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BLUFFTON A Good Place To Live VOLUME LXXIII Upwards of 10,000 in Throngs Streets Here for Big Parade on Saturday Night Airport Dedication and show Monday Afternoon and With an airport dedication and airshow, rodeo and big street parade, Bluffton’s week end Fourth of July celebration was the most elaborate in the town’s history and attracted crowds estimated at upwards of 10, 000 for the three feature events on the holiday calendar. Opening with a gala Independ ence day parade Saturday night, the celebration continued with a double feature Monday program that includ ed afternoon attraction at the air port and rodeo at night on brilliant ly lighted Harmon field. Fair weather with no the "week end added to the the three-event celebration jointly by the Bluffton Saddle Horse club, Bluffton Community Sports men's club, Bluffton Business Men’s -association and Bluffton Recreation committee. No Accidents Throughout the entire celebration Saturday night and Monday when Bluffton’s streets were jammed, there was not a single accident re ported and local police together with state highway patrolmen and depu ties from the Allen county sheriff’s office kept the heavy traffic moving. It was typical Fourth of July weather with temperatures in the upper eighties and the crowds dis posed of huge quantities of sand wiches, ice cream and pop. Turnout at the air show, marking official dedication port 5,000 hour port town was formerly the Owens farm, now owned by Clayton Bixel. Rodeo Monday Night rain over success of sponsored of Bluffton’s air- was estimated at more than for all or part of the three afternoon program. The air is located two miles east of in Orange township on what Three acres of parking space vrere crowded with automobiles with a steady stream of traffic coming and going, while the milling crowd along the edges of the flying field had all the features of a county fair. Airport Dedicated Dedication of the airport by Mayor Arden R. Baker, opened the after noon’s festivities. In a brief address the mayor expressed in behalf of the community its appreciation for the spirit of enterprise which has gone ahead with development of the air port and expressed the view that it will play a major role in Bluffton’s future development. He was intro duced by C. W. Hatfield of Cleve land, official announcer at the micro phone. At the announcer’s stand during the afternoon were a number of personages well known in aviation circles. Included were Henry Ham ilton of the CAA safety board of Cleveland Sgt. Ernest Webb of Co lumbus who demonstrated the new Beechcraft Bonanza plan recently put into service by the state high way department Leonard Moore of Cincinnati, professional parachute jumper, who thrilled the big crowd with two jumps from a 2,500 foot altitude Joe Ulman of Fostoria, whose P-40 plane was converted to civilian use after serving with Chen nault’s Flviner Tigers in the East during the last war. 98 Planes Far on Field was air- With 98 planes registered, it by far the largest number of craft ever assembled at one time in Bluffton. About half of this number were visitors from outside the local area. A headline attraction for the afternoon was the demonstration put on by an Army Air Force helicopter flown by Captain Raymond Papson of Wright field. The helicopter was the first ever seen in Bluffton. Looking after details of the show’ were Harold Cary and Clayton Bixel, co-owners of the airport, Billy Hirschfield, Lima, and Howard Post, Spencerville, in the observation con trol tower atop the hangar Paul Werthimer, Ada, assisting in an nouncing and Maynard Geiger and Don Reams in charge of the public address system. Representatives of the sponsoring organizations did a rushing business at the refresh^ ment stands set up in the hangar. Crowds See Parade Other thousands had been drawn to Bluffton for last Saturday night’s parade, enthusiastically judged “the (Continued on pag-e 8) RECORD BREAKING CROWD AT FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION IN BLUFFTON ch Jam Bluffton Part To Alaska BINDERS S WHEAT HA IN FIELDS ART EST ERE First on Cutting Reported Farms West Bluffton Combines Are Expected Start in Fields by Last This Week Bluffton district wheat, rapidly ripening under rays of a hot July sun, will be ready for combining within the next week, farmers said Tuesday in appraising prospects for harvest. Harvest will be used are this w’eek. an average bushels was Altho the ripening at there were no reports of arty esting under* way on the Fourth of July, a date which in earlier y’ears often saw wheat cutting at its peak. of whelk is usual jme •4 First wheat reported cut in the John miles west this area was on Habegger farm three of Bluffton. on the Grove road, Tuesday, was “opened” Monday. Harvest ing is being done with binder. Habegger says he will use both binder and combine this year. Columbus The field of of William Althaus, south Hilty school also cut a field wheat on his farm Tuesday. Corn Prospects This is due to a binder harvesting to method the latter Bright change the combine handling the from grain at a considerably later stage in its maturity. Harvest this sum mer, however, will be about a week earlier than that of last year, which did not start until around July 22, an unusually late date for wheat cutting. Corn Propects Bright Outlook for the Bluffton district com crop continues the best in many years. In fact, farmers who admit prospects never have been better are putting a note of caution into their opinions. On the theory that it’s “too good to be true,” they feel “something is bound to happen,” as one grower put it this week. This pessimistic note may have arisen, from the area’s disappointing experience with the hay crop. A bumper hay stand—in fact one of the best in recent years—has represented a continuing headache for farmers because of heavy rains the past w’eek that prevented proper curing and handling. Very few farmers escaped some loss of hay by spoilage in the con tinuing rains, and in some cases the loss ran into a considerable portion of the entire crop. Not only did the rain spoil hay which was down in the fields after being cut, but it also prevented the cutting of alfalfa and the clovers which reach the peak of feeding value at first bloom. Those hay crops should have been cut the first two weeks of June this season, when the protein proportion was highest in relation to fibre con tent, but intermittent rainfall pre vented handling the crop should have been a normal on what schedule. Oats Maturing a cool Oats, benefitting from spring and fairly early seeding, has sufficiently matured, so that hot July weather over the weekend had little unfavorable effect on the crop. On the whole, district prospects for feed crops are much better than average, and some farmers are look ing into the coming fall and winter with the thought there may well be a reversal of last winter’s situation ........... JJWe Marshall Is Justice Of Peace Wada Marshall has been appointed to senle as justice of the peace in Orange township, it was announced the firA of the week. Appointmnt was mile by the township trustees. Enroute Oij Auto Trip er Heading To of in which binders ready for cutting yields, they es which lels to This summer’s timate, will be about average growers say is “about 25 bus the acre.” Generally speaking this year’s harvest is expected to vary little from that of last summer when yield of general, area stand about the around ay lenger Fairbanks, South ^Arctic Circle Fred For Family Starts of Road Traverses Wilds of North Filling Stations 300 Miles 1 Apart mut on an adventurous tfie wilds bordering the Alcan highway across trip thru 1,500-mile Canada and Alaska, five members of the Fred Wenger family left Satur day afternoon on a motor tour that will take’them to Fairbanks, Alaska, about 125 miles south of the Arctic Circle. Making the trip with Wenger, who is going Mrs. Fairbanks on business, is Wenger, their son, Robert, and another son, Richard, and his wife. To Fairbanks one way is a motor trip of approximately 5,000 miles, with 1500 miles of the tour on the recently opened Alcan highway through the wilds Alaska. of Canada and No Paved Roads From Edmonton, Alberta, there is a 500-mile stretch of dirt road to Dawson Creek, ritish Columbia, where the Alcan hig away, a graveled road, begins its route Travel will be no easier point, for most of the way is twist ing and mountainous. northward, from that There are sheer drops at the curves, and no abutments or safety barriers to retard a car if it fails to make the turn. Gasoline filling stations are ap proximately 300 miles apart, and an automobile breakdown may mean a delay of weeks, for garages where repairs can be made are as much as 1,000 miles apart. Prices High Prices are high, for everything must be flown in by planes to the few’ towns and stopping places along the highway. Two eggs served in a hotel eating place cost as much as $1.50 lettuce is $1 a pound gasoline sells at 65 cents a gallon and tomatoes bring 90 cents a pound. Only at Dawson Creek, start of the highway, and Whitehorse, a little more than halfway to Fairbanks, are there hotels, and tourists must sleep in their cars or in the open. The Wengers are taking with them two folding cots for the women and three sleeping bags for the men to use on the trip. Eating places also are hundreds of miles apart, and the Bluffton family expects to eat on the road, and are taking a portable gasoline camping stove with them to do the cooking. Carry Own Food 5-pas which an ice In the trunk of the new senger Studebaker coupe in they are making the trip is box in w’hich they will carry perish able foods, and they also have stock ed up with a good supply of canned vegetables, fruits and meats. On top of the car, the Wengers have two extra tires, and with filling stations hundreds of miles apart, they also carry’ a large reserve supply of gasoline and oil in cans. Tire chains also are a necessity because of the thousands of miles of unpaved roads over which the trip w’ill be made. These road* eithei filled with dust or a sea of mud depending on the season. Enroute to the start of the Alcan highway, the Bluffton tourists will visit Yellowstone park, Glacier park, Banff and Lake Louise. Wenger said the trip likely would require several months. Library Hours Bluffton public library will be op en daily from noon to 5 p. m. except Sunday, it is announced by the li brarian, Miss Ocie Anderson. Open Monday and Saturday evenings from 6:30 to 8 o’clock. when feed was scarce and prices were high. Assuming that this summer’s crops turn out as anticipated, farm observers point out there prospect of a surplus in and less than an average livestock to which it can is definite feed crops amount of be fed. THE BLUFFTON NEWS A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, JULY 8, 1948 THREE HIRED TO FILL TEACHING VACANCIES HERE New Coach, Instrumental Music Instructor, Grade School Teacher Employed Former Findlay High Assistant Will Be New Bluffton High Coach Bluffton ’s new coach will be ard O. Lowry, 27, a gradua Bow’ling Green university, served as assistant coach at High school last year. As physical education director Lowry w a year, children. the Bluffton’s teaching staff for 1948-49 school term was rounded out with the employment of three new instructors the board night. at a special n of education Tuesday contracts were to a new coac music instructo One-yea the session st rumentai ing teachers who had resigr to an additional elementary required by an increase ii school enrollment. replac ed, and teacher grade Rich te of structor, coach. of athletics and ill receive a salary He is married and New instrumental music instructor will be Ean W. Lehman, 26, a Bluff ton college graduate in 1944, who has taught at Pandora for the last four years. Lehman also will be in charge of part of the school’s vocal music instruction. His salary was set at $2,850. He is married and has one child. Lowry and Lehmah replace Coach Kent Cotterman and Harold Hunter, whose resignations. Were submitted will Cotter nt Br three weeks ag become head co school next fall, associated in a pharmacy father-in-law in Bellevue. The new grade school instructor will be Mrs. Levada* (Balmer) Bixel, a former member ffte teaching staff. Her salary will be $2,178. WORKMEN BUSY AS BUILDING BOOM IN AREA CONTINUES Five New Houses, Much Re modeling and Repair Work In Summer Program Building Boom Continues Local ly With No Indication'** of Easing Housing Shortage Workmen in the building trades are experiencing a busy summer as construction activity in the Bluffton area continues on a boom Scale, al though operations are decidedly more modest than in the first year follow ing the close of World War II. Five new houses, under construc tion or ready to be started, together with extensive remodeling and re pair programs to residential build ings have created a huge backlog of work for carpenters and building contractors, expected to run well into the next year. Altho residential building activity has been in a boom stage here for nearly two years now’, observers said this week the housing shortage in the town and community remains as acute as ever, with no indication of a diminishing point in the near future. Five New Homes New residences under construction are those of Mrs. Elsie Buckland, Thurman street C. South Main street W. Elm street and Harmon road. F. Niswander, Gerald Swank, Clayton Weiss, Paul Emmert is getting building materials on the ground preparatory to starting construction of a garage home on the Lugibill road, two miles south of Bluffton, a short distance off the Dixie highway where excava tion was made last summer for a small lake^ With the work other than resi dential building included in their programs, carpenters, plasterers and other building tradesmen have more than enough work for the summer, and construction activity is expected to run into late fall. Painters also are struggling to cope with a huge backlog of work accummulated during war years w’hen both materials and workmen were unavailable. The big demand for painters has been partially al- Troy Motor Sales At New Location The Troy Motor Sales, Hudson sales dealer, have moved from North Main and Elm streets, to a new lo cation in the Dr. M. D. Soash build ing on South Main street. Vacation Collaboration Plan Followed Here For Fifth Consecutive Year For the fifth successive year the week of July 4 To make it week for the The Triplett Co., are at i retail busines council next Monday theater was closed, tribute to the week picture. Industries And Store Close For Week In Community Vacation Plan Is Triplett Plants Close For Week And Business Places Cur tail Operations being observed i period for of those in Bluffton’s industri business places who plan to time off from work this sumir and take atio Success of the community vs week collaboration procedure augurated in 1944 during World W II, has found the plan continuii into the post a semi-official vacation town, all operations of Electrical Instrument standstill and several 5 operations have clos ed for the one-week period. In many stores which remain open operations are on a curtailed of working as at this time, oming on Mon meeting of the was postponed and the Carma to further con community vacation are with members taking their v With the rodeo day night, municipal until ith Many left last Friday and Satur day, to squeeze a few extra days into their vacation schedule, and there was another exodus on Tues day following Monday’s air show and rodeo. Many others are spending their vacation at home, however, be cause of crow’ded vacation facilities at this time of the year. Sidney Garau Rites Are Held Saturday Funeral services were held Satur day afternoon in the Basinger funeral home for Sidney Garau, 59, who was found dead Thursday even ing at 7:30 o’clock in his home on Cherry street. In poor health for the last year, Garau was in the veteran’s hospital at Dayton for treatment last winter and spring. A veteran of World War I, he was reared in Bluffton by his grand parents the Garau. late Eugene and Eliza H. Cramer officiated at home and the Bluffton Legion, conducted Rev. Paul the funeral post, American military* rites at the grave, was in Maple Grove cemetery’. Burial Assists In Bowling Green Speech Clinic Herbert Oyer, formerly of Bluff ton, is one of three graduate assist ants working this summer in a six weeks speech clinic at Bowling Green State university which began Mon day. Attending the clinic are 17 child ren between ages of 6 and 16 with speech defects from Hancock, Huron, Lucas and Wood counties. Those at tending pay a small fee to cover op erating costs. Students in university courses on methods of teaching speech and prin ciples of speech correction are ob serving the clinic. Geo. Clymer Dies Body Brought Here George B. Clymer, retired farmer of near Benton Ridge died in the Findlay hospital Wednesday morning at 6 o’clock. His death followed a fall last week when he sustained a fractured hip. Ten children survive. The body is at the Paul Diller fun eral home awaiting completion of funeral arrangements. leviated by a number of college and high school youths who turned to that field this summer when they found jobs plentiful. TWO DIE IN HOLIDAY TRAFFIC CRASH AT ROUTE INTERSECTION NEAR TOWN Two MODERN, 90-ACRE BLUFFTON AIRPORT DEDICATED MONDAY ocal Air Field Is Rated One of Best In Any Town of Bluffton's Size ’regressive Airport Owns Seven Planes Has Seven On Field Staff Dedication Blufft four-runway airshow last Monday aft thousands of area resid portunity to view field are generally rated as any town of th On the spat modem hangar, with offic basis field left 1 laid Operating student trai enviable record of 120 since operations were January, 1947. Seventy soloed students hold prr and 48 are taking commercial flight training. The seven airplanes owned by Bluffton Flying Service, operators of the airport, have a value in excess of $20,000, and the field facilities, other than land are worth more than $30,000, it was announced. Co-Partner Operation Harold Carey and Clayton Bixel, co-partners in the airport operations, were singled out for praise in the mayor’s dedication of the field for their vision and courage in develop ing today’s modem installation. Carey, airport manager, and Bixel, owner of the buildings and field, head up a staff of seven employed at the airport. Others assisting in operations include Hannon Falkel, Beaverburg, and John Rollins, Find lay, instructors Dorothy Anderson, bookkeeper and secretary James Romick, Raw’son, serviceman, and Eddie Post, Bluffton, in charge of the repair department. In staging Monday’s elaborate air show for the community, the airport spent more than $1,000 to assure one of the finest programs of its type ever presented in this district. Steinman Delegate To Church Meeting Forrest Steinman, Bluffton lumber dealer, is one of Ohio’s 22 lay dele gates to the Methodist North Cen tral Jurisdiction conference which opened in Indianapolis, Tuesday. Delegates generally are chosen from the larger churches, and Bluff ton probably is one of the smallest congregations to be represented at the conference. Representatives from eight states under the North Central Jurisdiction w’ill elect four bishops and different church committees during the ference. con- Ebenezer Mixed Chorus Sunday will and The Ebenezer mixed chorus present a program of chorus special number at the church, day night at 7:30 o’clock. Mrs. Lora directs the chorus and accom panists are Mrs. Vinton Bucher and Mrs. Wm. Althaus. Sun Milo Real Estate Deal The Clarence ajed Vernon Moser farm of 100 acres has been pur chased by T. R. Shindeldecker of Lima. Mr. and Mrs. Shindeldecker expect to move on the place in the near future. BLUFFTON A Good Place To Trade Crashes on Route 69 Saturday West Virginia Motorist and Wife Fatally Injured on Collision in Evening Michigan Woman Is Hurt in Crash Early in Morning Bluffton area Fairmont, Wes wife and result NUMBER 12 Two holiday motor mishaps in the the lives of a ?inia man and injuries to six Vir ed in others in Saturday morning and evening collisions on Route 69 east of town. Both fatalities resuited from a two-car crash it the intersection of Routes 69 and 30-N at 6:30 p. m. Saturday. Dead on arrival a Bluffton Com munity hospital was Frank Carr, 69, Fairmount, W. Va., and his wife, Kate, G4, died in Hie hospital five hours later. The Carrs, with Mr% and Mrs. Jack Carr, also of Fairrriount, were on their way to I)etroit for a holiday vacation. The elder Carr, driver of the auto, died of a fractured skull internal injuries and a crushed chest caused the deat i of ns wife* Others Inj ured The son, aick (’arr, 27, with i mt ions 1 a sprained left shoulder, and ilis wife. Maisie 26. fractured coll a boiie, pelvis and scalp lacerations, wei•e in the Bluff ton hospital until Tuesday when they were taken to Lima by the Diller ambulance, to home by train. According to state highway patrol men ,the Carr vena•le was headed north on Route 69 vvhen it collided with a pickup rue k occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Cox, t»nd Miss Gladys Marker, all of Bloonlingdale, travel ing east on Rc 0-N The crash caiised the Carr vehicle to overturn, and the pickup hurtled into a window n Vatis grocery store at the highwaj inteirsection. Occupants of the pickup truck ate were brought Lo the Bluffton hosptX al. Miss Marker, with fractured pelvis and lacerations, was most seriously injured. Mr. and Mrs. Cox suffered cuts and bruises. Bodies of the two accident victims were shipped by train to Fairmount, Three ambulances, Lantz and Preston’s of Ada, and Diller, of Bluffton, brought the injured to the hospital here. Morning Mishap In the Saturday morning mishap at intersection of Route 103 and 69, four miles east of town, Mrs. Altha Lois Kilgoar, 33, of Monroe, Mich., suffered a dislocated right wrist, when the two cars collided at 5:35 a. m. William Kilgoar, 35, her husband, was arrested by State highway patrolmen and fined $10 and costs by Justice of the Peace Anderson, of Orange township, for running a stop sign. The Kilgoar car was going west on Route 103 when it was involved in the collision with an auto operat ed by Charles Carruthers, 22, Detroit, and which was enroute south on Route 69. Carruthers and Kilgoar were not injured. Births The following births at Bluffton hospital: Mr. and Mrs. Denver Augsburger, Bluffton, a girl, Anita Louise, Satur day. Mr. and Mrs. Lynn Cuppies, Mt. Cory, a boy, Robert Lynn, Sunday. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Dilts, Jenera, a boy, Frank Eugene, Jr., Monday. Mr. and Mrs. Rufus Steinman, Ar lington, a boy, John Ray, Monday. Mr. and Mrs. Howard Rinehart, Arlington, a boy, Tuesday. Mr. and Mrs. John Ferguson, Ada, a boy, Joseph Edward, Tuesday. Mr. and Mrs. Ray Luginbuhl, Findlay, a boy, Larry Ray, Wednes day. Mr. and Mrs. John Martin, Point Pleasant, W. Va.’, a girl bom last week. Martin was public school in structor here in 1946-47. Follas Student In Navy Music School Ray Follas, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Follas, Bluffton Rt. 1, a navy seaman apprentice, has been as signed to the Potomac River Naval command as a student in the Navy School of Music at Washington, D. C., it was announced this week. Follas who entered naval service last March reported to the school from the Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois.