The Bluffton news. [volume], August 22, 1946, Image 1

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BLUFFTON
A Good Place to Live
VOLUME LXXI
MEAT MARKETS
AWAIT WORD ON
OPA PRICE POLICY
Retail Prices to Remain Un
changed for Present, Dealers
Announce.
Federal Board’s Decision on
Prices to be Made on
__ Friday.
Retail meat prices in Bluffton will
remain unchanged for the present,
it was announced by dealers here
Wednesday morning following word
that the federal Price Decontrol
Board has ordered recontrol of prices
on livestock, meats, soybeans and
•cottonseed products.
On Friday OPA will reveal wheth
er retail ceiling prices of meat and
the other products covered by the
order are to be rolled back to their
June 30 levels.
Dealers here assumed that should
June 30 retail price levels be re
stored some action will be necessary
to bring livestock quotations down
to a comparable figure.
Whether this will result in another
shortage of meat, butcher shop oper
ators here refused to predict, pend
ing further word as to OPA’S pro
gram which is to be more fully out
lined Friday.
Shortage May Follow
However, they said that unless it
is possible to buy an adequate vol
ume of livestock at a price which
will permit profitable processing and
•operation of their business, a short
age will be inevitable.
In slapping controls back on meat
which represents about 19 per cent
of the average family’s budget, the
board announced that prices had
risen unreasonably above June 30
•ceilings plus subsidy. Also that the
supply was short and that regulation
was practicable, enforceable and in
the public interest.
The board also warned that price
controls will be clamped on milk and
dairy products if prices go up. In
permitting dairy products, including
milk, butter, cheese, ice cream and
other food and feed products to re
main free from further price con
trol the board stated that it failed
to find that prices had risen un
reasonably.
Geiger Is Building
New Business Room
Erection of a building to serve as
an electrical appliance show and
salesroom is well under way at the
residence of Maynard Geiger on
Cherry street.
The new structure adjoins the
Geiger house and will be completed
this summer.
With Service Men
1st Lt. Ropp Triplett, son of Mr.
and Mrs. R. L. Triplett of Campus
Drive has received his discharge
from the army and returned to his
home here after ten months service
in the European theatre of war.
Pfc. Robert Diller, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Harley Diller, northwest of
Bluffton has received his army dis
charge at Ft. Meade and returned
home after 12 months service in the
European area.
Births
The following births at Bluffton
hospital:
Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Richard,
Lima, a girl, Kay Ann, Wednesday.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Lanning, Bluff
ton, a girl, Sandra Jean, Tuesday.
Mr. and Mrs. Arven Scheele, Bluff
ton, a boy, Tuesday.
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Oberly,
Rawson, a girl, Sherry Lyn, Tues
day.
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Lewis,
Bluffton, a girl, Joan Rae, Monday.
Mr. and Mrs. Harold Hart, New
Carlisle, a boy, Jim E., Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Jones, Jr.,
Bluffton, a girl, Linda Sue, Friday.
Mr. and Mrs. Wallace Wilch, Je
nera, a girl, Sharon Rae, Thursday.
Mr. and Mrs. James Burkholder,
Bluffton, a boy, Harvey Davidson,
at Findlay hospital, August 10.
Mr. and Mrs. John Backensto, of
Lancaster, Pa., a girl, Friday. Mrs.
Backensto is the former LaVaun
Kohli, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Aldine Kohli of West College Ave.
Fingers Shattered
In Shotgun Blast
Fred Biederman, farmer residing
on the Allen-Hancock county line
north of town is a patient in Bluff
ton hospital with the fourth and
fifth fingers of his left hand shat
tered as the result of a shotgun
blast, Tuesday.
The injury occurred when the gun
accidentally discharged while Bieder
man was putting it away at his
home. His condition was reported
satisfactory Wednesday morning.
BLUFFTON COLLEGE
MEN, WOMEN WILL
SWAP DORMITORIES
Coeds To Be In Larger Lincoln
Hall This Fall Men In
Ropp Hall
Change Will Be For One Year
Until More Accommodations
Available
Bluffton college men students will
be housed in the women’s dormitory
this fall and coeds will take over
the larger men’s dormitory, as the
latest development on the campus
in the community’s housing shortage.
Lincoln hall, the men’s dormitory
which will be used thruout the next
school year by women, has accom
modations for 100, and Ropp hall, in
which men now live will be housed
has rooms for 52.
Fifteen other men will stay in
the former H. W. Berky residence
at the edge of the campus, purchas
ed last spring by the college, and
the overflow will be placed in private
homes about the town.
The switch in dormitories was ap
proved by college officials this week,
because it was believed best to
house men in rooms off the campus,
instead of women, as would have
been the case had coeds continued
to use the cramped facilities of Ropp
hall.
Accommodations for Married Couples
Additional accommodations are
available on the campus for married
couples. The quarters are provided
by trailers, prefabricated houses and
temporary housing apartments on
the college grounds.
Advance registration of women is
sufficient to fill Lincoln hall to
capacity when classes begin, Septem
ber 12, and with more men regis
trations being received daily it is
anticipated approximately 100 of
them will need rooms for the fall
term. Aggregate campus accom
modations for single men will be
only 67, in Ropp Hall and the Berky
annex, and rooms will have to be
found in private homes about the
town for the overflow.
During war years, Lincoln hall
never was filled, and last year only
one floor was used for men, with
women being quartered on the
second floor. The third floor of the
large structure was empty.
Arrangements to house men in
Ropp hall and women in Lincoln
hall this year were described by
President L. L. Ramseyer as a
temporary measure only, and before
the opening of another school term
it is anticipated that additional
housing accommodations will be
owned by the college, eliminating
the shift in dormitory assignments
necessary this year.
Richard Moyer In
Benton Ridge School
Richard Moyer of Mt. Cory and
Bluffton college graduate has been
hired as principal and seventh and
eighth grade instructor in the Ben
ton Ridge schools for the coming
year.
Mrs. Merle Folk also of Mt. Cory
has been hired as first and second
grade teacher in the Benton Ridge
schools.
Repair “Short” In
Street Lights Here
New Beaverdam Industry Begins
Manufacture Of House Trailers
A short circuit in Bluffton’s street
lighting service which kept part of
the town’s streets in darkness the
first of the week has been repaired,
it was announced Wednesday. The
short circuit followed heavy rains of
the past week.
Expect to Employ 25 Men When
Full Production Is
Reached
Concern Takes Over Formef
Lewis Lumber Yard On
Lincoln Highway
Beaverdam’s newest industry, the
Buckeye Coach and Manufacturing
company began operations this week
at the former Lewis Lumber yard
on the west side of the village on
the Lincoln highway near the Nickel
Plate crossing.
The company which is reported as
being backed by outside interests re
cently purchased from the Jesse
Lewis estate the lumber yard to
gether with a garage and service
station.
The buildings are being remodeled
and refitted for installation of ma
chinery which has already been put
into operation on a limited scale.
When full production is reached
about 25 men will be employed it
was stated from the company’s
offices.
Main product of the company will
be house trailers and factory opera
tions will be in charge of W. E. Dix
on of Vicksburg, Mississippi, who is
described as having had wide exper
ience in this field of manufacturing.
Most of the labor will be drawn
from Beaverdam and vicinity.
The company said to have been
searching for a location in a small
town w’ith minimum possibilities of
labor trouble, is reported to have
selected Beaverdam as best suited to
its needs.
Defenseless Church
Calls New Pastor
Rev. Edgar J. Shady of Newark,
Ohio, w’ho has accepted a call to the
pastorate of the Defenseless Men
nonite church will begin his duties
here Sunday. He recently resigned
a pulpit in Newark and will move
here with his wife and three child
ren next week. The family will live
on the John Kinsinger farm north
west of Bluffton.
The Defenseless chyirch has been
without a minister since last Feb
ruary w’hen the pastor, Rev. Stanley
Rupp resigned and moved with his
family to Lafayette, Indiana.
Donna Hartzler And
James Harnish Wed
Wedding of Miss Donna Hartzler,
bookkeeper in the business office of
Bluffton college and James Harnish
of Eureka, Ill., took place in the
Pleasant View Church of the Breth
ren near Lima, Wednesday after
noon.
The bride is the daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Raymond L. Hartzler of
Bloomington and the bridegroom the
son of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Harn
ish of Eureka.
Attending the bride was her sis
ter, Miss Willagene Hartzler of
Bloomington and John Harnish of
Eureka, brother of the bridegroom
was best man. Rev. Clarence Bow
man of Johnstown, Pa., former pas
tor of the church, officiated.
Following the ceremony the cou
ple left on a wedding trip to Ni
agara Falls and Canada.
Mr. Harnish who has been en
gaged in civilian public service will
enter Bluffton college this fall as a
sophomore and Mrs. Harnish, who
was graduated from the college in
the class of 1945 will continue her
position in the business office. The
couple will live in Lincoln hall.
Beaverdam Hires
Three New Teachers
Three new teachers have been
hired for the coming year in the
Beaverdam schools, it was announced
Tuesday.
They are Harry Barnes of Bluff
ton who will divide his time between
Bluffton and Beaverdam as instruct
orin vocational agriculture Mrs.
Dana Everett of Col. Grove, teacher
in the fifth and sixth grades and
Mrs. Carey Stratton of near Bluff
ton, instructor in home economics.
BUSINESS MEN MEET
Meeting of Bluffton Business Men’s
association will be held at the Wal
nut Grill on Wednesday night of
next week at 8:30 o’clock.
THE BLUFFTON NEWS
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
BLUFFTON. OHIO THURSDAY, AUG. 22, 1946
COUNCIL TURNS OOWN LIGHT PLANT BOND CONTRACT
WATER SUPPLY TO
BE CHLORINATED
HERE THIS FALL
Chlorine Treatment Of Water
Recommended By State
Board of Health
Taste Of Water Expected To
Differ Little Only Minor
Treatment Needed
Chlorination of Bluffton’s munici
pal water supply will be started this
fall as a precautionary measure
advised by the State Board of
Health, it was announced this week
by the board of public affairs.
Expenditure of $1,600 requested
by the board to cover the approxi
mate cost of purchase and installa
tion of chlorination equipment was
approved Monday night at a meeting
of the town council, and work on the
project will get under way as soon
as materials are delivered.
Altho Bluffton’s water supply has
never shown anything other than
pure tests, adding chlorine has been
urged by state health officials as a
safeguard against possible epidemics.
Chlorination equipment will be
housed in a separate building which
will be erected over the main lines
on the water works grounds. The
installation must be protected from
severe winter weather, it was pointed
out.
Taste of Bluffton’s water likely
will be affected very little by the
addition of chlorine, members of the
board of public affairs feel. The
amount of the chemical added can be
regulated and since Bluffton’s water
already is technically pure chlorina
tion here will not be excessive.
In many larger communities using
river or lake waters heavy chlorina
tion is necessary to overcome pollu
tion, but Bluffton’s water supply
comes from deep wells which always
have rated high in purity tests.
Funeral Thursday
For Jesse Hummon
Jesse M. Hummon, 60, farmer,
died at his home north of Bluffton
Tuesday morning at 3 o’clock fol
lowing a heart attack.
The body is at the Coldren funeral
home in Findlay where it will re
main for services Thursday after
noon at 2 o’clock. Interment will be
in the Clymer cemetery.
A native of Putnam county, Mr.
Hummon was born November 10,
1885. His parents were Peter and
Sarah (Harris) Hummon. In 1908
he was married to Fannie M. Whis
ler w’ho died in 1919. In 1920 he
married Eva Whisler who survives.
Besides his wife, he leaves two
sons by the first marriage, Kenneth
A. Hummon, Toledo, and Edmund
Whisler Hummon, Bluffton two
grandchildren three sisters, Mrs.
Jake Allen, Fayette Mrs. Ira Stein
er, Glendale, Calif. and Mrs. Elmer
Short, Bluffton and one brother,
Lloyd Hummon, Findlay. One bro
ther, Wilbur Hummon, is deceased.
Mr. Hummon was a member of
the Pleasant View United Brethren
church.
Former Bluffton
Woman Is Married
Wedding of Mrs. Nina Klay rk
ey of Cleveland, formerly of Bluffton
and Joseph Rush also of Cleveland
took place in that city on August 3,
according to word received here the
first of the week.
The ceremony was performed at
the home of the bride's sister, Mrs.
Charles Cattran, and Mr. and Mrs.
Cattran attended the couple. Fol
lowing the ceremony the couple left
on a trip to Niagra Falls and are
now making their home temporarily
with the Cattrans.
The bride is a native of Bluffton,
daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs.
Chris Klay who lived on South Lawn
avenue and a sister of George K'ay
of South Mound street.
Huber Family In
Annual Reunion
Annual reunion of the Huber
family washel at Paulding Com
munity house south of Bluffton in
Jackson township, Sunday. Seventy
five were present. Officers re-elected
to serve for the coming year are:
Pres., Earl Huber, Ada sec., Mrs.
Hazel Hess, Findlay.
Awards for their contribution to
the war effort as members of the
war committees of the American
Standards Association were present
ed to R, L. Triplett and F. J. Lingel,
of The Triplett Electrical Instru
ment Co., at a Victory Day dinner
held Thursday at the Brooklyn
Navy Yard in New York city.
Speaking on the first anniversary
of V-J Day, Brig. General Donald
Armstrong, told those gathered at
the dinner to receive the awards
that the war production record of
Mood of Relaxation Apparent
In Those Who Follow’ For
tunes Of Home Teams
Turnout For Games Greater
Than in Pre-War Years
Interest Expands
Night softball play at Harmon
field, a recreational feature that had
to be discontinued during the war
years, this summer is attracting the
largest spectator crowds in history.
A w-ell-filled stadium has witness
ed nearly every’ tilt played under
the floodlights at Harmon field this
season, and the verdant greensward
glistening under the brilliant lights
provides a pleasant setting for an
evening of relaxation.
Spectator turnouts for some of the
contests have been virtually as
large as those attracted by the high
school football team in the fall, but
the spirit of those in the stands is
entirely different.
Instead of the tense and belliger
ently partisan mood that keeps a
football crowd on edge, softball
spectators are good natured and
relaxed. Of course, there is the
natural desire for the home team to
win, but no one gets al) “hot and
txithered” about the game’s outcome,
with the result that good plays can
be cheered regardless of who makes
them.
Harmon field’s physical equipment
for night play is distinctly above
the average, and the equal of any
thing that Lima and Findlay can
offer. The lighting system is excel
lent, and the spacious stadium
provides plenty of seating space.
No charge is made for admission,
and the Triplett team, which plays
some of the best outfits in this area
in the nocturnal tilts, pays the rent
al charge for lights, etc. All pro
ceeds of the collection taken at each
game goes to the town’s summer
recreational program for children.
Umpires, too, contribute their bit
toward providing recreation for the
town without renumeration. Wilford
Gratz calls them behind the plate,
with Gail Mumma and Oliver Steiner
officiating on the bases and their
only reward is the customery “beefs”
and complaints that come from
spectators and players alike.
A queen snake, measuring 36’4
inches in length, caught by Charles
Triplehorn of South Main street is
declared by reptilia experts to be
the largest of its kind ever found
in this country.
Triplehorn, a student at Ohio State
university and specialist in snakes
and their habits, caught it on an
island in the Auglaize river near
Defiance this summer where he was
in charge of a Boy Scout camp.
Two Bluffton Men Receive A. S. A.
Awards For War Contributions
The reptile was sent to the Phila
delphia zoological park where the
curator, Roger Conant, said it was
the largest of its kind he had ever
seen.
Night Softball In Brilliant Harmon
Field Setting Popular With Fans
It has since died and is now
mounted and on exhibition at the
Ohio State Archaeological and His
torical museum in Columbus where
Triplehorn is assistant curator in
charge of the reptilia section.
The queen snake is of the non
venomous water species, generally
brown in color, the longest on record
being 33 inches. Triplehorn said
when he saw- the snake and had no
means of catching it he took off his
shirt and threw it over the reptile to
prevent it getting away.
Record Length Snake Is Caught
By Bluffton Reptilia Specialist
American industry was made pos
sible thru the voluntary coopera
tion of all industry to accept indus
trial standards.
Joint mass production standards
set up by committees on which the
two local men served helped Ameri
can war production set unsurpassed
records.
More than 600 industrial, govern
ment and other groups participate
in the work of the American stand
ards association. Awards were made
to 250 persons at the dinner.
LINES FOR WATER
SERVICE LAID IN
NEW ADDITIONS
New Mains Are Being I^aid To
Three New’ Areas Opened
For Residences
Extension Of Water Service
Will Provide Fire Protection
For All Parts Of Town
Laying of four-inch water lines to
three new Bluffton subdivisions, a
project involving 4,050 feet of new
mains is under way by the munici
pal w’ater works.
In addition to providing residential
water service to the outlaying dis
tricts, the extension of lines will
provide fire protection for every
house in the corporation, and fire
hydrants will be installed at strateg
ic locations.
Under way is the laying of 1,200
feet of new mains out Jefferson
street, from Huber street east to the
Allen-Hancock county line road,
which marks the east boundary line
of the town. Work on the project
which will serve principally the new
Fred Mueller addition on Jefferson
street will be completed this w’eek.
North On Dixie
The longest stretch of new lines
will be an extension of the Main
street water service from the A. C.
& Y. railroad 1,700 feet north to a
short distance beyond *the Harvey
Wilch house in the Mueller Dixie
highway addition.
On West Elm street a new’ line
will be installed from the Clayton
Murray residence 750 feet west to
College road, and 400 feet north to
the new house built last fall by
Clifford Houtz.
Additional water mains represent
only one phase of Bluffton’s munici
pal expansion required by the rapid
growth of residential areas, with
extensive work remaining to be done
in opening new streets and alleys.
Purchase of a new’ road scraper is
being considered by the town at this
time to handle the grading required.
Real Estate Deal
Carl Lehman, business manager of
Bluffton college has purchased the
residence of Mrs. W. F. lutzi on
Grove street. Lehman expects to
occupy the property this fall and
Mrs. lutzi will move to the former
Clymer property on Cherry street
which she recently purchased from
Edgar Chamberlain. The deal was
handled by Mrs. H. W. Althaus.
Funeral Friday For
Mrs. Dortha Plaugher
Funeral services will be held for
Mrs. Dortha Plaugher, 39, at the
United Brethren church southwest of
Beaverdam, Friday afternoon at 2:30
o’clock Burial will lie in the Lewis
Grove cemetery.
Mrs. Plaugher, wife of Everett
Plaugher of near Harrod died Tues
day in San Antonio hospital, Kaneon
following a four months’ illness.
Surviving are hei husband, five
children and two brothers, A. H.
Chrisman of Columbus und Cecil
Chrisman of Lima.
BLUFFTON
A Good Place to Trade
NUMBER 18
TERMS IN SALE
OF BONDS HIT
AS TOO DRASTIC
Provision for Foreclosure on
Plant Draws Fire of Council
Chamber.
A
Council Refers Contract Back to
Board of Public Affairs for
Study.
Because of provisions which they
deemed too severe, Bluffton’s town
council Monday night refused to
sign the contract presented by
Stranahan, Harris & Co., Toledo
bond buyers who were low bidders
on the issue of $125,000 in revenue
bonds to finance improvements at
the municipal light plant here.
The council’s stand came as an
unforseen development in what was
expected to have been routine
procedure in final steps of legislation
necessary to authorize the bond
issue.
Contract from the Toledo bond
buying firm arrived here by mail
Monday morning and councilmen
first learned of its provisions when
it was presented at the meeting
Monday night. A voluminous docu
ment, it required nearly a half-hour
for reading by W. O. Geiger, town
clerk.
Council Criticizes Contract
Singled out for council criticism
of the contract was a section
providing that in case any of the
bond payments over a 20-year period
should be defaulted, holders of 25
per cent of the bonds could proceed
with foreclosure on the light plant.
Also included in the proposed
contract was provision that in case
foreclosure proceedings w’ere insti
tuted, interests taking over the plant
would begranted a 20-year franchise’
to provide electrical current for the
towm, with rates to be adjusted up
ward whenever necessary to guaran
tee a return of eight per cent to
the plant owners.
News To Council
Councilmen said these conditions
were not presented to them at a
meeting two weeks ago when they
were asked to certify the Toledo
bond firm as low- bidders for pur
chase of the light plant bonds.
Dissatisfaction w’ith the contract
resulted in their refusal to sign it
as presented, and they referred the
matter back to the board of public
affairs for its consideration of the
conditions.
Members of the board said Tues
day they had not seen the contract
prior to its submission to the
council, and that they would study
it and make a recommendation to
councilmen soon.
Foreclosure Is Target
Principal target of councilmen at
Monday’s meeting was the section
giving bond holders the right to
foreclose on the plant should it be
impossible to meet any single pay
ment when it falls due.
Altho it is felt the plant is in a
position to finance adequately the
bond program, it was cited that dur
ing the last depression outstanding
bonds for improvement at the plant
w’ere defaulted for virtually a 10
year period.
Should those conditions be repeat
ed during the 20 years the bond
issue is in effect, it is reasonably
possible Bluffton would lose its
municipal plant under the conditions
of the contract proposed by the bond
buyer*.
Pay For Street Lights
Another phase of the contract
regarded with disfavor by’ council
men was the stipulation that the
village would be required to pay
for its street lights should plant
earnings drop below a certain level
established by the contract at any
time during the 20-year period
bonds were outstanding.
Uncertainty clouded the future of
the proposed $125,000 bond issue as
a result of council’s dissatisfaction
witn the contract.
It was felt in some sources that
perhaps the severity of the contract
is due io the fact that the bonds
bear a low interest rate (1.98 per
cent) and that they are secured only
by earnings of the plant.
Bonds of the plant defaulted dur
ing the depression of the thirties
w-ere in an issue representing a
general lien on the village, and bore
five per cent interest.
Higher Interest Bonds?
Whether bonds could be sold now
(Continued on page 8)