The Bluffton news. [volume], August 08, 1946, Image 1

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BLUFFTON
A Good Place to Live
VOLUME LXXI
FEDERAL AID MAY
GIVE TOWN NEW
START ON SEWERS
Loan of $8,000, Without Inter
est, Sought to Complete
Plans, Specifications
$250,000 Intercepting System
Considered Construction
Aid May Be Available
Drafting of final plans and speci
fications for Bluffton’s oft deferred
sewage disposal system to make the
project ready for the start of work
by contractors, appears to be as
sured for completion this summer,
under a program made possible by
federal financial assistance.
Decision to proceed with the plan
ning program at an estimated cost
of $8,000, funds for which will be
loaned to the town without interest
by the Federal Works Agency, was
reached Monday night at a meeting
of the town council. Application for
the loan was made on Tuesday.
At the same time councilmen were
told that the State Department of
Health, long concerned over Bluff
ton’s sewage disposal problem, is
urging municipalities to take advant
age of the federal loan offer, so they
may be in a position to start work
immediately on disposal systems
once materials and labor are avail
able.
$250,000 System
Bluffton’s application for funds to
proceed with planning is based on a
$250,000 disposal system. Of this
$146,000 is earmarked for the con
struction of intercepting sewers
along Big and Little Riley creeks
and $105,000 for erection of a sew
age disposal plant.
Networks of sewers thruout the
town to empty into the interceptors
are not included in present planning,
because of the cost factor, which
means that a completely new system
here must be postponed until a later
date.
Explanation of the loan’s avail
ability was made to the council Mon
day night by Carlton S. Finkbeiner,
of the Toledo engineering firm of
Finkbeiner, Pettis and Strout, which
prepared Bluffton’s preliminary sew
age disposal plans before the out
break of war.
No Interest on Loans
Federal loans are made available
thru the Federal Works Agency,
■without interest, to complete all
planning and specifications, fitting
the project for advertising for bids
and proceeding with construction.
Repayment of the loan is not re
quired until construction of the sys
tem is started, and the money comes
from bonds issued to finance the pro
ject.
With federal financial assistance
available at this time, it is possible
to eliminate the delay that ordinarily
is involved in preparing complete
plans and specifications for a pro
ject after a bond issue is authorized
by voters. Decision to proceed with
planning at this time will mean that
construction of Bluffton’s system can
be speeded greatly once the “cleai
light” is given at the polls.
Federal Interest
Federal interest in an early start
on sewage disposal systems for all
cities on streams that eventually
empty into Lake Erie stems from a
pact with Canada that pollution of
water going into the lake is to be
entirely eliminated.
Possibility that federal grants may
soon be available to assist munici
palities in financing disposal systems
also was presented to the council by
Finkbeiner.
He pointed out that the Mansfield
Act, now before Congress and which
appears to be favorably regarded by
legislators, provides for grants of
up to 35 per cent of the cost. Should
the act be passed Bluffton would be
eligible for a grant of $87,500 to
apply toward total construction cost
of $250,000.
Bluffton’s sewage disposal head
ache broke out in a new’ form with
in the last month, when it wras
learned that property holders in the
new’ly opened Matter addition on
Harmon road have no sewage outlet.
A request for municipal assistance
in constructing the sewer met with
the fact that since the town has no
municipal system, sewers here are a
private problem, and the town has
no funds to assist property holders
in solving their dilemma.
BLUFFTON MARKETS
Wednesday Morning
Grain (bushel prices)—Wheat
$1.89 com $1.60 oats 68c soys
$2.04.
........................................................................................................................
Hailstorm Damages
Corn Crop Sunday
A hailstorm, said to have been
one of the worst in recent years did
extensive damage to standing corn
in the farming area between Pan
dora and Mt. Cory, Sunday after
noon.
Altho the damage was confined to
a comparatively limited area, loss to
farmers in that district is reported
heavy.
The hail came in connection with
a severe electrical storm which swept
that section about 4 o’clock in the
afternoon. Northw’est of Mt. Cory
where the damage w’as heaviest,
fields of standing corn were riddled
and the ground w-as covered with
hail.
MILLING COMPANY
STOCKHOLDERS IN
FAVOR OF SELLING
Approve Acceptance of $35,000
Buying Offer of Farmers
Grain Co.
Vote at Meeting Tuesday Night
Unanimous for Accepting
Proposal
Stockholders of the Bluffton Mill
ing company at a meeting Tuesday
night approved a proposal to sell the
business to the Farmers Grain com
pany. Represented at the meeting
were 341 of the 373 shares outstand
ing and the vote was unanimous. The
meeting was held at the Steiner ga
rage on North Main street.
E. L. Diller, secretary and manager
of the Milling company explained in
detail to shareholders the proposal to
sell the plant and all assets to the
Farmers Grain company for $35,000
with exception of the bank balance,
outstanding book accounts and inven
tory estimated at an additional
$11,000 less federal taxes.
He indicated that an agreement on
terms of sale had been reached with
the Farmers Grain company and rec
ommended acceptance of the propo
sition. Approval by the stockholders
which followed Diller’s presentation
of the plan clears the way for con
summating the deal.
Take Possession October 1
The stockholders meeting also ap
proved October 1 as the date for turn
ing over the business to the purchas
er in return for the cash considera
tion.
The meeting also designated Diller
and H. P. Mann as trustees to wind
up affairs of the Milling company
after that date, including the collec
tion and payment of outstanding ac
counts and distribution of liquidating
dividends.
Among the principal assets which
the Farmers Grain company will re
ceive in the transaction are the build
ings and equipment of the Milling
company, together with a railroad
siding and four acres of ground at
the company’s plant on Cherry
street.
Farm Woman's Club
Holds Annual Picnic
Members of the Orange Township
Farm Woman’s club and families
held their annual picnic at the Orange
Township Community house last
Thursday night.
Present were: Mr. and Mrs. Car
son Marshall and son, Mr. and Mrs.
A. J. Miller and sons, Mr. and Mrs.
Frank Montgomery and family, Mr.
and Mrs. Arthur Swank, Mrs. Lois
Caughman and son Don, Mr. and Mrs.
Ira Kimmel, Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Fett
and son, Mr. and Mrs. Myron Trip
plehom and family.
Mrs. John Warren ,Mr. and Mrs.
Jesse Anderson and daughter Doro
thy, Mr. and Mrs. Ray Marshall and
son, Mr. and Mrs. Mel Long, Mr. and
Mrs. Harry Anderson and son, Mr.
and Mrs. O. C. Hursey and family,
Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Warren and fam
iyl, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Ewing. Mrs.
Don Montgomery, Mrs. Dorotha Par
rish, Mrs. Maude Thompson, Mrs.
Lydia Ewing, June Gallant, Charles
Warren ^Jimmy Lugibihl and Miss
Burdella Ferguson.
Price Of Bread And Other Baked
Goods May Be Raised Here Soon
(One by-product of the coal strike
is an increasing shortage of lime
suitable for use in fruit and veget
able spray mixtures. Some potato
growers have reduced the lime in
Bordeaux mixtures by half the
amount usually recommended.
Food Price Increases Author
ized Last Week by OPA Not
Imediately Apparent
Bread Will Go Up One Cent on
Smaller Loaves Cereals,
Macaroni to Cost More
New food price increases author
ized last week by the OPA are ex
pected soon to take the cost of
bread and other bakery products to
higher levels, perhaps even before
the current week is out.
With new prices in effect, here is
what Bluffton shoppers may expect
when they go to their regular food
markets:
Bread—One-cent increase on loaves
weighing up to two pounds on
larger loaves, two to three cents.
The small loaves now sell at 13
cents here.
Bakery Products—One cent a doz
en on bread rolls 15 per cent on
cookies, crackers and biscuits.
Flour—About one cent a pound.
Breakfast cereals—One to three
cents a package on all kinds ex
cept corn flakes, puffed rice and
puffed wheat.
Macaroni and Noodles—Two cents
on eight ounce boxes one cent on
smaller packages.
Butter prices meanwhile have
dropped somewhat under the 80-cent
level it commanded here for some
time, with present selling marks
around 73 cents a pound.
Three Graduate At
Lakeside Institute
Three Bluffton young people of
the Methodist church, Joann Har
mon, Sarah Jane Huser and Lois
Hauenstein were members of the
class graduated from the summer in
stitute course at Lakeside the past
week.
Certificates were presented to
Phyllis Hardwick, Dick Kuhn, Don
Augsburger, James Harmon, Marlene
Berry, Bonnie Burkholder and Su
sanna Kempf, The Youth Fellow
ship of the Bluffton church was
awarded a plaque for having met
requirements for an honor youth
group.
Mrs. Forest Harmon and Mrs.
Paul Cramer were counsellors and
Rev. Cramer conducted group dis
cussions and worship services.
Forest Harmon, Mr. and Mrs. H.
H. Huser and Miss Theresa Slusser
drove to Lakeside, Sunday and
brought the Bluffton young people
home. Peggy Eickenwiler, due to an
attack of mumps did not go with
the group to Lakeside who spent
last Sunday there.
Reunions
The Peter and Elizabeth (Neuen
schwander) Hilty reunion will be
held Sunday, Sept. 1 on Bluffton
college campus.
The Christian Hilty reunion will
be held at the Hilty roadside park
on Route 30-N near New Stark,
Sunday, August 18. Pres., Joe Hilty
sec., Mrs. Evelyn Gratz.
The 37th reunion of the Black
school will be held Thursday, Aug.
8. Pres., Howard Benroth sec., Mrs.
Arthur Nonnamaker.
The Shulaw reunion will be held
at Lafayette park, Sunday, Aug. 11.
The 22nd Augsburger reunion will
be held at Bluffton college campus,
Sunday, Aug. 18. Pres., Homer
Gratz sec., Mrs. Paul Spallinger.
The Schumacher family, including
descendents of the late Peter and
John Schumacher and Barbara
(Schumacher) Steiner will hold their
triennial reunion on the Bluffton col
lege campus, Sunday, August 11.
Pres., S. W. Steiner sec., Mrs. Irene
Schumacher, Pandora.
The twentieth annual Augsburger
reunion will be held at Riverside
park shelter house No. 3, in Findlay,
Sunday, August 18. Pres., Charles
Augsburger, Sec., Mrs. M. L. Wahl.
Town May Buy Road
Scraper For Streets
Possibility that Bluffton may buy
a new roadscraper for use on muni
cipal streets and alleys developed at
Monday night’s meeting of the town
council.
In action of the body, Town Clerk
W. O. Geiger was authorized to ad
vertise for bids on a scraper with
an eight-foot blade and scarifier.
Estimated price is in the vicinity of
$3,000.
In past years, the town has used
Richland township’s grader for its
street work, but the equipment no
longer is available to the munici
pality.
THE BLUFFTON NEWS
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
BLUFFTON, OHIO THURSDAY, AUGUST 8,1946
.......
AUTO SKIDS OFF
ROAD IN STORM
WOMAN INJURED
Mrs. Geraldine Ewing Of Near
Beaverdam In Bluffton
Hospital
J'*.
Accident Occurs Near Pandora
During Stolen Sunday
Afternoon
Mrs. Geraldine Eu
Beaverdam, is in th
munity hospital wit
and possible intern!
suffered in a highi
Route 12 near the
three and one-half
Pandora, about 4:30
The bride,
rod high sch
at Miami V
Mr.
from the
service.
Cleveland
18, of near
Bluffton Com
head injuries
complications
ay mishap on
Wynkoop farm,
miles east of
p. m. Sunday,
was in a car
ii John Ewing,
Hugh way dur
nd hail storm,
accident vic
by her
skidded
driving
The
husban
off th
wind
driven
which
ing a
and struck a
tension line.
pole carrying a high
Mrs. Ewing was brought to the
Bluffton hospital in the Lehman am
bulance of Pandora.
Her husband was unhurt.
LaRue-Beery Wedding
Is At Harrod Church
—_
Wedding of Miss Hope LaRue,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Guy La
Rue of Lafayette
son of Mr. and Mi
of Beaverdam took
gregational Christii
rod, Monday evenin
The bride was
sister, Miss Nor
maid of honor
Jr., brother of
best man. Ushers
Rue, brother of
Van Meter.
After the ce
was held in the
parents for 165
couple left for
nd Carl Beery,
I. Delmar Beery
e at the Con
urch in Har
7:30 o’clock,
ded by her
LaRue as
Slmar Beery,
egroom was
Weldon La
e and Louis
a reception
of the bride’s
and later the
wedding trip.
from Har-
student nurse
after three years’
employed by the
of the American
army
He is
office
Telephone and Telegraph Co.
Has Research Post
In Chemical Field
Everett Hiestand, son of Mr. and
Mrs. N. M. Hiestand of Orange
township, recently discharged from
the Navy, has been awarded a re
search fellowship in chemistry at
Ohio State university, Columbus, it
was announced the first of the week.
He is visiting here this week, ac
ompanied by his wife, the former
Yvonne Barnes of Denver. They were
married at Alameda, Calif, June 30.
The couple will reside in Columbus
and he will begin his work in Octo
ber.
In New Locations
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Davies and
family are moving from the home of
her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank
McElroy of South Main street into
their new home on Harmon road.
Mr. and Mrs. Don Fruchey are
moving from Ada to a prefabricated
dwelling on their lot in the Fred
Mueller addition on Jefferson street.
Mr. and Mrs. Racine Warren and
son are moving to Kenton. They
have made their home with her par
ents, Mr. and Mrs. C. F. Niswander
of South Main street.
With Service Men
Russell Gratz, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Homer Gratz has received his dis
charge from the Army.
Robert Gratz, sen of Mr. and Mrs.
Chris Gratz received his Navy dis
charge, Friday.
Harry Minck, son of Mrs. Mabel
Minck of South Lawn avenue has
received his Navy discharge.
Evan Herr, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Nelson Herr of South Lawn avenue
returned home after being discharg
ed from the Navy at Great Lakes,
Illinois.
Lt. (j. g.) Gareth Todd, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Frank Todd is home on
terminal leave and will receive his
discharge August 26. He was in
service three and one-half years,
nearly three years of which were
spent as an instructor in the naval
air force at Corpus Christi, Texas.
Lt. (j. g.) Ralph Short, son of
Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Short is home
from Shanghai, China, after serv
ing 37 months in the navy, 22 of
which were spent in the Pacific
theatre of war.
Merrill Arnold, who was unable
to summon aid because telephone
lines were busy last week when his
barn was struck by lightning, said
Tuesday that he plans to rebuild
the razed structure before winter.
Lightning ripped thru the build
ing in a heavy storm Tuesday of
last week, and immediately after the
bolt hit the structure the entire mow
was ablaze with flame.
In the mow at the time, Arnold
was thrown against the side of the
barn by the shock, and barely made
his escape before the upper part of
the building was wrapped in flames.
Attempting to call the Bluffton
fire department for assistance, it w’as
Heavy Rains Must Bring Relief
Soon or Crop Prospects
Will Be Sharply Cut
Showers During Last Week Lay
Dust July Driest in Last
Six Years
Farm crop yields are seriously
threatened, home garden plots are
parched and lawns are turning
brown, as drought conditions brought
on by the driest July in six years
entered the sixth week last Satur
day.
Showers last Sunday and a light
sprinkle early Tuesday barely did
more than lay the dust, and provid
ed no relief to conditions that are at
the critical stage so far as farmers
are concerned.
Weather bureau reports show that
the past month was the driest July
since 1940, with only .92 inches of
water falling during the prolonged
dry spell. This is 2.81 inches below
the 3.75-inch normal average for
July, and increased the seven-month
deficiency for this year to 4.25
inches.
Heavy rains must come soon, or
com, soy beans, late potatoes and
sugar beets will show the effects in
this fall’s harvest yields, and dairy
farmers report that their parched
pasture lands already are prac
tically worthless so far as grazing is
concerned.
Until rainfall Sunday afternoon,
a constant grass fire menace pre
vailed thruout the Bluffton district,
and one conflagration on the Myron
Motter farm, near the Oliver Zim
merman barn off Main street, had to
be extinguished by Bluffton firemen
at 1:45 p. m. last Friday.
A driving rain w’est of Mt. Cory
last Sunday afternoon brought
drought relief to that section, but a
hail storm which accompanied the
dou’npour caused extensive damage
to corn.
Summer School
Begins Last Term
Bluffton college is beginning the
last term of a 15 week semester
w’hich will close August 30. Teach
ing for this term are Richard Weav
er, chemistry Prof. M’Della Moon,
genetics and Miss Lucile Ritchie of
Lima, geography.
Previous courses were taught by
Rev. P. E. Whitmer, W. A. Howe,
Dean J. S. Schultz, Prof. E. J. Bohn,
Prof. Otto Holtkamp and Miss
Bridget Snyder of Pittsburgh.
Gun Club To Hold
Trap Shoot Sunday
“Busy” Telephone Lines Block
Call For Help As Barn Burns
Trap shoot of the Bluffton Gun
club will be held at the Gossard fil
ling station two miles north of Bluff
ton, Sunday afternoon, it is an
nounced by C. V. Stonehill, club sec
retary. The shoot will begin at 1
o’clock and is open to all contest
ants.
County Painting Two
Bridges Near Town
Drought Menaces Farm Crop Yields
As Dry Weather Enters Sixth Week
Two bridges in the Bluffton area
are being painted this week by the
Allen county commissioners. They
are the bridge on Bigler road at the
far end of the Buckeye quarry and
the bridge on College road at the
Henry Huber farm north of town.
The average total expense of farm
machine operation on 20 northeast
ern Ohio farms in 1945 was $1,135.
The total included $248 for fuel and
oil, $428 for depreciation, $296 for
repairs, and $163 for interest on the
amount invested in machines. On
the same 20 farms, the average an
nual cost for horse feed was $172.
impossible to get “central” because
the telephone lines w’ere busy until
it w’as too late to save the burning
building, he said.
Fire damage of $2,000 was repre
sented by loss of the building, and
baled hay which filled the mows. A
combine and a number of hogs were
removed from the 26 by 36 foot
structure before fire reached the
ground floor.
Lightning struck the barn at 5
p. m. w’hile Arnold and some helpers
were unloading baled hay and stor
ing it in the mow’.
The Arnold farm is that formerly
operated by his father, W. A. Ar
nold, one and one-half miles north
of Beaverdam.
COUNCIL APPROVES
BOND ISSUE SALE
FOR LIGHT PLANT
$125,000 Issue Recommended
By Board of Public Af
fairs Is Granted
Sale Of Bonds Will Provide
Funds For New Boiler And
Stack At Light Plant
Sale of $125,000 in revenue bonds
to finance improvements to electrical
generating facilities at Bluffton’s
municipal light plant was approved
Monday night at a meeting of the
town council.
Request for the approval together
with a recommendation for action,
came from the board of public af
fairs, which at a special meeting
two weeks ago approved the bid of
Stranahan, Harris and Co., Toledo
bond buyers.
Referring the matter for council
approval was necessary, however, be
fore the sale could be made final.
Interest Cost 1.98 Per Cent
In the Toledo firm’s bid was a pro
vision for an issue extending over a
20-year period and bearing interest
at the rate of two per cent. In ad
dition there is payment of a prem
ium of $2.24 on each thousand dol
lar bond, thereby reducing the inter
est rate to 1.98 per cent.
Dated August 1, 1946, the bond
issue will have as its security the
electrical generating and distribution
equipment of the Bluffton plant, not
including waterworks assets.
Funds provided by the bond issue
will be expended to cover the cost
of adding a new boiler to the plant,
constructing a new smoke stack, and
making changes to the building
necessary to accommodate the new
equipment.
Accepts Call To
Ebenezer Church
Rev. Howard Landis of Phila
delphia has accepted a call to the
pastorate of the Ebenezer Mennonite
church west of Bluffton, it was an
nounced the first of the week. He
expects to move here in the fall and
will occupy the church parsonage on
Grove street.
A call to Rev. Landis, pastor of
the Mennonite church at German
town, a Philadelphia suburb was ex
tended last month by the congrega
tion of the church here.
Rev. Charles Warren is filling the
pulpit this summer as a temporary
supply. Rev. Warren is a son-in-law
of Rev. Ezra Steiner, formerly of
this community who for a number
of years has been a foreign mission
ary to northern India and Tibet.
Rev. and Mrs. Warren will leave to
do mission work in the India-Tibet
area as soon as conditions permit.
Young People's Rally
At Ebenezer Church
The tenth annual young people’s
rally will be held at the Ebenezer
Mennonite church in a four day ses
sion August 15 to 18, it was an
nounced the first of the week.
Principal speaker will be Rev.
Olin Krehbiel, pastor of the First
Mennonite church at Berne, Ind. A
special feature will be a concert on
the closing evening by the Berne
Men’s church and special musical
numbers during the conference by
talent from the General conference
churches of the community.
BLUFFTON
A Good Place to Trade
NUMBER 16
RADIO BEACON FOR
AIR TRAVEL NEAR
COMPLETION HERE
Steel Tower With Building Atop
On Harry Gehrisch Farm
East Of Town
Beacon In Wheat Field At
Intersection Of Two Prin
cipal Air Routes
A spot in a Wheatfield on the
Harry Gehrisch farm in Orange
township, four and one-half miles
east of Bluffton on State Route 103,
is destined to become an important
landmark in air travel, and a federal
radio beacon is nearing completion
on the site.
Now visible from the highway is
a 12-foot square metal building 30
feet in the air on a steel tower
which marks the “crossroads” of
important north-south and east-west
airlanes.
Erection of the building by Civil
Airways Administration of the Fed
eral Department of Commerce is the
first step in establishing the radio
beacon for the direction of air traf
fic.
Install Radio Equipment
Radio equipment soon will be in
stalled in the completed building
atop the tower following which the
beacon will be put into operation.
Power to operate the equipment will
be supplied by electrical lines.
Another metal building, 15 by 36
feet, at the base of the tower will
house an electric generator and gas
oline motor, which automatically will
provide current in case of failure
of the power line. This will insure
uninterrupted operation of the bea
con in any kind of weather.
When in operation, the beacon will
provide a radio signal to aircraft,
whereby the pilot can tell if he is
on course. In effect the equipment
is to air traffic what road signs are
to motorists.
Air “Crossroads”
on
Farm
Plans are being made, it is re
ported, to establish a radio beacon
about every’ 75 miles along principal
airlines. The “crossroads” on the
Gehrisch farm mark the intersection
of principal air routes south from
Detroit and east from Ft. Wayne.
Tests to determine the site of the
beacon here were made at the Black
school, at the intersection of Routes
69 and 103, one-half mile west of
the Gehrisch farm. Construction of
the buildings and tower has been
under way since last spring.
The beacon is three miles east of
a new Bluffton airport being devel
oped by Clayton Bixel for G. I. fly
ing instruction. It will be serviced
and administered from Findlay.
Haiti Missionaries
Coming Here Sunday
Missionaries from Haiti will speak
at the Defenseless Mennonite church,
Sunday, giving illustrated talks on
their work in that field.
Pastor Toussaint, a native preach
er will speak in the morning and
in the evening will be heard Rev.
and Mrs. Chester Corrello, returned
missionaries.
Clover Farm Store
To Open Saturday
A unit of the Clover Farm stores
organization will be opened in Bluff
tow, Saturday by William Gaiffe and
Carl Krichbaum, it was announced
the first of the week. The store will
be located in the Zehrbach block on
Vine street in the room formerly oc
cupied by the Menno Badertscher
grocery.
Births
The following births at Bluffton
hospital:
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Amstutz,
Bluffton, a boy, Wednesday morning.
Mr. and Mrs. Walter King, Bluff
ton, a boy, Wednesday morning.
Mr. and Mrs. Harold Thiessen,
Bluffton, a girl, Anne Rosilyn, Mon
day.
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Deeter,
Findlay, a boy, Kenneth Eugene,
Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. Howard Traucht,
Rawson, a girl, Carolyn Sue, Satur
day.
Mr. and Mrs. Rollan Rader, Har
rod, a girl, Karen Sue, Thursday.
Capt. and Mrs. Charles Patterson,
Springfield, Mass., a boy, Tuesday.
Mrs. Patterson is the former Carol
Cookson of Bluffton.