The Bluffton news. [volume], December 08, 1949, Image 1

About The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current

Image provided by: Ohio History Connection, Columbus, OH

                
BLUFFTON
A Good Place to Trade
VOLUME LXXIV
POLICE FIND
LYING IN PATH OF
ONCOMING TRAFFIC
Truck Careens to Stop as Driver
Remembers to Set Emergency
Brake
Fumes from Motor Seeping in
to Cab Held Responsible
for Accident
James Mash, 25, Cleveland, com
mercial truck driver for the Mohawk
Lines, overcome by carbon monoxide
motor fumes leaking into, the cab of
his truck was saved from possible
death by the prompt action of Night
Policeman Albert Reichenbach
Thursday morning at 4 o’clock Main
street in downtown Bluffton.
The Bluffton police officer founa
the truck driver lying unconscious in
the middle of the highway directly
in the path of oncoming traffic,
seconds after he had seen the huge
transport truck skid to a crazy
emergency stop.
On regular patrol, Reichenbach
was near the southbound truck when
its wheels suddently locked with a
loud squealing of brakes. The
vehicle swung to a stop with the
huge trailer well out in the street.
No One In Cab
Approaching from the sidewalk,
Reichenbach found no one in the
when he reached the vehicle. On
other side of the truck he found
driver lying unconscious Jn
street.
cab
the
the
the
Dragging the man to the walk,
Reichenbach moved the truck to the
curb then got the driver to the
mayor’s office in the town house.
When revived there, the driver
said that he felt the effect of the
motor fumes just as he was going
under. He recalled jerking the air
brake emergency lever and reaching
for the door handle, but could
remember nothing else.
Thrown Into Street
Apparently he had also released
the handle of the door and toppled
out into the street as the truck
careened sideways to a stop.
Shortly after reviving, the driver
again lapsed into unconsciousness,
and Reichenbach called Dr. F. D.
Rodabaugh who provided treatment.
The driver had been unhurt by the
fall into the street.
The truck operated by Mohawk
Truck Lines was taken on to the
Lima terminal by a substitute driver
brought from Lima by the manager.
The overcome driver was taken to
Lima by the manager in his car. He
was reported fully recovered on Fri
day.
Business Men's Assn.
Elects New Officers
Silas Diller has been elected presi
dent of the Bluffton Business Men’s
association for the coming year.
Other officers are: vice pres., Hi
ram Huser sec., Harlan Swank
treas., Albert Ingalls.
Committees: Publicity and busi
ness, Joe Swank membership, Mau
rice Fett grievance, Raymond
Greding solicitation, Chas. Auker
man.
Aceordion Band At
Pandora Saturday
The Zuercher Accordion band, a
Berne, Indiana, musical organization
of some forty performers will be
heard in concert at Pandora high
school Saturday night at 8:30
o’clock.
Hiram Wenger, of Kibler street,
was a guest at a reception in Mc
Allen, Texas, for British Consul Gen
eral and Mrs. J. Thyne Henderson,
of Houston, last week during the
time Mr. and Mrs. Wenger were in
Texas for a visit with relatives.
“The Messiah,” Trad
Music Offering
Gara Paroled From
Federal Prison Joins
Wife Here Today
Larry Gara, 27, former Bluff
ton college instructor was re
leased from the federal correc
tional institution in Milan, Mich.
Tuesday, after serving six months
of an 18-month term for inter
fering with the peacetime selec
tive service.
He was released to the custody
of the U. S. probation officer at
Detroit and will report there
monthly until the expiration of
his term next December.
He arrived in Bluffton Wed
nesday morning to join his wife
who has been living here. They
expect to move shortly to Wyan
dotte, Michigan. He will be em
ployed there as a bricklayer, pro
bation authorities said.
TREE SNAPPED OFF
AS TRUCKS CRASH
ON MAIN STREET
Both Trucks Damaged as Re
sult of Collision on South
Main Street
One Trucker Arrested and Fined
for Failure to Have
Driver's Permit
Bluffton’s second accident in two
days on South Main street occurred
Thursday morning at 9:50 o’clock
when a large transport truck collided
with a Lima roofing concern’s work
truck as the latter attempted to turn
into an alley between the properties
of Frank Batterson and Jegse Strat
ton.
Both vehicles were northbound,
with driver of the small Lima truck
claiming he gave a signal before at
tempting to turn left across Main
street into the alley. Driver of the
larger truck, who had pulled out to
pass, told investigating officers he
saw’ no signal.
Force of the impact carried both
vehicles diagonally across the street
and over the curb where a large
maple tree was snapped off in the
boulevard lawn strip in front of the
Jesse Stratton residence, next door
to the Batterson property.
Hiram Wenger Attends Reception For
British Consul General On Texas Visit
The reception for the British con
sular official was at the home of
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Steiner, former
Lima residents, who now live in
McAllen. The British Consul Gen
eral and his wife had been guests
during the week at the home of Mr.
and Mrs. Steiner.
Also at the reception were Mr.
and Mrs. Dennis Brauen, of Me Al-
A large limb on a tree in front of
the Stratton house also was broken
off in the mishap.
Trucks Badly Damaged
Altho both drivers escaped injury,
the two vehicles were badly damaged
in the crash. The smaller Lima
truck was wedged under the loaded
transport truck. It was afternoon
before the small truck wTas pried
free, and the larger truck’s load was
not transferred until late Thursday
night.
The small truck, owned by the
Asbestos Roofing and Sheet Metal
Co., of Lima, was driven by Howard
Quickie, 32, of Lima. Driver of the
large truck, owned by Bridgeways
Trucking Co., Detroit, was driven by
Clifford Peterson, 42, Detroit.
Patrolman M. T. Hedleston, of the
state highway patrol, who investigat
ed, arrested Quickie for failure to
have a driver’s license. The Lima
man was fined $£0 in Bluffton
mayor’s court, with $10 of the fine
suspended on condition that a license
be obtained promptly.
A well-equipped farm shop selves
as the center of activity for a great
variety of farm repair and construc
tion jobs.
len, former
until they
ago.
and
residents south of 'town
moved to Texas three
years
Mr.
from Texas
of a month
in Houston,
des. Harold is proprietor of a gro
cery store in Houston and Donald is
superintendent of a school for vet
erans at Mercedes. Both formerly
lived here.
Mrs.
last
with
and
Wenger returned
week after a visit
their sons, Harold,
Donald, in Merce-
On Tuesday of this week, Henry
Steiner, at whose home the reception
was held, visited in Bluffton with
relatives, including Mr. and Mrs.
Wenger. He is here on a short bus
iness trip.
tional Bluffton
To Be Sung Sunday
Visiting Artists, 175-Voice
Chorus To Appear In Handel’s
Well Known Masterpiece
Celebrated Christmas Oratorio
Given By Bluffton College
Choral Society
A Bluffton Christmas tradition
since its first rendition here back
in 1905, Handel’s celebrated oratorio,
“The Messiah’’ will be presented by
the Bluffton College
Sunday night at 8
Bluffton High school
Choral Society
o’clock in the
gymnasium,
choral produc
solo artists, a
Appearing in the
tion will be visiting
chorus of 175 singers and a 25-piece
orchestra. It will be the 52nd rendi
tion of the oratorio since its initial
local performance in 1905.
As has been the custom in past
years, the audience will join in the
singing of the Hallelujah chorus.
Soloists for the holiday oratorio
will include: Soprano—Beulah Tem
ple Nietz, Walbridge, Ohio. Mrs.
Colored Oleo To Be
Fod Stores W
Oleomargarine colored by the
manufacturer will make its initial
appearance in Bluffton stores within
the next few days at a price at
least 10 cents higher than the un
colored product.
Increase in price is due to a 10
cent government tax on the colored
commodity, store operators advised.
Those who object to the higher
price, however, may continue buy
ing the uncolored product it was
pointed out.
Several large companies will pack
age their output in quarter-pound
units when sale of the colored mar
garine starts, and one manufacturer
will wrap, his product in aluminum
foil lined with parchment.
Sale of colored margarine in Ohio
was made possible in the November
general election when Ohio voters
by a wide majority approved legis
lation removing a ban on factory
coloring of the product.
Coloring before purchase will be
welcomed by housewives who in the
future can escape the chore of mix
ing color into the margarine after
they get it in their kitchens.
Sharp Price Drop And Scarcity
Muskrats Cut Into
Trapping Here
of
Surplus of Raccoons Continues
As a Problem, But Price
For Pelts Is Low
Muskrat prices this year are at
about $1 a pelt, and they
prime at that. Last winter
was $1.75, in comparison
1945 high of $3.50.
THE BLUFFTON NEWS
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
Trapping Activity Sags In Area As
Fur Volume And Prices Fall Off
and coon hunting done
thruout the Bluffton area
war years have ebbed to
Trapping
extensievly
during the
near an all-time low this winter be
cause of a combination of sagging
prices, muskrat shortage and
favorable weather’s effect on
condition of furs, few
in the prime class.
un
the
are
of which
must be
the price
with
the
Muskrats Scarce
Muskrats also are scarce,
and
veteran trappers said muskrat broods
need replenishing. The combination
of scarcity and low prices is keeping
many trappers out of the field this
winter, for except for high school
youths there is the feeling the in
come is not enough to pay for the
work.
Raccoon, the other principal fur
bearing animal taken in this area,
are very plentiful but the price
dropped to a low of $1 a pelt,
these must be prime furs which
stand shearing. Last yerfr the
coon price was $1.50.
pelts brought $3.25.
has
and
will
rac
the
In 1945
been doing
are plentiful,
however, are
Coon hunters have
well, for the animals
Some of the hunters,
going out just for the thrill of the
I chase and once the coon is treed
they call off the dogs and start look-
BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, DEC. S, 1919
Trucker Overcome By Gas Topples Unconcious BOARD ASKS COURT Streets Colorful In
Out of Cab Onto Street In Downtown Section
Nietz received her B. S. M. degree
from Bluffton college
is a member of the
society.
Contralto—Marian
man, Toledo, a graduate of
berg university. She is a
voice instructor in Toledo.
Farm workshops should be ar
ranged and equipped to systematical
ly overhaul, repair and possibly re
paint farm machines during the
winter.
ing for another trail.
Many Raccoon
One of the reasons for the abund
ance of raccoon in this area is at
tributed to the extensive re-Rtocking
programs carried on in past years.
Their numbers already are great
enough to present a problem for
farmers who the last several years
have reported heavy damage to
young corn and garden crops.
Behind the increasing depreda
tions of raccoon is a change in the
fashions, for women no longer wear
raccoon furs, and the slap-happy col
legians who 20 years ago sported
raccoon coats long have disappeared
from the scene.
In those days,
brought in excess
decided difference
quoted this year.
the
far below
furs in 1944
In addition to being
peak prices paid for
and 1945, pelts this year also are
bringing considerably less than last
season.
TO
OF
She
in 1938.
Toledo
choral
Board
Pugh
Blake
Heidel-
private
Colum
Bluffton
Bass—Samuel Burkhard,
bus, who graduated from
college in 1927.
ter of music at Indianola Presby
terian church and an instructor of
voice at Capital university.
Burkhard is minis-
Blind Tenok
Tenor—Carlton Eldridge, blind
singer from Springfield, Ill., who will
be making his third solo appearance
here in “The Messiah.” An out
standing professional singer, El
dridge also is professor of music
at Springfield Junior college.
Prof. Russell A. Lantz, head of the
Bluffton college department of mu
sic, will be
tion for the
rendition.
director of the produc
20th time in this year’s
will be Mrs. Pearl
for 29 years has been
Assisting
Mann, who
piano accompanist for the rendition.
Laurence Burkhalter, of the college
music staff, will direct the orchestra.
As orchestra director he replaces the
late Sidney Hauenstoin who for 36
successive years appeared as orches
tral leader for “The Messiah.”
In Bluffton’s
ithin Next Few Days
Hiram Kohli Buys
Choice Merino Flock
__
Hiram Kohli, nbrth of Bluffton,
one of the leading Iferino sheep rais
ers of the Mid-west has purchased
one of the choice/.Mei ino flocks in
the east from John M. Stickney of
Whiting, Vt.
This is the las^flock of Merinos
in Addison county, Vermont, which a
century ago produced more wool
than any other ^unty in the coun
try in proportion to its size, it was
reported here.
Harold Webster delivered .the flock
to Kohli who was an old friend of
Webster’s father, Uhe late L. A.
Webster, fed^r oc the Am er-1
ican Sheepbreeder and liv
ist.
:k art-
top raccoon furs
of $22 per pelt, a
from the $1 price
Slower Fur Demand
Lower prices for furs generally
represent
fur coats,
left little
days and
felt the pressure.
the slipping demand for
High costs of living have
money for luxuries these
the fur coat market has
In addition many persons shy
away from the fur coat purchases
because of a tax situation which
finds a 20 per cent federal tax and
a three per cent sales tax represent
ing roughly one-fourth of the final
cost of a coat.
Duck Dinner Thursday
Dy Sportsmen's Club
A covered dish duck supper open
to the public will feature the annual
rally of the Bluffton Sportsmen’f
club at 7:30 p. m.
in the Legion Post
the town hall.
s
this Thursday
club rooms in
mallard ducks
Wild-
Forty-one roasted
will be served at the dinner,
life motion pictures also will be
shown.
Germs that cause brucellosis in
livestock are responsible for undulant
fever in humans.
DISMISS SUIT
EX-INSTRUCTOR
Files Answer in Common
Pleas Court Denies Suit
Allegations
nstructor Seeking Reinstate
ment Got Disability Pay, Is
Board Claim
Answer of the Bluffton board of
education to the suit of Mrs. Russell
Lantz for two year’s salary and re
instatement as a teacher in Bluffton
public schools was filed by County
Prosecutor Anthony Bowers Saturday
in Allen county common pleas court.
The board asked that the suit be
dismissed by the court. Date of the
hearing has not been set.
In the board’s answer it was denied
that there was a violation of the
teacher’s tenure act when Mrs. Lantz’
contract was not renewed in discon
tinuance of the school art department
as an economy measure.
Also featured in the answer was
the statement that Mrs. Lantz has
been receiving on her own applica
tion a monthly disability allowance
of $56.42 from the State Teachers
Retirement system based on an
presumed to be permanent.
illness
allow
Lantz’
Acceptance of the disability
ance would make invalid Mrs.
suit for reinstatement and two year’s
pay in the amount of $4,884, the board
declares.
In the complete answer the board
listed 10 grounds on which they be
lieve the Lantz suit should be dis
missed by the court.
Will Map Winter
Recreation Program
Organization of the winter pro
gram sponsored by the Bluffton
Recreation committee will be effected
at a meeting in the Bluffton High
school gymnasium, next Monday
night.
Everyone interested in participa
tion in the winter schedule of events
is urged to be at the session, it was
announced by Ed Badertscher, presi
dent of the recreation group.
Former Bluffton Man
Industrial Executive
Wilbur Lauer, Jr., former Bluffton
college student, has been named a
vice president of Sharpe & Dohme,
Inc., a Philadelphia drug and chem
ical company of which he was di
rector of industrial relations, it was
learned here this week. A photo
graph of Lauer appeared in a re
cent edition of the New York Times
in connection with his elevation to
executive position n the company.
Lauer and his family reside near
Lansdale, Pa., a Philadelphia sub
urb. Mrs. Lauer is the former Lu
cille Niswander, daughter of Dr. and
Mrs. W. M. Niswander of South
Jackson street.
Plan Deer Hunting
Trip Over Weekend
Four local area hunters will spend
the weekend in Pennsylvania on a
deer hunting expedition. They are
Roy Rogers of Bluffton and Lehr
and Merritt Green and Ray Peterson
of Mt. Cory.
They expect to be on hand for the
close of the season which ends for
bucks on Friday. In some counties
where a surplus of game exists there
will also be a one-day season on does
Saturday. They will return Sunday.
The party will make headquarters
at Tionesta, Pa., about 265 miles
from Bluffton where a hotel has
several thousand acres of hunting
territory under lease for guests.
Two weeks ago the same group
spent two days hunting deer in
Forest and Warren counties, Pa.
During that time they saw 23 does
and spike horn bucks which are not
legal game. A spike horn is a year
ling, the hunters explained.
Bluffton Minister Is
Supply At Arlington
Rev. J. Paul Clark of South Main
street has been designated as supply
for the Arlington Methodist church
until a new pastor is obtained, it
was announced this week.
Rev. Hugh Liggett, former pastor
of the Arlington church has been
transferred to Toledo.
Real Estate Deal
Lorain Basinger of Col. Grove,
new instructor in vocational agri
culture at Bluffton high school has
purchased the residence of the late
Otto Bigler on South Main street
and will occupy the residence.
Mail Xmas Cards
Early, Postmaster
Reichenbach Urges
MAIL those Christmas cards
early, Postmaster Ed Reichen
bach urged this week.
And remember that third class
postage rate, for unsealed print
ed greeting cards is now two
cents instead of one and one
half cents.
Payment of first class 3-cent
postage is recommended to ob
tain best service, including for
warding if addressee has chang
ed location, or return is un
deliverable and sender’s address
is shown.
Air mail rate for greetings Is
6-cenfs an ounce anywhere in
United States or possessions,
also Army A. P. O., Canada and
Mexico.
TWO AGRICULTURE
COURSES OPENING
AT BLUFFTON HIGH
tegular High School Course In
Vo-Ag Is Reinstated
Thursday
Night Classes For Veterans
Open This Week Under
Federal Program
Two vocational agriculture courses,
one for high school students and the
other for veterans interested in
farming, have opened at Bluffton
High school during the current week.
Reinstatement of high school
classed in agriculture after their
suspension in 1948 became effective
last Thursday with Lorain Basinger,
of near Columbus Grove serving as
the instructor.
Basingei" was hired early this
month by the board of education at
a salary of $300 a month for the
remaining seven months of the 1949
50 agriculture school year.
Large Enrollment
A total of 24 boys is enrolled for
the course, a larger class than two
years ago when instruction was dis
continued, school officials pointed out
this week.
Basinger is a former agriculture
instructor at Willard High school,
and is a veteran of World War II.
Night courses to provide training
in agriculture for ex-service men
opened at the high school on
Monday, with a class of upwards of
20.
Course For Vets
Ralph Marshall, formerly of Rock
port, will be instructor for the
course. Marshall, a graduate of the
college of agriculture at Ohio State
university, has been for several years
manager of a large farm near Don
nerail, Ky.
He and his family have moved
from Kentucky to Rockport, on the
farm of his parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Herbert Marshall, who are living
near Alger where they operate a
large farm.
The veterans course will be con
ducted in the high school agriculture
department which has sufficient
equipment and facilities for instruc
tion, according to Supt. of Schools
Aaron B. Murray.
To Set Time
First meeting of the group was
held at 8 p. m. Monday. Meeting
nights for the course will be est
ablished to suit the class. Under
the program, the class will meet
two nights each week, two hours
each night.
Courses under the program run a
minimum of two years in a standard
setup now offered by many Ohio
schools. Registration is open to
veterans only.
All costs are paid from federal
veterans administration funds thru
the state department of vocational
education.
Return From Month
Trip To California
Mr. and Mrs. Forrest Steinman of
South Lawn avenue have returned
from a month’s western trip attend
ing the National Retail Lumberman’s
convention in San Francisco.
They also visited Canadian scenic
spots including Banff and Lake Lou
ise, lumber mills in Washington and
Oregon, Yosemite National park,
Carlsbad Caverns and the Grand
Canyon. Enroute they spent several
days visiting at the home of Mrs.
Steinman’s sister, Mrs. Stanway
Jacka in Platteville, Wis.
BLUFFTON
A Good Place to Live
Gay Holiday Setting
NUMBER 34
GREENERY AND
LIGHTS PROVIDE
CHRISTMAS AIR
laurel Arches and Colored
Lights Span Streets of
Business Section
Santa Claus to Make Second
Appearance Here on Satur
day Afternoon
Providing an attractive setting for
the Yuletide holiday season, colorful
Christmas decorations are going up
this week in Bluffton’s downtown
business district.
Arches of laurel rope have been
put up across Main, Church and
Cherry streets, and lines of colored
lights will be strung at intervals to
highlight the decorative them^
Garlands of laurel also will be
wrapped on boulevard light standards
throughout the business district.
Santa Claus will make his second
appearance of the pre-Christmas
season here on Saturday afternoon.
The holiday decorations are spon
sored by the Bluffton Business Men’s
association, with Arthur Amstutz and
James West heading the committee
in charge of the program. Erection
of the lights is being handled by
regular crews of the municipal light
plant.
In the meantime, the Christmas
shopping trade rush is being ex
perienced in Bluffton stores, which
last week began remaining open on
Thursday afternoons, until after the
Yuletide.
Stores also will be open until 9
p. m. during the week immediately
preceding Christmas. All places of
business plan to close at 6 p. m. on
Christmas eve, Saturday, Dec. 24.
Rites In Findlay For
Matthew E. Wahl
Matthew E. Wahl, 65, equipment
maintenance man for the American
Telephone and Telegraph Co., died
of heart disease at his home in
Findlay, Saturday. He had been
seriously ill for more than a year.
Wahl, well known here, married
Lydia Kohler, formerly of this place,
on Nov. 23, 1921. There are no
children,
Funeral services were held Mon
day in Findlay and burial was at
that place.
Orange Township
Ditch Work Asked
Improvement of the Lee Main
ditch in Orange township was peti
tioned last week by Stanley C. Weid
man, with Friday, Jan. 6 set by
Hancock county commissioners as the
date for hearing on the proposal.
Gleaning, deepening and widening
of the ditch, repair of tile and con
struction of additional drainage
structure are asked in the petition.
The project would begin on a farm
owned by Charles and W. Bormuth
and continue thru a farm owned by
Emerson and Marie Lugibihl, then
downstream to the outlet in Tawa
creek.
Eastern Star Leader
Is Mrs. Rauenbuhler
Mrs. Herma Rauenbuhler has been
elected worthy matron of Bluffton
Eastern Star chapter with George
Rauenbuhler as worthy patron.
Other officers are: associate ma
tron, Evelyn Steiner associate pa
tron, Clayton Harkness conductress,
Louella Stauffer associate conduct
ress, Donna Henderson treasurer,
Emma Studler secretary, Charlotte
Marshall trustee, Carolyn Auker
man. Officers will be installed De
cember 20.
Births
The following births at Bluffton
hospital:
Mr. and Mrs. Albert Ingalls, Bluff
ton, a girl, Cheryl Lynn, this Wed
nesday morning.
Mr. and Mrs. Harland Swank,
Bluffton, a girl, Candace Sue, last
Wednesday.
Mr. and Mrs. Doyal Butler, Leip
sic, a girl, Diana Lynn, last Wednes
day.
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Marshall,
i Pandora, a boy, Dana Michael, Sat
urday.
Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Grismore,
Pandora, a boy, Gary Dean, T**es
[day.