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VOLUME LXXH TWO FIRES BREAK OUT TUESDAY IN BUSINESS BLOCK $5,000 Damage Sustained by Mrs. Edith Mann Building on North Main Street Occupants of Second Floor Apartments Routed from Bed by Morning Blaze Two fires of undetermined origin in the Mrs. Edith Mann building in the North Main street business sec tion Tuesday morning kept the Bluff ton fire department busy from long before daylight until noon. Three occupants of second floor ■apartments were routed out in their night clothes by the first outbreak which resulted in damage to the building and contents estimated at more than $5,000. The fire was reported at 5 a. m. by Harry’ Beals, semi-invalid, "who was awakened by smoke and found furnishings of his room ablaze. Beals who occupied the rear apartment of the building aroused Carl Long and the latter’s elderly aunt, Mrs. Rosa Bowsher and then called to Merle Duffman, a passing pedestrian, who gave the alarm. Call For Aid Fears that the fire would imperil the North Main street business sec tion and the stubborn character of the blaze resulted in Mayor W. A. In connection with Tuesday morning’s fire, Chief Guy Corson issued a stern warning to motor ists not to drive over hose lines laid across the street during a fire. Such practice seriously hampers efforts of the firemen and motorists are subject to severe penalties, he added. Howe authorizing calling for aid from the Lima fire department a half-hour after the Bluffton firemer had arrived on the scene. A pumper and crew dispatched from Lima to Bluffton, however, fail ed to arrive when it skidded off the snow-covered Dixie highway near Swiss Inn three miles south of town in attempting to avoid a collision with a gasoline truck which jack knifed in front of it. Walter Hydaker, Lima fire chief continued in his automobile to Bluff ton where he found the fire under control and returned his pumper to Lima after it had been pulled from the ditch. A fender and fire ex tinguisher were damaged on the Lima truck. Fire Damage Restricted Actual fire damage was confined to the second floor apartments oc cupied by Long and Beals but water considerably damaged counter stock in the A to Z meat market operated by C. F. Brunn, Gerald Rone and Ralph Neely all of Lima. The market was closed Tuesday to retail trade. Frozen food lockers which are operated in connection with the busi ness were not damaged and were accessible to patrons. Not in the apartment at the time of the fire was Beals’ sister, Miss Etta Beals, bedridden, and a patient in Bluffton hospital. She previously occunied the apartment with her brother. Sidney’s Dmg shop and Vel’s Beauty Box, business places adjoin ing the A to Z Market sustained only slight damage from smoke as did apartments above them. One of the apartments above the Sidney Drug shop is occupied by Mrs. Edith Mann, owner of the block who was called to Atlanta, Ga., last week because of the illness of her son Maynard Mann. Mrs. M”nn. notified of the blaze by telephone Tuesday is expected here g^ortlv to supervise renovating of the building. The loss is reported as covered by insurance. Second Fire Firemen extinguished the blaz* and left the scene at 8:30 a .m. only to be called back two hours later when Tony Preen, an A to Z em ploye discovered a blaze under the roof in a back room used by the market for storage. It was quickly extinguished with negligible damage. Fi-e Chief Guv Corson said after investigation that it could not have been caused bv the fire in the building earlier in th' day. Chief Corson said there was a fire in the same place about four years ago originating from a nearbv trash fire. There is no electrical wiring in the room. “You can fool some of the people all of the time and all of the peo ple some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.” Get Busy With That Snow Shovel If You Want Mail Delivered "DETTER get on the business end of that snow shovel if you want mail delivered to your home. That was the warning issued Tuesday morning by Post master Ed Reichenbach when it developed that a number of residents had failed to clean off their sidewalks after Monday night’s snowfall. Postal regulations require that patrons keep their sidewalks free of snow if they are to have mail delivery, the postmaster said and the order will be enforced, he added. EVERYONE WANTS SMALL THAT Turkey raisers, faced with high feed costs, marketed most of their turkeys for the Thanksgiving trade, and the smaller birds as a rule were the first to go, a factor which also contributes to the shortage of prefer red types for the Yuletide dinner. Larger Costs Less If you can use a big tom turkey, 20 pounds and up in weight, you’ll probably be able to get one at con siderably less per pound, because there is little demand for fowls of that size. Some smart housewives, however, reportedly are outsmarting the market by buying one big turkey and then splitting it between two or three families. Average turkeys dress away about one-third when ready for the oven, and an eight to 10-pound dressed bird is sufficient for the average family dinner of six to eight persons. Since there are few of the old-time big Christmas dinners when all the family from near and far get to gether, there is little demand in these days for the big turkeys tha were so popular years ago. Chicken prices are approximate!v the same as last Christmas, with to' grades, heavy springers, quoted at 41 cents a pound retail live weight. Funeral Rites Held For Alfred Sanner Mayor W. A. Howe’s 12 Consecutive Years In Public Service Unique Record TURKEYS UPS PRICE Medium Birds 10 Small to Cents Pound Over Thanks giving Cost Little Change in Prices of Big Toms, Chickens, Ducks or Geese If you intend to have chicken, duck or goose for Christmas dinner your cost will be about the same as at Thanksgiving, but have your mind set on turkey you’ll find that prices have risen sharply in the last month. should you While prices for other poultry have remained virtually unchanged, the cost of choice turkeys has jump ed about 10 cents a pound over the Thanksgiving level. If you are like most everyone else, you’ll want a small hen turkey —eight or 12 pounds dressed—and will find them scarce and consequent ly high in price. In contrast to Thanksgiving prices of 40 to 50 cents a pound alive# they now bring 50 to 60 cents retail, wnth little sign of the market weakening. Funeral services were held las1 Sunday afternoon in the Basinger funeral home for Alfred Sanner, lonr a resident of Bluffton, who died last Thursday afternoon in a To^ed' hosnital. He had been seriouslv one week. ill is A native of Switzerland, Sanner survived by his wife, Laduskav other, Harman Sanner, of Lima and several neices and nenhews. Rev. E. N. Bigelow, pastor of th' First Presbvterian church, off’rintP'’ at the last rites. Burial was in Maple Grove cemetery. Births The following births at Bluffton hospital: Mr. and Mrs. Evan Sommer, B'uff ton, a girl, Shirlene Joyce, Saturday. Mrs. Paul Schumacher, girl, Gloria Ann, Satur- Mr. and Bluffton, a day. Mr. and Rawson, twin boys, Keith Louis and Kenneth Harold, Monday. Mrs. Wm. Eddington, Mr. and Mrs. Lehr Reese, Rawson, a boy, David Lee, Tuesday. Mr. and Mrs. Richard Herrman, Mt Cory, a boy, Wednesday morn ing. L^Tj THE BLUFFTON NEWS Retiring Mayor Has Not Miss ed Council Meeting Since First Elected 12 Mayor And Councilman For Years Serves Longer Than Anyone In History An unparalleled record of public service to Bluffton municipality en tered its final act Monday night when Mayor W. A. Howe presided for the last time at a meeting of the town council, and made ready to turn over the reins of government to new hands on January 1. For 12 consecutive, years, Mayor Howe has attended every council meeting, first as a member of that body, later as council president, and for the last nine years and two months as mayor. His consecutive record of municipal service over more than a decade is longer than that of any other elec in the history of the tive official town. It is made all the more re markable by his unbroken record of attendance at council meetings, held at least twice every month over the 12-year period. Elected In 1935 Elected to council in the fall of 1935, Mayor Howe served his first term beginning in January, 1936. Re-elected to his second term (Continued on page 5) in October Admissions Tax Collection $125 Collections during October, the first month of Bluffton's new admis sion tax levy, amounted to $125.52, it was reported this week by Town Treasurer Sidney C. Stettler. The town’s three per cent admis sions tax, patterned after a state levy discontinued in September, ap plies to theatres, athletic contests, home talent productions or any other entertainments or recreation. A license fee of $1 per year also is required. Post Office Hours Bluffton postoffice will be open daily, except Sunday, from 7 a. m. to 6 p. m. until Christmas, it was stated by Postmaster Ed Reichenbach Tuesday. Scout Honor Court Here On Wednesday Allen county court of honor ,a Boy Scout honorary meeting gener ally held in Lima, will be conducted at 8 p. m. this Wednesday in Ram seyer chapel on the Bluffton college campus. Awards will be presented at the session to Scouts from all parts of the county. Included will be three Eagle awards second and first class awards merit badge aw’ards tenderfoot investure. and HAPPY BIRTHDAY resides at home on long dist- Miss Marie Imbach who the Noah Hochstettler Spring street received a ance call Tuesday from her brother ‘n California with best wishes on the occasion of her birthday an niversary. A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, DEC. 18, 1947 COLORFUL AND GAY YULETIDE SEASON USHERED IN HERE Old-Fashioned Christmas With Gay Lights Will Be Ob served This year Holiday Shopping At Its Peak As Christmas Setting Takes Definite Form Against a setting of traditional color and gaiety, Bluffton’s plans for the Yuletide were taking tangible form this week as all community events geared themselves to the ob servance next. week of America’s best-loved holiday season. A heavy snowfall Monday night which continued intermittently Tues day and Wednesday brought a tradi tional white Christmas setting for the holiday season. Highway crews were kept busy with snowplows clearing north and south roads which were drifting shut in spots as a high wind whipped clouds of snow and ice covered pave ments added to traffic hazards. In the downtown district a giant Christmas tree, brilliantly ornament ed and illuminated, central location at the corner Presbyterian church window’s are bright cheer, and holiday light decoratons brighten every section of the town’s residential area. The world-famous Francis P. Church, paper classic, which in the New York Sun fifty years 1 Edward Douglas, 58-year-old widow “Dear Editor—I am 8 years old. “Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. “Papa says ‘If you see it in The Sun it’s so.’ “Please ted me the truth, is there a Santa Claus? “Virginia O'Hanlon, 115 West Ninety-fifth street.” Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skep tical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as meas ured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole truth and knowledge. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas'- how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith tfyen, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the stands in a the show yard Heavily burdened postal workers already are struggling^ to keep abreast of the heavy floods of Christ mas mail, with the greatest volume not expected until the end of this week, and the first two days of next. Windows at the post office usually closed on Saturday Ufternoon will be open this week on ^Saturday until 6 P. M. cXristmajT Eve Much of the credit for Bluffton’s Christmas setting goes to the Bluff ton Business Men’s association, which (Continued on page 4) Child Is Unhurt In Fall From Moving Car Saturday place on near the the first os aid The child was taken to pital where he received treatment and was discharged after an any examination failed to disclose further injuries. Real Estate Deal Mr. and Mrs. Donald Balmer are occupying the former Ingalls prop erty on North Main street which they recently purchased. They previously occupied the former Bertha Balmer property on South Main street. “IS THERE A SANTA CLAUS?” editorial by ago—in 1897—was written in reply long a news- i first appeared girl. I to a letter from a perplexed little The little girl is now Mrs. New Yo rk, N. Y. Sept. Heavy snowfall, drifted roads, ice, and biting cold, the aftermath of a Monday evening snowfall that froze on trees, shrubs and buildings in fairyland fashion, gave Bluffton its first real taste of winter this week. With the snowfall came a decided drop in temperatures that provided below-freezing weather all day Tues day, and found the mercury drop ping to 15 degrees, a new low mark for the season, Wednesday morning. Rain and sleet on Monday’s weath er agenda changed to snowfall early Dr. M. R. Bixel, long one of the community’s leading patrons of mu sic, will hear last Sunday’s rendition of “The Messiah” by the Bluffton College Choral Society, despite fact that he is critically ill in Community hospital here. Santa with Yuletide trees and Kempt, dual k At Peak local business ft its peak this sing in trading tit Saturday, altho ext Monday and Shopping Shopping in establishments is week, with some expected af stores will be Tuesday belated "buyers, business places will close at 6 P. M. Today’s Impersonators Must Measure Up To Rigid Requirements Style in Santa Clauses has changed over the years in commercial estab lishments who have Saint Nicholas in their stores at the Yuletide, and the jolly, rotund, well-coached indi viduals who greet the kiddies these days represent a far cry from the straggly characters who formerly played the part. To prevent eager young minds from unfavorably comparing imag inary Santas with the real life im personators they meet in stores, re quirements part have the years. Snow, Ice, Drifted Roads And Cold Wave Bring Winter To Bluffton for those who take the become more in morn a four-inch blanket Rendition Of “Messiah” Concert Here Is Recorded For Patient In Hospital the the The Co. A wire recorder owned by Triplett Electrical Instrument was used Sunday afternoon to make a recording of the entire two and one-half hour program, and it will Style In Santa Clauses Changes For The Better In Nation’s Stores strict over Santa must Today’s ranges inches, be no girth, places, the tape in most cases. 4-year-old E. Bayliss minor cuts James Drew Bayliss, son of Mr. and Mrs. Z. of Toledo escaped with and bruises when he fell out of a car in which he and his parents were riding in Bluffton, night. The accident took the Main street pavement Bentley road junction. meet rigid Height physical measurements. must be from five feet, nine to six feet and weight can less than 180 pounds. His with padding at the right must measure 48 inches by After physical requirements, Santa is considered on the basis of having a jolly, deep-seated laugh. Other individual problems depart ment store Santas face includes giv ing child. four children a minute, and they must be careful not to devote more attention to some kiddies, else bring on the wrath of mothers of others. individual attention to each Most good Santas can handle Parents also are likely to complain if store Santas are too quick to promise a shiny new $50 bicycle to a youngster whose have decided on a less costly gift. A Santa also must know which toys appeal to which age groups. folks already Santa’s costume also has come in for careful study. Stringy, dirty whiskers and wear-wrinkled, poorly and principal of a public school ii New York city’s lower east side. Her letter and the editor’s replj follow: 21, 1897 world would be extinguished. Not believe in Santa Claus! you might as we1 not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch all the chimneys on Christ mas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if the did not see Santa Claus coming down whe would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claur but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claur The most real things in the world are those the neither children nor men can see. Did you eve see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course no’ but that's no proof that they are not there. Nc body can conceive or imagine all the wonder there are unseen and unseeable in the work' You tear apart the baby's rattle and see whe makes the noise inside, but there is a veil cov ering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? All, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding. No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood. evening, and by Tuesday the town was covered with of snow. and highways automobile ex and a strong Ice-packed streets made traveling by tremely hazardous, wind by early afternoon Tuesday drifted snow and kept highway snow plows busy keeping north and south roads open. Weather forecasts predict a con tinuation of cold weather, with little indication of relief in the immediate future. be played for Dr. Bixel in his room at the hospital. The the fine recorder used is one of type, which records on a It was operated by Norr latest Edinger, of the Triplett organiza tion. Dr. Bixel, long a follower of local musical activities, was prevented from, hearing “The Messiah” this year by a serious heart condition. itted Longer Is The Scraggly Indivi of Yesterday No Ill out, if the illusion Nick is to be pre Christmas Entertainments presenta* will be Reformer 8 AH Ye Faithful”, dramatic .tion in pantomime and song presented at Emmanuel’s ■d church, Sunday night at ’clock. A Christmas cantata “From the Realms of Glory” will be given at the Ebenezer Mennonite church Sun day night at 7:45 o’clock. Mrs. Milo Lona is director of the production pianist. Solo- and Mrs. Wm. Althaus, ists are: soprano, alto, Mrs. Vinton Bucher Waldo Hofstetter, baritone, Evan Sommers. Treva Althaus tenors, Robert Gratz A pageant “Christmas”, depicting the nativity in colorful pantomime and carols of many countries will be presented at the high school auditor ium Monday night at 7:30 by 150 high and grade school pupils. Miss Alma Ater, director of music is in charge. The high school chorus, boys and girls glee clubs and several in strumental numbers will be featured. New NKP Signal System Operating Central traffic control of trains operating thi'ough Bluffton over the Nickel Plate railroad was started Monday, as the concluding phase of an improvement program launched in September, 1946. Cutting in the new control sys tem of a 40-mile stretch of the railroad between Lima and Arcadia was started last week, but Bluffton was not included on the automatic control basis until last Monday. The system between Arcadia and Lima is expected to completely be in opera tion by the end of this week. In the new system signalling is almost entirely automatic and is said to represent the highest pos sible degree of safety. Bonus To Employes Of Glove Factory Employes of the Boss Manufactur ing company will receive a Christ mas bonus of five per cent of their ear’s earnings, it was announced ’uesday by Charles Lloyd, manager the plant here. Lloyd said that all who were in mnloy of the company November 30 will be paid an additional compensa tion amounting to five per cent of their total wages within the period December 1, 1946 to November 30, 1947, exclusive of the five per cent paid December 27, 1946. This payment will be included in the amount of the pay check to be naid December 19. Whether similar action can be tak n next year depends entirely upon rodvcfi«n and business conditions, kLloyd said. BLUFFTON MARKETS Grain (bush*! prices) When' $295 com $2.45 oats $1.15 soy $3.80. Poultry- Heavy hens 24c leghorn hens 19c h°avy spring's 33c leg horn springers 20c: stags 13c. Eggs—Large white 56c large brown 54c medium white 49c medium brown 47c pullets 40c. Butterfat—87c. BLUFFTON A Good Place to Trade NUMBER 35 HIGHWAY PATROL IS CHECKING MAIN STREET SPEEDING Patrol of Street Is Being Made On Intermittent Basis Here .ackson Street In Front Of tirade School Will Be Blocked This Week State highway patrolmen have started an intermittent check of speeding on Bluffton’s Main street, in opening a campaign against un safe traffic conditions here, Mayor W A. Howe announced at Monday’s meeting of the municipal council. citiz group, Altho there is an of patrolmen sts to watch their sj aid. A letter to the ompany, protesting mses thru the town bi here by the disti tendent of the lir Mayor Howe a :he protec on Mayor Howe highway patrol ipinj cars uffton. co- to control the rer the Dixie in of efficient num assign a car ent checking Main street is being made, and four arrests already lave been reported. Highway patrol recommended the Iso have jf signa motor e mayor Greyhound bus the speed of also produced ey being made traffic superin told councilmen that signs have been completed to be used in closing Jackson street in front of the grade school building over the noon hour, and that pro gram will be put into effect this week. Closing of the street for school pupils tsted by a beer 100 Acre Augsburger Farm Brings $23,180 Farm of 100 acres belonging to the late Eli Augsburger southwest of Bluffton brought $23,180 when put up at auction at an administra or’s sale Friday afternoon. The land was bought by Kenneth Chidester in two tracts. One of 80 acres with buildings was bid in at $230 an acre and the other without buildings brought $239 an acre. Bid ding was prospective praised at lively among several purchasers. It was ap $14,500. will occupy the place Chidester before March 1, moving from the former Santschi farm on the Dixie highway. Alvin Augsburger, now living on the place will move to Pandora w’here he has bought a property. Santa Will Return Here This Saturday Santa Claus will pay a return visit to Bluffton next Saturday talk to kiddies who an audience with him rush of enthusiasm, patron saint of the will be in the again from 2 to distribute favors greet him. be erected for Santa the Bluffton Business association, sponsor of the Bluffton afternoon to failed to get in last week The jolly Christmas st will 3 p. m., and to the kiddies A hut will this week by Men’s event. Sportsmen's Club Names New Officers Kenneth Dearth was elected presi dent of the Bluffton Community Sportsmen’s Club Wednesday with Gerald Clever elected vice ident. night piea- Fett, Other officers were Morris secretary Robert Benroth, treasur er, and directors Roy Rogers, Si Dillef/ Gene Benroth, A. E, Kohli, Ray Mpmma and Wilbur Fish. Woman In Hosnital After Auto Skids Mrs. Marie Somody, 47, of Akron, is in Bluffton hospital with chest and leg injuries sustained in an accident Tuesday afternoon when the car in which she was riding with her son John skidded into a concrete abutment on Route 30 four miles east of Beaverdam, moved to the hosnital ambulance. She was re in the Diller reported sat morning and Her condition was isfactory Wednesday she is expected to leave the hospital later this week.