THURSDAY, JAN. 10» 1946
BUY
VM1TM
ITATII
VOLUME NO. LXX
BIG EXPANSION FOR
POWER PLANT HERE
BEGUN BY UTILITY
Central Ohio Light and
Interests Launch
$650,000 Project
New Circuit to Findlay
Completed by Spring
dition to Plant Coming
Work will be started immediately
on lines for the new circuit to Find
lay, and installation of the boiler,
the fourth at the
will be completed
local plant, likely
during 1946.
another turbine
plant cannot get
Installation of
generator at the
under way until new equipment is
available, and the start of that phase
of the expansion project is indefinite.
Build Addition To Plant
Expansion of generating facilities
will require construction of an ad
dition to the local plant, work that
is expected to start this summer.
Building the new addition must
precede installation of the boiler and
turbine, it was explained.
Running a second power circuit to
Findlay is a precautionary measure
to insure uninterrupted service to the
city. Materials are now being
delivered for the start of work, ana
the line will be completed by spring
according to present plans.
A similar second circuit was built
two years ago from the local plant
to St. Marys.
Get Bids on Boiler
Specifications for the new boiler
have been drawn by company
engineers, and Sargeant and Lundy,
of Chicago, now are receiving bids
and letting contracts for the work.
Nothing definite can be obtained
at present on delivery dates for the
turbine generator but those details
will be worked out as soon as the
present situation is remedied.
The Woodcock generating station
at Bluffton was built in 1937, and
was designed so additional units
could be installed as electrical
service provided by the company ex
panded.
John Winkler Dies In
Los Angeles Tuesday
John Winkler, 81, former Bluffton
resiednt, died at his home in Los
Angeles, Calif., Tuesday night at
11:45 o’clock. Death due to pneu
monia followed a three weeks’
ness.
ill-
at
by
Funeral services will be held
Los Angeles, Saturday followed
burial at that place. His son Albert
Winkler of Bluffton left Wednesday
morning to attend the funeral. A
daughter, Miss Lydia Winkler has
been in Los Angeles for the past
month caring for her father.
Mr. Winkler formerly operated a
farm west of Bluffton
erly identified with a
company.
and was form
local telephone
Anna Amstutz
seven
He was married to
to which union* were born
children, five of whom survive. Fol
lowing her death he
Mrs. Nettie Huber
February.
was married to
who died last
sons Albert and
Surviving are two
Harvey of Bluffton and three daugh
ters Mrs. Lona Hoffer of Bluffton
Misses Ida Winkler of Lima and
Lydia of Los Angeles. A brother,
Jacob Winkler of Stanley, Wisconsin,
also survives together with seven
grandchildren and two great grand
children.
Harmon Heads Board
Of Public Affairs
In organization of the Bluffton
Board of Public Affairs for the next
two years, F. J. Harmon, serving his
second term, was named president.
Harry F. Barnes is vice-president,
and A C. Burcky is the other mem
ber. Charles Emans is clerk. Reg
ular meetings of the board are set
for the first Tuesday night of each
month
Fire Truck Makes
Run To Beaverdam
Bluffton’s fire department made a
run to the farm home of W. E. Bar
ber two miles west of Beaverdam,
Friday morning at 9:30 o’clock when
fire originating from a defective flue
caused an estimated $200 damage to
the house.
Murray Resigns
As Night Police
Clayton
Power
police for
signed his
The
be
to
Ad-
A $650,000 expansion program
embracing the installation of a new
boiler and additional generating
equipment at the Central Ohio
Light and Power Company’s Bluffton
plant, and the construction of a
second circuit between Bluffton and
Findlay, was announced this week.
day. The resignation which he
handed to Mayor W. A. Howe, Tues
day night, will probably be sub
mit ted to the town council for ac
ceptance at its next meeting.
No announcement was forthcom
ing Wednesday morning
ray’s successor, however
ed that arrangements
made later in the day
porary appointment, to
cancy.
For some time Murray has been
at odds with the city administration
in connection with the duties of his
office and his resignation followed
action Monday night when he was
appointed by the mayor and confirmed
by the newly-elected council to con
tinue as night police for the month
of January.
CITIZENS BANK
VOTES $25,000
STOCK DIVIDEND
Shareholders Take Action at
Annual Meeting Held Tues
day Night
Institution’s Capital and Sur
plus Increased to $100,000
Each
Shareholders of the Citizens Na
tional Bank at their annual meeting
Tuesday night authorized by unani
mous vote a stock dividend to in
crease capital stock of the financial
institution form $75,000 to $100,000.
Recommended by the board of dir
ectors, the new stock dividend is in
the ratio of one share for every three
shares now outstanding. It is dis
tributed pro-rata to stockholders.
Action taken at the meeting will
result in the increase of 1,200 shares
of outstanding stock to a new total
of 1,600 shares.
To effect the increase in capitaliza
tion, $25,000 of the bank’s undivided
profttsVtrr'be transferred to the capi
tal stock structure.
At the same time an additional sum
of $25,000 will be transferred from
undivided profits to the bank’s sur
plus, increasing it from $75,000 to
$100,000, thereby matching the capi
tal stock.
All members of the board of dir
ectors were re-elected at the meeting,
including C. H. Smith, E. C. Romey,
Edwin Amstutz, Henry Huber, M. M.
Bogart, C. F. Niswander and Adam
Steiner.
The usual cash dividend of $4 a
share was declared on all common
stock.
Current total resources of the Citi
zens Bank are $3,500,000, according
to bank officials.
Last Rites Held
For Sarah Beery
Funeral services were held Monday
afternoon in the Paul Diller chapel
for Miss Sarah Beery, 70, of 314 S.
Jackson street, who died Saturday
morning in Bluffton Community hos
pital. She had been ill for an ex
tended period.
Rev. John Esau officiated at the
last rites and burial was in Zion Men
nonite cemetery.
Miss Beery was born in Perry
county but had lived in Bluffton vir
tually all her life. She was a mem
ber of the Ebenezer Mennonite church.
Surviving are two brothers. David
M., of South Jackson street, and John
H., of Pandora, and a sister, Mrs.
Susan Good, Bluffton.
Car Driver Injured In
Bentley Road Mishap
Two Chinese In Bluffton To Learn
Industrial Methods At Plant Here
Murray, Bluffton night
the past three years re
position effective Wednes­
as to Mur
it was stat
would be
for a tem
fill the va-
of Lafayette
Bluffton Com
a broken col-
60,
Robert Kelly,
Route 1, is in
munity hospital
larbone and one
in an auto accident near the J. C.
Deppler farm on Bentley road at
9:30 o’clock Monday night.
the
with
broken rib suffered
which
struck
farm.
Kelly was driver of the car
went into the ditch when it
a culvert near the Deppler
His auto was headed south, toward
home, when the mishap occurred.
Three other unidentified passeng
ers in the car went to Deppler’s
house for help, and the mishap vic
tim was taken to the hospital in the
Deppler auto.
Cost Accountant and Electrical
Engineer Observe at
Triplett Company
Two Here are Part of Large
Group Sent to U. S. by
Chinese Government
Thousands of miles from vheir
homeland, two young Chinese indus
trial observers are working at the
Bluffton plant of The Triplett Elec
trical Instrument Co. to gain exten
sive training in technical fields which
they will take back to their own in
dustries in the Orient.
Here for a one-year period to ob
serve American industrial methods
are Yu, Pin-Tseng and Wang, Liangs
Mei, both in their thirties. They
pointed out that in the Chinese listing
as given above the surname appears
first.
Both have wives and .children whom
they left behind in China when they
left their posts in industry to come to
this country under a program spon
sored by the Chinese government.
They qualified for the opportunity to
observe American industrial methods
thru competitive examinations.
Yu is a cost accountant and in
China worked in a plant manufactur
ing electrical equipment and radio re
ceivers and transmitters. Wang, an
electrical engineer, was with a similar
concern. Both were familiar with
Triplett products before coming to
this country.
The- two men are part of a group
of 16(H) foreign nationalists who are
in the United States to observe and
learn industrial methods of this coun
try. They were chosen because of
their abilities and skills.
Details of setting up the training
program are handled by the Interna
tional Training Administration, Inc.,
a non-profit private enterprize in
Washington, D.C., established for that
purpose.
Both of them left China before the
close of the war, and were flown out
of the country by airplane over “The
Hump” to India.
With The Service Men
Cpl. Francis Schumacher residing
west of Bluffton has received his
Army discharge at* Indiantown Gap.,
Pa after tffr&T and’ 6n§-haTf yeaTs
of service, 18 months of which were
spent in the European theatre of
war with the 9th Armored division.
He was awarded three battle stars
and the Purple Heart medal for
w’ounds received in action.
Freeman Basinger, with the Army
of occupation in Japan has been ad
vanced to the rank of private first
class.
Sgt. Melvin Long., Jr., has arrived
home after receiving his Army dis
charge at Camp Atterbury, Ind. He
spent 37 months in the service, 19 of
which were in the European and
Pacific war areas.
Raymond Greding, stationed at
Compeign, France, has been promot
ed from the rank of staff sergeant
to technical sergeant.
David Tosh of the Coast Guard
wras home on leave the first of the
w-eek visiting his parents, Mr. and
Mrs. John Tosh of South Lawn Ave.
Ens. Dale Reichenbach, son of
Postmaster and Mrs. Ed Reichen
bach was here the past week, after
having received his
the Navy.
discharge from
son of Mr. rnd
of South Main
John B. Johnson,
Mrs. M. Johnson
street with occupation forces in Ko
rea, has been promoted from rank
of corporal to staff sergeant.
Cpl. LaVerne Huber, son of Mr.
and Mrs. W. Huber living south
of Bluffton returned home Thursday
on receiving his Army discharge
after 38 months of service, 14 of
w’hich w’ere spent in Europe He wa:
a tank driver with the 11th Armored
division and received the bronze star
and good conduct medal.
Pvt. Harold Amstutz, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Wm. Amstutz, has com
pleted a three weeks’ camouflage
course at the Engineer’s school in
Ft Belvoir, Virginia.
Charles Lora To
Leave For Europe
Charles Lora, of Grove street, left
Monday for New Windsor, Md., to
complete arrangements for sailing to
Europe as an assistant in handling
a shipload of relief cattle being sent
to Europe for restocking depleted
herds.
At New Windsor he will report to
headquarters of the Brethren Serv
ice Committee, sponsor of the cattle
project. He expects to be gone nine
weeks, but does not. know where his
ship will land in Europe.
r$rHE BLUFFTON NEWS
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INT STS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
BLUFFTON, OHIO
DAY, JAN. 10, 1946
INUE
HOWE TO
HOLDING
BLUFFTON MAYOR
ICE AS
Decision Announced When
Dilemma Faces New Council
Preceding Its (W^d^ition
Don Patterson Named President
Of Council Municipal Ap
pointments Made
Solution of Blufftoifj
emma came out of ^Monday
organization meeting} of the
ing municipal council .when
W. A. Howe annouiwPthat
continue in office for
years.
Ayoralty dil
night’s
incom-
Corson Fi ML
a«
conditions of one year
for the last five days I
unseasonable spring-like
Near-record temnerati
Mayor
he will
e coming two
Howe’s statement vas made after
he was requested to declare his in
tention in view’ of the fact that no
member of the nevf
accept presidency of It
it entail serving as mayor in case the
present municipal head resigned.
council would
io body should
Under state law, Mayor Howe can
continue in office until the next elec
tion, since no successor had qualified,
and with the unanin oj$( consent of
the council he made jS decision to
remain as mayor.
In announcing that fie would con
tinue, Mayor Howe said he hoped his
part in the municipal Administration
would merit the cooperation of the
citizens of the town.
Council Organizes
With the question of who was to be
mayor solved, the incoming council
proceded to organize by electing Don
Patterson president, and the mayor
made the usual municipal appoint
ments, with confirmation of the coun
cil.
Council committee appointments in
cluded: Fire and Light, Don Patter
son and C. A. Triplett} Streets and
Roads, C. A. StauflW and Frank
Todd Finance, Charles Aukerman and
Arden Baker.
Other appointments included:
H. L. Coon, service SHpervisor
two years, at a salary* of $112
month. This post is combined with
that of town marshal for which he
receives $50 a month wditional. As
service supervisor, CoQriStcta as street
commissioner, cemetery- sexton, dir
ector of garbage ana Abbish collec
tion and dog warden
uary were set
with the mercury mountir
mark of 68 on Sunday.
for
per
of
two year term at an
$200.
Members of the fire department will
include H. E. Augsburger, Edwin
Badertscher, Donald Dillman, Wilford
Gratz, Ross Irwin, Harrj Luginbuhl,
Fred Martin, Lester Niswander,
Claude Ream, C. V. Stonehiil and
Charles Young. Each fireman re
ceives $2 per month plus $2 for each
fire call.
Clayton Murray, present night
policeman, assistant service super
visor for the month of January, $50
a month. As night policeman he re
ceives $81.50 a month.
James Benroth, town clock care
taker, for one year at an annual sal
ary of $50.
Diller Cemetery Clerk
Elmer Diller, clerk of the board of
Trustees, Maple Grove cemetery, $150
a year, appointed for two years.
John Thompson, member of the
board of trustees, Maple Grove ceme
tery, six years.
Dan R. Trippiehorn, solicitor, two
years, at an annual retainer of $100.
Before organization of the new
council, councilmen who had served
for the preceding two years were call
ed to order and resigned sine die.
Bluffton Teachers
To Get $lf088 More
Bluffton High and
teachers will get an
SI.088
school
taken
of the
Grade school
aggregate of
the 1945-46
more during
term as the result of action
Monday night at a meeting
board of education.
additional fund was made
The
available when the board voted to
pay teachers and administrative per
sonnel during this term on a 100
per cent salary schedule, instead of
a 97 per cent schedule as adopted
last June.
Under the salary schedule of full
payments, teachers and administra
tive officials will receive a total
$44,105 for the 1945-46 term.
of
High School Youth
Enlists In Navy
Robert Fisher, Bluffton high
school junior and son of Mr. and
Mrs. Joseph Fisher has enlisted in
the Navy and will leave Friday to
begin service, it was announced the
first of the week.
Taking advantage of the break in
the weather over the weekend, high
ways were filled with joy-riding
motorists, and pedestrians strolled
about with topcoats open or over
their arms.
Snow and ice, on the ground con
tinuously since the second week in
December, had entirely disappeared
Discussions Of Community
Problems Featured Music
And Drama On Program
Joint Meetings Set For Opening
Day Separate Sessions Also
On Program
Bluffton’s annual two-day commun
ity institute, one of the highspots of
each winter season, will be held this
year on Wednesday and Thursday,
Jan. 23 and 24.
Offering a varied program of in
structive talks, discussion sessions
and entertaining features, the insti
tute will follow the usual pattern of
joint sessions on the opening day
followed by individual meetings of
men’s and women’s
a capacity audience from the commun
ity and likely will be the headline at
traction of the two-day meeting.
Officers of the institute organiza
tions, who are completing plans for
the meeting include:
Men’s institute: Raymond Stratton,
president Earl Matter, vice-presi
dent Harry F. Barnes, secretary
treasurer executive committee, Ray
Marshall, Silas Diller and Levi Al
thaus, plus the officers.
Women’s institute: Mrs. Carl Der
ringer, president Mrs. Elvira Suter,
vice-president Mrs. Raymond Strat
ton, secretary executive committee,
Mrs. Calvin
Smith, Mrs.
officers.
Mr and
Bluffton,
Bluffton
Marquart
Isham.
Spring-like January Weather In
Marked (’ontrast To One Year Ago
the near
now-bound
marked contrast to
temperatures and i
Steiner, Mrs. Henry C.
Russel Elzay and the
Births
Mrs. Francis Marquart of
a girl, Barbara Rae at
hospital, Monday. Mrs.
is the former Madeline
Rev. and Mrs. Landolene Amstutz
of Tiskilwa, Ill., a girl, Adela Ruth
born at the Princeton, Ill., hospital,
Saturday. Mrs. Amstutz is the
former Lenna Augsburger, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Menno Augsburger.
Pfc. and Mrs. Delbert Luginbuhl,
a girl at Cottage hospital, San Ra
fael, Calif
Hofstetter Named
School Board Head
Organization of the Bluffton
Board of Education was completed
at the first 1946 meeting Monday
night with Waldo Hofstetter named
to serve as president of the
man board.
by Sunday, and the gro
ported to have complei
Coal piles which had dw
ly during the cold wave
month’s duration receive
asked in
then
for Jan
period,
to a
ommunity Farm Institute Will
Be Held Here January 23 And 24
organizations.
of North Canton,
state speakers at
is a naturalized
Mrs. C. E. Duff,
will be one of the
the institute. She
British native who has been an in
fluential community leader since she
came to this country. She was a re
presentative at the International Con
ference on World Economic Coopera
tion in 1938.
C. C. Terrel, of New’ Vienna, Clin
ton county, is the other state repre
sentative on the program. He is an
Ohio Master Farmer and an extensive
writer on farm topics. He also is a
producer and writer of historical
plays and pageants, in addition to
serving as a community leader.
five-
vice
the
Levi Althaus was elected
president. New members of
board who took office at the meeting
include Leland Diller, Donavin Con
rad and Paul Diller.
Members of the board voted to
change their regulai' meeting night
to the second Wednesday of each
month, and named Stanley Stauffer,
a Bluffton college student, to suc
ceed David Rosenberger, also of the
college, as a school bus driver.
enberSer completes his college
at midterm.
Ros
work
BLUFFTON MARKETS
Grain (bushel prices)—Wheat,
$1.70 corn, $1.12 oats, 70c soys,
$2.04.
the change
ected for
but as
Colder weather is ex
remainder of this wee
for/*castrs have given
of a return to the nea
in which Bluffton shivered for
eral weeks.
the
zero wea
Bluffton’s warmest January
on record came in 1906 when
to 74, but
weather is
record came in
day
the
this
mercury mounted
year’s spring-like
pleasantest in the memory of most
residents of the town.
LAND PRICES RISE
48 PER CENT IN
LAST TEN YEARS
nosing Battle Is Waged Against
Inflation’s Effect On Farm
Land Prices
Tigher Cost Of Farms Repre
sent Snag In Farming Plans
Of War Veterans
Farm land prices in Ohio includ
ing the Bluffton area have risen 48
per cent above the average values
prevailing in the 1935-39 period and
prices now- being paid are only 25
per cent below’ the 1920 peak.
Specific information regarding the
losing battle against farm price in
flation was in a report on the situ
ation by the Ohio State University
Agriculture Extension service coop
erating with the U. S. Department
of Agriculture.
With farm economists forecasting
a recession in farm income in 1946,
state authorities are advising Ohio
farmers not to assume land mort
gages that cannot be paid off at
lower crop prices, in the hope that
their warning may
buyers to t^e inflated value of farm-
awaken land
(Corttinued on page 8)
Pfc. Robert Criblez
Dies Of War Wounds
Bfc. Robert M. Criblez, 24, hos
pitalized since he was wounded in
the opening days of the assault of
Okinawa last May, died at 2:15 p. m.
Monday in Percy Jones General hos
pital, Battle Creek, Michigan.
He was the son of Mr. and Mrs.
Alfred Criblez, three miles south of
Bluffton, and prior to his induction
into the army Sept. 11, 1944, has
been a farmer.
Funeral services will be held at
2:30 p. m. Thursday in the St.John’s
Reformed church, with Rev. V C.
Oppermann, pastor, officiating. Bur
ial will be in the Thompson ceme
tery.
body was brought from the
Jones hospital to the Paul
funeral home Tuesday, and on
The
Percy
Diller
Wednesday afternoon was taken to
the home of his parents.
Going into action on Okinawa last
May 9 with the 77th Division of the
Tenth Army, Pfc. Criblez served as
an advance infantry patrol scout.
He was hit by a Japanese mortar
shell May 16.
He was evacuated to Saipan and
then to Nichols General hospital,
Louisville, Ky., on June 27. Suffer
ing from spinal paralysis he was
flown to Percy Jones hospital, Oct.
30. After recovering from malaria,
he underwent a major operation for
the removal of shrapnel
spinal column on Nov. 28.
fection set in resulting in
from the
Later in
his death,
his basic
Pfc. Criblez received
training at Camp Fannin, Texas,
and his last visit home was in Jan
uary of last year He wore the Good
Conduct, Pacific Theatre and V ictory
ribbons, the Combat Infantry medal,
and the Purple Heart.
Survivors include the parents and
the following brothers and sisters:
Mrs. Blanche Wilkins, Bluffton Mis.
Pauline Bosse, Ada Mrs. Lucille
Taylor, Toronto, Ohio Mrs. Frieda
Neiswander, Adrian, Mich. Miss El
vena
Mrs.
ton
rs.
Louis and Maurice Criblez, both of
Bluffton Charles Criblez,
strong, Ill., and Theodore
Mansfield. Miss Ida May
of Mt. Cory, is his fiancee.
Criblez, Mrs. Frances Scoles,
Harriet Luginbuhl, all of Bluff
Mrs. Rachel Crow, Pandora
Ellen Griffith, Van Buren
Arm-
Criblez,
Arnold
BUY
UNHHM
•VATS*
NUMBER 38
COLLEGE TO BUILD
APARTMENTS FOR
MARRIED STUDENTS
Apartment Construction In Ad
dition to Requested Tempor
ary Housing Units
.ong-Range Program Also In
eludes Construction Of Apart
ment Building on Campus
family-housing units for
students may be erected this
on the Bluffton college
two apartments are now
Eight
married
winter
campus,
under construction in college build
ings and others will be completed
next summer as the institution’s
answer to the effect Bluffton’s hous
ing shortage has on its operations.
Application has been made to the
government for family housing units
under a federal act providing for
temporary housing on college camp
uses where married war veterans are
unable to obtain living quarters
while attending school.
If approved, eight family units
would be set up on the Bluffton
campus, but college authorities have
taken steps to further expand the
housing program by the construction
of apartments in present college
buildings.
Under construction at present are
two-room apartments on the second
floor of the “Beaver Hut”, a brick
building built several years ago at
the rear of the gymnasium. This
building originally served as a work
project center, then later was used
for student recreation.
Two additional two-room apart
ments will be fitted this summer in
Lincoln hall, men’s dormitory. They
will be ready for occupancy next
fall.
Tentative plans also have been an
nounced for construction of an apart
ment building on the vacant lot own
ed by the college at College avenue
and Spring street, east of Musk hall.
This project has mushroomed with
out planned sponsorship, President
L. L. Ramseyer said, and to date
some $5,000 has been pledged to
ward a building fund.
Under present plans the apartment
building would be erected by private
capital, with the college paying
interest on the investment, and with
arrangements made for the school
ownership of the building.
When the need for housing for
married war veteran students has
passed, presumably in about three to
four years, the apartment house
could be used as a women’s dorm
itory, expanding present inadequate
facilities.
The proposed brick veneer build
ing would be two floors in height,
with a basement, and would consist
of eight two-room apartments.
Estimated cost is $20,000.
District Declamation
Contest Here Sunday
Contestants from seven counties
will compete in a district Prince of
Peace declamation contest at 7:30
p. m. next Sunday in the First
Methodist church here.
Winner of the meet will receive a
gold medal and be eligible to com
pete in the state semi-finals. Coun
ties to be represented by contestants
include Darke, Lucas, Seneca, Mer
cer, Auglaize, Hardin and Logan.
In New Locations
Clyde Ream who recently purchas
ed the Fay Isham property on W.
Mound street is occupying the place,
having moved recently from Orange
townshin
The Orange township property
vacated by Ream is being occupied
by Rev. W. H. Turner and family
of Rhinelander, Wis. Rev. Turner
recently accepted a call to the Riley
Creek Baptist church in Orange
township.
Mr. and Mrs. Fay Isham, accom
panied by her mother, Mrs. W. C.
Boothby have moved to Lima. The
Boothby property on South Jackson
street is occupied by Harold Raimer
and family.
Chas. A. Montgomery and family
are occupying the South Jackson
street residence recently purchased
from Paul Detwiler. The Orange
township farm vacated by Mr. and
Mrs. Montgomery is occupied by
their son Chas. W. Montgomery who
recently returned from overseas
Army service.
The Paul Detwiler family are
ipaking their horpe for the present
-with Mrs. tletwiler’s parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Homer Gratz near Bluff
ton.