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BLUFFTON A Good Place to Live VOLUME LXXII BODY OF VETERAN KILLED IN PACIFIC IS ENROUTE HOME Flag-Draped Casket of Pfc. Donald Crawfis Expected Here This Week Burial to Be in Gilboa Ceme tery with Full Military Honors One of 3,028 soldier-dead heroes of World War II comprising the van guard of those being returned from overseas to final resting places in hometown cemeterie.*of this country, the body of Pfc. Donald Crawfis, son of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Crawfis, Colum bus Grove Route 2, is expected to ar rive in Bluffton the latter part of this week. Pfc. Crawfis employed as a mech anic at the C. F. Niswaader Imple ment shop here prior to his army service, was accidentally killed at Honolulu on Nov. 18, 1942. He was 24 years old at the time of his leath. •Body of the veteran is enroute to Columbus in a special train, after ar riving in San Francisco last Friday on the Army Transport Honda Knot. Six funeral cars carrying 321 bodies of Ohio soldiers killed in the Pacific are expected to arrive in Col umbus, on Thursday. Coming from Columbus The body will be sent by train from Columbus to Bluffton, where it will lie in state in the- Diller funeral home. Funeral arrangements will be com pleted after arrival of the lody. Bluffton Legionnaires will be in charge of the funeral rites, with Rev. Paul Cramer, post chaplain, conduct ing the service. Burial will be in the Harmon cemetery, Gilboa, with the Legion honor guard participating. Pall bearers, all World War II vet ferans, will be Herbert Stewart, James Burkholder, Marion Lenney, Alfred Welty, James Moser and James West. A graduate of Bluffton High school in the class of 1936, Pfc. Crawfis was inducted in|o the army on May 27, 1941. He took his basic training at Camp Calan, San Diego, and was transferred to Honolulu in 1941. He was stationed at Pearl Harbor at the time of the Japanese attack which provoked opening of the war. Bom in Putnam county, August 25, 1918, Pfc. Crawfis was the son of Earl D. and Lydia (Diller) Crawfis, who survive with two brothers, Har old J. and Gerald D. Crawfis, both of Bluffton. Appliance Service And Sales Manager Announcement was made the first of the week that Kimmel Marshall is associated with Bixel Motor Sales as manager of the home appliance division. Marshall, who has had many years of experience in the electrical field, including a period with the General Electric products in Toledo, will have charge of all sales and service, it was stated by Clayton Bixel, head of the Bixel organization here. Silver Wedding Anniversary Sunday Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Hilty enter tained a gathering of 100 relatives at their home west of Bluffton, Sun day afternoon on the occasion of their Silver wedding anniversary. Following an informal afternoon refreshments were served. Many lovely gifts were received by the couple. Bluffton Girl Heads Dental Assistants Miss Eileen Moser, of Bluffton, is president-elect of the Northwestern Dental Assistants association, being named with other officers at a meet ing in Lima last Monday. In addition, Miss Moser will serve as chairman for the year’s program. Installation of officers will be on November 3. Miss Moser is em ployed in a dental office in Lima. BLUFFTON MARKETS Wednesday Morning Grain (bushel prices) Wheat $2.88 com $2.35 oats $1.10 soys $3.12. Poultry—Heavy hens 22c leghorn hens 18 heavy rock fryers 80c heavy red fryers 28c leghorn fryers 26c. Eggs—Large whites 62c large browns 61c mediums 50c pullets 42c. Butterfat 70c. Sight-Saving Drive Opens Next Week Sight-saving stamps will be mailed to Bluffton residents next W’eek in a mail campaign sponsored by the Lions club to raise funds for an expanded program of community sight conservation activity. Proceeds will be used to equip the Bluffton public schools with eye ex amination equipment, and to provide assistance to worthy persons who need aid for their eyes. All funds will be used in the local community. Dr. I. W. Bauman, chairman of the sight conservation committee, is directing the program, assisted by Supt. Ralph Lanham and Principal Gerhard Buhler, of the public school system. ANOTHER NEW STORM SEWER TO BE BUILT Contract Let for 300 Foot Line at Foot of North Jack son Street New Construction Will Relieve Overloaded Sewers on Riley Street Construction of a new storm sew er from the junction of North Jackson and Riley streets to Riley creek will be started within the next week or 10 days, to relieve flooded conditions on that section of Riley street following every heavy rain. Fifteen-inch concrete tile will be used in construction of the new sew er, a distance of approximately 300 feet from the street to the stream. Bluffton Woman’s Father Pinned Under Overturned Tractor Is Rescued By Son Contract for the work has been let to Charles E. Kohl and Son, of Lima, who last week installed a new sewer on College avenue from Main street to Riley creek. Need for the storm sewer at the junction of Nosth Jackson and Riley streets is another evidence of the fact that the town has outgrown its 75-year-old network of drainage sewers, it was pointed out this week. Present Sewer Lines Too Small Much of the water which now' floods Riley street during heavy rains comes from as far away as four blocks up Jackson street, with present sewers unable to handle the heavy flow of surface water. Although there are manholes along the route, storm sewers soon are filled, and the water flows over them down the course of Jackson street to flood homes at the foot of the street where it joins Riley. Previously there has been no di rect storm sewer outlet from the street intersection to the creek, and the new outlet was ordered because overloaded sewers on Riley street have been unable to accommodate the heavy flood of water coming down Jackson street. Former Pastor Here Dies In Cleveland Rev. Frank Goetsch, 68, of Cleve land, died in that city Monday, ac cording to word received here Tues day morning. He was formerly pastor of tlje St. John’s and Eman uel’s Reformed churches here. Funeral services were held Wed nesday afternoon at the Church of the Covenant in Cleveland and burial was at Mt. Eaton, Ohio. Surviving are his wife the former Bertha Schifferly of Bluffton, togeth er with one son and three daughters. Teacher III, Gone On Month's Leave William Burbick, instructor in speech at the high school and col lege here has been granted a month’s leave of absence because of illness. Burbick is in Columbus for medical attention. During his absence his classes at the high school are being taught by Miss Ruth Steiner. Mayor’s Notice Burning of rubbish or leaves is i forbidden on Bluffton’s streets sur I faced with asphaltic concrete or other hard surface streets in the town. This practice damages the surfacing materials and greatly shortens the life of the pavement. Please cooperate in our program for better streets. 127 W. A. Howe, Mayor George Russman Victim of Ac cident on Farm Near Jenera Monday ?ather of Mrs. Leroy Traucht, South Main, Escapes Ser ious Injury George Russman, 63, farmer of three and one-half miles southwest of Jenera, escaped with severe bruises when he was pinned beneath the steering wheel of a tractor which overturned while he was operating it on his farm Monday evening at 6 o’clock. Following the mishap, Russman was removed to the Bluffton Com munity hospital for observation over night. On Tuesday he went to the home of his daughter, Mrs. Leroy Traucht, of South Main street. He left for his home, Tuesday night. The accident occurred when Russ man lost control of the tractor while hauling a load of soybeans from a field to his barn. When the vehicle overturned, he was pinned beneath the steering wheel. His son, Merritt, working in the same field, saw the accident and summoned help to assist in raising the tractor from his father’s body. The elder Russman was brought to the Bluffton hospital in the car of Orval Crates, a neighbor. Dr. F. D. Rodabaugh was the attending physician. Former Resident Is Buried Here Grover Klay, 63, Bluffton native who died in Florida was buried in Maple Grove cemetery following fun eral services held at Siferd and Son mortuary in Lima. For many years he was a resident of the latter place. He was the eldest son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Klay, pioneer Bluffton residents. Former Beaverdam Girl 14, Missing Wilberta Paul, 14-year-old daugh ter of Rev. I. Clifford Paul, former superintendent of the Beaverdam schools is reported missing from her home in Lanark, Ill. 100 miles west of Chicago. Her father is pastor of the Church of the Brethren in Lanark. Her disappearance started a search by authorities of eight northern Illi nois counties. The girl was reported missing after she went downtown with her 6-year-old brother Preston and told the boy to return home. Dedicate Windows At Church Homecoming Dedication of recently installed cathedral windows will be a feature of the homecoming at the Bluffton Church of Christ, Sunday. Services will open at 9:30 a. m. and a state speaker will deliver the principal address of the morning. Rev. Lee Remaley, a former pastor will speak in the afternoon. A basket dinner will be enjoyed at noon and all present and former members of the congregation and friends are invited. Boy Scout News By Bruce Hauenstein Members of Troop 56 will visit the Vic Green Game Rerserve in Orange township, Saturday after noon, October 25. The troop will be in full uniform and leave the church at 2:00 P. M. and hike to the re serve where a demonstration in wild life management will be given by Vic Green, owner of the reserve. At the Monday night meeting full uniform inspection was conducted by Karl Gable. Following the business meeting Gable told the scouts pres ent about new improvements at Shawnee camp located at Defiance. Installation of a new road to the camp site by the county, construc tion of a new dining hall, building of a caretakers lodge, planned improve ments already under contract will be started in the near future. Five Bluffton scouts and two scout ers attended the Ohio State-South ern California football game at Col umbus and served as ushers.. Free admission was gained for their ser vice in this manner. Attending in this capacity were John and Don Trippiehorn, Richard Patterson, Joe Smucker, David Bixel and the scout ers Bill Amstutz and Bob Luginbuhl. Tests passed the past week were Fire Building by Gene Wells, and First Class Swimming by Don Bod ertscher. THE BLUFFTON NEWS A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BL JFFTON AND VICINITY BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, O(T. 16, 1947 THREE NEW HOMES ARE BEING BUILT HERE THIS FALL Renewed Building Activity in Bluffton's Residential Section interior Finishing Nearing Completion in Two Other Houses A renewed burst of activity in Bluffton’s residential building pro gram has seen the start of three ad ditional new homes within the last month, with work continuing on two others started at earlier dates. Construction of foundations was under way last week on the residen tial properties of Harry Mericle, South Main street, and Don Martz, who is building in the Sunny Acres addition near the intersection of Cherry street with the County Line road. Mericle’s home is being built on the front of his lot adjacent to the property owned by Miss Ocie An derson, and in front of the garage which he has been using as a tem porary residence. Martz’s home will be in the first lot east of the Maynard Geiger home, in the Sunny Acres addition opened last spring by Harley Burk holder. The third new home is a residen tial building erected by Fred Swank on Riley street near the foot of Jack son street. In this project the first story framework has been complet ed. Two other homes on which exterior finishing is nearing completion are those of Mr. and Mrs. Irvin Roda baugh in the King addition on Har mon road, and a house being built on W. Elm street by Lloyd Krofft which will be occupied by Krofft’s son-in law and daughter Mr. and Mrs. Earl Stober of Fett apartments. The early fall spurt in construc tion activity has been spurred by the hope of getting the structures under roof so interior work car. be continued after bad weather sets in during the winter season. Dorothy Basinger Weds Avery Keel In a quiet ceremony in the First Mennonite parsonage Sunday morn ing at 8 o’clock, Miss Dorothy Ba singer, youngest daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Basinger, of Cherry street, became the bride of Avery Keel, son of Mrs. Anna Keel, of Mt. Cory. Rev. J. N. Smucker officiated at the double-ring ceremony, with Mrs. Smucker as the only witness. For the ceremony, the bride wore a dark aqua gabardine suit with brown accessories. Her corsage was of gardenias. Mrs. Keel has been employed at The Triplett Electrical Instrument Co .for several years. The groom is a tool and die maker at the Bersted Manufacturing Co. at Fostoria. After a honeymoon trip through the Smoky Mountains, the couple will make their home in Findlay. Show Film At Church Monday “The Missing Christians” is the title of a film to be shown at the Evangelical Mennonite church, South Jackson street, Monday night at 7:30 o’clock it is announced by the pastor Rev. Edgar Shady. The film is presented by Rev. Douglas Hine, formerly with the “America Back to God” quartet. Births The following births at Bluffton hospital: Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Crouse, Ada, a boy, Leland Thursday. Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Herr, Bluff ton, a boy, Richard Jerome, Friday. Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Bowersox, Hamler, a boy, Gregory Lynn, Fri day. Mr. and Mrs. Thos. Hall, Findlay, a boy, Thomas Van, Saturday. Mr. and Mrs. Dale Reichenbach, Bluffton, a boy, Randy Dale, Satur day. Mr. and Mrs. Francis McCrate, Columbus Grove, a boy, William Eu gene Monday. Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Jones, Ot tawa, a bey, Wednesday morning. Mr. and Mrs. Ivan Agin, Beaver ton, Mich., a boy, bom at that place September 24. Dilated Pupil The pupil of the human eye when fully dilated has an area only about 20 times as great as when con tracted. Possibilities of reviving an oil field in the Bluffton area which flourished here at the turn of the century will depend largely on the showing of a test well to be com pleted on the John Boehr farm north of town within the coming week. The well, it is reported, has been sunk to a depth of 1,000 feet and drilling operations likely will be completed by the end of this week. If indications are favorable, the well will be shot to determine its oil producing possibilities and the results may largely determine the course of future operations in a venture financed by Findlay and Toledo capital. In anticipation of success of the test well, the same interests have leased drilling rights to some 1,500 acres of surrounding farmland. Two wells at comparatively shallow depth were drilled by Dr. J. F. Rudy, Bluffton physician during the 1900 oil boom. Altho the wells were non producers, the belief has persisted among oil men that that area has definite possibilities. In New Locations Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Lombardy have moved from the Fred Bader tscher apartments on South Main street to 804% South McDonel street, Lima. Mr. and Mrs. Richard Oberly have moved from near Rawson into the apartment vacated by the Lom bardys. Oberly is employed at the municipal light plant here. Mr. and Mrs. Justin Gratz and family have moved from the W. H. Gratz apartment on South Jackson street into their Railroad street property, the residence of the late Mrs. Florence Sechler. Possibilities Of Future Oil Development Will Depend On Showing Of Test Well Mr. and Mrs. Gene Bish are mov ing from the W H. Gratz cottage on South Lawn avenue into the apartment vacated by the Justin Gratz family. Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Herr are oc cupying one of the Zanna Staater apartments above the Peter Gratz store. Mr. and Mrs. Evan Niswander are moving this week into the newly finished H. L. Coon apartment on South Jackson street. Last Rites Held For Jesse Bracy Funeral services were held Tues day afternoon in St. John’s Reformed church for Jesse Bracy, 54, of South Lawn avenue, who died unexpectedly of a heart attack about 4:50 p. m. Saturday at the home of Mrs. Ada Miller, Bentley road ,where he was engaged in carpenter repair work. Bracy, a well known singer, was paint shop foreman at The Triplett Electrical Instrument Co. where he had been employed nearly 30 years. He was doing the repair work at the Miller home on his “day off”, and apparently had been in good health up until the time that Mrs. Miller found him in a state of collapse in the yard. He was dead before med ical assistance could be obtained. Survivors include his wife, the former Edith Roethlisberger, whom he married 25 years ago a daugh ter, Mrs. Betty Oppermann, of New Knoxville, and a son, Kenneth, Bluff ton High school senior. Others sur viving are three sisters, Hannah Bracy, a missionary in West Africa Mrs. Mary Detrick, .Phoenix, Ari zona and Mrs .Ella Welty, Pan dora, and a brother, Homer Bracy, of Bluffton. Rev. V. C. Oppermann, pastor of the St. John’s Evangelical and Re formed church, officiated at the fun eral services. Burial was in the Maple Grove cemetery. Bracy also was custodian of St. John’s church, of which he was a member. Rockport Known Man Dies In Pennsylvania C. A* Stewart, well known in the Rockport community died at his home in Mahoningtown, Pa., the first of the week of a heart attack, ac cording to word received here. Ray Marshall and son Carl of Orange township, cousins of Mr Stewart, will attend funeral services Thurs day afternoon. Ebenezer Chorus At Ada Sunday Night Men’s chorus of the Ebenezer Mennonite church will present a program of sacred music at the Church of Christ, Ada, Sunday night at 8 o’clock. New Job for the Magnet Recommended as an added too' for the sewing basket is a smal magnet, to simplify the picking uj of pins and needles. REAL ESTATE HERE SHOWS SHARP RISE DURING PAST YEAR Jncreases $73,700 to New High Mark of $1,879,660, Audi tor Reports Town’s Personal Property Val uation Also Shows In crease to $480,278 Bluffton’s real estate valuation, exclusive of public utility properties, during the last year showed an in crease of $73,700 to reach a new high mark of $1,879,660, according to an announcement last week by County Auditor Russell L. Hire. Personal property valuation for the town also moved upward to a figure of $480,278, an increase of $36,448. Real estate valuation increases for other towns and townships in this area included: Beaverdam, $235,450, an increase of $5,000: Richland township, $2,055,950, an in- (Continued on page 8) Club}, J^odgeA and SocietieA Presbyterian Social Club The Presbyterian Social club w'JI meet with Mrs. Armin Hauenstejn, Thursday night at 8 o’clock. Assist ing hostesses: Mrs. Lee Clauss, Mrs. Chas. Patterson, Mrs. E. C. Ludwig. Legion Auxiliary A district conference of the Ameri can Legion Auxiliary will be held at Sidney, Ohio, October .23, beginning at 8 a. m. Members of the Bluffton Auxiliary wishing to attend see Mrs. J. S. Steiner and arran&rtnejlts will be made for traqpportatfon. Farm Women’s Improvement Club Guest day of the Farm Women’s Improvement clsb ha.s been postponed until Octoberj24. ,t will be held at the Beaverdaln Methodist church at 1:30 p. m., qith the program com mittee in charge. Garden Cli’b The Garden club will meet with Mrs. Harrj Barnes, Thursday after noon. The program: Roll call, a winter tree form I admire Book re view—Our Native Trees, Mrs. Ger hard Buhler. Engagement Announced Mr. and Mrs. Earl Weimer of Find lay announce the engagement of their daughter Marjorie to Raymond Gred ing, son of Mrs. Bertha Greding of Bluffton and the late L. T. Greding. No date has been set for the wedding. Alpha Gamma Club The Alpha Gamma club will enter tain at guest night in the Bluffton collage chapel, Thursday night, Octo ber a|. Arrangements for a musicale are i^ charge of hostesses Isabelle West, Mabel Steiner and Lois Roda baugh. Poinsett^ Club $ Mrs. Bijtha Marshall will be host ess to the\Poinsettia club this Wed nesday night. The program: Ste Anne de Bekupre, Mrs. Ruth Corson Quebec and ^Montreal, Miss Mildred Keel. n Travel Class The Travel dais met at the home of Mrs. Lelana Diller, Wednesday afternoon. The pregram Book review —Christianity wnew you Live, Mrs. C. A. Biery Religious' Cults, Mrs. E. N. Bigelow. V I and son Carey, Ruith Clum, Mary Shrider and Edith St^fey of Lalayet te Mrs. Bernice Mill^j- of near Bluff ton Mrs. Henry MorWheck of Wap akoneta. This will be Mrs. Stager’s last meeting with the society as the Rev. C. L. Stager has accepted a call to Springfield, Ohio, wtyere they will move in the near future. The next meeting will be held at the home of Mrs. Clyde Grant of near Lafayette. Pandora Wedding Arthur Hilty, son of Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Hilty, west xf Bluffton and Miss Jo Ann Basinger, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gerpld Basinger of Pandora will be married Sunday afternoon, October K6 at 3 o’clock in the Grace Mennonite church, Pan dora. The bride-elect was graduated from Pandora high school last spring at which time she was chosen May queen. She will be attended by her sister, Miss Betty Basinger. Robert Lee will be best man. Hospital Auxiliary Bluffton Hospital Auxiliary will meet Monday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock in the nurses’ home. Import ant business. November Wedding Mr. and Mrs. William J. Lugibihl of North Lawn avenue announce the approaching marriage of their daugh ter Dorothy Jean to Roger E. Musser, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Musser of BLUFFTON A Good Place to Trade NUMBER 26 MATURE CORN TO BE SCARCE MOCK OF CROP IS SOFT Marketable Corn Will Be High Soft Com Will Go to Livestock Corn Should Be Left on Stalk After Frost, Says State Expert Soft corn will comprise the bulk of a bumper crop in the Bluffton area this fall, and the killing frost of late September will give district farmers thousands of bushels of inferior grade grain unfit for marketing. Despite the fact that the yield gen erally will be greater than usual, good marketable corn will be short locally, and immature ears on stalks killed by frost for the most part can be used only as livestock feed. Due to the vagaries of unseasonable planting weather last spring, soft corn is in various stages of maturity, and there will be no fixed price in that category because there is no standard by which to judge its qual ity of maturity. Fully ripened corn, on the other hand, will command an unusually high price because of its scarcity. Some degree of optimism, however, is represented in reports released this week by Ohio State Extension Agron omist J. F. Beard showing that in som# cases unripened corn has in creased in dry weight as muph as 30 per cent after corn leaves have b?en killed by frost. Don’t Cut Corn too Soon The state report emphasizes that •since kernel development continues after photosynthesis has been stopped by freezing weather, better quality grain may be obtained by leaving corn stand on the stalk in the field for further development. If the land is not needed for other purposes the corn should be left standing, Beard said. If grain is the objective, rather than ensilage,, corn in the soft, dough stage (which means ears are only about 75 per cent developed) will in crease an additional Id to 15 per cent if they are permitted to remain un cut on the green sta’ki. This means an actual net yield loss of about 15 per cent instead of 20 to 30 per cent, state authorities pointed out. Cutting arid shocking does not com pletely stop kernel development, ac cording to the report, but it will be stopped sooner than if the corn is un cut. Hypnotist At Legion Party Next Monday Laibe the Hypnotist, will be fea tured on the program at an Ameri can Legion party for veterans of World Wars I and II Monday night at 8 o’clock in the Bluffton Legion hall. Non-Legion veterans are urged to attend, and members of the organi zation are asked to bring a veteran guest. Refreshments will be served. Lima. The wedding will take place Sunday afternoon, November 9 at St. John’s Reformed church. Honor Bride-elect y dinner and theatre party were given in Findlay, Thursday evening honoring Miss Dorothy Basinger, wfose marriage to Avery Keel took place Sunday. The party included Florence Bassett, Helen Gerdeman, Gaynell Basinger, Dorothy Kohl, Mae Huber, Irene Moening and the honor ed guest. Miscellaneous Shower The Misses Pat Sidenstricker and Wilma Neuenachwander entertained Thursday evening at the latter’s home in Pandora at a miscellaneous shower in honor of Mrs. Eugene H. Augsbuiger, a recent bride. The evening was spent playing cootie with prizes won by Miss Wilma Lehman and Mrs. Alta David son. Invited guests were: Misses Joyce Young, Lucille Steiner, Gail Basinger, Roma Welty, Mary Jane Beach, Kathryn Frehse, Henrietta Schu macher, Martha Fruchey, Wilma Leh man, Vera Burkholder and Dorothy Kohl. Mesdames Rose Rausch, Alta Davidson, Janet Matter, Ruth Augs hurger, Minnie Steiner, Margaret Kimmel, Pauline Augsburger, Mar garet Burkholder, Treva Shafer, Rachel Boutwell, Mary Bucher, Opal Zehner, Mary Joliff, Helen Warner, Ola Conrad, Helen Mayberry and Marguerite McCafferty. Eastern Star Bluffton Eastern Star chapter will meet next Tuesday night at 8 o’clock. Entertains Missionary Society Mrs. Eugene Staley of Orange [township entertained the Women’s i Missionary society of Trinity Luther an church near Lafayette at an all day meeting last Thursday. Present were Mrs. C. L. Stager and Mrs. David Florida of Ada Mrs. Pearl Grant, Mrs. Kathleen Grant