BLUFFTON
A Good Place To Live
VOLUME LXXI
NEW
BIDS
PER
LIGHT PLANT
INDICATE 16
CENT SAVING
Boiler with Attached
Bids on
Stack Range from $88,897
to $93,399
Low Bid Is $15,511 Under Pro
posals for Boiler and
Separate Stack
A saving of approximately 16%
in cost of an expansion program at
Bluffton’s municipal electric light
plant by eliminating the construction
of a separate stack and installing a
boiler with blower-equipped stack
was indicated on the basis of new
bids for the project opened Tuesday
by the board of public affairs.
Three bids on the boiler with at
tached steel stack ranged from $88,
897, including an estimate on erec
tion costs, to $93,399, with a specific
committment on erection.
The low bid is $15,511 under an ag
gregate expenditure of $104,408
which would have been entailed for
installation of a boiler with a sepa
rate stack, called for in previous bids
rejected by the board because of the
cost factor.
No determination of contract a
Ward was made by the board Tues
day, because only one bid embodied
a specific committment for all phas
es of Jie work. The other type quoted,
a fixed price for materials, with esti
mates for the cost of erection?
A study of the comparative bicjs
will be made by the board’s firm of
consulting engineers, Emery, Marker
and Emery, of Toledo, before definite
action is taken.
Firms placing bids opened Tuesday
were the same as those bidding on
previously rejected proposals for the
bailer with separate stack.
Bids for the steam generating unit,
including the attached stack, were:
J. A. Young Co., $93,399 complete
Babcock and Wilcox Co., $79,041 plus
cost of erection, estimated at $13,
037 and the Wickes Boiler Co., $77,
897, plus cost of erection, estimated
at $11,000. AH bids are subject to
price adjustment.
To Observe Fiftieth
Wedding Anniversary
Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Stettler of
Mound street will celebrate their
Fiftieth wedding anniversary Satur
day with a dinner at noon in the
Walnut Grill.
They were married February 14,
1897 by Mrs. Stettler’s uncle, Rev.
Peter Greding at the Reformed
church parsonage at Richland Center,
south of Bluffton. Mr. and Mrs.
Stettler are lifelong residents of this
place with many friends and both
have been active in church affairs.
Their three children are Theodore
Stettler of Cleveland Mrs. P. A.
Wiebe of Willard and Mrs. Wm. Cox
of Ashtabula. Their six grand
children are Halstead Settler of Two
Jima Theodore of Cleveland Judith
Wiebe, Willard Julia, Jon William
and Jane Sheilah Cox of Ashtabula.
Three From Here
In Honor Societies
Three Bluffton students have been
initiated into honor societies at
Bowling Green State University.
Juanita Bame, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Cloyce D. Bame, of Jeffer
son street, has been accepted into
Book and Motor, scholarship honor
society. A 1945 graduate of Bluff
ton High school, she is a sophomore
majoring in Spanish.
Dorothy Anderson, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Jesse E. Anderson,
and Meredith Edinger, daughter of
Mr. and.Mrs. John C. Montgomery,
both of Orange township, have been
chosen for Kappa Delta Pi, national
honor society in education.
A junior majoring in comprehens
ive social studies, Miss
a member of Pi Kap|
tional honorary
varsity debate
ney the blaze was extinguished by
the Bluffton fire department.
Clubi, J^od^ei
Eastern Star
A social hour and refreshments
Royal Neighbors
The Royal Neighbor
meet
their
ess.
Party
Members of the club are: Mrs.
Paul Basinger, Mrs. Briggs, Mrs.
Robert Dillman, Mrs. Wayne Downey,
Mrs. Paul
icle, Mrs.
Troy and
Geiser, Mrs. Richard Mer
George Schumacher, Mrs.
Mrs. Tschantz.
Women
Methodist
The Women’s Society of Christian
Service of the Methodist church will
meet Thursday night at 8 o’clock at
the home of Mrs. W. B. Augsburger.
Mrs. F. J. Batterson will be program
leader and Mrs. Richard Davies in
charge of devotions,
esses are Mrs. Cliff
Rufus Gorham and
Berry.
Assistant host
Stratton, Mrs.
Mrs. Gerald
Lutheran Women
The Lutheran Aid and Missionary
society
Kibler,
o’clock,
review
"They Found the Church There.” All
women of the church are invited.
w’ill meet with Mrs. M. M.
Thursday afternoon at 2:00
Mrs. W. L. Harmony will
Henry Van Dusen’s book,
Church of Christ Women
The Ladies of the Church of Christ
will meet in the home of Mrs. Joel
Basinger, Thursday night at 8:00
o’clock. Roll call, a good deed or
saying of Washington, Lincoln or Ed
ison Devotionals, Harriett Stonehill
Hymn, Marcene
topic,
"Rachel,”
hostesses,
Manges.
Martz Missionary
Deppler Topic
Manges. Assistant
and Myda Jane
Blanche
Mary
Mary
Skating Party
The Ada Saddle club has issued an
invitation to the Bluffton Saddle club
to attend a skating party at the
Lima Roller rink next Monday night
at 8 o’clock.Tickets
sold at the door.
Orange Twp. Farm
Members of the
Delta, na
Women’s Cluh
Orange Towns
elebrate the 31st ar
bride will be matron of honor. Mis
Genie Marie Wilch, also sister of th
bride will be ring bearer.
THE BLUF
Tournament Fever Grips Town As
Pirates Prep For Delphos Jefferson
ere
planned for meeting of Bluffton East
ern Star chapter next Tuesday night.
A good attendance
is desired.
To Wed Saturday
Wedding of Miss Clare Reagan,
daughter of Mrs. Lenore Reagan of
West kibler street and the former
Edward Reagan to J. Doyle Dix of
Lima, son of Melville Dix of Spring
field, will be solemnized at a nuptial
mass in St. Rose Catholic church.
Mrs. Richard Brickner of
attend the couple. The
who is employed in a
estate office makes her
her errandmother, Mrs.
Mr. and
Lima will
bride-elect
Lima real
home with
Clara Reagan in that city. Mr. Dix,
an Army veteran is employed at the
Lima Locomotive works.
will
lodge
Friday night at
hall. Helen Cars
8 o’clock at
will be host-
Card
A Valentine card party sponsored
by the Altar and Rosary society of
St. Mery’s Catholic church will be
held on Tuesday night, February 18
in the church
is invited.
basement. The public
Travel Class
Mrs. G. W.
the Travel class at her home Wed
nesday evening. Numbers on the
program were: Indians Up to Date,
Mrs. J. N. Smucker Arizona Desert,
Mrs. R. L. Triplett.
Linden was hostess to
High-Low Club
The newly organized High-Low club
held its second meeting at the home
of Mrs. Clyde Briggs, Thursday
night. Mrs. H. M- Troy held high
score in card games of the evening
which were followed by refreshments.
The club eclected the following of
ficers for the year: Pres., *Mrs. Fred
Tschantz sec.-treas., Mrs. Briggs.
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE
First Bluffton Tourney Game To
Be Played At Northern-Gym
Next Monday
Undefeated Pirates In Bracket
With Tournament's Strong
est Cage Teams
Tournament interest was running
at fever pitch in Bluffton this week,
as Bluffton High’s undefeated Pi
rates drilled for their game with
Delphos Jefferson at 7 :30 p. m. next
Monday night in the Class ex
empted village and parochial school
tourney at Taft gymnasium, Ada.
Riding the crest of a spectacular
16-game winning streak, which also
gave them undisputed championship
of the Western Buckeye cage league,
the Pirates will go into action as
tournament favorites.
In some respects this is a dubious
sort of distinction, for it means the
"pressure will be on” in every game,
with each competing school anxious
to gain the honor of pulling an up
set and knocking the favorite out of
the running.
Favorites Compete
Another factor that is making the
Pirates regard the tourney seriously
is one of those strange quirks of
tournament drawings whereby what
appear to be the four strongest com
peting teams landed in the same
bracket, and must engage each other
in the first two bracket games.
If Bluffton gets by Delphos Jef
ferson, which has
record, a stronger
them
they
Lima
tilt.
follow Bluffton’s first start next
Monday.
an impressive
test will await
.Feb. 20, when
winner of the
on Thursday,
will play the
St. Rose-Delphos St. Johns
The Lima-Delphos game will
Earlier in the season Bluffton top
ped St. Rose on the Bluffton court
by five points, 52 to 47. Last week
Delphos St. Johns beat the Rosar
lians, 34 to 31, giving evidence of
how comparative scores indicate the
ranking of the three teams.
Five Other Teams
In the other bracket of the tour
nament are Ada, Wapakoneta St.
Joe, Lima St. Gerard, Hicksville
and Lima St. Johns.
In opening tournament games this
Friday night, Ada tangles with
Wapakoneta and Lima St. Gerards
'meets Hicksville. Lima St. Johns,
drawing the only tournament bye,
will play the winner of the St.
Gerards-Hicksville tilt on Tuesday,
February 18.
Finalists of the two brackets will
meet to decide the tournament cham
pion on Saturday, Feb. 22. The win
ner and runnerup will compete in
the district Class meet at Celina
the following week.
Hicksville is defending tournament
champion, and Wapakoneta St. John
was the 1946 runnerup. St. Rose
won the meet in 1945.
Pi Delta Society
Pi Delta, Bluffton college honor so
ciety will entertain junior members
and the college faculty, Friday night
at 8 o’clock in the Mosiman room
at the library.
Wilfred E. Binkley, professor of
history and political science at Ohio
Northern university will be guest
speaker. Prof. Binkley taught in
Biarritz, France last year and is au
thor of the book President and Cong
ress published this month.
Members of Pi Delta executive
committee are: Pres., Mrs. Kenneth
Luginbuhl vice pres., Dr. I. W. Bau
man sec.-treas., Miss Carolyn Rom
ey. Social committee: Dr. C. H.
Smith, Mrs. Lawrence Burkhalter and
Mrs. Donita Harnish.
Farm Women’s Improvement Club
The Farm Women’s Improvement
club will meet at the home of Mrs.
Lola McElwain, Thursday afternoon,
Feb. 20.
The program follows:
Roll call, the kind of music I like
Biography of Mrs. Truman and dau
ghter Margaret, by Myrtle Lutter
bein Music of different ages, Mabel
DeWitt, of Bluffton. The nurse
a graduate of Rawson High sch
and Lima Memorial hospital nurs
school.
INTE
NO
MORE CONTESTS
FOR TOWN OFFICES
,, BUT
Democrats and Republicans
Have More Candidates Than
In 1945
’rimary Unnecessary This Sum
mer With No Inter-Party
Contests Developing
With no inter-party contests devel
oping on either ticket prior to the
filing deadline last Wednesday night,
Bluffton will not have a primary e
lection this summer, a repetition of
the last "off-year” election in 1915.
In contrast to the political situa
tion of twd years ago, however, both
parties filed virtually full tickets, as
suring the most spirited November
municipal election in nearly a decade.
There are 10 candidates on each
party slate for the 12 municipal of
fices. Democrats and Republicans
each nominated only five candidates
for the six council posts, and with
three to be elected to the board of
public affairs each party named only
two nominees.
Mayoralty Contest
At the head of this year’s tickets
there will be contests in the Novem
ber election for the office of mayor
and town clerk, in contrast to 1945
when there was only a Republican
candidate for mayor and a Democrat
ic candidate for clerk.
The number of council candidates
is the same as in the last preceding
municipal election, with a total of 10
nominees. This year, however, there
are five council candidates on each
ticket. In 1945 the Democrats had
six and the Republicans only four.
The board of public affairs contin
ues to be the unwanted ^Bluffton of
fice, with only four candidates this
year for three posts. In 1945 there
were three candidates.
No More
Filing
With last Wednesday representing
the deadline for filing, anyone else
seeking municipal office will have to
file on the November ballot as an in
dependent candidate.
Bluffton’s tickets for the Novem
ber election offer the following nom
inees:
Stauffer Clerk—-Richard Cookson
treasurer, Hiram Huger Council—
Armin Hauenstein, Charles Auker
man, Richard Davies, Cleon Triplett
and Carl Cahill Board of Public Af
fairs—Harry F.
Beidler.
Barnes, Harvey
For Mayor—Arden
Emans
Democratic:
Baker Clerk—Charles
Treasurer—Sidney C. Stettler Coun
cil—Don Patterson, Frank Todd,
Chester Stauffer, Wilford Gratz, W.
O. Geiger Board of Public Affairs—
A. C. Burcky, Forrest Steinman.
Arnold Bigler Is
Buried In Michigan
Funeral services for Arnold Bigler,
67, former Bluffton resident, were
held in the First Presbyterian church
last Wednesday at Hesperia, Mich.
He was a brother of Otto and God
frey Bigler and Mrs. Minnie Kimmel
of Bluffton.
Mr. Bigler, a resident of nearby
Muskegon, Mich., died at Blythe,
Calif., while he and his wife were
on a motor trip through the west.
The body was returned to his home
in Muskegon.
peria.
Burial was at Hes-
son of the late Mr.
Bigler, pioneer Bluff-
He was the
and Mrs. Fred
ton residents and left here about 35
years ago for Michigan where he
operated meat markets in several
cities.
Besides his brothers and sister of
this place who attended the funeral
services, he is survived by his wid
ow one son Kenneth of Grand Hav
en, Mich. a daughter Mrs. Florence
Bolene of Muskegon and sister, Mrs.
Celia Kohli of Ft. Wayne.
Colored Singers At
Sunday Vespers Here
Bluffton Implement & Harness store,
Saturday morning. Proceeds from
the sale will go to the talent fund
project which the church has under
taken.
ON NEWS
OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
®AY, FEB. 13,
BLUFFTON, OHIO 1947
Neighbors Discover
Woman III In Bed
Mrs. Lydia Ewing was found help
less in bed at her home on South
Lawn avenue late Monday afternoon
by neighbors who became appre
hensive that something was amiss
when they saw no signs of life at
her residence during the day.
Gaining entrance to the house
through a window, Mr. and Mrs.
John Tosh and Mrs. Forrest Harmon
found the woman in bed, apparently
the victim of a paralytic stroke and
unable to summon aid.
She was removed in the Basinger
ambulance Monday afternoon to the
Bluffton hospital where her condition
was reported somewhat improved
Tuesday.
Mrs. Ewing has lived alone at her
South Lawn avenue location for a
number of years and indications are
that she was stricken Sunday after
she had retired for the night.
Her son-in-law and daughter, Mr.
and Mrs. Lowell Schaublin of Co
lumbus arrived Tuesday and will re
main for several days pending de
velopments in her condition.
Body Is First of World War
Brought Home from Over
seas War Areas
The body of Lt. Wayne Yoakam,
29, arrived in Bluffton with a mili
tary escort on the 9:25 P. M. Nickel
Plate passenger train last Thursday
night, the first World War II sol
dier to be returned to this area
after meeting death overseas.
Lt. Wayne Yoakam’s Body Brought
To Bluffton With Military Escort
II
Army Captain Accompanies
Body Here from New York
Funeral Saturday
On the railroad trip here from
New York
companied
detailed as
authorities.
City the body was ac
by Capt. Dean Becker,
a military escort by army
Vernon Yoakam, west of Bluffton,
father of Lt. Yoakam, and a broth
er, Jesse, met the train on its ar
rival here. The body was taken to
the Diller funeral home until Fri
day morning, then to the Yoakam
family home. The remains, in a
sealed casket, were viewed privately
by members of the immediate fam
ily.
Funeral services were held Satur
day afternoon in the Arlington Good
Hope Lutheran church, of which he
was a member. Rev. Arthur Ris
miller, pastor, officiated. Burial
was in the Arlington cemetery.
Lt Yoakam died on December 8
at Wurtzburg, Germany, from in
juries received when his jeep was
involved in a collision with a train.
His wife, the former Luella Mae
Smith, of Jenera, who had been with
him overseas returned home by air
plane, reaching Bluffton on Christ
mas eve,
boat.
and the body followed by
of Vernon and Matilda
Yoakam, Lt. Yoakam was
A son
(Lauby)
born in Richland township on Feb
ruary 11, 1917.
Mae Smith, of
1945.
He married Luella
Jenera,
January 7,
member
of the First
Bluffton, at
the time of
He became a
Mennonite church, of
the age of 14, and at
his marriage transferred his mem
bership to the Arlington church. A
graduate of Bluffton High school in
the class of 1936, he later received
a degree in electrical engineering at
Ohio
uate
State university and took grad
work at Yale university,
addition to his wife and par
he is survived by the brother,
In
ents
Jesse, of near Bluffton, and a sis
ter, Mrs. Cleora Gehres, of Chicago.
Births
The following births at Blufftor
Community
hospital:
Mrs. Paul Keller, Lima,
Harriet, Thursday.
Mrs. Harold Marshall
Lite 1, a bov, Martin W.
Eggs—Large whites, 37c 1
browns 36c mediums 32c.
College Dramatics
Seek Costume Aid
A call for assistance in costuming
Bluffton college Thespian players
for their annual Shakespearean play'
next spring was sounded this week
because of post-war difficulty in
renting suitable garb for the period
dramatic production.
Sought from local residents by the
collegians are old brocade, draperies,
feed sacks, elastic, flannels, lace cur
tains, mosquito netting, velvets and
other costume materials suitable for
making Elizabethan clothing for "As
You Like It,” which will be present
ed in the campus ampitheatre during
commencement season.
Donations should be made by next
Wednesday, so heads of the dramatic
society and determine if the project
is feasible. Those who wish to make
contributions can call Lincoln hall,
telephone 249-W and report.
cos-
Ordinarily Shakespearean
tum.es are rented from theatrical
supply houses, but prices are higher
than ever and frequently costumes
are received in such poor condition
they cannot be worn.
Couple is Married in
Ada Sunday Afternoon
Wedding of Miss Mary C. Kramer,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Homer
Kramer and Byron E. Betz, son of
Mr. and Mrs. John Betz all of
Bluffton, took place Sunday after
noon at 4 o’clock at the home of Mr.
and Mrs. Lloyd Early of Ada. Mrs.
Early is a sister of the bridegroom.
Rev. C. L. Stager of Ada officiated.
The bride who was given in mar
riage by her father wore a white
net over taffeta with fingertip veil
of illusion held by a halo of the
same material and carried a bouquet
of white carnations.
Miss Betty Kramer, sister of the
bride was maid of honor and was
attired in pink net over taffeta and
carried a bouquet of yellow jonquils.
Oliver Beach, Jr., of Jenera was
best man.
Following the wedding a reception
was held for members of the im
mediate families and the bridal
party.
Mr. Betz is employed at the Trip
lett company in Bluffton and h*
and
his bride will occupy a new home
which they recently purchased in the
Garmatter addition on College road.
Brother Of Blufftton
Man Dies In Oregon
Joel Baumgartner, 77, former
Bluffton resident, died at his home
in Salem, Oregon, Friday morning,
according to word received here by
his brother A. L. Baumgartner of
South Main street,
lowed several
His death fol-
years’ illness.
Daniel and Elizabeth
pioneer Bluffton resi
at the age of 17 for
The son of
Baumgartner,
dents, he left
the w’est and settled in
Oregon, where he since resided. He
was cashier of a bank in that city
for many years until his retirement
several years ago. His wife
about 20 years ago.
Salem,
Surviving are two daughters:
Josephine Baumgartner and
John Caughell, together with
grandchildren all of Salem,
brother here is the only other
vivor in the immediate family.
died
Miss
Mrs.
two
sur-
Funeral services were held at
Salem, Monday, followed by inter
ment there.
Two Fatally Injured
Have Relatives Here
Mrs. E. C. Ludwig of Poplar street
received word of the death of her
nephew, Edward
mont,
mobile
place.
Kruse, 30, of Fre
killed in an auto
Sunday at thid
Mrs. Virginia Ma
who w'as
accident
His wife,
rie Kruse, 28, fatally injured in the
accident, died Monday in a Fremont
hospital.
The accident occurred when a car,
driven bv Garard Boob, brother of
Krv
sued to Ralph Rammrl, 24. of Jack
Geneva Hochstettler, 26, of 163 N
Mound street, Bluffton, waitress.
BLUFFTON
A Good Place To Trade
NUMBER 43
OPEN COLLEGE GYM
DRIVE TUESDAY AT
SOLICITORS DINNER
Community Contributions For
New $250,000 Structure
Sought In Campaign
runds For Gymnasium-Auditor*
ium To Be Raised In Can
vass Of Homes
Bluffton college’s value as an
educational force in the community
was stressed Tuesday night in Ropp
hall at a dinner for solicitors, mark
ing opening of an Intensive two
weeks drive to wise local contribu
tions for the college’s proposed new
11250,000 gymnasium-auditorium.
What the college offers in main
taining a higher community cultural
level, and the educational opportuni
ties available for youths of the area
were pointed out, as nearly 150
solicitors received final instructions
for their part in a house-to-house
campaign that will end on February
26.
Nearly half of the school’s record
enrollment of 295 students come
from the local area, and year in and
year out the location of the college
here makes it possible for many to
get higher education who otherwise
would not have the opportunity, it
was pointed out. There are 127*
registered from this community thin
year, college records show.
Serves Three Functions
Bluffton college’s proposed $250,
000 gymnasium-auditorium will serve
three major purposes on the campus.
With its largest enrollment in
history, and operating free of debts,
the college has planned the
gymnasium-auditorium as the first
step in expansion program required
to keep pace with the growth of the
i institution.
Three major functions served by
the building will be its adaptability
for physical education as an audit
orium and a location for student
recreation.
One of the finest gymnasiums in
Northwestern Ohio, the new Bluffton
building will seat 1500 persons for
sports contests, making it an ideal
etc., in addition to serving for col
lege sports needs.
Auditorium Use
Used as an auditorium there will
be seating space for 1800, answering
a need for performances such as the
annual college Messiah concert,
commencement programs.
The larger auditorium also would
permit bringing scholastic musical
contests to Bluffton and give ade
quate space for union church and
community gatherings, denomination
al conferences, etc.
Separate quarters also are provid
ed in the building for a student
union, embracing a large recreation
room, a lunch room and a kitchen.
In addition, an expanded campus
recreation program will be made
possible by new physical education
facilities of the gymnasium.
In addition to the three major
needs, several minor purposes also
will be served by the new building.
Other Purposes
Offices are provided for men and
women physical education directors
there will be a therapeutic room to
care for minor physical ailments
practice rooms are incorporated for
musical students and display cases
for the exhibition of the college’s
extensive collection of fine arts
objects.
An adult need of growing import
ance is that in the hobby field, and
a hobby room is provided for student
levelopment in those pursuits.
Design of the new building is
tuch as to satisfy these many needs
with in a minimum space and
minimum
building
standing of the college, and to
effectiveness of the educational pro
gram offered to students.
at
the
the
the
cost. Erection of
rill mean much to
Gene Siefield
antes Wenger Wed
F7
Went alem,
ployed at the Triplett plant where
htr hu.'btmd also is employed. The
couple will make their home for the
present with the bride’s parents on
South Main street.