The Bluffton news. [volume], January 03, 1946, Image 1

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VOLUME NO. LXX
MAYOR DILEMMA
POSES HURDLE FOR
INCOMING COUNCIL
Difficulties In Organizing Next
Monday Night May Hamper
Body
Question of Appointments
Looms Large With Mayor's
Position Unknown
Bluffton went into the New Year
this week with its mayoralty dilema
still unsolved, and with conjecture
pointing to the possibility that reper
cussions could result in municipal ap
pointments being held up, and failure
of the incoming council to organize.
Mayor W. A. Howe so far has made
no statement as to his intentions, and
from his decision as to whether he
will remain in office stem complica
tions that could prevent organization
of the new council and the completion
of municicpal appointments at the
first meeting next Monday night.
No member of the incoming council
has indicated a willingness to accept
presidency of the body should it be
contingent on succeeding to the office
of mayor, as provided by law in case
the chief executive of the municipality
New Council Faces Hurdle
Conceivably this could result in fail
ure of the new council to organize
should Mayor Howe announce a de
cision to resign from office. And un
less the council organizes it cannot of
ficially transact business or its mem
bers take office.
This could mean that the old coun
cil would have to continue serving un
til organization was effected, but the
question of who would be Bluffton’s
mayor would continue unanswered.
should Mayor Howe decide not to con
tinue in office it is unlikely he would
name any appointees.
Continue Until Successor Appears.
Under state law, Mayor Howe must
continue in office until his successor
is duly elected and qualified, and if
he chooses he may remain in the ex
ecutive post until the next election.
His resignation would automatically
advance the president of the council
to the mayoralty.
Municipal appointments are requir
ed by law to be made at the first
meeting of the new municipal govern
ment each year. Posts to be filled
include those of town clock caretaker,
city solicitor, clerk of Maple Grove
cemetery board, service supervisor
(combined in the past with the post of
marshal), assistant street supervisor,
(combined in the past with night po
lice), municipal firemen and fire chief.
Pianist On College
Music Course Jan. 7
Franz Bodfors, brilliant young
pianist, will appear in Ramseyer
chapel at 8 p. m. next Monday as
the second number in the Bluffton
college concert series.
Bodfors has a long series of con
cert successes to his credit, crowned
recently in an appearance at the
Chicago Civic Opera house greeted
by thunderous applause and insist
ent demands for repeated encores.
Bodfors comes from a rich musical
background, both of his parents hav
ing been prominent musicians. At
an early age the concert artist’s re
citals aroused enthusiasm, leading to
his being billed as the “young wiz
ard of the keyboard.”
Critics have marvelled at his
adaptability to widely varied styles
of compositions and his intuition in
to the correct and stimulating ap
proach to them. His concerts give
striking appeal to the masterpieces
of piano literature.
Oyer Trio To Be On
Broadcast Friday
The Oyer Trio with Bettye Jeanne
Lewis, accompanist will be heard in
their weekly broadcast Friday even
ing at 6:15 o’clock from Lima sta
tion WLOK. Last week’s broadcast
was cancelled because of illness.
The following program has been
arranged:
Winter Lullaby, trio Clair de
Lune, piano solo by Bettye Lewis
Fairest Lord Jesus, trio Romance,
Bettye Lewis Auld Lang Syne, trio.
Plenty of milk is in prospect for
1946 to satisfy demands for fluid
milk and cream. Surplus milk dur
ing May and June probably will flood
over into condensaries, but cream
eries may be short of butterfat the
entire year. Estimates on consump
tion of dairy products during 1946
have been revised upward due to a
more optimistic view for employ
ment.
comparison
The pumpki
Local Partnership
Buys City Market
Miss Rhoda Amstutz and Henry
Balmer purchased the City Market
grocery here from its Findlay own
ers in a deal closed the first of the
week. They took possession Wed
nesday morning.
The business will be operated as a
partnership. Miss Amstutz was
formerly local manager in charge of
the store.
Bible Society Man
To Speak Sunday
Rev. Alvin Beeker of Woodburn,
Ind., representing the Northern Bib
le society will speak at the Defense
less Mennonite church Sunday morn
ing at 10- o’clock it is announced by
the pastor, Rev. Stanley Rupp.
1946 LOOKS AT BLUFFTON
(An Editorial)
last 15 years, the
ework originally
or a farming community.
I into th
of the enclosing glass—then all growth stops. Today
Bluffton is in that self-same position hopeful of continued
expansion but with progress throttled by an outmoded
framework.
Perhaps the most pressing municipal obstacle to
progress is the town’s sewer problem, and until it is solved
further growth can be expected only on a limited scale.
Industrialization and disposal of its waste by-products
together with the spectacular growth of the town coming
with the trend toward an industrial center now finds
Bluffton facing a virtual ultimatum demanding an im
mediate solution.
Equally as important is the town’s housing shortage. A
recent estimate that Bluffton needs 50 additional resi
dential properties does not appear overdrawn.
And expansion ot housing means new sub-divisions and
concerted action in getting a full-fledged building program
under way here at the earliest opportunity. A development
of this nature, however, again ties in with the sewer
problem, for without adequate sewage disposal stream con
tamination would only be intensified.
Sewage disposal also is linked inseparably with furth
er industrial expansion. If Bluffton is to attract new in
dustries it must offer satisfactory evidence that it can take
care of industrial wastes—a provision sadly lacking at
present.
In short, Bluffton today is suffering from a bad case
of municipal indigestion which resolves itself to the con
clusion that there is little hope to grow in population or
attract new industrial enterprises until we can take care
of what we already have on our hands.
Expansion of the business section also has failed to
keep pace with the town’s growth in the last 15 years.
Today, establishment of additional business ventures would
be contingent only upon new building construction, and
present facilities are so cramped that no space could be
found for holding of the Mid-Winter fair this season.
More parking areas conveniently located io the business
section also are needed. As the town has grown, more
automobile traffic has resulted, while at the same time
parking areas are growing fewer. What formerly were
parking lots are being transformed into building sites, and
the lack of suitable parking space each year becomes more
critical here.
Neither have recreational facilities kept pace with the
growth of the town, and Bluffton, in common with the
rest of the country, has come in for its share of juvenile
delinquency.
Proposals for recreational centers for youth—which
incidentally never seem to progress beyond the stage of
proposals—to an extent have not represented an adequate
answer to the problem.
Funds in a sizable amount probably could be raised
here for establishment of the required play center, but
larger problems would follow unless the question of organ
ized supervision, types of entertainment, etc., are settled
in advance.
Diverse opinions as to suitable forms of entertainment
could foredoom any venture, and unless a united commun
ity stands back of a workable program that the younger
generation would accept it is futile to attempt to start.
Rejuvenation of Harmon field’s summer recreation pro
gram also is needed, and more funds must be made avail
able for that purpose if a well-rounded activities schedule
is to be set up.
These are the challenges Bluffton must face in 1946,
and in the following years, if the town is to complete the
metamorphosis that industrialization and municipal growth
have started. It is not too difficult a task but sound plan
ning. and, above all else, early and intelligent action are re
quired.
op.
present situation would
:o grow a pumpkin in a
ntil it feels
Holiday Brings $5,000
Gift To College Here
Christmas cheer in a substantial
form to Bluffton college came in the
form of a gift of $5,000 from Mrs.
S. M. Musselman of Biglerville, Pa.,
one of the large benefactors of the
institution.
Announcement of the gift was
made Monday by Dr. L. L. Ramsey
er, president of the college. This is
the second $5,000 gift from Mrs.
Musselman recently, the first having
been given in November.
Mrs. Musselman and her late
husband, founder and head of a
large fruit canning and processing
establishment were donors of the
college’s Musselman library. The
building together with endowment,
represented a gift of more than
$100,000. Besides this they have
contributed substantial sums for
other projects of the college here.
THE BLUFFTON NEWS
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
BLUFFTON, OHIO THU JSDAY, JAN. 3, 1946
COLLEGE SEEKING
HOUSING HR WAR
VETERAN ST IDENTS
Application Made or Govern
ment-Provided Ei ergency
Dwelling-
Tight Housing Situation Here
Leaves No Place For
Married Veterans
Emergency government housing
may be made available at Bluffton
college for married war veterans un
able to find living acc 1 mnodations for
their families while attending school.
Application was mane this week bv
college authorities to participate in
the Lanhan Act authorized by Cong
ress to permit the establishment by
the government of temporary housing
facilities on college campuses for the
benefit of veteran-students.
Under the Lanham Act, sites for
the emergency housing project must
be provided by the college, which also
is made responsible for the construc
tion of walks, installs 1on of utilities,
etc. i
Houses Provided l-overnment
Temporary fainily-uu mses would
be constructed or mcid here by the
government to fill thS need of addi
tional living accommodations if Bluff
ton college’s applicat n for partici
pation in the plan is pproved.
In event governme it approval is
forthcoming the house would be lo
cated on the campus the junction
of College avenue ar College roacL
south of the present otball field
Houses provided ui ^er the 4‘^Tral
program are similar (o those con
structed adjacent to a ly camps and
war industries during ie war, it was
explained. In some ca es houses now
abandoned in these loc- ‘.ions would be
moved to college camri ses.
Housing Situation Critical
Housing for married veterans hop
ing to live with their •"amilies while
attending college is presenting a
critical problem local Pres. L. L.
Ramseyer, of the colit ge, announced
in commenting on the e nergency pro
gram.
One example has ?n that of a
New York veteran v,m had to estab
lish temporary living „quarters in a
part of the America. erior halL af
ter being unable to find any other ac
commodations locally.
Plenty of rooms are available in
the men’s dormitory at the college
for single students, but Bluffton’s
acute housing shortage prevents out
of-town married veterans from hop
ing to establish living quarters here.
Births
The following births at Bluffton
hospital:
Mr. and Mrs. Harold Gratz, Ot
tawa, a boy, Larry Hall, Thursday.
Mr. and Mrs. Louis Burkholder,
Bluffton, a girl, Karen Sue, Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. James Althaus of
Lewisburg, a boy at a Canton hos
pital, December 25. Mr. Althaus, in
Naval service at Great Lakes, Ill.,
is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur
Althaus, formerly of Bluffton.
Cpl. and Mrs. Leland Badertscher,
a boy Roger Keith at Egland Field,
Florida, Sunday. Mrs. Badertscher
is the former Imogene Montgomery
of this place.
For Bluffton folks who have a ood
memory, 1945 will be recalled as a
year of unusual occurrences u wen
as highlights into the warp and woof
of this community’s patiarn of
everyday life.
During the 12 months oddities in
cluded such freakish examples as a
fire breaking out in a gasoline truck
parked at a filling station while
here to deliver motor fuel right in
the midst of the worst gas shortage
in history.
Altho no new automobiles have
been marketed in four years and old
cars are rapidly wearing out, the
number of automobile licenses sold
here increased over the preceding
year for the third successive year.
Leland Diller made the headlines
by twice resigning as clerk of the
board of education within six weeks,
He resigned once, then when his
successor gave up the office, ne
served again for one week until an
other clerk could be found.
Robert Luginbuhl came up with
the prize hunting story. On tne
first day of the season he flushed
two cocks and two hens who went
up together. Luginbuhl shot once
and the two cock birds fell. The
Town May Get Financial Help
I rom Proposed Program To
Combat Pollution
Bluffton's Problem Of S
age Disposal Is Common
One In Country
men of 1
ties with
Possibi
in that I
Toledo engineering firm of Fink
beiner, Pettis and Strout, which draft
ed the engineering details of Bluff­
ton’s proposed sewerage system.
Situation Is General
In a recent conference with local
administrative officials, Finkbeiner
said the sewage disposal problems
that plague Bluffton are common
thruout the country.
As the nation has become increas
ingly industrialized, stream pollution
(Continued on page 8)
Fundal of Steiner
¥\rtdger Wednesday
Apparently the victim of a hear'
attack while he slept, Steiner Geiger,
47, Bluffton native and principal of
the Gi ven Springs schools was found
dead in bed by his wife, Sunday
morning. His death was unexpected
as he had not complained of illness.
Funeral services were held Wed
nesday morning at the Green
Springs Methodist chinch and in
the afternoon at the Bluffton Luth
eran church with Rev. W. H. Nor
man of Green Springs and Rev. W.
L. Harmony of Findlay, pastor of
the Bluffton church officiating. In
terment was made in Maple Groxe
cemetery here.
He was' born* ar?tf
3, 1898 the son of the late Calvin
Geiger and Mrs. Sarah Geiger now
of North Newton, Kansas. He at
tended Bluffton schools and Bluffton
college and was prominently identi
fied with sports, particularly swim
ming and tennis. His wife is the
former Doris Stultz of Bluffton
whom he married September 4,
1923.
For the lasv six ye irs he had
been conne
ools. Previcus
Stream Pollution Elimination May
Replace PA In Federal Sewer Aid
Ult vi I lull
to that
he taught at Rawson.
He was a World War I veteran
and a member of the A merican Le
gion, Lions flub, the Sandusky coun
ty schoolmasters club and the Bluff
ton Luthera i church.
Besides s wife and mother he
is survived by two sjns Steiner
Geiger, Jr., and James Geiger and
two daughters Jane Am and Mary
Sue Geiger, all at home.
Sisters are Mrs. Eva Harshbarger
and Mrs. Winfield Fretz of North
Newton, Kansas, and Mrs. Carl
Nordstrom of Boston. Lieut. Com.
Ivan Geiger of New London, Conn.,
is a brother.
It All Happened in Bluffton During Year 1945
other two, protected by game laws
and providence, went on their way.
Twenty-six Mexicans in straw hats
and summer clothing created a stir
of excitement by walking down Main
street in near-zero weather last
February. They were new arrivals
from Mexico, here to work as rail
road section hands, and they came
unprepared for cold weather.
The weather provided its usual
freakish attributes. An early start
of spring found householders mow
ing the grass on their lawns in early
March then it rained so hard ann
so often farmers got to their com
planting at the latest date in years.
Most unusual coincidence of the
year was when two Detroit auto
mobiles, traveling in the same direc
tion crashed within 15 minutes in
identical accidents and only half a
mile apart at the edge* of town.
Bluffton schools for the first time
in nine years showed an upward
trend of enrollment, with the mark
of 491 the highest since 1936.
Biggest news of the year was the
end of two major wars—with V-E
day falling on May 8, and V-J Day
on August 15. The war’s end by
the close of the year was followed
Hoid Union Prayer
Services Next Week
With The Service Men
Sgt. Norman
and Mrs. Harv
Jackson street
eeived his Army
overseas in the
war
Robe
ant
been
tain,
ippir
He
Japayc
serg?
V
having re
ge. He was
n theatre of
formerly lieuten
medical corps hat
■ank of cap
in the Phil-
ischai^ted
Hood,
with his
QI v :s
luffton
a whe
Mr.
Mt.
the I
discharge
Pvt. Richard Davies who sen
the Pacific war theatre receive
Army discharge at Camp Attei
Ind., and returned Monday to
his wife and family who have
making ”heir home with her pa
’"Mr. ana rfSrtV LI r»
South Main street.
Master Sgt. Aldine Wiess, Jr
of Mr. and Mrs. Aldine Wie
Riley street ret
day after
charge at
ig his Army dis
tterbury, Ind. II
months in the s
sre in the Soutl
Fire Department
Makes Bun To Farm
An overheated flue resulted in
turning in of a fire alarm from the
farm of Louis Criblez southwest of
Bluffton, Thursday morning at 11
o’clock. The department here ans
wered the call but their services
were not needed. No damage was
done.
by termination of all rationing ex
cept that of sugar, and the town
gradually was returning to a pre
war way of living.
Politics took a turn for the worst,
and voters elected a write-in candi
date for mayor In n surprise cam
paign that ended with no one willing
to accept the office.
Postmaster Ed R. Reichenbach
provided the best Good Samaritan
act by staying up all night Christ
mas Eve to help motorists make the
ice-covered grade of a hill in front
of his house, but the American
Legion also qualified for the select
list by turning over part of its
quarters as living accommodations
for a World War II veteran who had
no place to live while attending col
lege.
The year 1945 also will go down
in history as the one in which juven
ile vandalism over a September
weekend so completely wrecked the
interior of the grade school building
that classes had to be suspended for
one day.
For the first time in many years
Bluffton had no traffic fatalities or
accidental deaths during the 12
months period, for a particularly
bright spot in the town’s record.
The visit of
their
number
SNOW
YEAR’S INA
Snow fall New Year’s
lowed by Crisp,
Eve Ft
Old
Weather
Bright Sun New Year Mbrni
is Followed by Snow
Flurries
ice and colder weather re-?
to Bluffton Monday night to
he arrival of the New Year
that started
on gave the
late Mon
town and
a fresh white mantle in
welcome of,-
A bright sun shining Tuesday
morning was followed by intermix
tent flurries of snow in the after-j
noon and altho temperatures were
lower, near the 20 degree mark,
there was no return to the zero as-t
sault of two weeks ago.
Continued Cold Forecast
Continued cold weather is in store®
for the remainder of the week, the
thermometer mercury dropping to#
ten Wednesday morning, according®
to the weatherman.
made treacherous*
•’s Eve snowfall, y
were the usual w
serious accidents k
Highways were
by the New Yea
and altho there
minor mishaps no
were reported.
New Year’s crisp, cold weather®
with a white setting was in marked
contrast to the miserable weather j|
that prevailed on Christmas Eve
Christmas Day when the gamut
ruri
and
was
ice,
tmas Da
n sporadic bursts of rain,
&
lid Farmers In
Income Tax Filing i
she post office
assist farmers
of *estimated
this
the deputy here next
Tuesday is fo
farmers and officials have asked
that only farmers who are required
by law. to file a declaration or their,
final tax return for 1945 on or be
fore January 15 report at that time,
viduals who already have filed
declarations and whose decla
will be with
actual and
determined
e their reg
until March
e not re
until on
3 will be
ivenience
nt
declaration
nt of their
may pay
nt or
final in
March
Real Estate Deals
Paul Emmert who recent! y moved
hei-e with his family from Goshen,
Inc1., las purchased the Emerson
Lugibil 1 property on North Jackson
street. The Emmert family are now
occupying the residence.
Emerson Lugibihl purchased the
Dr. John Blackburn property on
East Elm street and moved in dur
ing the holidays. The deal was
handled by Mrs. H. W. Althaus.
Dr. and Mrs Blackburn recently
moved to Columbus
Howard Edinger of Union town
ship has purchased the Mrs. Anna
Koontz place of 14 acres in Orange
township. He will move in the
spring. The place was formerly oc
cupied by Arthur Nonnamaker who
“is now on the John Nonnamaker
farm in Orange township.
Dwight Deeds of Beaverdam has
purchased the Wayne Lugibihl prop
erty on North Main street
Mr. and Mrs. Don Patterson have
purchased two vacant lots at the
corner of South Lawn avenue and
Kibler street from Dr. Rosella Bied
mann.
Harold Kindle has purchased a
residence property in Mt. Cory and
will occupy the property this month.
Sidney Garau has purchased a
garage building from Mrs. Noah
Basinger of South Lawn avenue and
moved the structure Wednesday to
his lot on Cherry street which he
purchased from the T. A. Kitchen
estate. Garau expects to remodel
the building into a dwelling.