The Bluffton news. [volume], January 05, 1950, Image 1

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

Image provided by: Ohio History Connection, Columbus, OH

                
A Good Place to Live
VOLUME LXXIV
“NO 1950 BIRTHS’7
HOSPITAL REPORTS
WEDNESDAY NOON
None Are Expected Today at
Bluffton Hospital, 'Attaches
Say
Last Birth at Hospital was Fri
day Night Prizes Await
Claimant
Bluffton up until noon Wednesday
was still awaiting the arrival of the
first 1950 baby, and a vast array of
prizes awaiting the first Bluffton
area baby to be bom at the hospital
remained unclaimed.
Hospital attaches said Wednesday
there were no prospects at this time
of a birth in the immediate future.
“5 IN DECEMBER”
Mystery which centered around
the cryptic “5 in Dec.” appearing
in issues of the Bluffton News
for the past sixweeks was solved
with announcement of the birth
of their fifth child, Richard
John, to Mr. and Mrs. Paul
Emmert last Wednesday night at
Bluffton hospital.
They said the situation is unusual as
births have been almost a daily oc
currence during the two weeks be
fore the holidays.
The last birth at the hospital oc
curred on Friday night, when a son
was bom to Rev. Leonard McIntire,
pastor of the Presbyterian church,
and Mrs. McIntire.
Meanwhile popular interest in
Bluffton’s baby derby continue to
mount as suspense increases. In
quiries have been pouring in at the
Bluffton News office and telephone
lines at the hospital have been busy.
Prizes offered for the first 1950
Bluffton area baby to be born at the
hospital include cash and merchandise
in many line?* both to the infant and
its parents.
Prince Of Peace
Contest Sunday
Winners from seven counties will
appear at the district Prince of
Peace contest to be held in a union
service at the Methodist churwch
here Sunday night at 7:30 o’clock.
The contest is an annual affair
sponsored by the Ohio Council of
Churches.
Contestants are:
Darke county—Arlene McEldowney
of Versailles.
Montgomery county—James Pow
ers of Dayton.
Miami county—Keith Henry of
Covington.
Mercer county—Joyce Ann Voeg
ele of Celina.
Auglaize county—Dorothy Staasof
Cridersville.
Shelby county—Joy Mears of Jack
son Center.
Logan county—Marion McFarland
of Belle Center.
Judges will be Prof. Wm. Burbick
and Richard Alderfer of Bluffton
college and Mayor W. A. Howe.
Rev. Paul Cramer, pastor of the
church will be chairman.
The winner will receive a gold
medal and will be eligible to compete
with other district winners in the
semi-final contest at Columbus.
Erma Stearns Is
College Librarian
Miss Erma Stearns, formerly of
Bluffton has accepted a position as
Bluffton college librarian and took
up her duties here Tuesday morning.
She fills the vacancy caused by the
death of Mrs. Lenore Myers Miller
who was killed in an automobile ac
cident last fall.
Miss Stearns, a Bluffton college
graduate is a former teacher in the
Upper Sandusky schools, which posi
tion she resigned last spring. She
is librarian here temporarily until
arrival next fall of Delbert Gratz,
formerly of Bluffton who was
previously appointed librarian. Gratz
is now in graduate school in Switz
erland.
Farm families may expect lower
incomes next year.
tJL«. fjy
fa'
Rev. Oppermann Heads
Board Of Education
V. C. Oppermann, pastor of the
Reformed churches here was elected
president of the Bluffton board of
educattion at the board’s organiza
tion meeting Monday night.
Oppermann, together with Paul
Stauffer and Dr. B. W. Travis, phy
sician, newly elected members last
November, were inducted into office,
the oath being administered by Carl
Derringer, one of the hold over
members .who was elected vice-presi
dent of the board. Levi Althaus is
the other hold over member.
James F. West, clerk-treasurer,
was reappointed for a three-year
term and Supt. A. B. Murray was
named purchasing agent for the
schools.
Time of meeting has been changed
from the first Monday to the second
Tuesday of each month at 8 o’clock
at the office of the board. The first
regular meeting will be held next
Tuesday night.
17 ARE APPOINTED
TO VILLAGE POSTS
FOR COMING YEAR
Mayor’s Appointments Approv
ed By Council at Organiza
tion Meeting Monday
Everett Sutermeister Elected
As President of New Muni
cipal Council
Everett Sutermeister was elected
president of the council and Mayor
Wilbur A. Howe’s recommendations
to fill five appointive municipal of
fices were confirmed by councilmen
at the first meeting of Bluffton’s new
council last Monday night in the
town hall.
With the pattern of the town’s
government taking shape for the
coming year there was no change in
the setup so far as those named to
appointive posts were concerned.
Hpwever no solicitor was appointed,
and naming of volunteer firemen w’ill
be postponed until the next council
session.
As president of the council, Suter
meister will preside at meetings of
the body in case of absence of the
mayor, and will succeed to the
mayoralty in case the post becomes
vacant.
In organization of the council,
Mayor Howe named the following
standing committees:
Finance—F. A. Todd and Donald
Ream.
Street—Everett Sutermeister and
Clay Henderson.
Fire and Light—Ed Badertscher
and William Gaiffe.
New Councilmen
Of the six councilmen who began
new two-year terms Monday night,
Todd is the only incumbent. New
members of the group include Suter
(Continued on page 10)
Nightcrawlers, dear to the hearts
of anglers for spring fishing, are
plentiful in January in the Bluffton
area as the result of four days of
intermitten warm drizzling rains.
Temperatures in the forties and
fifties together wth showers which
began Sunday and continued thru
Wednesday have given the district
a preview of what might well pass
for April weather.
Fields are waterlogged and some
motorists report being mired in mud
at the side of country roads.
Weather reports said the present
warm spell is the most unusual in
71 years. The high temperature of
58 degrees Tuesday fell only four
degrees short of the 61-degree record
for that date set in 1879.
Colder weather is forecast the
latter part of the week when a 40
degree drop in temperature is expect
ed.
Big-Scale Tomato Farming In Quarter
Acre Greenhouse Is New Venture Here
Night Crawlers In January—Four Days
Of Warm Rains Bring Signs Of Spring
R. A. Stratton and Son Wil)
Grow Winter* Tomatoes In
Huge New Greenhouse
Output From 28,000 Plants To
Go Largely To Nearly Big
City Markets
Growing tomatoes on a major
scale in a huge glassed-in green
house covering one-quarter acre of
land is a new venture started this
winter by R. A. Stratton and son,
James, on their farm south of Bluff
ton on the Lincoln highway.
The tomatoes for big-city markets,
will be grown under 16,000 square
feet of glass in two large green
houses now under construction on
the farm. In the big-scale indooi’
farming project there will be two
greenhouses, each 28 by 200 feet
in size, covering one-quarter acre.
Construction of the buildings has
been completed and contractors now
are installing heating, plumbing
and other facilities.
Ready
in
Husband Of Former
Local Woman Dies
Word has been received here of
the death of Z. V. Bayless of Brad
enton, Florida, whose wife is the
former Martha Diller of Bluffton.
He died suddenly December 27 of a
heart attack and complications.
Mr. Bayless is a veteran of World
War I and was for many years a
resident of Toledo.
Besides his widow he is survived
by one son 1st Lt. Robert W. Bay
less of Cherry Point, North Carolina
and one grandson. Also surviving
are three sisters and two brothers
Funeral services and burial took
place at Bradenton last Thursday
afternoon.
Accepts Call To
Illinois Church
Rev. Arthur Killam and Mrs. Kil
lam, the former Dorothy Bixel will
leave Thursday for Joliet, Ill., where
he has accepted a call to the pastor
ate of Parkside Baptist church.
For several months they have been
making their home with Mrs. Kil
lam’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. S. S.
Bixel near Bluffton.
Births
The following births at Bluffton
hospital:
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Emmert, Bluff
ton, a boy, Richard John, last Wed
nesday.
Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Hilty, Lima, a
boy, James William, Thursday.
Mr. and Mrs. Earl Cheney, Rock
port, a girl, Mary Lou, Thursday.
Rev. and Mrs. Leonard McIntire,
Bluffton, a boy, John Calvin, Fri
day.
Bluffton Is Still Awaiting The Arrival of Its First New Year Baby
March
Operations of the new farming
industry are already under way with
plans calling for setting out approx
imately 28,000 plants. Tomatoes
will be ready for market in about
eight to 10 weeks after being set
out, and marketing will continue un
til early summer.
Sales will be largely on a whole
sale basis, although some retail busi
ness also will be conducted at the
location, Stratton said.
The venture will be the first at
tempt at growing tomatoes indoors
on a large scale in this vicinity, but
the locaton is said to be particularly
good because of easy accessibility to
big-city markets.
Stratton’s son, James, associated
with him in the project, has exper
ience in indoor tomato culture in
Toledo establishments.
Mr. and Mrs. Waldo Brand, Find
lay, have adopter their second baby
girl, Rebecca Lynn, soon after her
birth, October 22. Mr. Brand is the
son of Mrs. D. J. Brand of this
place.
Sweet clover weevils have dbecomfe
serious pests in Ohio.
THE BLUFFTON NEWS
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, JAN. 5, 1950'
Telephone Company Asks Rate Increase
REV. J. N. SMUCKER
RESIGNS CHURCH
PASTORATE HERE
Announcement Made to First
Mennonite Congregation
Monday Night
To Become Editor of “The
Mennonite,” Leading Church
Periodical
Rev. J. N. Smucker, pastor of the
First Mennonite church here an
nounced his resignation, effective
June 1 at the annual congregational,
meeting held Monday night.
Rev. Smucker, in his eighth year
as pastor of the church here will
leave the pulpit to become editor of
The Mennonite, official publication
of the General Conference of Men
nonites, comprising seven district
conferences in the United States and
Canada.
Announcement of his resignation
came as a surprise to the congrega
tion and was accepted reluctantly.
Influential Publication
The publication of which he be
comes editor is the largest and most
influential in the denomination. It
is published weekly at SIewton,
Kansas. Whether he and his family
will move to that place or continue
their residence here has not been de
cided, Rev. Smucker stated following
Monday night’s meeting.
In his new position he succeeds
Rev. J. J. Enz, acting editor, who
resigned to continue theological
studies. Rev. Enz, aitingi editor for
the past two years! followed Rev.
Reynold Winebrenne^, former full
time editor. v
Rev. Smucker and family came
here from Newton, Kansas, eight
years ago when he became pastor of
the First Mennonite church. He has
long been a leading figure in his de
nomination and is now serving his
second three-year term as president
of the General Conference of Men
nonites. He also was formerly pres
ident of the Middle District, one of
the seven subordinate conferences
making up the General Conference.
GEORGE KLAY IS
FOUND DEAD AT
HIS HOME HERE
Son, Summoned from Work
Wednesday Morning, Finds
Lifeless Body
Death Believed to Have Been
Caused by Heart Attack
During Night
George Klay, 55, was found dead
in bed at his home on South Mound
street Wednesday morning at 11:30
o’clock. Death apparently was due
to a heart attack during the night.
Klay who was a foreman at the
plant of the Triplett Electrical In
strument company had been ailing
for the past year and did not report
for work on Tuesday because of ill
ness.
The body was found by his son
Richard Klay who was summoned
from work at the Triplett plant
when members of the family were
unable to get any response from his
bedroom.
He is the son of the late Mr. and
Mrs. Chris Klay and a native of
Bluffton. The family resided for
many years on South Lawn avenue
in what is now the Millen Geiger
property.
Surviving are his son Richard
three daughters Mrs. Jane Cook and
Mrs. Josephine Burkholder of Bluff
ton and Marjorie Klay at home.
Also surviving are three sisters,
Mrs. Eva Cattran and Carrie Klay,
Cleveland and Mrs. Nina Berkew of
California.
Funeral arrangements are incom
plete and the body is at the Ba
singer funeral home.
Prospect of a 48 million bushel
wheat crop for Ohio in 1950 is fore
cast.
All Located Near Intersection
of Lugibihl Road and Dixie
Highway
Sizes Range from One-Fourth
Acre to One Acre New Home
to be Built
Three small farm lakes within a
mile of each other in a rolling sector
of farm land two miles southwest of
town will provide a picturesque
touch and new development of the
usual Bluffton area countryside.
The miniature lakes are near the
junction of Lugibihl road and the
Dixie highway, west of the Allen
Farm Bureau Co-op.
Second of the three lakes was
completed last week and the third is
under construction to complete a pro
gram which will include the' farm
ponds on land owned by Philip Hilty,
Paul Emmert, Herman Hjlty and F.
E. Wenger.
The new lake just completed is a
one-quarter acre pond on the Herm
an Hilty farm. Adjoining the Lugi
bihl road the lake was constructed
principally as a water supply and
duck pond.
Two years ago, Paul Emmert,
Herman and Philip Hilty constructed
a one-acre lake on land near the
Emmert residence on the opposite
side of Lugibihl road where it crosses
Littlp Riley creek. This lake, larg
est of the three, has a maximum
depth of 10 feet and is used for
recreation facilities including swim
ming, fishing and ice skating.
Under Construction
The third lake, now under con
W-4U F. E.uWepger
farm, on the former Bluffton golf
course. This pond will cover about
three-fourths of an acre and prelim
inary survey work on the project has
been done by the Ohio Soil Conserva
tion department, which also helped
lay out the other two projects.
Grading of the Wenger lake
largely has been completed and the
earthen dam now is under construc
tion. The new’ lake will be located
at a point near the Dixie highway.
Wenger expects to erect a modern
ranch-type residence there this sum
mer.
The lake near the Emmert resid
ence has been stocked w’ith fish
provided by the Federal Fish and
Wildlife Service. Several years ago
350 bass and 1500 bluegills U’ere
released in the lake under the
federal program.
Construction of the three lakes has
follow’ed the same pattern, earthen
dams being used in back up water
in low spots in the rolling country
level. All three are private.
Collecting the photographs of
Bluffton’s mayors since the village
was incorporated in 1860, a hobby
of the late Lloyd Murray, for many
years Bluffton’s oldest native born
resident, has resulted, in one of the
outstanding attraction in the mayor’s
office at the town hall.
Mounted in a large frame are
photographs of all Bluffton mayors,
beginning with J. S. Powell, the
village’s first chief executive officer,
who served in 1861 and 1862.
Among the interesting aspects of
the photographic display are the
changes in men’s fashions repre
sented in the pictures. In the early
days virtually every mayor wore full
beards, with mustaches later being
the vogue. Smooth faces, however,
have predominated since World War
I days.
Three Fathers-Sons
Three father-son combinations are
represented in the mayoralty rec
ord, one a triple-header.
J. H. Eaton, who served as mayor
in 1880 and 1881 had two sons who
also held the office. Mel Eaton was
mayor here during oil boom days
in 1896 to 1900. Another son, Frank
Eaton served as mayor in 1903
through 1905 and again in 1908 to
1910.
Andrew Hauenstein, pioneer Bluff
ton druggist, and his son, Armin,
also a druggist here, comprise an
i other father-son combination. The
Three Small Farm Lakes Mark New
Development In Rural Area Here
Collection Of Bluffton Mayor’s Pictures
Reflect Changes In Men’s Fashions
Real Estate Deal
The Delbert McGinnis property on
Garau street has been purchased by
Wilford Steiner and will be occupied
by his father and mother, Mr. and
Mrs. Will Steiner who will move
here from their farm west of Bluff
ton.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilford Steiner and
family will move from their home
on Spring street to the Steiner farm
to be vacated by his parents.
Mr. McGinnis has started prepara
tions to build a one story brick res
idence on his double lot in the Gar
matter addition.
Farm Institute At
Pandora January 26
Community farm institute will be
held at Pandora, Thursday, Jan. 26,
it is announced this week. Principal
speakers will be Mrs. Harold Robin
son of Ashtabula and Rev. Russell
Hoy of Coshocton.
RECREATION FOR
WINTER SWINGS
INTO HIGH GEAR
Activities Sponsored By Recre
ation Committee For All
Age Groups
-------a------
Programs Set for Each Monday
and Tuesday Night Also On
Saturday Mornings
Itecreation activity two nights
weekly and every Saturday morning
is included in the winter program to
be inaugurated next week under new
officers of the Bluffton Recreation
committee, who took over during the
holidays.
Men’s basketball league play will
be in the high school gymnasium
from 7 to 9 p. m. every Monday,
with at least four teams competing
for the championship.
Two recreation periods will be
held every Tuesday in the college
gymnasium. From 7 to 8:30 p. m.
older men’s recreation will be fea
tured, and a women’s recreation
period will immediately follow from
8:30 until 9:30 p. m.
Grade School Program
Recreation for grade school boys
and girls will be sponsored every
Saturday morning in both gymnas
iums.
Girls’ basketball and other games
will be in the high school gymnas
(Continued on page 5)
elder Hauenstein served in 1907 and
1908 and his son in 1926 and 1927.
Andrew J. Owens and his son,
J. P. Owens, who died last Decem
ber in Detroit and who was buried
here in Maple Grove cemetery, were
the other father-son mayors. An
drew served in 1876-1877 and 1881
1882. His son was in office in
1910 and 1911. The son, J. P. Owens
was the youngest Bluffton mayor,
taking office when he was 28.
Ex-Mayors Scarce
Ex-Bluffton mayors are scarce
these days, largely because of long
terms served by Fred Triblehorn
terms served by Fred Triblehorn and
Wilbur A. Howe. Only living former
mayor’s in addition to Howe and
Triblehorn, are M. M. Murray, Ar
min Hauenstein, Arden Baker and
Dr. John J. Sutter.
Mayor Howe, who took office again
on Jan.l of this year, will have
served longer than other mayor at
the conclusion of the present term.
This will be his fifth two-year term
as mayor, and in adition he served
one years and two months as mayor,
as president of the council, he suc
ceeded J. Norman King in 1938.
Ex-Mayor Fred Triblehorn, who
previously served 10 years in five
successive terms, from 1928 to 1937
at the present has been mayor long
er, than any other officer in the
town’s history.
A Good Place to Trade
RAISE RANGES
FROM 50 CENTS
TO $2.50 MONTH
Application for New Rate
Schedule Filed with Utilities
Commission
No Change in Telephone Rates
for More Than 20 Years
Manager Says
Application for an increase in
Bluffton telephone rates is being filed
with the Ohio Public Utilites Com
mission, it was announced the first
of he week by Maurice Mahoney,
local manager of the Bluffton Tele
phone Co.
Higher rates proposed, by the tele
phone company range from 50 cents
for residential users on four-party
lines to a boost of $2.50 for business
places. Percentage-wise the increas
es would be from 25 per cent to 83
per cent.
Existing range of Bluffton month
ly telephone rates is from $2 to
$3.50. The application asks for a
schedule from $2.50 to $6.
Rates Proposed
Rate increases sought by the tele
phone firm are as follows: (Not in
cluding federal excise taxes.)
One-Party Line—Business Pres
ent rate, $3.50 proposed rate, $6
an increase of 71 per cent.
Two-party Line—Business—Pres
ent rate, $3 proposed rate, $5.50
an increase of 83 per cent.
Rural Party Line Business
Present rate, $3.50 proposed rate,
$4.50, an increase of 30 per cent.
One-Party Line—Residence—Pres
ent rate, $2.25 proposed rate, $3.50,
an increase of 55 per cent.
Four-Party Line—Residence—Pres
ent rate, $2 proposed rate, $2.50
an increase of t5 per cent.
No Change Since 1928
In announcing the telephone com
pany’s intention to apply for higher
rates, Mahoney pointed out there
has been no change in telephone
rates since 1928, although operating
costs have greatly increased, both
in labor and materials.
The Bluffton Telephone Co. is a
subsidiary of Telephone Service of
Ohio. George Quatman, of Lima, is
vice-president of the local company.
In Bluffton village the telephone
company now has in operation a to
tal of 988 telephones, an increase of
36 per cent over 1941 when there
were 723 town phones.
In addition there are 356 rural
telephones, an increase of 26 per
cent over 1941 when there were 281.
Calls Increase
9mployeeso the company on an
annual basis have increased from
eight to 11 over the same time, Ma
honey pointed out.
Average number of local calls per
month in 1949 stood at 128,958 as
compared with 107,260 per month
in 1941, an increase of 20 per cent.
Toll calls per month also have
mounted sharply upward, from 1,863
to 3,936. This represents an in
crease of 111 per cent.
Although additional business has
brought an increase in receipts, the
operating and maintenance costs
have much more than offset the ad
ditional revenue, Mahoney said.
The local manager said there are
no imriiediate plans to proceed with
the installation of automatic tele
phones here. Several years ago the
company purchased a site on Church
street at the rear of the Staater
block to be used for erection of a
building to house an automatic cen
tral
office.
With The Sick
Condition of Mrs. Martha Burk
holder, patient in Bluffton hospital,
who was seriously ill last week is
improved.
Kenneth Schaublin who collapsed
at the Woodcock plant of the Cen
tral Ohio Light and Power company
here Monday is a patient in Bluffton
hospital.
Mrs. Louisa Kennel, mother of
Mrs. H. W. Berky of Spring street,
is a patient in Bluffton hospital.
Mrs. Peter Amstutz of Beaverdam
is a patient in Lima Memorial hos
pital with a fractured left hip as
the result of a fall at her home.
Mrs. Will Lightner has been re
moved from Bluffton hospital to her
home on Washington street. Her
condition is much improved.
...... ... ....
NUMBER 38
iCi
Rural Part/ JUne^
'Present rale, $2.6o} pf
$2.50 an increase of 25 per cent.
I
1
3
1