The Bluffton news. [volume], January 17, 1946, Image 1

About The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current

Image provided by: Ohio History Connection, Columbus, OH

                
THURSDAY, JAN. 17, 1946
BUY
UNIT**
•TAT**
STAMPS
VOLUME NO. LXX
APPEAL TO COAL
ADMINISTRATOR IN
FUEL CRISIS HERE
Local Dealers Report Coal Stock
Is Exhausted No Immediate
Relief In Prospect
Return Of Cold Weather Adds
To Complications Resulting
From Fuel Scarcity
Faced with a fuel crises which
finds the bins of many Bluffton
householders virtually empty, coal
dealers here have appealed to Re
gional Coal Administrator, George
Kisker of Cincinnati for relief.
Kisker is said to have under his
direction the allocation of coal
shipments in this area.
Until Wednesday morning, how
ever, there had been little prospect
for anything more than the most
temporary relief. Dealers here said
that in reply to their appeals two
cars of mine run coal were allotted
to Bluffton. However, to obtain
these cars .dealers stated, they were
obliged to agree to cancellation of
shipments of higher grade coal.
Mayor Appeals
Meanwhile Mayor W. A. Howe ap
pealed to residents to conserve coal
as much as possible and not ask for
additional deliveries from dealers un
til absolutely necessary.
The current coal crises is as ser
ious as any experienced here during
the war and the situation was aggra
vated by a cold wave of moderate in
tensity which covered this district the
first of the week.
Coal yards of local commercial
dealers were cleaned bare at the end
of last week and current delivery
prospects are so uncertain that fears
were expressed that many house
holders may run short of fuel.
Only one local dealer expected any
coal soon, and his delivery promise
from the mine provided for only one
car sometime within the next week.
With the demand mounting daily,
one car will hardly make ian impres
sion in local fuel famine conditions.
Domestic Users Short
Domestic users appear to be the
principal sufferers in the prevailing
shortage conditions, with Bluffton
industrials and schools reporting
sufficient fu^l on hand ijn
mediate future.
At the municipal light and power
plant, which uses from 12 to 14 tons
daily, the present supply is sufficient
for at least three weeks, and ad
ditional shipments are scheduled to
arrive soon.
The Page Dairy Co. and the
Central Ohio Light and Power Co.
also have coal enough for the rest
of January. Bluffton public schools
are in no immediate danger of run
ning short of fuel, and the same
situation is true at Bluffton college.
Informal Rationing
Bluffton’s coal supply gradually
has been getting tighter over the
last several weeks, and informal
rationing controlled by the dealers
has beet in effect for some time, to
be certain that those who need coal
are getting it. Deliveries in lots of
one ton or less have been the ruie,
and under that method there are
many persons with only a few days’
supply of fuel on hand in face of the
critical shortage that appears to be
developing.
This winter’s coal deliveries to
dealers were to have been appor
tioned to 80 per cent of last year's
supply, but so far dealers say they
have been able to get coal on a
program running closer to 65 per
cent than to 80.
Bluffton dealers said every effort
is being made to obtain more coal,
but that neither they nor the con
sumers can be assured what kind of
coal will be delivered. “The public
will have to accept what coal is
available,” the dealers said.
To conserve supplies now’ avail
able, the public is asked to shut off
heat from unused rooms and to
reduce living quarters to the
minimum.
Great Grandson Is
Victim Of Leukemia
Charles Ralph Stratton, Jr., four
year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Chas.
Stratton of El Dorado, Arkansas and
a groat grandson of Mr. and Mrs. M.
J. Stratton of Orange township died
at the home of his parents Monday.
His death followed a short illness
of leukemia. The child was a grand
son of Mr. and Mrs. Leland Stratton
of Long View’, Texas.
Funeral services followed by inter
ment were held at El Dorado, Wed
nesday afternoon. Surviving are the
parents and a younger brother.
Driver Pinned Under
Overturned Truck
A Lima trucker pinned under an
overturned truck near the "Richard
Stettler farm south of Bluffton on the
Dixie highway was rescued by an
other trucker shortly after the crash
at 11 p. m. last Friday night and
brought to Bluffton Community hos
pital.
Lawrence Jones, colored, of Lima,
driver of a northbound Swift and Co.
truck which overturned when it left
the road, sustained serious back in?
juries. He was removed from the
Bluffton hospital to St. Rita’s hospi
tal in Lima, on Saturday.
Jones was pinned under the over
turned vehicle, but a passing truck
pulled it from him and he was taken
to the Bluffton hospital in the Paul
Diller ambulance.
TWO-DAY INSTITUTE
SESSION WILL OPEN
NEXT WEDNESDAY
Heading an impressive list of
speakers are Mrs. C. E.. IpffT. of
North canton and C. C. Terrel, of
New Vienna, Clinton county, who are
affiliated with the state community
institute department.
Woman Speaker from England
Mrs. Duff is a naturalized British
native who has been an influential
farm community leader since she
married and came to this country.
She was a representative at the In
ternational Conference on World Ec
onomic Cooperation in 1938.
Terrel, the other state speaker, is
an Ohio Master Farmer and an ex
tensive writer on farm topics. He
also is a producer and w’riter of his
torical plays and pageants.
Wednesday’s joint sessions in the
auditorium provide for meetings at
10 a. m., 1:15 p. m. and 7:30 p. m.
On Thursday men and women will
meet in joint session to hear the
state speakers, then adjourn for sep
arate meetings for the remainder of
the day.
Complete details of the two-day
institute program appear on Pages 6
and 7 of this issue of The Bluffton
News.
Infant, Three Days
Old, Dies At Hospital
Richard Lloyd Thomas, three-day
old son of Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Tho
mas, of 542 S. Main street, died Tues
day morning in the Bluffton Commun
ity hospital.
Charles Lora Sails With Relief Ship
Bound For Greece With Cattle Cargo
—J___
Discussion Of General Commun
ity Interest Is Featured
Also Music, Drama
Joint Meetings Set For Opening
Day Separate Sessions Also
On Program
Featuring talks and discussion on
subjects of general community inter
est, Bluffton’s annual two-day com
munity institute w’ill open next Wed
nesday morning in the Bluffton High
school auditorium.
Offering a varied program of in
structive talks, discussion sessions
and entertainment features, the insti
tute will follow a pattern in keeping
with the trend of the last several
years toward a more complete consid
eration of the social aspects of town
and community life.
Highlighting the two-day session
will be the Wednesday night program
featuring special music, talks by
state speakers and dramatic offer
ings.
Survivors include the parents and
one sister, Annie, at home.
The body w’ill be removed Thursday
morning from the Paul Diller funeral
home to Lower Salem, O., where fun
eral services will be held in the after
noon.
To Select New Mt.
Cory Postmaster
Applications for a civil examina
tion for postmaster at Mt. Cory will
be accepted at the Civil Service
Commission jn Washington until
Sunday, January 20, it was an
nounced this w’eek.
Anyone served from the Mt. Cory
post office is eligible to take the ex
amination. Blanks may be received
to file applications at the post office.
A competitive examination under
Civil Service will be given at the
Bluffton post office at a later date.
The postmaster position at Mt.
Cory carries a base salary of $1,
500 per year.
Bluffton Man Enroute to Greece
with Shipload of Heifers
For Relief
In Charge of 400 Animals
Expects to be Gone on
Trip for 60 Days
Charles Lora, of Grove street,
sailed last week on the relief ship
Halstead, which is carrying a cargo
of 400 head of cattle to Greece un
der auspices of the Brethren Service
committee.
He expects to be gone about 60
days, and hopes that he will have
time to view some of the conditions
in Greece while he is overseas.
The shipment of cattle is one of
many being made to Europe to re
stock dairy herds that have been
depleted during the course of the
war
Lora arrived at New’ Windsor,
Md., headquarters of the Brethren
relief organization Monday of last
week, and sailed the latter part of
the w’eek for Europe. He was very
impressed by the efficiency of the
Brethren setup and the work they
are doing in providing relief for
w’ar-torn European countries.
Community Progress
Meeting Wednesday
Final organization of the Bluffton
Community Progress association will
be drafted at a meeting in the Bluff
ton High school cafeteria at 7:30 p.
m. this Wednesday.
Representatives of all clubs, organ
izations, business, industries, etc., are
urged to attend the session for elec
tion of a board of directors, officers
and approval of the constitution.
An outgrowth of the Citizens’ Ad
visory committee that supported re
newal of Bluffton High school’s three
mill levy last November, the progress
association will be geared to the sup
port and promotion of projects bene
ficial to the progress and welfare of
the Bluffton community.
Library Patrons Read
21,057 Books In 1945
Bluffton public library patrons read
21,057 books during 1945, with leader
ship showing a marked uptrend fol
lowing the close of the Japanese war,
according to the annual report of Miss
Ocie Anderson, librarian.
The library now has 12,655 volumes
on its shelves, of w’hich 690 were add
ed during the last year. Included
among the newer additions are the
latest edition of the World Book ency
clopedia, 19 volumes, and the Ameri
cana encyclopedia, 30 volumes.
Many donations of books and maga
zines to the library during the last
year were appreciated, Miss Ander
son said.
Deadline For Dog
Tags Is Saturday
Because January 20, deadline for
the purchase of dog licenses with
out penalty falls on Sunday, the
deadline for purchase of the license
tags will be on Saturday.
Sale of dog licenses has been lag
ging and a heavy last minute rush
will develop if the number pur
chased this year is to reach last
year’s total.
Licenses for both Allen and Fan
cock counties are obtainable at the
Community Market from Miss Zelma
Ingalls, deputy.
The cost of tags is $1 for male
and spayed female dogs and $3 for
female dogs. Those sending appli
cations for tags by mail should
give a complete description of the
dog.
Boy Scout Troop
Learns Morse Code
Bluffton Boy Scout Troop 56
drilled on Morse code at its meeting
on Monday night.
For the meeting next Monday
night the Scouts will cook their sup
per at a demonstration meeting at
the stadium at Harmon field.
I
Tax Deputies Will
Be Here, Feb. 4-5
Deputies from the Allen county
treasurer’s office will be at the Citi
zens National bank on Monday and
Tuesday, Feb. 4 and 5, to receive first
half 1945 real estate taxes.
Treasurer Ray W. Barnett reported
this week that tax collections for the
period to date amount to $144,438.20.
The first-half collection period will
end March 2.
THE BLUFFTON NEWS, BLUFFTON, OHIO
THE BLUFFTON NEWS
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
BLUFFTON, OHIO THURSDAY, JAN. 17, 1946
AUTO CRASH NEAR
PANDORA RESULTS
IN TWO DEATHS
—4
Albert Burry Kitted Instantly
Albert Hilty Dies in Bluffton
Hospital.
Double Funeral Services Friday
Afternoon at Grace Church,
Pandora.
Albert Hilty, 68, and Albert
Burry, 68, both resident of the Pan
dora area are dead of injuries re
ceived w’hen they were struck by
an automobile w’hile changing a tire
on their car at the s-ue of the road
one and one-half miles north of
Pandora about 8 o’clock Tuesday
night. The car which struck them
w’as driven by Grover Rader, 60, a
neighbor of Hilty.
Burry w’as killed instantly. Hilty
died one and one-half hours later at
Bluffton hospital and his body is at
the Paul Diller funeral home here.
Double funeral services will be
held at Grace Mennonite church in
Pandora on Friday afternoon at 2
o’clock. Burial will be in Pleasant
Ridge cemetery.
The tw’o men were members of
Grace church and were brother-in
laws, Mrs. Burry being a sister of
Mr. Hilty.
Coming Home
from
Indiana
The accident which resulted in
the double fatality occurred as the
two couples had returned home from
a week end visit with relatives in
Berne, Indiana, making the trip in
the Burry car.
The Burrys who live rear Pandora
were taking the Hilty to their farm
home two miles north on the Craw
fis College road when tire trouble
developed and the car was parked
at the side of the highway near the
Charles Reese farm.
They had completed the tire
change and were about to get back
into the car when/the auto driven
by Rader struck them. Rader was
southbound and said he became con
fused when he saw only one head
light.
Rader said he slowed down and
swerved, seeing the two men just be
fore he hit them. Mrs. Burry and
Mrs. Hilty were in the rear seat of
the car but were now injured. Rad
er’s ear struck Tont fend
er of Burry’s auto.
Suffer’s Heart Attack
As he went to the Reese farm
house nearby to summon aid Rader
suffered a heart attack which did
not prove serious.
Hilty was taken to the Bluffton
hospital in the Harris ambulance
from Columbus Grove. Burry’s body
w’as removed to the Lehman funeral
home in Pandora.
Farmers Short Course
Meeting Monday Night
Farm problems and farm manage
ment will be studied at a series of
farm short course meetings in the
Bluffton High school agricultural
room, the second session of w’hich will
be held at 7:30 p. m. next Monday.
Last Monday’s meeting was in the
form of an organization session, and
the actual course of instruction will
not be started until next Monday. En
rollment is free of charge to anyone
interested.
Harry F. Barnes, Bluffton High vo
cational agriculture teacher, is in
charge of the course.
Miss Anderson On
State Library Board
Miss Ocie Anderson, uffton li
brarian ,has been selected to serve
on a state committee to considc the
problems of reorganizing and re
financing library service in the
state.
Meetings of the group will be held
in Columbus this Thursday and Fri
day, and durfng the absence of Miss
Anderson the library will be closed.
In New Locations
Mr. and Mrs. Don Cahill have
moved from Ottawa into apartments
at the rear of the Elk restaurant
which he purchased last fall from
Harvey Wilch. The Wilch family
recently vacated the apartments and
have stored their household goods.
Levi Frankhouser expects to move
the last of this month into the prop
erty at the intersection of Route 103
and the Allen-Hancock county line
w’hich he purchased from his broth
er Willard. Francis Moser and
Homer Bracy are remodeling the
place and Wayne Neuenschwander
of Lima will do the floor sanding
and painting.
Harvey Wilch Starts Erection of
Building for Dwelling
North on Dixie
Gene Mericle Family Occupy
ing Structure to be Used
Later as Garage
Garages are being built to serve
as temporary dwellings as Bluffton’s
housing situation becomes increas
ingly acute.
Gene Mericle, returned war veter
an, recently completed the erection of
a small building on the Dixie high
way near the north corporation
limits on a lot in the Alfred Mueller
addition. The family are occupying
the place which will be used as a
garage when a residence is later
built on the lot.
Harvey Wilch, former Bluffton
restaurateur, has started election of
a similar building on a lot north of
Mericle’s which he and his family
will occupy until a residence can be
built.
Mericle’s father, Harry Mericle,
has been living in a similar struc
ture for more than a year which he
built on South Main street on a
lot purchased from the Mrs. Eliza
Fett estate.
With Service Men
Garages Serve For Dwellings As
Bluffton’s Housing Shortage Grows
Cpl. Charles Hankish, Jr., son of
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hankish of
South Main street arrived home
Wednesday morning after having re
ceived his Army discharge at In
diantown Gap. He served overseas
in England, France and Germany.
His w’ife, an English girl whom he
married last fall, is expected to
arrive here as soon as transporta
tion arrangements can be made.
Harry Bogart, former Bluffton
rural route mail carrier who has
been in Army service in the Pacific
area is expected to receive his dis
charge from Camp Atterbury by the
last of this week. During his
absence his place on the mail rouLe
has been taken by his wife.
Lt. Kenneth Luginbuhl of the
Army Signal corps received his dis
charge at Camp Atterbury, Tuesday,
and joined his wife and little son
Dan Rene here. He spent five years
in the service, three of which were
with the 37th Division and saw
action at Cruadalcanal Okinawa.
Pfc. Berdell Huber, husband of
Margie Huber of the Citizens Bank
apartments received his Army dis
charge at Indiantown Gap, Saturday.
He spent 18 months overseas as a
machine gunner with the 30th Divi
sion and wears the purple heart,
good conduct ribbon, infantryman’s
badge, victory ribbon, E. T. O. with
three battle stars and the president
ial unit citation.
Pfc. Dale Huber, brother of Ber
dell, who was discharged from Camp
Pickett last November recently re
enlisted and is now enroute overseas
after spending a 30 day furlough
with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Rus
sell Huber.
Pfc. Ronald Zimmerly, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Melvin Zimmerly is sta
tioned at Corozal, Canal Zone,
Panama. He was inducted into the
service last June 5 and received his
training at Camp Joseph Robinson,
Ark.
Paul Geiser Rd. M. 3/c has receiv
ed his discharge from the Navy and
joined his wife and little son here.
He spent 20 months in the service
15 of which were in the Pacific area.
Sgt. Rolland Guider who served
in the Pacific area recently arrived
in Sa« Pedro, Calif., aboard the
U. S. S. Louisville and is expected
to be discharged soon. His wife is
the former Vivianne Patterson.
Gareth Todd, instructor in the
Navy air corps school at Corpus
(Concluded from page 1)
Gideons At Churches
Here Next Sunday
Representatives from the Lima
camp of Gideons, an organization of
Christian business men, will appear
Sunday in churches of Bluffton and
vicinity in their annual solicitation
of funds for Bibles to be placed in
hospitals, schools, hotels, penal insti
tutions and other public places.
Births
Rev. and Mrs. Bernard Baughn
of West Milton, formerly of Beaver
dam are the parents of a son, Ber
nard Dale, born in Good Samaritan
hospital at Dayton, December 31.
Aleda Ruth is the name of the
daughter born recently to Rev. and
Mrs. Landolene Amstutz of Tiskilwa,
Ill., instead of the name earlier an-
Name Temporary
Night Policeman
Wade Shook, recently discharged
from the armed services has been
temporarily appointed night police to
fill the vacancy caused by the
resignation of Clayton Murray.
Announcement of the appointment
was made by Mayor W. A. Howe
who said the matter of a permanent
night police would be taken up at
the meeting of the town council next
Monday night.
Shook, who recently returned from
the Navy expects to enter Bluffton
college soon. His wife is the former
Bonita Clark, daughter’ of Mr. and
Mrs. Paul Clark of Grove street.
MENNONITE AID
INSURANCE GROUP
SHOWS GROWTH
Organization Has §4,042,190
Risks In Force
§181,990 Increase
Policies Carried By Insurance
Society 907 Officers
Elected
Insurance risks aggregating $4,
042,190 are carried by the Mennonite
Mutual Aid Society, a locally owned
and operated insurance organization
specializing in farm protection, it
was reported Saturday afternoon at
the annual meeting in the Pandora
High school building.
Reports made at the session show
that the mutual insurance society has
907 policies in force in Allen, Put
nam and Hancock counties.
Aggregate risks covered by the or
ganization represent its largest cov
erage since the society was formed
on June 5, 1866. A $181,900 increase
is shown over the $3,860,200 figure
on the books at the close of 1944,
with present risks standing at $4,
042,190.
At the same time, the number of
policies dropped from 917 to 907.
$8,125 Paid to Policy Holders
Total losses suffered by policy hold
ers during 1945 amounted to $8,125.
39. by fire^ storm and
lightning.
The organization closed the year
w’ith a cash balance of $9,690.56.
At Saturday’s meeting E. E. Buch
er and Cal Garmatter were re-elect
ed members of the board of directors
for three-year terms.
In organization of the board of di
rectors, E. E. Bucher was re-elected
president. Other officers include
Llewellyn Geiger, vice-president Al
bert Winkler, secretary Max J.
Crawfis, assistant secretary, and Ray
S. Hilty, treasurer.
Appraisers for the society during
the coming year will be Amos Tschi
egg, Calvin Garmatter, Llewellyn
Geiger and Max Crawfis.
Darke County Girl
Wins Declamation
Mary Evelyn Lephart, of Ansonia,
Darke county, was the winner in a
district Prince of Peace Contest held
Sunday night in the Bluffton Metho
dist church.
Representatives from seven counties
competed in the meet, which was dir
ected by Rev. F. J. Batterson, of the
Bluffton college faculty.
Annual Hospital
Meeting Monday
Annual business meeting of the
Bluffton hospital shareholders will be
held at the high school cafeteria
next Monday night at 7:30 o’clock,
it is announced this week.
Rev. Bigelow To Fill
Pulpits Here Sunday
Rev. Ernest Bigelow, Army
chaplain stationed at Camp Camp
bell, Ky., will be in Bluffton over the
week end and fill pulpits of the
Bluffton and Rockgort Presbyterian
churches Sunday morning.
He will arrive here Saturday, ac
companied by his wife and little son
on a four days’ furlough. Rev.
Bigelow, pastor of the two churches
is on leave of absence for Army
service.
Real Estate Deal
Oscar Wenger has purchased the
Spring street property which he oc-
nounced. cupies from Chas. Gazette. $1.70 corn $1.12 oats 70c soys $2.04*.
PAGE THREE
BUY
vnrr*»
*VaTM
NUMBER 39
RICHLAND FARMERS
MUTUALINSURANCE
BUSINESS GROWS
Risks Aggregate §2,379,495
Total Of 492 Policies
In Force
Mutual Insurance Organization
Names New Director At
Annual Meeting
Expansion of the insurance cover
age of the Richland Township- Farm
ers Insurance Co., was announced
Saturday at the annual meeting of
the organization in the council room
of the Bluffton town hall.
Insurance risks aggregating $2,
379, 495 are carried by the society in
Allen, Putnam, Hancock and Hardin
counties, with the principal emphasis
on farm coverage.
This represents a gain of $32,075
over the coverage of the preceding
year, altho policies decreased from
560 to 492.
Hochstettler Elected Director
At Saturday’s meeting Walter
Hochstettler was elected director for
three years, succeeding Elmer Lauby,
whose term expired. Other directors
serving unexpired terms are Ezra
Moser and Alfred Mueller.
Quinten Burkholder was re-elected
treasurer, and Charles Lora and
Wayne Zimmerman were re-appoint
ed appraisers.
The three directors will organize
soon to elect a president and vice
president, and appoint a secretary.
Earl Matter is the present secretary.
Losses during 1945 amounted to
$1,548.90, representing $985.51 fire
loss $275 lightning loss, and $288.39
windstorm loss.
Resources of the company were
such that no assessment was neces
sary for losses or expenses incurred,
officers announced.
David Amstutz Dies
Funeral On Thursday
Funeral services for David Am
stutz, 89, retired farmer, will be
held Thursday afternoon at the
home of his daughter, Mrs. Martha
Basinger 3 miles west of Bluffton
at 1:30 o’clock with Rev. John
Steiner of Lima officiating and at
the Ebeu^zer Mennonite church at
2:30 '0’clock with J. J. ..Esau
officiating. Burial will be in the
Ebenezer cemetery.
Mr. Amstutz died at the home of
his daughter, Mrs. Basinger, Tues
day afternoon following nine days’
critical illness.
He was born September 19, 1856
near Bluffton the son of the late
C. U. and Verena (Neuenschwand
er) Amstutz.
Besides the daughter at whose
home he died he is survived by an
other daughter, Mrs. Bertha Matter
of Bluffton and four sons: Aldine
of Pandora Albert of Lafayette
Calvin of Ada and Lee Amstutz of
Fostoria.
Three brothers surviving are: C.
D. Amstutz, U. S. Amstutz and Eph
Amstutz all of Bluffton.
The body was taken Wednesday
afternoon from the Stanley Ba
singer funeral home to the home of
his daughter, Mrs. Martha Basinger
where it will remain until services
on Thursday.
“Three O’s & Jeanne"
To Broadcast Friday
The “Three O’s and Jeanne” will
again be heard in their weekly
broadcast over station WLOK on
Friday at 6:15 o’clock.
The trio, Alice and Lois Oyer and
Ethelyn Oyer Rice with Betty
Jeanne Lewis at the piano will be
heard in the following program:
“With a Song tn My Heart” by
Rodgers, “The Swan”,' C. Saint
Saens, “Always,” Irving Berlin,
“The Star”, Rodgers, and a hymn,
“Sun of My Soul”.
Churches To Sponsor
Clothing Collection
Bluffton churches will sponsor col
lection of clothing for European
relief, it was announced the first of
the week.
All clothing contributed must be
in wearable condition and should be
left at one of the churches. Later
it will be taken to the packing room
at Bluffton college for overseas ship
ment under auspices of the Central
Mennonite Relief committee.
BLUFFTON MARKETS
Wednesday Morning
Grain (bushel prices)—Wheat