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BLUFFTON A Good Place To Live VOLUME LXXIII CHANGE IN WATER BILLING INCREASES MINIMUM CHARGE Consumer Who Stays Within The Minimum Will Pay $2 More Per Y ear Meters Will Be Read And Con sumers Billed Monthly Instead of Quarterly City water service will cost the consumer who stays within the minimum bracket $2 more each year under a new system of monthly billing which will supplant the form er quarterly basis with the June accounts. Altho water rates are unchanged so far as charges for the volume used, a new minimum of $1 per month has been established as con trasted to a former minimum of .$2.50 per quarter. For three months, consumers formerly could use up to\ 1,000 cubic feet of water at a quarterly fee of $2.50. In the future under a month ly billing schedule, the minimum will be $1 per month, or $3 for three months of service. On the quarterly basis of payment for water service, the charge for one year’s minimum service was $10, but with a $1 monthly minimum in effect, service will cost $12 per year. New Rate Schedule For the monthly minimum charge of $1, consumers may use 462 cubic feet of water, and for the next 638 cubic feet charges will be on the basis of 25 cents per 100, to main tain an exact proportion to the former quarterly rate of $2.50 for 1000 cubic feet. The rate schedule also is un changed as it applies to use of water in excess of 1,000 cubic feet, for ■which the charge is $1.20 per 1,000. Customers will be billed monthly, but bills do not fall due until the 10th of the second month thereafter. For .example, bills for June will not be mailed until late July and- are payable by August 10. All water consumers will be billed. Officials estimated there are between 650 and 675 accounts. Council Defers Action In Police Car Purchase The two-fold problem as to how badly Bluffton needs a police cruiser, and how to make limited municipal funds stretch to cover the purchase of a vehicle Monday night caused councilmen to table for further con sideration a bid submitted by Bixel Motor Sales to provide a Ford auto mobile for police use. Bixel’s bid was the only one sub mitted in response to the council's request. Limited funds available in the municipal treasury will mean curtail ment of other services in case a po lice car is purchased, it was pointed out at the session, and there was a question as to whether a police pa trol car is more essential than other village activities. Woman Fractures Arm In Fall Here Mrs. Med Murray of North Jack son street is at the home of her youngest daughter, Mrs. F. S. Mad den of Dayton following a fall at her home here in which she sustained a fracture of the right arm. Births The following births at Bluffton hospital: Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Pearson, Find lay, a boy, Richard Eugene, Friday. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Crawford, Bluffton, a girl, Darlene May, Sat urday. Mr. and Mrs. Robt. Rosenberger, Ottawa, a boy, John Charles, Satur day. Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Kinsinger, Bluffton, a boy, Mark Allen, Sunday. Mr. and Mrs. Gerald DeVore, Ot tawa, a girl, Rochelle Lea, Sunday. Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Weller, Ada, a girl, Jennine K$y, Monday. Mr. and Mrs. James Hilty, Find lay, a boy, Thomas Eugene, Monday, Mr. and Mrs. Robt. Peterson, Find lay, a boy, Jerry Eugene, Tuesday. Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Young, Galion, a girl, Tuesday. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Fox, Arling ton, a boy, Berry Eugene, Tuesday. Mr. and Mrs. Willis Mayberry, Co lumbus Grove, a girl, Paula Rae, Wednesday. Mr. and Mrs. Reno Baumgartner, Pandora, a girl, Wednesday. Dry Cleaning Fluid Ignites Youth Burned Alfred Diller, student at Bluffton college, suffered painful burns on the hands Saturday evening when in flammable fluid he was using to clean clothes in the basement of his home on South Jackson street, ignited from an open gas flame. The Bluffton fire department was summoned to the Clarence Diller res idence to extinguish the fire. Dam age to the house was slight. The youth’s burns were treated by a physician. According to the fire department report the fluid was being used near a lighted gas water heater, and the fire occurred when flames from the fluid ignited. FIRST NEW WHEAT INDICATES BUMPER HARVEST FOR AREA First of New Crop Marketed Last Thursday First Car Shipped Friday Grain Commands $2.15 Figure At Start of Marketing Slips to $2.11 Bluffton area farmers and grain elevators are in the midst of handling a bumper wheat harvest this week, with combines and binders busy in fields interrupted only by Monday’s near cloudburst. First Reported Case Of Polio Here Under Treatment At Lima Hospital The first wheat in a flood pouring into the Bluffton elevator of the Farmers Grain Co. was the harvest from the Amos Reichenbach farm, north of Bluffton, last Thursday morning. It was closely followed by other marketings heavy enough to permit loading the first car for shipment on Friday. The first ship ment from here was bough by Pills bury Mitts and shipped to Columbus. This year’s grain is of better than average quality, testing up to 62 pounds. Moisture content is from 13 to 16 per cent. Quality of the wheat reflects ideal growing condi tions of the year, cool and moist in the spring and hot and dry for harvest. Price $2.11 Bushel Last Thursday’s wheat price was $2.15 a bushel, but had fallen off four cents to a figure of $2.11 on Tuesday. Five cars had been ship ped in that time, and two more were loaded at the elevator. First wheat in 1947 sold for $2.26 a bushel. Yields are unusually good this year, with several farmers reporting up to 40 bushels to the acre. The average has been around 27 bushels. In another phase of the farm picture, potato prospects are for a better than average yield, farmers reported. In the area northwest of town where large-scale commercial potato growing is general, observers said fields never have looked more promising. Com, which has made remarkable growth during the last month, now is more than fence-high in many fields, and early varieties of oats are ripening rapidly and should be ready to cut by the time wheat harvest is ended. Oats yield will be about average, however the acreage in this section is limited. 15 Scouts Leave For Summer Camp Fifteen members of Bluffton Boy Scout Troop No. 56 left last Sun day for a one-week stay at the Shawnee Area council scout camp, near Defiance. In the group at camp are Senior Patrol Leaders David Bixel and Don Badertscher Assistant Patrol Lead ers Karl Klassen and Bruce Hauen stein Richard Patterson, Ronnie Conaway, Marl Watkins, John Koch, Joe Smucker, James Green, James Henderson, Fred Habegger, Gene Wells, Joe Joseph, Fred Basinger. Acting Scoutmaster Wade Shook is in charge of the troop at camp. Scoutmaster Robert Oberly accom panied the group to camp Sunday, and then returned to Bluffton after camp was established. Visitors night at camp will be Wednesday of this week, and many from Bluffton are planning to visit the troop at that time. With its paper drives and socials, the troop earned the greater portion of the $9.75 admission fee charged per scout. Dick Habegger furnished the truck in which the scouts made their trip to camp. THE BLUFFTON Condition of Charles Bucher, 14 Is Reported Satisfactory By Physician Case Is Described as Mild Son of Mr. and Mrs. Clair Bucher Charles Bucher, 14-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Clair Bucher of West Elm street, Bluffton’s first reported case of polio, is in Lima Memorial hospital where he has been a pa tient since last Friday night. The case is a mild one and his condition is reported satisfactory, it was stated by Dr. F. D. Rodabaugh, Bluffton physician who diagnosed the illness last Friday. The youth who had been employed on a farm for the summer became ill early last week. He is being given the Kenney pack treatment at the hospital in Lima, Dr. Rodabaugh said. BY HAR.R.Y L. KALI Editor’s Note—This is one of a series of articles to appear in the Bluffton News dealing with early Ohio history. Others will appear in forthcoming issues. The Poor Man’s Railroad It was the B. Z. & C. Railroad, finished in 1877 and dubbed by everyone from Bellaire, Belmont County, where it started, to Woods field, Monroe County, where it end ed, the “Badly Zigzag & Crooked Railroad.” What many of its pas sengers and freight consignees along the line called it can’t be put in the paper. It really was the Bell aire, Zanesville & Cincinnati Rail road—which never got to Cincinnati. Bellaire then had two other rail roads 10 coal mines some factories and plenty of stores three news papers 11 churches and a bank. There were natural gas, a w’ater works, paved streets, a street rail way and 8,205 inhabitants. Woodsfield had two newspapers, six stores a few factories four churches a bank and 861 population. Narrow Gauge Line Promoted and built by John H. Sullivan, Bellaire, who deemed it impossible to build a regular rail road through the Ohio hills along the river in Belmont and Monroe counties, the road was a narrow gauge with steep grades and sharp curves, which the builder himself, called the “poor man’s railroad.” It cost less than $11,500 a mile, was 42 miles long, and was a “miracle of engineering.” The mile-cost included hand grad ing, bridges, tracks and all except the rolling stock. Speed of its passenger trains was about 16 miles an hour. Entire cost of the road was met by popular subscription—it truly w'as a poor man’s railroad.. The line was of incalculable bene fit to the fanners, small merchants and businessmen of the Ohio River hills for the cost of good wagon roads was enormous and a serious drawback to the development of the country. Steep Grades Much of the road was a succession of curves, steep grades and wooden trestles, in places rising over 130 feet to the mile. Some curves had a radius of only 400 feet and there was one reverse curve on a trestle. Where the curves were go sharp, the outer rail was placed three inches higher to hold the cars on the track, which made the wheels screech badly when they passed over that spot. Only the Colorado Central Rail road, a narrow gauge leading from the Union Pacific to the mining regions was a worse graded road— there the elevation ran as high as 275 feet to the mile—twice that of the Poor Man’s Railroad in Eastern Ohio. Persons riding over the Colorado line on a car platform so as to view the scenery', declared they had to hold on to a railing for dear (Continued on page 2) Two Delegates To Lions Convention Charles Emans and Rev. Paul Cramer have been named delegates from the Bluffton club to attend the Lions International convention in New York city next week from Mon day through Thursday. They will leave Sunday night for New York. A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BL'JFFTON AND BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, JULY 15, 1948 VICTIM OF MOTOR CRASH IN HOSPITAL HERE UNCONSCIOUS Harold Amstutz, 21, Remains Unconscious After Mishap Sunday Afternoon Amstutz Auto Demolished In Two-Car Crash At Hilty School Corner Harold Amstutz, 21, son of Wil liam Amstutz, tliving southwest of Bluffton on thepormer Follet farm, remained unconscious for the fourth day in the Community hospital here, following a two-car collision at ’a road intersection at the former Hilty school, four miles west of Bluffton Sunday afternoon at 4 o’clock. Hospital attaches said late Wed nesday morning there had been no change in his condition since he was admitted to the hospital. Amstutz suffered deep lacerations about the head, and has been un conscious since the crash, in which his car was turned end over end in the highway. Hospital attendants said, however, that there is no skull fracture and apparently no internal injuries. Virgil Laman, 39, of Lima, oper ator of the other car, was uninjured, according to a report by State High way patrolmen. Both men were driv ing alone. According to the investigation re port of the highway patrol, Amstutz was eastbound on the Columbus Grove -Bluffton road, and Laman w’as southbound on Route 696, the Napoleon road. Amstutz’s car was demolished in the collision, and that of Laman was badly damaged. Amstutz was brought to the hos pital here in the Paul Diller ambu lance. Three-Car Accident On Dixie Sunday A Dayton womnn treated in Bluffton Community hospital for a bruised right shoulder suffered when she was thrown from an automobile in a three-car crash, one mile south of town on the Dixie highway, Sun day afternoon. The injured woman was Mrs. Jean C. Broughton, who was released from the hospital following treatment. Her husband, John Broughton, Suffered bruises. No one was hurt in the other two cars, one of which was driven by Michael Reagan, Bluffton and the other by J. S. CantrelJ, Detroit, Michigan. Following the mishap, Cantrell was fined $15 and costs in Bluffton may or’s court on a charge of reckless driving filed by the state highway patrol. Prepares To Move House On Lot Here Francis Marquart of South Jack son street is making preparations to move a house on the vacant lot be tween his property and that of Mrs. Peter Gratz. Marquart who recently purchased the site from Mrs. Gratz has started excavation for the residence which will be moved from the farm of his father, Ed Marquart south of Bluff ton. Home From Motor Trip Thru West Mr. and Mrs. B. R. Shafer and daughter Carolyn of Jefferson street road and Mrs. Shafer’s parents W. E. Yoxthimer of Findlay have re turned from a tww weeks’ vacation motor trip visiting relatives in Wat erloo, Iowa. Enroute they stopped at points of interest including the Little Brown Church in the Vale of Nashua, Iowa Niagara Caves at Harmony, Minn. The Clocks at Spillvale and Back bone State park, Iowa. Their route home was through Missouri, Illinois and Indiana where they report farm crops looking most promising. Notice Because of increased produc tion costs the following subscript tion rates to the Bluffton News sent anywhere in the United States will become effective August 1, 1948: 1 Year. $2.50 6 Months, $1.50 3 Months, $1 Single copie#, 7c night. They will become effective August 1. The new scale provides for an in of $15 monthly for salariec es and an increase of sever 'or employees on an hourh crea emp cent basi Salaries will nthly scale: Rains Monday and Tuesday Boost Corn Crop Halt Wheat Ha nest fror adian rn heat engulf High degree of humidity added to the discomfort of the warm weather and made the heat unusually' oppres- The hot weather struck with expected intensity' Saturday sent the thermometer to 95 highest mark of the summer, maximum temperatures were tered in the nineties for the following days. Thunderstorms Monday' and day failed to afford any appreciable relief from the heat and added to the humidity. A heavy downpour Monday flooded streets here at the noon hour when catch basins were unable to handle the rain which be came a near cloudburst. Because of the rains ball games scheduled for Harmon field Monday and Tuesday were conceited. Rains which have proved of mark ed benefit to the corn crop have temporarily halted wheat harvest. Recommend Treatment Of Combined Straw According to “Treatment of Com bined Straw” experiments conducted on the agronomy plots at The Ohio State from yield when after taken off. University, Columbus, Ohio, 1943 to 1947, the best hay the following year is obtained the stubble is mowed at once combining, and all the material When this material is left on the field, the hay harvested the following year will contain a large amount of straw. For any clipping of alfalfa or red clover, set the cutter-bar low. These crops recover from the crown regardless of the height of clipping, while broadleaved annual weeds re cover from buds along the stem. The lower the weeds are cut, the less likely they are to recover, so clipping low controls the weeds but does no harm to the alfalfa or red clover. Install Television Set In Store Here A set for television reception will be installed at the Ellenberger Bros, store on South Main street during the coming week, it was announced Monday by management of the store. It will be in operation by the last of next week when television broad casts from Toledo are expected to be on the air. Begins Course In Nurse's Training Miss Peggy Eckenwiler who was graduated last May from Bluffton high school has begun a course in nuise’s training at St. Rita’s pital, Lima. BLUFFTON MARKETS Wednesday Morning Grain (bushel prices) $2.1V corn $2.00 $3.75. Poultry—Heavy hens 28c leghorn fryers 39c. NEWS VICINITY Employees Of Municipal Light n s mu Blufft and i the ard of public affairs were ap by the town council, Mondaj the following Temperatures Register High Mark in Nineties For Four Days And Water Plant lo Get RaiselrnrA-rn fc ric ou main- clerk hour Action of the board of public af-l fairs follows a raise approximating! five cents an hour authorized by the I town council for village employes! 1. I salaries! nd night! pay for! and un-| which became effective July These rates fix monthly of chief of police at $125 a police $170. Hour rate of skilled labor is 90 cents nt $245 inain- With e ooler Weather Breaks Wave Of Humid Heat Here First Of Week NEW LAID AVE., 1 Extension Completes Expansion I ]t Program Started Here Two I Years Ago ,000 Feet of Four-Inch Line Laid To From Lincoln Hall Back of College Laying and the for Higl three s Mondav Tues- The new four-inch from Lincoln hall oi avenue thence to the end of south on Colle opposite the residence. hos- Wheat soys oats 80c hens 31c leghorn fryers 35c heavy' Eggs—Large white 48c large brown 46c. Butterfat—82c. macher To provide fire protection for the district, a hydrant was installed on the road at the rear of College hall.I Fourth Extension Project This is the fourth water main ex-1 Marsh Run bridge to the corporation! Six Hurt In Another 1. A H. M. Bockes, 75, and Harry Wul helm, 74, both of Grundy Center, Iowa, were treated at the office of an Ada physician. Following the mishap, Grayson, who was driving north on Route 69, pleaded guilty of failure to observe a stop sign, when he was arraigned in the court of Guy Anderson, Orange township justice of the peace. He was fined $10 and costs. Organize Red Cross Life Saving Class BLUFFTON A Good Place To Trade will be load. tension program in two years, and! completes projects undertaken to as-IL e'‘ sau Cherry street sure city water service and fire pro-1 ... J? 0 e pastorate a. a. 11 4L n I °f toe I nited Mennonite church of1 tection to all areas within the vil-l ... U"UI lage limits. I Omaha, Nebraska, he announced the i' ii ’itl first of the week. He and his fam- Earher this spring approximately!.... a,n AAA 4- 4. 1 I dy moving to that city where he 1,000 feet of new water lines were I ...are ... I will assume his new duties August 1. laid on Cherry street to the Allen-I i i. I Kev. Esau, known as the blind evan Hancock county line road, to service I .. ... ... ... I gelist has traveled widely throughout new subdivisions being built up I there 1 I the west where he has been called to s A A rasn At Oa Ana UU1\ NUMBER 13 NEW STEEL STACK ERECTED MONDAY AT LIGHT PLANT mon| Remaining Work On Boiler And Building Will Require About 90 Days New Equipment For System Will Be in Fall, Flint Head progres WATER LINE ON COLLEGER COLLEGE RD. new ion of new water I but so West College avenue andlstructu ad during the last weekPai!ui' has completed a program started two years ago to make city water serv ice and fire protection available any where within the corporation limits. I hold revival services. First project in the program was I _________ installation of 1,200 feet of mains I on the Dixie highway not th of thel/Veir In addition, the West Elm street I T„ ... .. Larry Gara has been added to water line was extended north on I .. _. n .. n I faculty of Bluffton college as in College road to the new Garmatterl ,.. I structor in history, it was announced cllHlltlOll. II 1. yx _________ I by Dr. .L. Ramseyer, president of Six persons were injured last! singer. Wednesday afternoon in a two-carl collision at the Junction of Routes! 69 and 30N, southeast of Bluffton. I’ Four of the vicN.’^s received treat-1 ment in Bluff.-a Community hos-1 pital. I Bluffton students enrolled for sum- Everett Ballard, water safety in structor at Buckeye lake announces a course in Red Cross life saving be ginning Monday and continuing thru Friday for three weeks. The highway crossing wai the! mer courses at Ohio State university scene of a fatal crosh five days earl-1 include Genevieve Buhler, Herbert L. ier when two West Virginia persons! Coon, Ralph S. Lanham, Marion H. received injuries that resulted in I Marquart, Robert B. Marshall, their deaths at the hospital here. I George Swank and Howard D. Raid, After last Wednesday’s mishap,! it was announced this week. Jack Grayson, 25, Detroit his wife,! From Lafayette there are three Margaret, 24 their daughters, Mary,! students: Leslie Ackerman, Dean L. 5 and Judy, 2 were brought to the I Cochensparger and Ruth L. Klingler, hospital here for treatment. Classes will be held from 5 to 6 p. m. Junior life saving course will be from ages 12 to 16 years and the senior course will be from 17 years and over. Those satisfactorily completing the course will be eligible to wear the Red Cross life saving emblem. Municipal Use By -foot steel and work of a new onstruction s municipal of a brick addition at th light plant, Supt. Joh estimated Wednesday that new plant equipment will lie in operation in Supt. Swisher said. Assembling of the boiler completed, altho auxiliar and othc main was laid I Workn West College I proximal the street, and Ito comp: ge road to ter-1 tion, aftei will be han the 110 plant, which 'henever the ig the plant ler Crane Used the new st Motor I W. of huge 0 lift into pla lumg in addition, ting the :ause of needed, building tion of the le delay i e is anticipated to obtain steel a s been piping '0 day: uired the addi- which the new equipment ready for use to carry' the normally heavier winter Accents Call To ebrOSKU CllUrch Instructor In Historif At College I the college this week. |, G“ra "ith 7as,''of 9/JA’l from enn ^tate Colle*fe» Pa., will the. l| fm the vacancy in the faculty caused I by the resignation of Justus Hol- Seven From Here At O. S. V. This Summer Undergoes Operation Robert McCune, Bluffton city mail carrier underwent an operation for appendicitis at the Community hos pital, Friday night. His condition is reported satisfactory. During his ab sence Roger Howe is employed at the post office under temporary appoint ment. Mrs. Paul Deitler is convalescing at the Bluffton Community hospital following an operation which she underwent Saturday afternoon. Miss Gaynelle Basinger who under went dn operation at Lima Memorial hospital is still a patient at that place. Maynard Pogue Off For Naval Training Maynard Pogue who was graduat ed last May from Bluffton high school has enlisted in the Navy and left Wednesday to begin his train ing at Great Lakes Naval Station,, Illinois.