother of Mrs. Willard Frank hauser, of South Jackson street, was wounded in action on June 7, in the Pacific war theatre. In a letter to his parents, Vande mark reported that he received eight wounds from an exploding Japanese grenade. He was wounded in the Philippines and is in a hospital there. Vandemark went into the service on Jan. 21, 1941, and went overseas with the 37th division on May 26, 1942. He is in the infantry. Real Estate Deals i Mrs. Edna Badertscher has sold her residence at Grove and West Kibler streets to Samuel Weagly of Rushmore in a deal closed the first of the week. Possession will be given next month. The deal was handled by Mrs. H. W. Althaus. Edgar Cdnaway has purchased the property of Byron Anderson at West Elm and Spring streets. Anderson was recently called for Army service. The property is occupied by E. J. Wahlie, Bluffton hatcheryman. BIXEL MOTOR CO. BUILDING NOW FOR POST-WAR PERIOD Excavation For New Addition to Present Building Will Start This Week Wing at Rear of Cherry Street Building Will Double Space Used In Business Bluffton’s first business expansion program In preparation for the post war period will be launched here this w’eek, with the start of excava tion for the construction of a cement block addiion that will nearly double the present space of the Bixel Motor Sales building on Cherry street. Plans call for completion of the “L” addition at the rear of the present structure before the close of this summer, it was announced by Clayton Bixel, head of the business. The building w’ill be of cement block and steel construction. After its completion, the new ad dition will be used as an automobile repair shop, Bixel said. Space in the present building now serving as a repair shop will be converted into a display room for new automobiles and household electrical appliances. Thieves Busy Here On Monday Night Thieves Monday night made off with a cash register after breaking into the Hi-Speed filling station on North Main street, attempted to force a door at the Bluffton Milling Co. plant, broke into the watchman’s shanty at the Cherry street crossing of the Nickel Plate railroad and ransacked several cars parked over night in the business section. Theft of the cash register from the Hi-Speed station was discovered by Dick Habegger, proprietor, when he opened for business Tuesday morning. He said the register con tained only a small amount of change, and that there w’ere no gas oline ration coupons in it. Tires and auto accessories in the station were not touched and the cash register was the only item miss ing. Entrance to the station was ob tained by breaking a glass panel in the front door. On the same night, an unsuccess ful attempt was made to force a rear door at the main plant building of the Bluffton Milling Co. Red flares were taken from the watchman’s shanty, adjacent to the mill, which was broken into some time during the night. Several cars parked all night on I the street in the business section I were ransacked, but nothing was re ported taken. Authorities believe gasoline ration stamps were sought in the cars. Investigation of* the wave of de predations on Tuesday led to the belief that the work was that of juveniles. Attend Funeral Of Grandmother Mr. and Mrs. Kermit Kibele and duaghter and Mrs. Paul Geiser and son attended funeral services of Mrs. Kibele’s grandmother, Mrs. Louise Geiser, 92, at Orrville, Friday. Mrs. Geiser died last Wednsday at her home in that city follow’ing a ten days’ illness after sustaining a frac tured hip in a fall. She is survived by 102 descend ents: eight sons, four daughters, 40 grandchildren and 50 great grand children. Harvey L. Moser At Great Lakes Harvey Laern Moser, Jr., 18, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Moser, Rural Route 2, Bluffton, is receiving his initial Naval indoctrination at the U. S. Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois. His recruit training consists of in struction in seamanship, military drill, and general Naval procedure. Cpl. Donavin Moser Home From Germany Cpl. Donavin Moser, son of Mr. and Mrs. Warren Moser, of near Bluffton, has returned from Germany and is at the home of his parents for a 30-day furlough. He w’ill then go to Ft. Bragg, N. C., for re-assignment. Cpl. Moser is a graduate of Bluffton High school, and formerly was employed by The Triplett Electrical Instrument Co. A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY ______ __ ___________________________ ____ Bluffton motorists who did not have the new 1945 federal auto use tax stamps displayed on their cars Mon day, the second day when they were required, found that Uncle Sam is losing no time in enforcing observ ance of the law. Cars parked on Bluffton streets thruout the day were checked by representatives of the internal reve nue collection office, and whenever stamps were not displayed on the windshield a summons was issued for QUOTA OF 17 MEN IN ALLEN COUNTY JULY DRAFT CALL Number Of Men To Be Inducted This Month Less Than In June Call No Selectees Will Be Taken From Bluffton Three From Columbus Giove No Bluffton men are included in the July induction call of Allen Coun ty Draft Board No. 3, which will take 17 men for the armed services this month. Three registrant* from Columbus Grove and one from Lafayette, how ever, have been notified to report in the call, w’hich is considerably lighter than in June when 26 men were in ducted. The complete list of inductees is: Columbus Grove—- Harold James Crawfis, John V. Bucher and Donald E. Barber. Lafayette—Robert Lee Hentzee. Lima—John W. Kesner, Jr., James A. Leffler, Jack T. Gannon, Lloyd E. Early, Ronald W. Flanigan and Miles V. Whitling, Jr. Spencerville—Karl A. Krendl, Dan ield Gaberdiel, Jr. Cridersville—Russel A. Musser. Van Wert—Kenneth P. Schwinnen. Elwood City, Pa.—George Shallen berger. Canned Fruit, Meat Stolen From Home Tw’o dozen cans of fruit and home canned meat were stolen from the residence of Mrs. Russell Schaublin, who lives two and one-half miles north of Bluffton on the Dan Bad ertscher farm, while she wras on a two-weeks’ visit with' her husband in an Army Camp at Madison, Ala. When Mrs. Schaublin returned last Thursday she found the rear door of her home unlocked, and the next day she discovered the loss of the canned food. Taken from the basement were 12 cans of sweet cherries, besides 12 cans of pineapple and of home-can ned meat. A window in the base ment had been covered, apparently to keep a light from showing, indicating that the theft may have taken place at night. On the trip to Alabama, Mrs. Schaublin was accompanied by Mrs. Francis Moser, of Bluffton Given Discharge From Coast Guard Kenneth Gable S 1/c, formerly of Bluffton stationed at Essexville, Mich., in the Coast Guard has re ceived his honorable discharge after three years’ service, it was an nounced the first of the week. He and his wife will reside at nearby Bay City, Mich., for the present. i 5, 1945 Use Tax Stamp Violators Receive Summons In Checkup Here Monday Richard Wenger Writes Of Horrors Of German Concentration Camp the driver to appear before Isaac Judkins, deputy internal revenue col lector, at the Bluffton post office, this Thursday. Judkins said that another check of cars may be made here later, and that motorists found delinquent in showing the stamps on their vehicles will be subject to penalties of the law. The 1945 use tax stamp is required after July 1 on all motor vehicles. Cost is $5 and the stamp will be good until next July 1. Conditions Just As Bad As Newspaper Accounts, Letter From Overseas States Bluffton Man’s Unit Liberates English Soldiers Held By Nazis Five Years A description of the horrors of a German prison camp in Austria was in a letter received recently by Mr. and Mrs. F. E. Wenger, of this place, from their eldest son, Richard, who is with the Third Cavalry group in Europe. His letter reads in part: “I saw something the other day that made me realize just w’hat we have been fighting. You’ve probably read about and seen pictures of the big concentration camps like Dachau, Buchenwald, etc. “Well, I didn’t see either of those places but I saw a camp that would match either of them in horror. Every w’ord that was ever written about those places is the God’s truth. “It’s just impossible to describe all the horror that was in that camp. Men dying every day and most of the living more dead than alive. Full-grown men with legs about as big as my wrist dead bodies stacked like cordwood, waiting to be burned in the crematorium. “Men drinking and washing in the same pools of dirty water. Some men almost naked, and all incredib ly filthy. And the smell of the camp and the filth was enough to make a buzzard sick. “The things that ran the camp weren’t human. They were just dow’nright beasts. I’m only sorry that there still is a German living. It’s not only the Nazi officials who were to blame, but every man, woman and child in Germany. I hope to see them all suffer for what they have done. “One bright spot of that particular day, hvwgver, was the fact that the outfit I am in charge of liberated quite a few English soldiers, some of whom had been captured at Dun kirk, Calais and other places nearly five years ago. They certainly were glad to see us. When we brought them in that night, I felt more like a man than at any time I can remember.” The Third Cavalry Group, to w’hich the Bluffton man is attached, is the United States oldest cavalry unit, and in Austria recently ob served its 99th anniversary. It was the Third Cavalry which garrisoned the frontier posts of the early West and covered itself with glory in the Mexican Civil and Spanish-American wars and the Philippine insurrection. Attend Youth Camp Marlene and Kay Berry and Nancy Frankhauser are attending a “Chris tian Adventure Camp” at Sabina this week. More than 100 intermediate age young people of Methodist churches of Lima and Springfield dis tricts are meeting there this year. New Postal Regulation Affecting Overseas Service Men in Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard Effective July 1, a new jyostal regulation provides that there shall be no new newspaper subscriptions or renewals of present subscriptions to men serving overseas in the Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard except by written request of the addressee- Persons sending the Bluffton News to men in care of the Fleet Post Office via New York or San Francisco must supply to this office a written request from the service man. Without this request it will be necessary to dis continue the present subscription at the expiration date until a request is obtained. In oraer to avoid this delay, persons sending the Bluffton News to men in these services should obtain from them written requests for continuance of the paper before the ex piration of the present subscriptions. A. Richard Caris To Be Here Soon Lt. (j. g.) Richard Caris of the Navy landed in Jacksonville, Florida, Wednesday after 15 months sea duty in the Atlantic. He has been grant ed a 30 days’ leave and will be here soon, it was learned by his wife the former Betty Triplett of South Main street in a telephone conversation w’ith her husband, Wednesday night. SGT. GERALD CARIS ARMY AIR GUNNER KILLED IN ACTION Wife Notified Saturday That His Death Occurred March 8, 1944, Over Germany Death Not Confirmed Until Fel low Crewmen Were Freed From Germans Staff Sgt. Gerald R. Caris, 21, of Orange township, who had been reported missing in air action over Europe since March 8 of last year, was killed when his plane was shot down in Germany, the War Depart ment notified his wife, the former Veldean Moser, beauty shop opera tor, last Saturday. Sgt. Caris was the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Caris, of Orange township. His mother is employed in war work at The Triplett Elec trical Instrument Co. His death was not established until after nine men who had been in the Flying Fortress with him on the fatal flight were liberated from a German prison camp in the closing week of the war. The other members of the crew parachuted from the plane and were taken prisoner by the Germans, but Caris was killed by enemy fire which knocked the huge airship out of action. His wife received the Air Medal and two Oak Leaf clusters awarded to him last October at Baer field, Ft. Wayne. Sgt. Caris was a gunner on the bomber, and was reported missing on his 18th mission after going over seas in December, 1943. He enlisted in the army air force on Oct. 26, 1942. He was a graduate of Ada High school. Will Enter Dairy Business At Bryan Carey Steiner of Columbus, form erly of Bluffton, has purchased a dairy at Bryan and will take pos session this month. Steiner who has been connected with a large Columbus dairy for sev eral years resigned his position there to take over his new business. Mr. and Mrs. Steiner and family are spending several days with their parents, E. P. Steiner of near Bluff ton and Mr. and Mrs. Wm. William son of Benton Ridge. They expect to move to Bryan next week. Sgt. Ralph Augsburger Gets Army Discharge Staff Sgt.Ralph E. Augsburger, of 112% S. Main street, received his honorable discharge from the Army under the point system at Camp At terbury, Ind., last Friday. A former employe of The Triplett Electrical Instrument Co, Sgt. Augs burger has been in the South Pa cific w’ith the famous 37th Division since it first w’ent overseas. Births The following births at Bluffton hospital: Mr. and Mrs. Dexter Cross, Ada, a girl, Janet Louise, Monday. Mr. and Mis. Kermit Boehm, Raw son, a boy, John Gerhart, Monday. Mr. and Mrs. Francis McCrate, Prospect, a boy, James Timothy, Tuesday. Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Burkholder, Lima, a boy, Wednesday. A son, James Franklin, Jr., was born Sunday to Lt. and Mrs JMmes F. Miller at the Wooster (Ohio) hospital. Lt. Miller, of the U. S. Coast Guard is now at sea. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mil ler of South Main street and the mother is the former Esther Ram seyer of Smithville. A son, William Patrick Madden was born to Capt. and Mrs. Franklin Madden, June 10 at Rome Army Air Field Station hospital, Rome, N. Y. Mrs. Madden is the former Besse Patrick, daughter of Mrs. Med Mur ray of North J.ackson street. NUMBER 11 NO KNEE-HIGH CORN OR CUT WHEAT ON FOURTH OF JULY Rule-Of-Thumb Method Ta Gauge Prospects Out Of Picture This Summer Com Makes Excellent Progress After Slow Start Wheat Prospects Bright Farm crops are behind schedule this summer, according to two ru!e-of thumb standards for measuring nor mal progress by Independence day. Corn which according to tradition should be “knee-high by the Fourth of July” is short of the mark. Also the Fourth of July and wheat har vest which are invariably associated missed connections this year. Little if any wheat will be cut before the end of this week. Thunderstorms accompanied y high winds have blown down con siderable areas of standing w-heat and with the crop growing tall and rank this year will add complications to harvest. Outlook Brightens Both crops are late this summer, but prospects on the whole are good, for a bumper wheat harvest is ex pected and a discouraging outlook for com has decidedly improved over the last tw’o weeks. Corn had been the backward child of the farm crop family this year, and plagued by late planting, cold weather and heavy rains, the crop outlook had been very poor. Fearing a poor yield, farmers have been carefully husbanding the re mainder of last year’s corn supply awaiting a clarification of develop ments of this year’s crop. Improved prospects of the last week, however, indicate that with favorable growing W’eather the crop should overcome its early handicap. Cultivation Under Way Fair weather last of June termin ated nearly two weeks of continual i rainfall, and the warm weather and sunshine which followed have “perk ed up” the crop prospects. Cultiva tion is well under way, and corn is growing fast thruout the area. Altho the crop did not reach knee high stage by the Fourth of July, a rough rule of the thumb method of measuring normal growth, com is making excellent growing progress and the early handicap may be over come, The wheat crop which normally being harvested by the Fourth, ia standing fence high and is rapidly “turning” ripe. Heads are w-ell filled and there is every’ prospect for a bumper crop. Dr. Luke Steiner Heads Oberlin DepL Dr. Luke Steiner, native of the Bluffton area, has been named head of the Oberlin college department of chemistry in w’hich he has served as an instructor for several years. His new duties became effective on July 1. Dr. Steiner is the son of the late Rev. Menno Steiner and the family lived five miles northwest of Bluffton. Mrs. Chris Bixel, of South Main street, is an aunt and Attorney R. S. Steiner, of Lima, is an uncle. An other uncle was the late Dr. J. S. Steiner, of this place. Stager Brothers Are Home From Overseas Cpl. William Stager, w’ho served two years with the Eighth Army air force stationed in England, arrived the first of this week on a 4()-days furlough to visit his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Stager of North Main street. Cpl. Stager’s brother, Sgt Arthur Stager, who had been in the service four years, one of which was in the southwest Pacific, has received a medical discharge. For the present Sgt. Stager and his wife and daughter will make their home with Mrs. Stager’s par ents, Mr and Mrs. William Maurer in Findlay. Presbyterian Youth Group Meets Here Young people numbering 130 from Presbyterian churches in Northwest ern Ohio are holding a conference on the Bluffton college campus this week. The week’s program includes classes and discussion groups in the morning with recreational activities in the afternoon. Those from the Bluffton church in attendance are: Marilyn Fett, Elea nor Linden, Malcolm Basinger, David Frick and Robert Stalder.