The Bluffton news. [volume], December 15, 1949, Image 1

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

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BLUFFTON
A Good Place to Trade
VOLUME LXXIV
Wesley Vermillion Farmer,!
Living Alone is Found I
Burned to Death I
Neighbor Attracted by Smoke
From House Discovers Body
in Kitchen
J. Wesley Vermillion, 84, retired
farmer residing in Orange township
on Route 103 four and one-half miles
east of Bluffton, was found burned
to death in his farm home early
Saturday.
Howard Benroth, who farms Ver
million’s land, noticed smoke pouring
from the Vermillion home, when he
arrived for the morning’s work. He
summoned Russell Elzay, a neighbor,
when he could get no answer by
knocking at the door.
Upon investigation they found the
aged man’s charred body, with a
hole burned in the floor beneath him
and flames starting up the walls.
Crawled From Fire
k
The chair in which he had been)
sitting was charred and his pipe was|
on the floor near it. Death, ruled)
accidental by the coroner, probably)
had been caused by sparks from)
Vermillion’s pipe which ignited his|
clothing. Time of the death was set|
at about 8:30 a. m., and the bqdv| In an appropriate Christmas
was not found until nearly
half an| ting made gay by laurel ropes
hour later. overhead arches of lights in
In Poor Health downtown district and the first
Vermillion had been in ill health) pearance of residential trees
for several months, and had haidly| decorations, Bluffton’s preparations
been able to walk for several
prior to his death. He had
alone for a number of years,
was never married.
Funeral services were held Monday) cards expected by next Monday.
Increase In Library
Book Circulation
November book circulation at the
Bluffton public library totalled 3,141
volumes, nearly three times the num
ber of books read in the same
month a year ago, according to a
report made this week by Librarian
■Ocie Anderson.
A marked increase in circulation 1
has been apparent at the library) 4 P- m.
this year, with the highest mark last
May when the number of books read
was more than three times the cir
culation of the preceding year.
BLUFFTON MARKETS
Wednesday Morning
tlG9?ineornUS$f22 rioat)s
Sil u
Ohio’s
Cotton “Snow” In I
NeWS
Window Is I
THp
MeCov Cygnet child.
COTTON pinch-hits at Christ
mastime as make-believe snow—•
shows up more or less realistic
ally as whiskers for Santa Claus
and a dozen or more other uses
—but that cotton you’ll see in
the Bluffton News window is the
real thing.
Fact is, it’s a genuine cotton
stalk, and the cotton—41 bolls to
be exact—was really grown on
it. The stalk, five feet high, was
one of several grown experiment
ally in the garden of Sidney
Stettler, of South Lawn avenue
who gardens as a hobby.
The stalk was grown from
seed he obtained in Texas a year
ago last summer. He says he
has ample seed to raise more
cotton next year and a sufficient
amount to supply other amateur
gardeners who may wish to ex
periment in Ohio cotton raising.
MA MV DDE UH! IDAVp
The body was found between the
living room and kitchen where Ver
million apparerily had crawled in an
effort to esc ape the flames. The
Bluffton fir department as called.
Damage from the fire was small,
Chief Guy Corson said. lafiniJ) I |YIHa) Kiley creek and its tributaries
IVIHNI lKt*HULIURT
Dr. Byron F. Vorhees, Hancock) in Allen and Putnam counties likely
county coroner, who investigated,) will be opened next year for liber
said there were indications Ver-| |alized fishing under a new state pro
million had started a fire in the|Post Office To Be Open Satur-|gram under which very few fishing
kitchen stove, then sat down in a) day Afternoon
chair by the stove and likely fell) Rush Is Under
asleep.
afternoon in the Paul Diller funeral) Post Office Windows Open
home. Rev. V. C. Oppermann,) To accommodate local postal) Names of ten Bluffton area resi
pastor of the Reformed churches, of-| patrons, windows at the post office) dents were among 120 drawn last
ficiated. Burial was in Cannonsburg) will remain open next Saturday) week in Allen county common pleas
cemetery near Mt. Cory. afternoon instead of closing at the) court to comprise the venire for jury
usual 1 p. m. deadline. Business will) duty in the January term of court,
be conducted as usual until 5 p. m.
Saturday.
Of the books circulated during the
month, 1,308 were from the child
ren’s department 681 from I|OffiCerS
rens uepa ohighi
A„if|ing on South Main street.
school shelves, and 627 were adult I ... ,. ., ...
scnuvi Santa also will distribute favors
books. rirenlation
I
During Christmas vacation in
Bluffton public schools, the library
will be open daily from noon until |club was guest speaker at the fourth
provides no compensation for re
.actors.
n except on Saturday, Dec. 26,1 charter anniversary
and Saturday, Jan. 2. Lions club at Forest last Wednes-| ^"7,
____ I
ACTIVITIES HERALD
CHRISTMAS SEASON!. crw* ,y'd *•in
i=
Mailing
Way
Town Bright With
Decorations Santa Here
Again Saturday Afternoon
Kiddies of the district will have'
another opportunity to remind Santa) 3, Columbus Grove and Otis
Claus of the gifts they want for| B°wers Beaverdam.
Christmas, when open house is held] t^ie 8Tand jury 18 ary
again by the patron saint of the) Coon, Bluffton.
Yuletide on Saturday afternoon in|
the former Troy Motor Sa!eS i,
during his afternoon visit from 1 to
Bluffton Man Speaks
Before Forest Lions\°^&
_____ I Principal
\High School XmaS
Poultry—Heavy hens 20c leghorn)
hens 17c heavy springers 27c heavy) Bluffton high school music depart
.1
Find Orange Township Man Ambulancen?nd ^atro1 ?aroRacu T.t
1 Thru Town to Save Childs Life
A speeding ambulance led by a
state highway patrol car raced thru
Bluffton with sirens roaring at 10:30
p. m. last Wednesday to win a race
against death for a 212-year-old
1 lit rvtdl luxvuy physicians at Lima Memorial hos
pital told drivers of the two vehicles
that Frank Van Scooter, son of
Mrs. Frances Van Scooter, owes his
ONLY STREAM IN
NORTHWEST OHIO
NAMED FOR TEST
Final Decision on Proposal Will
be Announced in
January
Restrictions Would Apply
Under New Code Now Being
restrictions will apply.
The stream which rises east of
town, passes through Bluffton and is
I joined here by Little Riley creek, is
Christmas! on^ one *n Northwestern Ohio
recommended by the state council
for a trial under the liberalized fish
ing program.
made in January.
days! for the Yuletide were taking final! has been conducted since 1945, and
lived form this week. Inext year it is proposed that all
He| Musical observance of the season] state lakes be relieved from fishing
I was opened last Sunday night with! restrictions.
the| the annual presentation of Handel’s) According to records to date, fish
He was born Feb. 13, 1865, in the! the annual presentation of Handel sl According to records to date, fish
home where he lived his entire life] “The Messiah” by the Bluffton Col-1 management officials say that effect
and where he eventually met death.]lege Choral society, and the high|of fishing pressure under the liberal
His parents were Isaac' and Mary (school Christmas music program will)izeci programs have little if any ef
(Elzav) Vermillion. be in the auditorium at 8 p. m. nextpect on existing fish populations,
survivors include two brothers, Monday. compared to natural reproduction in
Albert, of Bluffton, and Edward, of First evidence of the Christmas)lakes and streams
Ada and a sister, Mrs. Elizabeth) mail rush at the Bluffton post office)
Vanness, of Continental and stx|was reported this week, with the an-| Cln
nieces and nephews. nual flood of parcels and greeting)
set-| If the recommendation is approved
and! anglers in the Riley creek next year
the I would not have to observe seasonal,
ap-1 legal length or bag limit restric
and|tions next year.
Ohio’s liberalized fishing program
rom Here Ufl
afternoon delivery o£ mail and parcel] Griffith, Levi Althaus, Stella Marsh
post also will be ordered, it was an-| a9 and Cassius Ballinger, all of
nounced.
Ed Lape of the Bluffton LionB G. Callaha« of Lima, Commander of
District No. 2. Others on the pro
dinner^ of "the| £ram wiH include Thos. Gallagher,
and A. J.
commander,
day night. He also showed pictures! Shindeldecfafcr, county
taken in Hawaii when he and Mrs.Dot^ Lima.
Lape visited the islands. 1 Preceding the meeting
Concert On Monday
stairs 15c leghorn stags 13c. ment will present a Christmas con-1 -T.
Eggs-Large white 36c large cert Monday at 8 p. m. consisting of
brown 34c medium white 30c med-) selections by the mixed chorus, en-|
ium brown 29c pullets
26c. semble and band. Christmas cus-| Ray Evans, of Lima, production
Butterfat_____60c. toms in England also will be pre-| manager of the Lima-Hamilton cor
___—— sented in a pageant by sixth grade) poration will address the Beaverdam
amended brucellosis law| pupils. Liofis dinner meeting in the P. K.
The program will be in the audi-1 dinette at Beaverdam this Wednes
I toriuwu day night.
I 1
Venires For Jury\
_Among those in the prospective
list of petit jurors are Lida L.
Alma
Route
Bluffton Barbara Fleming,
1, Lafayette Edith Glancy, Route
E.
THE BLUFFTON NEWS
E
To
Address Legion Here
District officers of the American
Legion will address an open meeting
of Bluffton
Legion hall
post to be held at the
Monday night at 8:00
speaker will be Frank
members of
per at the Walnut Grill at 6:30
o’clock. Gerald Swank and Al In
galls are in charge of tickets.
Speaker At
\BeaVerdam LlOUS tub
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, DEC. 15, 1919
APARTMENT RENTS FACE UPWARD ADJUSTMENT
Dead and His House on Fire Cost of Heat and Light
to their speed.
life
The boy was choking on a whole
peanut, and his mother accompanied
by an uncle and aunt raced for the
Findlay hospital. A Findlay police
car escorted the family through
Findlay to the hospital.
On arrival of the group there,
the family learned that Findlay
physicians did not have the proper
State Liberalized Fishing Code
May be Given Trial in Riley Creek
'own’s Waler Supply Adequate
For Most Pressing Demands,
Superintendent Says
With water shortages assuming
critical proportions in many villages
and cities across the country, Bluffton
remains one of the few communities
in which you can use all the water
you want.
Even in the midst of protracted
heat waves and prolonged droughts,
Bluffton’s water supply has proved
adequate for all demands, and Supt.
John W. Swisher announced this week
that there is no possibility of a water
shortage in the' town.
Altho the municipal water works
pumps in excess of half a million
gallons of water daily during the
hottest weather, the heavy drain does
not begin to tax the villagebe
Final action on the matter will
In addition to the four wells, ade
quate to handle local demands, the
plant has two other wells as standby
for city water demands. Supt.
Swisher commented that it is difficult
to forsee an emergency which would
make it necessary to restrict the use
of wrater here.
Bluffton uses 250,000 gallons of
water daily in households, or about
100 gallons each 24 hours for every
man, woman and child in the town.
The other half of the town’s 500,000
gallon output is used by the Page
Dairy Co. for cooling purposes.
If the volume warrants, Saturday) Burkholder, Wade Shook,
Bluffton’s water is tops, not only in
quantity but also in quality, plant at
taches pointed out. It’s as hard as
any water in the state in mineral
content, but from a standpoint of
purity
tion.
tested
health
entirely free of contamination.
there’s never been any ques
Regular analyses of samples
in the state department of
always have shown it to be
Suggestions on how to make
Christmas fire free, guarding against
the possibility of home tragedies
marring the Yuletide season, were
called to the attention of Bluffton
householders this week by Fire Chief
Guy Corson.
Householders handling Christmas
trees are offered these hints:
Leave tree outside until you
ready to trim it.
1 the post here will hold a buffet sup
Safe Place
for
Trees
Select a place well away from
stoves, radiators and other sources
of heat or inflammable materials for
setting the tree and don’t set it near
an outside doorway.
Place your tree in a substantial
base which will permit a deep pan
of water beneath and secure it a
gainst accidental tipping by attach
ing guy wire to wall or ceiling.
Use only electrical lights with
cords in good condition. A short
circuit can start the tree burning.
instruments to remove the peanut.
The state highway patrol car,
driven by Sgt. Harold T. Cowell,
then led the automobile to Lima,
with the trip from Findlay hospital
to Lima Memorial hospital in east
Lima taking only 28 minutes.
Doctors at Lima soon removed the
peanut from the child’s right bron
chial tube, and he returned home
later in the week.
’lenty Of Water For Bluffton Users
No Shortage Here As In Other Areas
In
Abundance of Water Here
Marked Contrast to Other
Cities with Acute Shortage
Births
The following births at Bluffton
hospital:
Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Felkner, Find
lay, a boy, Robert Eugene, Thurs
day.
Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Coates, Lima,
a boy, Thomas Vaughn, Friday.
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Sherry,
Pandora, a boy, Terry Lee, Sunday.]
Mr. and Mrs.
lumbus Grove, a
gene, Monday.
s facil­
ities, which Supt. Swisher said are
as good as any in Ohio.
“Use all the water you want.
There’s plenty for everybody,” is the
standing offer at the Bluffton plant.
This is in decided contrast to con
ditions in many cities, including New
York City where a critical water
famine is feared.
Four Wells
In providing water for Bluffton,
the municipal plant pumps two wells
to supply regular city demands, and
two other wells for the Page Dairy
Co., the town’s largest industrial con
sumer.
Gerald Kidd, Cq
boy, Robert Eu-
Ellis Hauenstein,
Mr. and Mrs.
Mt. Cory, a girl, Carolyn Sue, Mon-1
day.
Mr. and Mrs. James Dailey, Bluff
ton, a girl, Beth Ann, Monday.
Mr. and Mrs. Rodney Shank, Ar
lington, a boy, Tuesday.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert McKinnon,
Napoleon, a girl, Roberta Ann, Tues
day.
Mr. and Mrs. Maurice
Ada, a girl, Lynda Lee,
morning.
Umphress,
Wednesday
day. Mrs. McCain is the former
Elizabeth Balmer of Bluffton. I
J? jrr
pi
tiag our ueer in
9
sportsmen 8 lilt)
Other officers elected were:
Guard Against Fire Hazard To
Make This A Merry Christmas
stead of cotton o.- plastic
tions. emove ff1
are
I
I
I
Elects Officers}
I
meeting the demand.
Hiram Huser sec., Bernard Fish Lbern
directors: Gilbert Montgomery, Jesse I Top
Manges, Herbert Rupright,
Mumma, Eugene Benroth and Edgar
Root.
for the
P—|bought
1
Rise to Reflect Higher
Herd Of Five
Deer Seen At
Orange Center
FIVE deer, consisting of two
bucks, two does and a fawn have
been reported seen frequently
in the vicinity of Orange center,
southeast of Bluffton since
pheasant season
the
this fall.
in woods
area, but
fields
The deer live
thickets in this
often seen in
and
are
nearby.
When st art kxi they easily clear
fences and disappear into the
underbrush.
XMAS TURKEY TO
COST MORE THAN
AT THANKSGIVING
Overall Cost of Holiday Menu,
However, Will Be Near
Pre-War Level
Price of Turkeys Up Shade
From Thanksgiving Other
Poultry Unchanged
Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Thompson,II
Lima, a boy, William Keith, born at)
Lima Memorial hospital, Saturday.
Mrs. Thompson is the former Glennal dinner you will find that prices havell
Binkley of Bluffton. I edged slightly higher than those
pre-1|
Mr. and Mrs. Henry McCain, Rox-I vailing at Thanksgiving when thel
ana, Ill., a girl, Mary Ann born at|bjg birds sold at levels reminiscent!
Alton Memorial hospital, last Tues-1 of pre-war days.
One
Day’sHunting!
I
turkeys.
II If you intend to have turkey on Ln.th' “m™nt
hens. Farmers are getting around were moved to the Toledo office.
The hunters, Roy Rogers of Bluff-130 cents for toms and 40 cents for
ton and Lehr and Merritt Green andljjens.
Ray Peterson of Mt. Cory made! Buying Rush Expceted
their headquarters at Tionesta, Pa., I Holiday demand has been light to
hunting in President and Allegheny I jate, with heaviest marketing rush
townships. I expected early next week when whole-1 Lawrence J. Haley, 55, of Rawson,
BLUFFTON
A Good Place to Live
sale poultry buyers will begin their I defendant in a $300,000 suit pending
holiday purchasing. What the price! in Hancock county court of common
|will be at that time will depend on pleas, last Wednesday was found
how nearly the supply comes to guilty of failing to yield the right
I
O. C. Hursey was-named president! No shortage of turkeys is expected,] hearing in the court of Clifford E.
of the Community Sportsmen’s club I however, for they may be found in|Glathart, Findlay mayor
at the annual election of officers hig flocks on farms of many raisers.
Friday night.
Never use candle lights and stay|72 cents and cauliflower, 35 cents a|filed four occupants of the auto
away from the tree when you smoke. hcad. mobile enroute to Bluffton, is be
SB 3 S v
”1 Ilieved
Use glass wool or asbestos snow I rr*vrva It s
and acetate-treated ornaments in
XJuniOT High FlVC
LOSCS To Findlay
I I
soon as possible and burn them in Findlay junior high eagers last|Mrg Pearl clippinger, 52, an aunt
an incinerator or wire basket. Saturday defeated Bluffton’s junior) of the local woman Ora Lantz, 35,
Don overload house circuits by|teain by a score of 49 to 17 on the|_„ nnj Smith qi
the addition of too rnanJide^"^S| Bluffton court.
:errir wFngUn,^uipmeOntd B^ff- eounty^residents.
door decorations. ton’s eighth graders, 37 to 18.
Don’t connect the wires of theI —-...
lighting circuit outdoors until the| 11 raining Ul IVUUIU
installation is complete. If readjust-) After two weeks of steel strikes,)
ment is necessary,turno ff the cir-| consumption of fluid milk dropped’
cuit first. sharply in eastern Ohio cities.
Water Conducts Electricity
I
Mount lamp sockets outdoors sol
rain and melted snow cannot leak!
in, as water is a conductor of elec-l
tricity.
Under no circumstances, Chief
of way to approaching traffic, in a
The supply of geese also is plentiful su’^ are ^^her, aunt and uncle
.for the holiday trade, with farmers] Mrs. Morris Triplett, of this
Vice pres., Rolland Koontz treas.,|getting about 35 cents a pound for| Place’ who were enroute to V181t
•*----J "m-*--1
’Mrs. Triplett here when their car
was involved in a collision with
that driven by Haley, last Nov. 15.
quality roasting chickens,
from producers^ are priced]
from 28 to 30 cents a pound. Those
prices are tops at the farm for extra
good poultry.
Other foodstuffs for the holiday)^ “a“^’ ^^id^i^rw'ed
table are correspondingly low com-1
parison with last year. Cranberries) Q]athart, Haley was fined $25 and
are bringing 21 cents a pound toP|cosfs
.quality eggs, 47 cents a dozen butter,] The suit was $300,000 damages,
I
I
Corson warned Bluffton householders,! Salem, Oregon, former Bluffton resi
should lighted decoration be left in'
operation when no one is home. Call
the fire department immediately, helors’ training school at Scott Field,
urged, at the first evidence of a fire.
NUMBER 35
Change in Terms to Follow
Lifting of Rent Control in
Bluffton
Rentals for Dwellings Will be
Virtually Unchanged, Sur
vey Shows
Rent controls were ended last
week in Bluffton and all of Allen
county outside of Lima and imme
diate area, but a survey here the
early part of the week indicated
there apparently will be no general
increase in the rates charged for
local rental property.
House rents ranging around $40
monthly in cases where the
pays for his own coal and electricity
are expected to change but little as
a result of the withdrawal of rent
controls which have been in effect
since early in World War IL
Although there will be no general
increase in apartment rental, in
many cases adjustments will be
made which in effect constitute a
boost, especially where the landloard
provides heat and electric current,
Adjustments Coming
Apartment owners who provide
heat and electricity pointed out that
rentals frozen eight years ago were
based on coal prices at tha
Since then coal has about
in cost.
doubled
provide
be con-
Also, some landlords who
electric current are said to
templating new arrangements under
which tenants would pay for their
own current on a meter basis.
No General Uptrend
i So far, however, there has been no
indication that the removal of rent
controls will induce a move upward
°J
... I ficient to be reflected a
your menu for this year s Chnstmasl .. ..
1 I boom in residential construction
spring. High cost of construction,
it is generally agreed, will make im
practical construction of homes at
the level of rents forseeable in the
immediate future.
IJ
On the whole the market has gone) I)econtro] of rents in all parts of
up from two to four ce
Thanksgiving holiday quotations, with) was announced last week in an order
some possibility that prices may go|afrecting approximately 1,500 rental
I still higher
next week when the big| housing units. Landlords in the af-
demand is expected on Christmas fected areas now will be able to set
I turkeys. I their own rents for the first time
I
Four Bluffton area hunters re-1 While prices for other poultry have I in seven years.
turned from a hunting trip in Penn-1 remained virtually unchanged during! Rent control in the county
sylvania with four deer which they I the last month, present retail prices I established on Nov. 1, 1942, and
bagged in one day’s hunting Satur-lfor turkeys range from 40 cents a I offices were maintained in Lima un
day. Largest of the quarry weighed I pound for toms to 50 cents for choice I til last September when all records
200 pounds.
their own rents for the first
building?next
was
Haley Fined For
Traffic Violation
Among those filing the damage
Following the crash, which occur
red near Rawson on the Dixie high
way, state highway patrolmen ar
rested Haley, on the charge for
nesday Found by Mayor
the largest ever filed in Han-
cook county courts
Lnd|eay
Zsp'ti"7ncluPdJ: M’rs. Velda
Hoover, 48, mother of Mrs. Triplett
fiance of’Mrs. Triplett’s sister.’ All
SorVlCC With Army
Pfc. Herbert Siefield, Jr., son of
Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Siefield of
dents, has been transferred from a
Texas air base to the radio operat-
Illinois.