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BLUFFTON A Good Place to Trade VOLUME LXXIV China Ralph Sommer, Mennonite Re lief Worker is Evacuated by Navy One of Last American Civilians To Leave Beleaguered City Ralph Sommer, 34-year old Pan dora native engaged in China relief work with headquarters in Shanghai has been evacuated by the U. S. Navy from that city, now the scene of a pitched battle between Chinese Nationalist and Communist armies. Sommer is one of 30 civilians aboard the Navy destroyer Tucker in the lower Yangtze river, according to press dispatches Tuesday. The 30 refugees are among the last to leave the beleaguered city conditions in ■which are reported fast becoming chaotic. The civilians made their escape by hoarding small navy landing craft dispatched up the Whangpoo river into the city and taken to the des troyer at some distance down the Yangtze. Three Years in China For the past three years Sommer has been doing post-war relief work in China under auspices of the Men nonite Central committee. With him on board the navy destroyer is Wayne Yoder of West Liberty, also a MCC worker. The Pandora man is the son of Mrs. Philip Sommer who lives with her daughter, Mrs. Vernon Suter west of Pandora on Route 12. He is also a nephew of Walter Sommer of Bluffton who operates a North Main street grocery and lives on South Jackson street. Members of Sommer’s family said that the press dispatches were the first they had heard from him since the situation in Shanghai became critical and they were relieved to learn of his whereabouts. Family Returns from China His wife, the former Frances Miller who was with him in China for two and one-half years returned to this country last December with their six months’ old son Philip and are making their home at present with her parents in Edon, Ohio. Mrs. Sommer, together with a number of other American mothers was evacuated from China last winter when the food supply for infants be came scarce. According to plans at that time Sommer intended to return to this country the latter part of this month. He and Yoder expected to go vra Europe, stopping enroute in Switzer land to visit relatives. Elected Rotary District Governor Levi Gratz, Bluffton native, living in Gainesville, Florida, has been elected district governor of Florida Rotary clubs, according to word re ceived here the first of the week. Gratz who has been in agricul tural work in Florida for the past 26 years is now assistant director of research at the Florida agricul tural experiment stations. His at tendance at weekly Rotary club luncheons has been unbroken for the past 22 years. He is the son of Henry Gratz of South Main street and his wife the former Vera Rogers of this $lace. Alumni Dinner Ticket Deadline Is Friday Friday will be the last day to pur chase tickets for the Bluffton high school dinner, it was announced by the committee in charge. The alum ni reunion will be held May 27 and ticket sales will close one week be fore in order that those serving the dinner may know the number of plates to be prepared. Tickets may be obtained at either drug store or from Miss Harriet Burkhart, secretary of the associa tion. Committee in charge of the dance announced this week that formal or informal dress will be optional. Mu sic will be provided by Mack Finch’s 10-piece orchestra which is heard regularly at Green Meadow’s club at Piqua. Dancing will be from 9 o’clock un til midnight and tickets will be sold at the door or may be purchased in advance at Pine restaurant, Basing er’s furniture store, Pat’s barber shop, Risser’s sandw’ich shop and Suitie’s dry cleaning. A feature of the evening will be the twentieth reunion of the class of 1929 to be held during the even ing at the home of Mrs. Richard Davies of South Main street. Pandora Man Flees Shanghai as Armies Battle for City Flies To Nebraska For Funeral Rites Mrs. S. K. Mosiman of Grove street left by plane from Toledo Tuesday afternoon for Beatrice, Nebraska, where she was called by the death of her sister, Mrs. Wm. Penner. Funeral services were held at Beatrice, Wednesday afternoon followed by interment at that place. Mrs. Mosiman expects to return home next wreek. SEWAGE PROBLEMS HERE MAY BRING STATE CRACKDOWN New State Law Prohibits Dis charge of Sewage Into Public Waters Immediate Action Against Vio lators Predicted By State Official State pressure for installation of sewage disposal facilities in Bluffton may come here yet this year in a crackdown on cities discharging un treated sewage into streams, it is predicted by F. H. Waring, chief of the Ohio division of sanitary engin eering. The state official declared that a bill passed by the state house of representatives early this month pro hibits the discharge of untreated sewage and industrial wastes into public waters, and that the state will take immediate steps to enforce compliance. Waring’s remarks also indicated that smaller communities would be the first to receive attention from the state, because of more unwieldy preliminaries entailed in large-city programs. Crackdown High School Baccalaureate Union Service Sunday Night on Villages In connection with the state’s crackdown, he declared, “It is to the smaller communities with less popu lation—and less money, I’ll admit— that we look to clean up their prob lems within a reasonable time.” The new law, explained Waring, is in keeping with a pact made be tween eight eastern and midwestern states to clean up the Ohio river valley. The pact requires every state to pass legislation sufficient to meet terms of the agreement. Bluffton during the last year completed all preliminary planning for installation of a network of san itary sewers and construction of a sewage disposal plant, made possible through an interest-free loan from the federal government. With all plans and specifications completed, work can be started on the project as soon as funds are made available. Store To Hold New Location Opening Geiger & Diller, men’s clothing and footwear establishment will hold a formal opening Saturday of their new Noith Main street store, it was announced this week. The location, formerly occupied by the Fett hardware has been extens ively remodeled and departmental ized in accordance with approved merchandise practices. Modern light ing and new fixtures and interior decoration add materially to the store’s attractiveness. The store is operated as a part nership by W. O. Geiger and Silas Diller specializing in nationally ac cepted brands of merchandise. Fav ors will be given to everyone call ing at the store on opening Satur day, it is announced by the firm. Attending National Radio Parts Show The Triplett Electrical Instrument company is exhibiting new models at the National R^dio Parts Show at Chicago this week. Leaving the latter part of last week for the show were R. L. Triplett, Morris, Ropp and Norman Triplett and Ard en Baker. Others who will attend during the week include Norman Edinger, Vyril Neeper, Robert Artman, Glenn Noe and D. W. Bixler. Rev. V. C. Oppermann Will Deliver Gass Sermon in Gymnasium Senior Class Play to be Present ed Next Monday and Tuesday Baccalaureate services Sunday night at 8 o’clock in the school gym nasium will open Bluffton High school’s busy schedule of commence ment week activity, which will be culminated by graduation exercises on the following Thursday. Rev. V. C. Oppermann, pastor of St. John’s Evangelical and Reformed church, will be the baccalaureate speaker, taking as his subject, “Dis covering Life.” Also appearing on the program will be invitation and benediction by Rev. Paul Shelly and prayer by Rev. J. N. Smacker. Ruth Diller and Ada May Oyer will play the processional and reces sional and a mixed octet will sing. Senior Play Commencement, week activities fol lowing the baccalaureate will include presentation of the senior class play "The Darling Brats” on Monday and Tuesday nights in the high school auditorium at 7:30 o’clock. Commencement exercises for a graduating class of 29 seniors will be held Thursday night, May 26, with Dr. Clyde Hissong, state di rector of education, as the speaker. Closing event of the commence ment season will be the alumni din ner and reunion, followed by a dance, on Friday, May 27. Beautifui Switzerland Film To Be At Pandora “Beautiful Switzerland,” depicted in 2,000 feet of technicolor film will be shown at the Pandora high school auditorium on Wednesday night, May 25 at 8 o’clock by Mr. and Mrs. Rudolph Haller, native Swiss who are making a tour of this country. They are brought to Pandora by the Bluffton-Pandora Swiss society. Mr. and Mrs. Haller are well recommended and drew a crowded house when they showed last month in the auditorium at Berne, Ind. The film was taken in 1947-48. Shown in the film will be: Zurich, largest Swiss city election in Canton Glarus Brienz, famous for wood carving Lake Luzerne, famous summer and winter resort Ruetli, where Switzerland was born old and new Swiss trains St. Gallen, world’s embroidery center Rhins, waterfall at Schaffhausen Basle, chemical center Lenzburg castle, residence of an American Freiburg, famous for cheese and grapes Ge neva, home of League of Nations, International Red Cross, watch man ufacturing Lugano, Switzerland’s Florida Bern, the capital. Winter sports at St. Moritz, Rigi Mountain, famous view overlooking Switzerland closeup view of the Matterhorn Majestic abbey in Wal lis valley August 1, Swiss independ ence day and landscape views. Man Is Injured When Hit By Car Homer Follett, 42, of Cherry street is in Bluffton hospital with a broken right leg between the knee and ankle as the result of an acci dent Saturday night when he was struck by an automobile driven by Ronald Zimmerly of Blufftdn. The accident occurred in the busi ness section as Follett was crossing North Main street at 10:15 o’clock. He was removed to the hospital in the Basinger ambulance. Hospital attaches said he would ^be under treatment there for some time. High School Music Spring Concert Bluffton high school music groups will present their final concert of the school year in the gymnasium this Wednesday night at 8 o’clock. The program is under direction of Earl Lehman, music supervisor. Appearing in vocal numbers will be the girls glee club, mixed chorus and the junior girls’ trio consisting of Ada May Oyer, Ruth Diller and Dorothy Hardwick. Instrumental numbers will be by the band and a trumpet solo by Kay Berry. THE BLUFFTON NEWS A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, MAY 19, 1919 MANY EVENTS TO MARK GRADUATION WEEK AT COLLEGE Ground-breaking for New Gym nasium, May 27 May Day on May 28 Baccalaureate, Sunday, May 29 Commencement, Monday, May 30 A four-day program of busy activity beginning Friday, May 27, will mark Bluffton college commence ment week with highlights including ground breaking ceremonies for a new gymnasium and crowning of the May Queen on Saturday, May 26, the baccalaureate on the following day, and commencement exercises on Mon day, May 30. Falling on the Memorial Day holi day week end, commence!..ent week is expected to attract what may be Complete commencement week calendar on Page 10. a record attendance, particularly in view of the launching of this sum mer’s gymnasium construction pro gram. In addition to breaking ground for the new structure and traditional May Day exercises, Saturday May 28 also will be marked bj a wide variety of activity. Alumni Reunion, Play. Saturday Morning sports events, noon-day class reunions, senior class exercises and the annual box ceremony will precede the ground breaking cere monies. In the evening, the alumni banquet will be held in Ropp hall, followed by presentation of Moliere’s “The Imaginary Invalid.” Highlights of the Sunday, May 29 program, will be the baccalaureate in the afternoon and a concert by the vesper choir in the evening. Dr. Lloyd L. Ramseyer, president, will take as his baccalaureate theme, “Christian Love and Human Free dom.” Commencement exercises Monday morning, May 30, will be addressed by Dr. Bernard C. Claussen, pastor of the Euclid Aven irjHaptist church, •Cleveland. His sub/s?? will be 'Tow to Fail-Successfully.” BY HARR.Y L. HAli 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 Man Who Remembered “Dan,” a skeptical interviewer asked, “my wife and I were married on November 27, 1828—nearly twenty years ago. What was the day of the week?” Thirty-one-year-old Daniel Mc Cartney did not hesitate. “Thurs day,” he replied. “Yes, it was Thurs day and the day was dark and a little stormy. Father and I butcher ed a beef that day.” When asked if he remembered what the family had for dinner that day McCartney men tioned a number of viands without hesitation, among them butter, which he said he did not like. “I did not eat any of the butter,” he related. That was Daniel McCartney, who lived near Iberia, Morrow County, in the 1850s—Ohio’s memory man. Mc Cartney could remember every day and what happened then since he was 10 years old. Somehow or another every little detail was fixed in his mind to be lived over again at any time. Asked by a newspaperman to tell about the newsman’s wedding day, January 28, 1836, McCartney quick ly answered: “That was Thursday. There was snow on the ground, good sleighing but not very cold. Father and I were hauling hay. A sole came off the sled and we had to throw the hay off, put a new sole on the sled and reload before we could go.” Big Snow McCartney seldom was mistake^ in his answers. When he was in error (Continued on page 2) Mrs. J. S. Steiner To Head Red Cross Here Mrs. J. S. Steiner was re-elected president of the Bluffton Red Cross chapter for the coming year at the annual election of officers Tuesday night. Other officers elected were: vice pres., Mrs. Paul Studler sec.-treas., Mrs. Edith Mann community serv ice sec., Ralph Steams. Overlapping of Activities Given as Reason for Dis solution Leader in Many Projects Aimed at Community Improvement Bluffton’s three-year-old Commun ity Progress Association, organized fox- the promotion of activities re lating to the welfare, development and advancement of the community, has been disbanded because of over lapping activities with other organ izations. Announcement of the move, decided by association membership, was made by Rev. V. C. Oppermann, who had headed the group since its for mation in the winter of 1946. During its lifetime the organiza tion spearheaded campaigns for many community improvements in cluding re-organization of a year around recreation program, re-em phasis on summer recreation at Har mon field, outfitting the Bluffton High school band with uniforms, a new floodlighting system at Harmon field and many other projects. Local Interests Represented Its membership was composed of representatives from 11 community groups, Consisting of‘ Business (mer chant) firms church and affiliated organizations educational groups farm organizations financial and in surance organizations health agen cies industry, labor, local govern mental agencies and youth organiza tions. Officers of the association during its last year of activity were Rev. V. C. Oppermann, president Wood row Little, vice-president James West, secretary, and Mrs. J. S. Steiner, treasurer. A balance of $69 in the treasury was disposed of by contributing $44 to the Bluffon Recreation Commit tee and $25 to the Band Mothers. Final Student Recital Friday Final student recital for the school year will be held in Bluffton college chapel, Friday night at 8 o’clock when the department of music will present in a program students of Professors Otto Holtkamp, Elma Ater, Pearl Bogart Mann and Rus sell Lantz. The public is invited. Going To Germany For Army Service Clyde Fisher who recently re-en listed in the army is home on fur lough until May 27 when he will leave for service in Germany. Fisher previously served for 32 months in the South Pacific during World War II. Real Estate Deal A. D. Gratz has purchased from the heirs the property of the late Chris Santschi on East Kibler street. Mrs. Arthur Santschi who is occupying the place will move the last of this month to Chicago, to join her husband where the latter has his business headquarters. With The Sick Community Progress Association Votes To Disband Its Activities C. D. Amstutz of South Jackson street is a patient in Bluffton hos pital. His condition is reported ser ious. Maynard Mann of Atlanta, Ga., is a patient in a hospital in that city. His mother Mrs. Edith Mann of North Main street is spending the week there. Building New Home Ivan Clements has started the foundation for a new residence on Geiger street adjoining the Mrs. Lida Burkholder property. Mr. and Mrs. Clements are now making their home in apartments at the Lester Binkley residence on Railroad street. Births The following births at Bluffton Community hospital: Mr. and Mrs. Frederic Andrews, Beaverdam, a boy, Steven Andrews, Sunday. Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Butler, Leip sic, a girl, Tuesday. Mr. and Mrs. Richard Kirchner, Findlay, a boy, Gary Floyd, Wed nesday. Mr. and Mrs. Paul Klassen, Akr ron, a boy, John Paul, Sunday. Mr. Klassen is the son of Prof, and I Mrs. John Klassen of South Jackson street. Rev. Cramer Is Head Of Lions Club Here Rev. Paul Cramer was chosen president of the Bluffton Lions club at the annual election of officers held at the meeting of the organi zation, Tuesday night. He and oth er officers elected by the club mem bership will assume their duties July 1 and serve one year. Also elected were: 1st vice pres., Chas. Emans 2nd vice pres., Dr. F. D. Rodabaugh 3rd vice pres., Clair B. Fett sec treas., Carl Lehman tail twister, Dwight Spayth lion tamer, Morris Triplett song leader, Earl Lehman asst., song leader, Harvey Bauman directors, Dr. B. W. Travis and Robert Nonnamaker. MACHINES TO HELP FARM INCOME AS PRICES HIT DECLINE Cost-Cutting Farm Mechaniza tion Will Bolster Profits Despite Lower Prices Man, Wife and a Combine Can Do The Work of 19 Hired Hands, Survey Shows With prices of his crops on a de clining trend, springtime this year finds the Bluffton district farmer relying more than ever on cost-cut ting farm machinery to keep his profits up at a time when the mar ket is going down. Although all farm crop prices have dropped from their record lev els of a year ago, talks with farm ers again have emphasized how the post-war era’s much-publicized rural mechanization will prop farm buying power. Cost-cutting farm machinery rep resents a big investment on even the average-sized farm, but its adop tion dates back sufficient years to have made it possible for most farm ers to spread the cost over a wide span covering more than a decade. During the war, farm mechanism served its purpose in continuing record crop yields, despite shortages of labor. Now it will be called upon in a new role—-that of bolster ing farm income in the face of de clining prices for crops and other farm output. Big Savings The dollar-and-cents story of farm mechanization cost-cutting can be figured out mathematically, it was pointed out this week. For example, when wheat was harvested and threshed in two sap arate operations, it took one man on a binder, plus two men to shock bundles, six days to harvest 100 acres. Later it required the labor of 16 men for two and one-half days to handle the threshing. Now with a combine harvesting and threshing in one operation, one man can combine the entire crop in five days, plus the time of another man ox’ his wife on a truck to haul the grain to the market. Milking machines, another labor saving device, pay off in dollars and cents. With a double-unit milking machine, two persons, man and wife, can milk as many as 40 cows in 35 minutes. It would take two men two hours to milk the cows by hand. Cheapest Hired Hand Electricity also is one of the cheapest hired hands in farm his tory. It serves a multitude of pur poses, including running the milk ing machines, cooling and bottling milk, pumping water for the live stock, providing lights for the home and othex- buildings, running refrig erators and deep freezers and other household equipment. Other new farm equipment reflect ing the trend toward mechanization include hydraulic post hole diggers. These do the entire job and can cover as much as one-half mile of fence in a day’s time with no hard work required on the part of the operator. Mechanical corn pickers also have cut down the labor required in handling harvesting of the corn crop each fall. A corn picker will har vest as much as 1,200 bushels a day, as compared with the 100-bushel top output of a man. Horses Obsolete Tractors, now used on virtually every farm, have obsoleted the work horse in less than tw'o decades. Their use represented the first step in cost-cutting mechanization on the farm, although sometimes even to 1 (Continued on page 10) BLUFFTON A Good Place to Live NUMBER 5 DRY SPELL HITS CORN PLANTING IN BLUFFTON AREA lack of Rainfall is Serious in Immediate District, Farm ers Say Acreage Being Seeded to Com larger Than Last Year, Estimate Lack of rainfall in the midst of the corn planting season is proving a detriment to seeding of the crop in the immediate Bluffton area. Farmers here said Wednesday that conditions are rapidly approximating a drought. Late plowing has been running into unexpected difficulties because of the hardness of the ground due to lack of moisture. While surrounding districts have had several heavy downpours within the past week, the local area has had nothing more than a few very light showers. In view, of the current dry spell farmers recalled that ac this time last year work in fields was badly hampered by excessive wet weather. Because of the fact that there has been no interruption due to weather conditions, planting of the corn crop in the district will be practically com pleted during the May 12 to 27 period xi'commended by Allen County Farm Agent Herbert H. Hadley. Large Acreage Anticipated While it is yet too early to make a definite survey, it is believed that the coni acreage will be sizably larg er than that of a year ago when wet weather delayed planting and forced some acreage to other crops. Stressing the May 12 to 27 period as most favorable for com planting Hadley said the only unfavorable aspect is a possibility that sometimes corn planted during this time matures too late for prompt seeding of wheat in the fall. Principal advantages include the fact that the farmer will run the least risk from com borer there is a minimum of risk from cutworms, sod web worms, seed maggots a good stand is likely and an ample choice of hybrids can be made. Many of these advantages cannot be obtained if com is planted earlier than May 12, the farm agent declar ed. Only favorable aspects to planting com after May 27 are in better weed control and good stands. Many dis advantages include the possibility’ of frost damage in the fall and danger of heavy damage from chinch bugs and grasshoppers. Mrs. Ernest Gratz Funeral Is Sunday Funeral services for Mrs. Ernest Gxatz, 69, were held at Emmanuel’s Reformed church, Sunday afternoon with her pastor Rev. V. C. Opper mann officiating. Interment was in Maple Grove cemetery. Mrs. Gratz, who lived three miles south of Bluffton died Thursday afternoon in Bluffton Community’ hospital where she had been taken two days previous following a heart attack. She was bom September 15, 1879 in Canton Bern, Switzerland, a daughter of Solomon and Louise (Leichty) Boegli. The family came to this country when she was five months old. She was married, November 16, 1899 to Mr. Gratz, who survives. She was a member of Richland grange and Emmanuel’s Reformed church. Besides her husband she is surviv ed by one daughter, Mrs. Vera Core of Col. Grove and five sons, J. Leonard and Wilford F. Gratz both of Bluffton Reno of Col. Grove, Ken neth of Lima and Francis of Spring field. Also surviving are two sisters: Mrs. Catherine Maidlow, Gilboa and Mrs. Florin Reuscher, Cincinnati and five brothers: John and Sam Boegli, Gilboa Paul and David Boegli, Centralia, Wash. Daniel Boegli, Hanford, Calif. Arrangements were in charge of Diller funeral home. In New Locations Mr. and Mrs. Rolland Stratton and family have moved from their apartments in the Stratton block to the former Mrs. Lydia Burkholder farm west of Bluffton which he re cently purchased. Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Conrad who have been making their home with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Conrad are occupying the apartment vacated in the Stratton block.