The Bluffton news. [volume], November 13, 1947, Image 1

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BLUFFTON
A Good Place to Live
VOLUME LXXII
VOTE FOR MAYOR
IN ALL PRECINTS
TO BE RECOUNTED
Requests Filed for Recount
Mayor's Vote in All Four
Precincts
the$
of
to
County Board of Elections
Set Recount Date at Meet
ing Thursday
Recount of the vote for mayor
cast in Bluffton’s municipal election
last week will be made by the Allen
County Board of Elections. This be
came known the first of the week
when petitions were filed at the
office of the board in Lima making
formal request for recounting the
vote in all four precincts here.
Request for a recount of the vote
5n precincts 6,' C, and was filed
Saturday reportedly in behalf of a
group which supported Mayor W. A.
Howe for re-election in a write-in
campaign. Board of Election offi
cials said the request was signed by
Gerald Berry,
Brauen. Glen
Wens.
Homer Bracy, Lloyd
Moser and ^-Charles
a recount of the vote
was filed Wednesday
Request for
in ptecinct A
by a bi-partisan Democratic and Re
publican group.
the two parties preceding the elec
tion had issued a statement asking
voters to make their choice of mayor
ality candidates from (he two cau
cus-nominees, Arden Baker, demo
crat and Paul Stauffer, republican.
Signning the request were: Ralph
Badertscher, Fred Getties, A. H.
Hauenstein, George Rauenbuhler and
Sidney Stettler.
Committeemen of
County Board Meets Thursday
A meeting of the county board of
elections is scheduled for Thursday
afternoon at *4:30 o’clock at which
time board memOMBS indicated a date
•will be set for the recount.
One representative of each group
^^questing the recount and one rep
resMjjlive of each of the cancydates
involvBl-may be present when! the
ballots ar^recounted by the b^ard
of elections, ^^ejiresentatives mav
lesire.
On the face of the official count
Baker was elected mayor last week
with a vote of 349 Howe second
and Stauffer third with
with 273
206.
Ballots Disqualified
a possible recount arose
Report
Talk of
following- the election w-hen it was
reported that 90 ballots were dis
qualified because some had no check
or “X” mark in front of Howe’s
name and others with the name mis
spelled or initials missing. Howe,
runnerup on the official count, could
still win the election by gaining 77
of the 90 disputed ballots.
Meanwhile Baker and Howe, cen
ters of the political dispute pro
fessed disinterest in the entire mat
ter, each having declined to ask for
any recount of the votes. The two
have been closely associated in muni
cipal affairs during the past two
years, Howe at present serving as
mayor and Baker a member of
town council.
Aukerman was at that time a
candidate on the republican ticket
for council to which he was also
elected. He refused the mayor’s
post, however, and chose to remain
on the council, which body persuad
ed Howe, as winner on the republi
can ticket to continue as mayor.
Five Days
to
Request Recount
Ohio election statutes provide that
petition for recount of the vote may
be filed not later than
after certificate of the
has beeq made.
the fifth day
official count
requested by
The recount may be
any candidate voted for at the elec
tion or any group of five or more
qualified electors voting at the elec
tion, by making an application in
writing to the board of elections
and by depositing with the board
cash or bond in amount of $10 for
each precinct in which a recount is
requested.
In event the recount shows a var
iation of over two per cent from thi
official count the money is refunded
to the petitioner, otherwise it is re
tained by the board and turned inb
the county funds.
The petitioners are entitled
have the votes for any candidate oi
candidates for the same office re
counted in any or all precincts up
on terms and conditions provided by
the statutes governing such recount.
the
Arrive Here After
Eight Years In Africa
Rev. and Mrs. H. A. Seneff, who
have been engaged in mission work
in Africa for the past eight years,
arrived here Wednesday at the home
of her father, John Welty of Cherry
stret, to visit for an indefinite time.
Mrs. Seneff is the former Lillian
Welty.
Mr. and Mrs. Seneff work under
direction of the Africa Inland Mis
sion, an interdenominational board.
They left their station June 20 to
start on the return journey to this
country.
BODY OF JAMES
AMSTUTZ COMING
HOME FOR BURIAL
Bluffton Soldier Killed In Ger
many In 1945 Will Be
Brought Home Soon
Amstutz graduated from Bluffton
High school in the class of 1942, and
was a member of Emanuel’s Reform
ed church. He was employed by the
City Market before going into serv
ice, and also had previously worked
for the Triplett Electrical Instrument
Co. and the Bluffton Stone Co.
Mrs. Eli Amstutz, of Popular
streets, is a grandmother, and Mrs.
Rayon Boutwell, of near Bluffton, a
sister of the soldier-hero,
parents now live in Harrod.
Bluffton Physician
Is Seriously
the
has
the
This is the second time Howe
figured in a write-in campaign,
first being at the election two years
ago when as a republican candidate
for re-election he was defeated by
Charles Aukerman, a write-in candi
date.
Doughty Little A. C. & Y. Line Gets
Nationwide Recognition In Recent Book
V...
Be
brents Notified Body Will
Shipped Soon: Definite Date
Indefinite
Body of Pfc. James Amstutz, kill
ed in action in Germany on February
9, 1945, will be brought home for
burial soon, according to wpfd
received by his parents, Mr. and
Harry Amstutz, former Blui
residents.
Arrangements for bringing
Bluffton High school graduate to
country have Jot been completed,
and the date -J arrival continues in
definite awe ting the receipt of fur
ther inforr ntidn.
Inducted ‘jffto the-afrmy on
1943, Pfc, Amstut ffis b*Wc
training fit Camp .4by, Misx lie
went to England on July 5, 1944, arid
first entered combat duty in t. e
Aachen, Germany, sector,
1944.
action ft
was ssfv
When he killed in
owing FeJlgjurj he
ing with the Ninth division of the
First Army. He was 20 years old
at the time of death.
His
III
M. R. Bixel, Bluffton physician, is
a patient in Bluffton hospital ser
iously ill with a heart ailment. He
was removed from his home on
Cherry street to the hospital, Satur
day, after suffering a relapse. His
condition was reported unchanged
Wednesday morning.
The physician has been ill with a
heart condition since early last sum
mer. At that time he received treat
ment in the hospital but later was
removed to his hbme following im
provement.
Revival Meetings
Revival meetings are being held at
Liberty Chapel church, Orange town
ship. conducted by Rev. C. W. Ruhl
man of Columbus.
Body of Staff Sergeant Allen Rob
ert Wilson, former Bluffton resident
who was killed in action in Belgium
in the Battle of the Bulge, January
31, 1945, will be buried in Benton
Ridge cemetery, following funeral
services at the Benton Ridge Evan
gelical church, Saturday afternoon
it 1:30 o’clock. He was a member
if that church.
Only Line in State Operating
Mixed Freight and Pass
enger Trains
Important Link in East-West
Transportation Hauls
Many Auto Tires
One of Bluffton’s railroads, the
seven-train-a-day A. C. and Y. has
qualified for an unusual distinctionf
that of being the only line in Ohio
operating a regular daily mixed
freight and passenger train.
Combination trains virtually have
become extinct in this part of the
country,
member
included
altho our fathers can re
the time when all railroads
such runs in their schedules.
C. and Y. operations, two
In A.
combination trains go thru Bluffton
daily. No. 90, eastbound, leaves
Delphos at 6:30 a. m. every morning,
going through Bluffton at 9:45 a. m.
and arriving in Akron at 4:30 p. m.
The westbound No. 95 leaves Akron
at 10:30 a. m., stopping here
4:45 p. m. and reaching Delphos
6:30 p. m.
(Continued on page 2)
Somehow, in most of those storied
a medical college is involved.
Now there was the Worthington
Medical College, Worthington, Frank
lin County, opened in 1830 under the
first charter ever granted a medical
school in Ohio. It thrived for 10
years and had more than 200 students
but in 1840 had to close when in
censed citizens found that several
graves had been
Body Of Soldier, Former Bluffton Man
To Be Buried At Benton Ridge Saturday
The body will arrive in Findlay,
Thursday afternoon at 12:13 over
he New York Centra) railroad. He
s the first World War II casualty
o be returned to Hancock county
rom overseas and was 25 years of
ige at the time of his death.
Sgt. Wilson lived for a time on
Cherry street Surviving are his
wife, the former Virginia Waltz
whom he married on September 15,
1939, and his parents, William and
robbed.
Willoughby, Lake
so well of the Wil-
Residents of
County, thought
loughby Medical
1834, that they changed the town’s
name from Chagrin to Willoughby.
It had nearly 200 students in 1843.
But when the Widow Tarbell discov
ered that her recently buried husband
was not where he should have been—
(Continued on page 10)
w
College, opened in
Births
following births at Bluffton
The
hospital:
Mr. and Mrs. Ortho Stratton,
Findlay, a boy Stephen Ortho, Fri
day.
Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Hamman,
Bluffton, a girl,
Saturday.
Mr. and Mrs.
Columbus Grove, a
gene, Saturday.
Mr. and Mrs.
fayette, a boy
Sunday.
Mary Elizabeth,
Stanley Barber,
boy, Walter Eu-
Paul Dirmeyer, La
Richard Leighton,
James Bell, Lafay-
Mr. and Mrs.
ette, a girl, Wednesday morning.
Ho (Foltz) Wilson of Findlay.
Officiating at the funeral services
will be Rev. E. T. Shepard, pastor
of the Benton Ridge church and
Ralph D. Cole Post of the Ameri
can Legion, Findlay, will conduct
military rites.
Besides his wife and parents he
-s survived by two brothers, Blaine
and William of Findlay and two sis
ters, Mrs. Chas. Knepper, Toledo,
and Shirly Lou at home.
The body will be accompanied on
the train from Columbus by a mili
tary escort, First Sgt. Jesse Gaines.
On its arrival in Findlay it will be
taken to the Coldren funeral home
to remain there until time for the
services. The parents request that
friends call at the funeral home be
tween the hours of 2 and 4 p. m.
and 7 and 9 p. m.
Bluffton
at
at
BY HARR.Y HALS
is oits
appear
is
Editor’s Note—This
of a series of articles to
in the Bluffton News
with early Ohio history,
wifi appear
issues.
dealing
Others
in forthcoming
The Motive For
Murder
They are gruesome tales, those
stories of the grave-robbing era in
Ohio, just before the Gay 90’s
changed the state’s dirge-like tunes
to more romantic ones—like “After
the Ball?’ Mixed together and well
told they make aiconcoction guaran
teed, if ruad before? retiring, to bring
dreams t.i jjVp^i.or wakffuD
nesR to those who sleep none too
well.
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, NOV
PLAN CHANGES TO
ADAPT WATER OF
BUCKEYE FOR FISH
Crews of Volunteer Workers
Salvage Fish from Oxygen
depleted Quarry
May Add Inlet From Marsh
Run Other Plans Considered
Committees
by
Fish population remaining in the
lake this week was in no immediate
durtger, as the result of remedial
action in removiog many fish, plus
aerating practices in,spraying water
into the air, a procedure that was
continuing this week.
Of the thousands of fish removed
front the Buckeye to the Water
works quarry, only three dead ones
were found later in the week, serv
ing as proof that a lack of
was the cause of large
floundering helplessly on the
and gasping for air.
A committee studying the situation
is composed of Edgar Root and
Jesse Manges, of the club’s fish
management staff, and Gerald Clever,
who is Buckeye manager for the
organization.
Stores Close Hour
On Armistice Day
Bluffton retail estblishments were
closed from 11 a. m. until noon
Tuesday, as the town’s business ac
tivity paused for a one-hour observ
ance of Armistice Day, highlighted
by a community program in the
high school auditorium.
Prof. Lawrence Freeman, of Ohio
Northern university, was the speak
er at the service, taking as his sub
ject, “Americanism.”
Special patriotic music was pre
sented by the uniformed Bluffton
High school band, directed by its
conductor Harold Hunter.
The Armistic Day observance was
sponsored by Bluffton post, Ameri
can Legion.
In observance of the day as a na
tional holiday, the Citizens’s Nation
al bank and the Bluffton postoffice
were closed throughout the day.
Bluffton Physician
Honored By Chinese
Dr. F. D. Rodabaugh, Bluffton
physician who was stationed in the
Far East during World War II has
received a citation from the Chinese
National government awarding him
the Special Breast Order of Yun
Hui with Ribbon “for meritorious
and outstanding services which aided
China in the prosecution of the war
against Japan,” it was announced
the first of the week. The decora
tion was received by Dr. Rodabaugh
through the War department.
Student Recital
13, 1947
Sportsmen’s club com
week were studying
Community
mittees this
means of re-conditioning water in
Buckeye lake, after thousands of
targe gamefish at the point of death
were removed last week from the
oxygen-depleted quarry.
Crews of volunteer workers last
Tuesday and Wednesday seined more
than 30 tubs of large fish from the
quarry, and thousands of others were
released thru the dike outlet into
Big Riley creek to meet a crisis that
was threatening most of the fish life
in the large body of water. Fish
seined from the Buckeye were taken
to the water works quarry.
oxygen
schools
surface
New Inlet Proposed
Proposals to again fit the Buckeye
as a popular fishing spot included
the suggested installation of an in
let iato the quarry from Marsh
Run,, so that water in freshet stage
couh
be run thru the quarry.
that a
abandoned oil veil upstream on
AJ tx.ii er suggestion
’arg*
Marr Run he uncapped, to permit
a jninuous flow c» .water from a
spring that now feeds rara the oil
well Rasing. This would keep Marsh
^Run^j^owing al[. it., was
pointed out.
ninuous flow c» water from a
Sportsmen club directors also
urged motor boat enthusiasts to
continue operating on the lake, with
the churning action of propellers
credited with providing more oxygen
in the water. A ban on motor boat
ing was lifted last week, following
the crisis.
yea
First student recital of the
will be held this Wednesday night in
Ramseyer chapel at 8:30 o’clock.
Pupils of Pearl Bogart Mann, Ott
H. Holtkamp and Russell A. Lantz
will appear. The public is cordially
invited.
—i.- nii
The accident occurred when Han
kish after pouring anti-freeze in the
radiator of the car struck a match
to light a cigaret.
He was takap to St. Rita’s hospi
tal, Lima, following the accident for
an examination to determine whether
he had received any injury to his,
eyesight. His condition, however,
Plenty of Hunters and Scarcity
of Game Forecast As Open
ing Day Nears
All Rooming Accommodations
in Town Sold Out for Week
End
news
Bluffton Man Is Burned When Anti
Freeze Ignites From Lighted
Chas. Hankish, 27, was painfully
burned about the head when a light
ed match ignited fumes of volatile
anti-freeze which he had just finish
ed putting in his father’s car at the
rear of the Hankish confectionary on
North Main street Tueafw evning
at 6 o’clock.
rabbit
Although pheasant and
shortages likely will make this the
poorest hunting season in recent
years, an army of nimrods will
make the Bluffton area their center
of operations for opening of the
season Saturday morning at 9:00
o’clock.
All hotel and tourist home ac
commodations are said to be reserv
ed for the hunting weekend, and
rooms in private homes are at a
premium in attempting to prepare
for hunters expected here as the
season opens.
With the prospect of a heavy in
flux of hunters from outside and
game at a premium throughout the
Plenty of supervision over
hunters in the Bluffton district
will be provided this year, with
two game protectors establishing
their residence at 118 Poplar
street -Located
Ramge,
p'fotectur,
supervisor
counties.
177-R.
here are Donald
county game
Keckler,
Allen
and Paul
over protectors in 13
Their telephone is
district, more farmers than ever be
fore are posting “No Hunting” signs
around their land.
Although the majority of farmers
readily give consent to friends
hunting on their land, in recent
years they have shied away from
granting permission to strangers
and those inexperienced in the
of firearms.
use
will
dec­
Pheasant hunting this year
be the poorest in more than a
ade, and much worse than that of
the last two seasons. Four consecu
tive wet spring seasons during hatch
ing time are blamed for the short
age of game, growing worse each
year.
Rabbit hunting also will not meas
ure up to normal supply, and pre
season indications are that hunters
will have to work harder
for the game they get.
than ever
this year
of pheas-
The abbreviated season
give only one week
hunting, from Saturday through
following Saturday. Hunting
be permitted only between the
rul-
will
ant
the
will
hours of 9 a .m. and 4 p. m.
ing out all morning and evening
hunting when many of the game
birds are taken each year.
Noted Outdoorsman
Will Speak Here
Albert Dixon Simmons, noted out
doorsman and photography editor
for Outdoors magazine will speak
and show motion pictures of game
and wildlife at a pre-hunting season
mixer at the Community Sports
men’s clubdooms this Wednesday
night.
Fifty-two roasted corn-fed mallard
ducks will be served in connection
with the affair which wlil start at
16:45 o’clock.
A. E. Kohli, club president will
announce the personnel of the nom
inating committee for the annual
election of officers.
Room Is Damaged
In Gas Explosion
Furnishings of a room in the
ome of Albert Oyer of North Lawn
avenue were damaged in a gas ex
plosion as Oyer was attempting to
dean the pilot of a gas stove, Sun
lay afternoon. Oyer said the pilot
ght was not burning at the time
and he is unable to account for the
mishap. He was not injured.
tch
was reported satisfactory Wednesday
morning and he is expected home
later this week. .-
Averting more serious consequences
of the mishap is attributed to quick
action by his father, Chas. Hankish,
Sr., who ripped the shift off his son
and smothered flames, about the
young man’s head when ’the latter
ran into the rear of th*' store.
Hankish, Sr., was working in the
rear room and acted instantly when
he looked up to find tjps son with
clothing on the upper’fe part of his
body ablaze.
The car was not damaged.
Big Influx Of Hunters To (’ome Here
For Abbreviated Pheasant Season
LITTLE POULTRY
MAKETED AFTER
BAN IS REMOVED
Moratorium o n .“Poultryless
Thursdays” -Finds Few
Fowls on Market
Most Producer^ Believed to
Awaiting Anticipated
Higher Prices
Be
Marketing of poultry, un^ttally
heuty here during tly one month
ptfcervance of Pou Ln*y less Thurs
dfeys”. tell off sharply this *wok,
following the moratorium poultrx
less days ann»uia y. by the Citizeis’
Food Committee.
The slump in moving poultry xc
the market is believed temporary,
however, and results largely from
producers awaiGi. v liighrr prices
that Are Expected result from
abandonment of the rfogrrni to cut
down on the amount of poultry con
sumed by the public.7
With pouitry held off the market,
result of th« latest jnpve is running
^oj .cary to the* of
conservation program—aimed prin
cipally at conservation of grain.
With poultry raisers keeping flocks
intact, awaiting higher prices,
birds are continuing to eat grain
farms.
live
i on
Selling Depletes Flocks
Another factor in the slump
poultry marketing is the general
depletion of poultry flocks by heavy
selling during the last month, which
has materially cut down surplus und
finds many raisers with a minimum
of marketable birds.
of
Tn the meantime, local dealers
said the first of this week that the
market seems on “dead center”, a
condition marked by no change in
prices and with poultry* marketing
at the vanishing point.
In lifting the ban of use of poultry
in the family menu, Charles Luck
man, chairman of the Citizens com
mittee, said the poultry industry had
presented a substitute program of its
own, showing where 56,91X1,000
bushels of grain could be saved.
Aims of Program
sub-
The poultry industry, in its
stitute program, pledges to:
1—Reduce the number of broiler
chicks one-third below* normal sea
sonal levels by Jan. 31 and baby
chick production for all purposes by*
7 per cent between Feb. 1 and June
30 for a combined saving of 21,000,
000 bushels of grain.
2—Cut the turkey hatch 12 per
cent compared with 1947 levels for a
4,700,000 bushel saving.
3—Reduce duck production 15 per
cent compared with 1947, saving
350,000 bushels.
4—Cull U. S. chicken flocks from
536,000,000 to 400,000,000 birds by
Jan. 1, saving 30,000,000 bushels.
Remodeled Store Will
Hold Opening Friday
Formal opening of Waitermire’s
store, recently remodeled, will be
held Friday, it is announced bv Ed
Waitermire, proprietor. The store’s
quarters on North Main street have
been enlarged and an illuminated
sign added, making possible better
and more efficient service to the
trade, Waitermire stated. The open
ing, Friday, will mark the first dis
play of the stock of Christmas toys.
Ebenezer Male Chorus
At Rockport Sunday
Ebenezer Men’s chorus of 30
under direction of Waldo Hof
will give a sacred concert at
The
voices
stetter
the Rockport Methodist church Sun
day night at 8 o’clock.
A Good Place to Trade
NEPHEW OF BOARD
OF AFFAIRS CLERK
DIES AFTER CRASH
Twight Casteel, Son of Form
er Mabel Emans, Receives
Fatal Injuries
Findlay Youth Fatally Hurt
Iji Mishap Near Carey
4 Sunday
Dwight Casteel, 21, nephew of
Charles Einans, clerk of the Bluffton
board of public affairs, and
the former Mabel Emans, of
died last Monday in Findtay
of injuries received when his auto
mobile struck a utility pole three
miles west of Garey at 1:20 a. m.
Sunday.
The youth, who lived with his
parents in Findlay, sustained a brok
en back, complete paralysis of hips
and limbs and a broken collar bone
in the mishap.
He was driver of the auto which
state highway patrolmen said went
into the ditch on the left side of the
Charles Einans, clerk of the
Board of Public Affairs here, re
ceived a scalp laceration as the
result of an automobile accident
in Findla.K Tuesday. The acci
dent occurred^when two cars, in
one of which Einans was riding,
collided at a street intersection,
as the Bluffton man and, rela
tives were enroute to a green
house to get flowers for the fun
eral of his nephew, Dwight Cas
teel. Emans’ injuries are not
serious.
highway, then veered across to the
opposite border of the road where it
sheered off the pole and upset. The
vehicle was demolished.
Casteel’s companion, Glen Clark,
23, of Carey*, was thrown clear of
the wreckage and suffered only slight
injury.
Tn addition to his parents, My, Amd
Mrs.’J. Dwight Castc.el, of 'Findlay*,
he is survived by two jjMers, Rosel
1en and Jeanette U4neel, both at
home hi^ unc^t, Mr. Emans, and his
•Mr*..***-1
ton.
Funeral services were held Wed
nesday afternoon in Findlay. Burial
was in the Van Horn cemetery near
Vanlue.
i Casteel was a veteran of World
War 11 and had been employed as
an automobile mechanic in Carey.
Deer Hunters Home
From Canadian Wilds
Three parties of deer hunters from
Bluffton and Ada district returned
from Canada the first of the week.
A Bluffton group at Bruce Mines,
Ontario, included Leland Sechler,
Gerald Swank, Joe Birchnaugh, Alvin
Stager, Weldon Lugibill and Dewitt
Ewing. Birchnaugh bagged an eight
point buck.
Another Bluffton group at Bruce
Mines included Wilbur Niswander
and Earl Hilty, Bluffton Marion
Moser, Findlay Merl Sites, Lima and
Gilly Archer, Wapakoneta. The
party brought back four deer, one
of which a 6 point buck was shot by
Niswander and another, yearling
spike, by Hilty.
An Ada party consisting of Frank
Montgomery, Judson and Lewis
Klingler is home from Espagnola,
Ontario with several buck deer and
a black bear.
Mrs. Charity Frick
Rites Held Friday
Funeral services were held last
Friday afternoon in the
funeral home for Mrs.
Frick, 78, who died last
at her home on Cherry
lowing a long illness.
SI*
30
Bluff]
Paul DiUer
Charity B.
Wednesday
street, fol-
Mrs. Frick had been bedfast since
the Sunday preceding her death.
Born August 14, 1869, in Marion
township, she was the widow of
Robert Clark Frick, who died in
1934.
Survivors include three daughters:
Miss Leia Frick, at home Mrs.
Elnora Slenker, New Hyde Park,
N. Y. Mrs. Margaret Boutwell, In
dianapolis, Ind. and two sons, Rob
ert A. Frick of Lima,
A. Frick, of Bluffton.
Also surviving are a
Emma Risser, Maneno,
brother, Merle Fensler,
and George
sister, Mrs.
III., and a
Lima.
Mrs. Frick was a member of the
Bluffton Presbyterian church, and
Rev. E. N. Bigelow, pastor of the
church, officiated at the funeral
rites Friday. Burial was in the
Clymer cemetery, near Bluffton.