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BLUFFTON A Good Place To Live VOLUME LXXIII COUNCIL APPROVES NEW STORM SEWER ON CHERRY STREET Sewer To Handle Storm Water Will Run From Mound Street to Big Riley Creek Project Marks Start of Long Range Program Aimed at Remedying Situation Bluffton’s outmoded storm sewer system, the cause of flooded streets and basements in many areas, will be remedied.-on a piecemeal basis as funds are available, under a long range program inaugurated this week at a meeting of the town council. First project in a move to relieve harrassed property owners in areas where old sewers no longer will handle the volume of storm water, will involve the construction this month of a new sewer on Cherry street, beginning at the Mound street intersection and continuing to Big Riley creek. One of the village’s oldest storm water sewers will be replaced at an estimated cost of $3,326.20 as the result of a decision reached Monday night at council meeting. Long-Range Program With the start of the Cherry street program, councilmen are hope ful of doing some storm sewer work each year, as the availability of funds will permit. At the best, how ever, installation of remedial sewers under such a program will require years it was pointed out. The program in no way is related to the village’s sanitary sewer problems, which remain the respon sibility of individual property hold ers, councilmen said, but action is required on storm water drainage because of outmoded systems still in use in many areas of the town. Work will be started in approxi mately two weeks on the Cherry street sewer, with the route follow ing the street gutter from Mound street to the Farmers Grain Co. elevator. A.t the elevator, the sewer will go south along the railroad track ap proximately 60 feet then under the railroad and through the Steinman lumber yard to Big Riley creek. 24-Inch Drain Twenty-four-inch concrete drain pipe will be placed through the lum ber yard, replacing one of the town’s earliest sewers, a box-like drain con structed with stone slab sides and a fence-rail top. This old-fashioned sewer has been breaking down repeatedly in recent years, requiring work almost weekly during spring and fall rainy seasons by the town’s street department. Provisions will be made for cellar taps along the route of the new storm sewer installation, but no sanitary sewage connections may be made, councilmen said. Several new er sewers emptying into the sewer in areas beyond Mound street are in fairly good condition. Install Masonic Lodge Officers Installation of newly elected of ficers will take place at the Masonic lodge here Monday night. Officers to be installed are: Worthy master, Edgar Cook senior warden, Richard Lewis junior warden, Kent Amstutz sen ior deacon, Robert Ewing junior deacon, Chas. Steiner treasurer, Evan Basinger secretary, Ralph Steams chaplain, Paul Cramer senior steward, Carl Marshall jun ior steward, Hubert Trop trustee, Wilbur Amstutz. Installing officers will be George Klay, Bert Swank and Armin Hau enstein Preceding the lodge session a pot luck supper will be served at 6:30 o’clock. Motion pictures of the Ma sonic home in Springfield also will be shown. With The Sick Mrs. C. Henry Smith of Campus drive is a patient in the Dr. Ander son sanitorium in Worthington. John Garlinger of Geiger street is a surgical patient in Lima Me morial hospital. Mrs. Edgar Hauenstein who has been ill at her home on South Jack son street was removed to Bluffton hospital the first of the week. M. M. Bogart of South Main street continues seriously ill at Bluffton hospital. Mrs. M. R. Bixel, a surgical pa tient in Bluffton hospital is improv ing. Mrs. Edgar Cook, a patient in the Bluffton hospital has been removed to her home on Spring street. Melvin Williamson Is On Bank Board Melvin Williamson, Union town ship farmer will serve the unexpired term of the late Dr. C. H. Smith as a member of the board of directors of the Citizens National bank. Action of the directors was taken at a meeting Tuesday night. The unexpired term will continue until the annual stockholders meeting next month. TOWN MAY REDUCE SPEED OF TRAINS IN CROSSING JAM Drastically Reduced Train Speed Cited As Only Out in College Ave. Crossing Problem State Laws Permit Reduction of Train Speed To 10 Miles Hourly In Towns Bluffton’s decade-old battle to ob tain warning signal lights at the hazardous East College avenue cross ing of the Nickel Plate railroad was heading into a new stage this week with the municipal council consider ing passage of legislation to limit drastically the speed of trains thru the town until conditions are remedied. Council consideration of curtailing train speed followed filing of peti tions signed by more than 300 local residents demanding -warning signals, a crossing watchman or a cutback in the speed of trains passing the cross ing. In view of the stalemate resulting from previous efforts of council to induce the railroad to install warn ing signals, spokesmen Monday night notified a representative of the rail road that restriction.' of train speed appeared the only alternative in complying with community protests of the crossing hazard. Railroad Man Here Appearing for the Nickel Plate at council meeting was Trainmaster C. W. Hecker, who pointed out the importance of railroad shipments moving on schedule to meet close schedules in Buffalo and St. Louis. Speed is essential in handling rail road consignments without delay, and a municipal ordinance limiting the speed of trains would seriously affect scheduling, he told council men. Earlier council sentiment for speed restrictions appeared unchanged, however, for unless crossing protect ion is provided, the only safeguard for local residents at the crossing will be a slower movement of trains, a spokesman said- Under state laws, a municipality may order the reduction of speed of trans to a rate as slow as 10 miles an hour. Last year, a resumption of nego tiations over College avenue crossing lights ended in a stalemate when the railroad proposed a $4,500 installa tion for which the town and railroad each would pay half. This proposal had to be rejected by council because limited funds availably for municipal operations made it impossible for the town to share in any part of the cost of in stallation. Rites For Moses Amstutz Monday Moses J. Amstutz, 79, of Grove street, a retired farmer, died at 4:45 p. m. last Friday in Bluffton Com munity hospital, following a serious illness of one week from complica tions of diseases. Born in Putnam county May 26, 1869, he had been a lifelong resi dent of this community. His wife, the former Caroline Messinger, pre ceded him in death. Surviving children include Mrs. Sidney Hilty, Mt. Blanchard Mrs. William D. Supple, Pittsburgh, Pa. Elmer J. Amstutz, Toledo and Irvin S. Amstutz, Bluffton. Also surviving are two brothers and two sisters: Mrs. Samuel Bixel, Bluffton Mrs. Margaret Reardon, Canton Otto Amstutz, Bluffton and Joshua Amstutz, Pandora. Funeral services were held Mon day afternoon in the Ebenezer Men nonite church, of which Mr. Amstutz was a mmber. Rev. Howard Landes I officiated. Burial was in the church i cemetery. Pandora Man Wins Shearing Crown Winning his third International sheep shearing crown, Roland Burk holder, 36, of Pandora, last week was named International champion at the 49th International Livestock Exposition in Chicago. A former Orange township man is the center of a community contro versy which had its inception this fall in Darke county when Noah Leichty, who lived near Bluffton until a few years ago, was notified to move from the farm on which he is a tenant in order to make room for two displaced European families. Leichty’s defense, former local resi presented petitions Rallying to neighbors of the dent signed and to the farm owner and management, protesting the move and objecting to “bringing in displaced persons from Europe to this community and run- Forsaking his traditional sleigh and reindeer for the day, Santa Claus will arrive in Bluffton by air plane Saturday afj$rnoon and after circling low over the town in his ajaship will establish headquarters in a hut on the square \wsrt fie will distribute free gifts to all kid dies under 12 years of age. The modern, airborne Santa is scheduled to land at the Bluffton Outstanding Guest Soloists Will Appear With Chorus of 175 Singers Prof. Russell Lantz is Direct ing Rendition For His 20th Season Appearing in their 44th annual rendition of Handel’s oratorio, “The Messiah,” the Bluffton College Choral Society, augmented by outstanding guest soloists, will present the music masterpiece that custom has made a part of every Bluffton*. Christmas season, at 2:30 .m. Sunday in the high school gymnasium. Soloists for the performance this year will be Christine Habegger Purves, soprano, Berne, Ind. Gayle Howey, contralto, Lima Allan F. Schirmer, tenor, Indianapolis, and Wilson Jones, basso, New City. Of the four, Miss Howey Jones have previously appeared here in “Messiah” soloists roles, and are popular with local audiences. Prominent Vocalist Jones, a former Limq man, now is located in New York City where he last summer was one of the finalists in the second annual auditio ducted by the Associated Cc bureau, a ,conc previously Messiah” in 1938 and 1947. The Modern Santa Will Forsake Sleigh In Airplane Visit Here Saturday 44th Rendition Of “The Messiah” Will Be Given Sunday Afternoon Ind., York and s con ncert ed in In October he appear in Carnegie Hall. here in He “The Miss Howey, dean of women at Lima Central High school, long has been a prominent performer in music circles in this area. As a contralto soloist, she has made several prev ious appearances here. The tenor, Schirmer, associate professor of voice at Indiana Central college, Indianapolis, Ind., will be making his 44th appearance as a “Messiah” soloist here next Sunday. He has appeared with many leading choral groups. The soprano soloist is a daughter of Martha Baumgartner-Habegger, Bluffton college graduate. Mrs. Puiwes is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and is a public school music instructor. 175 in Chorus 175-voice Bluffton College Society chorus also will be Choral featured in the annual rendition. It will be directed by Prof. Russell A. Lantz. A 30-piece orchestra will play under the Hauenstein, who 1912. direction of Sidney has conducted since Mann, pianist, has Pearl Bogart been the accompanist since 1910. Organized in 1902, the College choral society first presented “The Messiah” in 1905. Prof. Lantz his 20th year as director. is in Magician At Lions Club Ladies Night Robert A. Wilkinson, Van Wert magician, was the entertainer Tues day night at a ladies night dinner of the Bluffton Lions club attended by more than 60 members and their wives. Wilkinson, an accomplished magi cian, also has been active in politi cal circles and has served three terms as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives. w THE BLUFFTON NEWS A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, DEC. 9, 1948 Plan to Move Former Bluffton Man From Farm for Displaced Persons Draws Fire ning out our American citizens.” Also figuring in the controversy was Herbert Marshall, of Rockport, manager of the farm in his capacity with Farm Manag&ment, an organi zation which manages farms for city owners. In view of the opposition of Lcich ty’s neighbors, Marshall says there will be no displaced families put on the 300-acre farm which Leichty has operated for the last three years. Community sentiment appar ently dictates that in view of the circumstances no one but a native American can be considered for the airport at 1:45 p. m. after making several flights over Xue village to wave hello to ids lioBe friends be low. From the j^Bort ^Brill bring a well-filled tlwKwntown hut where he flB ir^^pew kiddie^ throughout Arrangen«^^ofl|HpfeB appear ance here wfre made by the Bluffton Business Men’s association. Blake&ley Rites Are Held Here Monday Funeral services were held Mon day morning in tho Paul Diller fun eral home for Mrs. Roscoe Blakes ley, 53, of West Riley street, who died in Bluffton Community hospital at 10:35 p. m. last Friday. Death, cauaq^J by cardiac failure, followed an illness of 17 years. She had been hospitalized for three years. A daughter of Coy and Bertha (Cunningham) Main, she was born in Orange township q^January 6, 1895. She married Mr. Blakesley on July 26^919. In addition to her husbhnu she is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Geneva Rammel, Bluffton a grand son, and a sister, Mrs. Neben Fish er, Orange township. of Mrs. Blakesley was a member Riley Creek Baptist church. Rev. Robert Turner officiated the funeral services Monday in the funeral home. Burial was in Maple Grove cemetery. .. at Religious Visual Aid Library Established A religious visual aid library is being established here by the Bluff ton Ministerial association for the use of churches and other interested groups. Picture slides and film strips will alone t:hrough be made available at the Bluffton the river public library where they may be Indian checked out in the Same manner savagesI, that books are handled, it was an walked nounced this week. Half In the library at present are a Indian 40-piece set of color slides, “Christ- cocked mas Blessings” and a film strip en titled “First Years of Christ’s Life.” Under the program the association plans to build up a large collection of visual aids for the use of the community. Amos Steiner Rites Held Here Sunday Funeral services were held Sun day in the Paul Diller funeral home for Amos Steiner, 77, a native of Bluffton and a former livestock buy er here, who died at his residence in Toledo, last Thursday. Rev. David Morris, Toledo, offi ciated Maple Grove cemetery. at the rites. Burial was in A son of Joseph and Catherine (Basinger) Steiner, he was born in Bluffton on Jan. 15, 1871. His wife died in August, 1947.' Steiner had conducted a collec tion agency in Toledo for t^e last 15 years. Surviving are seven children, all of Toledo a sister, Mrs. Ephriam Amstutz, of Bluffton and a brother, Aaron Steiner, of Ann Arbor, Mich. Gareth Todd Passes Embalmers State Test Gareth Todd, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Todd of South Lawn avenue has passed the State Board of Embalmers examination. He finished the course at the Cleveland College of Mortuary Science this fall and is now employed at the Daniels Funeral home in Lakewood. place, he said. Owner of the farm, Roy Jamison, Cleveland attorney, is reportedly in terested in the movement to settle displaced persons in this country. It was his idea that two displaced Lat vian families be placed on the farm near Bradford, about 50 miles north of Dayton, when Leichty’s lease ex pires next spring. When the contemplated move be came generally known, neighbors lied staunchly to defense of Leichty in an effort to protect the rights of a fellow’ native American, who they said was being “pushed around” for the benefit of foreigners. ral o O U. HAL* BY HARR.Y Editor’s Note—This fl one of a series of articles to appear in the Bluffton News dealing with eartyOhio history. Others will appear in forthcoming issues. Xk' “Rest In Peace Adam Poe” It is a true story that enthralled small boys and many larger and older ones too, 60 years ago, but gone out of mind until one happens to shuffle into the little Whitewater Shaker burying-ground in the ex treme northwest corner of Hamilton County and finds a lop-sided, crumb ling slab over a leveled grave on which the bumt-in words “Adam Poe” still are legible. The date, obliterated by years of worms and weather, is too rotted to read and must be supplied by the historian himself—“born 1745—died 1838.” That is all left of Adam Poe, celebrated Ohio Indian fighter and more famous than any other, all over America. 1 Though bom in Washington Coun ty, Pennsylvania, Poe when young moved to Wayne township, Columbi ana County, where he lived with his ^ife, two sons and a daughter, a log cabin qn the w’est fork Little Beaver creek. in of Pursue Murderers Adam Joe’s most famed fight with the Indians was in 1782, the day after seven Wyandotte Indians had found an old white man alone in his cabin near the Ohio River below Pittsburgh and had killed and scalp ed him, making off with all the plunder they, found in the hut. Poe and his brother, Andrew, were members of a group of eight expert riflemen who started in pursuit of the savages. They hunted all night for an In dian track but found none until the next morning when they discovered a trace of the Indians leading to wards the river. Fearing an am bush, Poe hid his party and crawled weeds and brush to bank where he saw the rafts moored. Seeing no Poe arose and stealthily down the river bank, way down he and a little and ready, peering iu the saw “a big one” with guns direction of his hiddeh posse, whose presence had been betrayed by snap of a twig. Deadly Combat but Poe aimed at the big Indian his rifle missed fire. The click of the gun-lock betrayed his where abouts and one Indian raised his gun. Too late to retreat, Poe threw away his useless gun and tackled both savages single handed. He grabbed the big one by his breast cloth and got his arm around the smaller one’s neck and all three fell to the ground, Poe on top. But the little Indian jerked free, secured a tomahawk and raised it to kill Poe, who had been turned over and pinned to the ground larger and more powerful The white man escaped the kicking the stomach and of his hand, struck—this Poe saved himself from death by taking the blow on his forearm, which nearly was severed from his body. by the redskin, blow by in the little Indian the weapon spun out Recovering it he again time successfully but In the struggle which followed Poe broke loose from the Indians, grab bed up one of their guns and shot the smaller Indian through the chest. Then, one adversary dead, he closed in for a death struggle with the big Indian. First one on top then the other, the two men struggled until, slipping off the muddy river bank, both fell into the water. There, each tried to drown the other. Race For River Bank head Poe finally got the Indian’s (Continued on page 6) Morris Musser Named Bluffton Trustee Morris Musser, of Smithville, last week was elected to the board of trustees of Bluffton college to fill the unexpired term of his father-in law, A. C. Ramseyer. Ramseyer, a Smithville master farmer, had served as a trustee of the college for many years, and long had been actively interested in the school. He died aboard ship enroute to Europe last summer. Musser graduated from Bluffton in 1980. TRAPPERS HIT AS FUR VOLUME AND PRICES FALL OFF ’ake of Muskrat on Trap lanes Reported Substantially Less Market Prices Sag Surplus Raccoons Poses Problem Here of Trapping done extensively streams thruout the Bluffton this year is not yielding the bonai returns of 1944 and 1945 because a combination of sagging prices for furs, plus the fact that trappers generail: peak this area a are having a poor season, addition to being far below the prices paid in 1944 and 1945, year’s furs also are bringing than during the last season which in themselves had slumped from the wartime level. In Muskrat prices this year are around $L75 per pelt, in comparison with the 1947 price of $2.25. High mark for muskrat pelts was in when they brought $3.50. 1945 Many Raccoon Raccoon the other principal bearing animal trapped in fur this district are very plentiful, but the price has dropped to a low of $1.50 and few hunters or trappers are paying much attention to them. Last year raccoon pelts brought $1.75, and the puce in 1945 was $3.25. Muskrat catches so far this season have been lower than normal by nearly one-half. Veteran trappers attribute the shortage to fiver-trap ping during the bonanza war-time years, plus high water conditions which have prevailed most of the time since the present season opened. One of the reasons for the abund ance of raccoon in this tributed to the extensive re-stocking programs carried on in past years (Continued on page 10) area is at- Funeral Home Opening Saturday And Sunday The Paul Diller funeral home on South Main street, recently re modeled will hold open house Satur day and Sunday, it was announced the first of the week. A building program begun early last summer has been completed recently in which the chapel is en larged and a display room added together with modern preparatory room and improved garage for ambulance service. the facilities organ in will be Programs on the electric the funeral home chapel given Saturday and Sunday after noons and evenings by Prof. Otto Holtkamp of the Bluffton college conservatory and favors will be presented to all visitors. Births following births at Bluffton The Community hospital: Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Dukes, Find lay, a boy, Christopher Wayne last Wednesday. and Mrs. Wm. Seyer, Jr., Ot a girl, Jacqueline Sue, Thurs- Mr. tawa, day. Mr. lington,, Thursday. r. and Arlington, a girl, Patricia Elaine, Thursday. and a Mrs. Harry Davis, Ar boy, Dana Frederic, Mrs. Raymond Oates, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Hart, Pan dora, a boy, Jerry Lee, Sunddy. Mr. and Mrs. John Timbers, Con tinental, a boy, Sunday. Mr. and Mrs. Bowling Green, a len, Monday. I Rev. and Mrs. Charles Edward, Kenneth Green, boy, Edward Al- Leroy Thompson. Ada, a boy, Tuesday. Mr. and Mrs. Justus G. Holsinger of LaPlata, Puerto Rico, a boy, Don ald Charles, November 27. Mr. Hol singer taught history and political science at Bluffton college for the past two years. BLUFFTON A Good Place To Trade NUMBER 34 STATE MAY FORCE TOWN INTO SEWAGE DISPOSAL ACTION egislation Compelling Sewage Disposal Treatment Expect ed Next Year Ohio Action Will Be Outgrowth Of Pact Against Pollution of Streams State legislation expected to be enacted at the next session of Ohio’s legislature may bring to a head Bluffton’s long-deferred action on construction of a sewage disposal system and plant here much earlier than anyone had expected. Testimony introduced last week at the Maumee valley watershed con-, servancy district hearing disclosed that all Ohio cities without sewage treatment plants may be compelled immediately to proceed with con struction. The prediction was made by Fred H. W’aring, chief engineer of the sanitation division. New Legislation Planned Testifying at the hearing, Waring said Ohio is obligated to pass legislation ordering the construction of sewage treatment plants in all municipalities which do not now have them. He said the obligation arises from a previous act which authorized Ohio to sign an eight-state Ohio river anti-pollution compact now ef fective, but for which the state lacks the power to proceed with forcement. Waring testified the bill to troduced at the next session state legislati wide compliar Bluffton would be compelled to action, altho streams passing here do not empty into th a now en- in the be of state Hence take thru will make Ohio 3 Sewage Systems in Area In his testimony, the engineer said that altho 56 munic ipalities in the Maumee basin have waterworks, only 13 have sewage treatment plants. The only cities -sewage- in this area are Columbus Grove, Findlay and Lima. state Waring said further that about 40 (Continued on page 10) Bowling Green Man Is Dinner Speaker tyfonthly dinner-discussion meeting of high school principals of a five county area will be held in the Bluffton high school cafeteria, Thurs day night at 6:30 o’clock. Some 30 .principals are expected here from high schools in Hancock, Putnam, Hardin, Van Wert and Al len bounties. After dinner speaker xfcill be Dr. Ralph Geer of Bowling Green State university who will speak on student guidance. i[,utterbein Estate Valued At $11,800 Estate of A. J. Lutterbein, of near Beaverdam, is estimated at $11,800, of which $10,000 is in real estate and $1,800 in personal proper ty, according to papers filed last week in Allen county probate court. Letters of administration have been issued to Mrs. Myrtle Lutter bein, the widow. Bluffton Man Is Head Of Lima Club Dr. J. S. Schultz, Bluffton college dean, has been elected president of the Lima Torch club, an organiza tion of Bluffton, Ada and Lima pro fessional men. He will address the club’s December meeting on the sub ject “The State, Church and Indi vidual.” Slight Damage In Watkins Roof Fire Slight damage resulted minor roof fire at the John residence on Cherry street, day noon. from a Watkins’ last Fri- The fire was discovered by neigh bors, who called the fire department. In the meantime, another neighbor Ross Bogart had extinquished the blaze with a garden hose. Dr. Rodabaugh On County Health Board —W---------- Dr. F. D. Rodebaugh, Bluffton, has been named bv the Allen County Board of Health to fill the vacancy created by the death of Dr. M. R. Bixel, of this place. The Bluffton physician attended his first meeting of the board, last week.