The Bluffton news. [volume], October 19, 1950, Image 1

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BLUFFTON
A Good Place to Live
VOLUME LXXV
FARMER CLAIMS
WATER OF CREEK
FATAL TO CATTLE
Council Takes Steps to Make
Adjustment with Land
owner
Pollution of Creek Makes Bot
tom Land Unfit For Graz
ing, Claim
A municipal offer to pay for any
livestock which may die as a result
of drinking sewage-polluted water
from Little Riley creek this week
marked the latest development in a
claim for damages made against the
town by Myron Matter, whose farm
lies adjacent to and partially inside
the southwestern corporation limits
of the town.
In charges at a council meeting two
weeks ago, Motter claimed that Bluff
ton sewage emptied into the stream
has made useless 51 acres of creek
bottom pastureland, because livestock
previously had been lost after drink
ing water from the stream.
Altho Motter had indicated he ex
pected payment of damages resulting
from inability to use the pastureland
for grazing, council’s concession de
cided at Monday’s meeting was re
stricted to an offer to reimburse the
farm operator for any livestock dy
ing as a result of drinking from the
stream.
Offer Protection
In case Motter should lose live
stock in the future, a veterinarian’s
report will be accepted to determine
if the death is due to drinking pol
luted water, councilmen agreed in
their offer.
When making his claim for dam
ages at the meeting two weeks ago,
Motter was accompanied by his at
torney, Dan R. Trippiehorn, a former
city solicitor.
Altho no definite figure for dam
ages was mentioned by Motter, he
charged that the sewage-polluted con
dition of the stream had made it im
possible for him to use 51 acres of
land for grazing purposes, and set
the rental value of the land at $15
an acre.
New Stage At Grade
School Auditorium
A Parent-Teacher association pro
ject of replacing the present stage
and curtain at the grade school
auditorium was started Tuesday
night when men of the association
took out the old stage.
Another work period has been ar
ranged for next Saturday after
noon when a new stage will be
built.
Committee of the association in
charge of the project is Mrs. Gerald
Berry, Mrs. Harold Crawfis, Harlan
Moser, Lorain Basinger, Mr. and
Mrs. Bernard Schiffke, Mrs. Robert
Benroth and Wm. Edwards.
Dr. Hartzler Speaker
At College Vespers
Dr. J. E. Hartzler of Goshen, Ind.,
former Bluffton resident and world
traveler will address the Bluffton
college vesper service in Ramseyer
chapel Sunday afternoon at 2:30
o’clock.
His subject will be “Europe and
the New World.” Material for his
lecture was assembled by the speak
er last summer while on the Sher
•wood Eddy study tour of Europe.
Time of the service has been
changed in order to permit Dr.
Hartzler to fill an evening speaking
engagement in Wayne county^.
Rare Night Blooming
Cereus Opens Tuesday
A night blooming cereus plant
blossomed at the Carl Cahill home
on Jefferson street Tuesday evening.
It opened shortly after dusk, un
folding in a rare display of white
loveliness and closed Wednesday
morning.
The plant blossomed last July, for
the first time in more than 25 years
and two blooms in one season is
considered a rarity.
The ce^us is of the cactus family
of which Mrs. Cahill has a large
collection.
fit 4
Town Offers to Pay Damages
Due to Pollution of Stream
Bluffton householders, farmers
and business men can draw on a
labor force consisting of upwards
of 250 Bluffton college students for
any odd jobs or extra labor they
need next Wednesday in the annual
fall college work day program, it
was announced this week.
All wages earned by students in
the morning and afternoon work
program will be donated to the col
lege gymnasium fund. In last
year’s workday program, more than
$800 was earned for the gymnasium.
In addition to being available for
any type work around homes, fac
tories or business establishments, the
work committee also will have a
large contingent of qualified work
ers available for farm labor.
Reservations for student workers
can be made beginning now until
next Wednesday by telephoning
246- Y.
Gene Suter, Pandora sophomore,
is general chairman of the work day
committee.
OPEN FORUM TO
DISCUSS LEVIES
ON BALLOT HERE
Public Meeting to be Held in
High School Auditorium,
Tuesday Night
Voters are Invited to Present
Questions on Three Special
Issues
Open forum discussion of the three
special levies tcr be on Bluffton bal
lots at the Nov. 7 general election
will be featured at a community
meeting in the high school auditor
ium at 7:30 p. m. next Tuesday
night.
Sponsored by the Bluffton Lions
club, the session will feature short
explanatory talks on the need for
the three tax levies, followed by open
forum discussion from the audience.
College Work Day Next Wednesday
Will Take Care Of Town’s Odd Jobs
Under consideration at the meet
ing will be Bluffton’s $180,000 sew
age bond issue, a five-mill school
levy (renewal) and a one-mill issue
for the Allen county fairgrounds.
Silas Diller, a member of the
county fair board, will explain the
fairgrounds issue Supt. Aaron B.
Murray will talk on the school levy,
and the sewage bond issue will be
explained by Mayor W. A. Howe
and a representative from the con
sulting engineering firm of Fink
beiner, Pettis and Strout, Toledo.
All Bluffton voters are urged to
attend the session, which will be
Bluffton’s first “town meeting” dis
cussion of municipal problems in
many years. The open forum is
planned for both women and men
voters.
Bluffton Lions, sponsor of the
unique meeting, have endorsed the
three issues and are working toward
their approval at the polls.
College Homecoming
Draws Weekend Crowd
Bluffton college graduates and stu
dents of other years thronged the
campus last Saturday and Sunday
for annual Homecoming activities
held in a setting of perfect fall
weather.
Opening with a “College and Life
Conference” and coronation cere
monies of the Homecoming Queen
Saturday morning, the day’s events
moved through a busy morning and
afternoon program.
In the traditional tug-of-war at
noon, this year’s freshman class was
hauled through Riley creek, dooming
the frosh to continue wearing their
green caps until Thanksgiving.
Following the Homecoming foot
ball game in the afternoon, won by
the Beavers, 18 to 0, over Olivet of
Michigan, the annual Homecoming
banquet was held in the evening.
?. H. “Wifty” Sprunger, of Berne,
Ind., was chairman of the banquet
program, with the address being
given by Al Bohrer.
Parents Day on Sunday featured
open house in the dormitories, and
an afternoon vesper service at which
Rev. William Stauffer was the
speaker.
3 o 9" __
Aaron Geiger Dies
Funeral On Friday
Aaron Geiger, 91, believed to be
Bluffton’s oldest resident, died at
his home on South Main street
Wednesday morning at 1 o’clock fol
lowing a brief illness. Death was
due to senility.
Funeral services will be held at
the Ebenezer Mennonite church of
which he was a member, Friday
afternoon at 2:30 o'clock, Rev. How
ard Landes officiating. Burial will
be in the Ebenezer cemetery. The
body is at the Diller funeral home
until time for services.
Mr. Geiger, retired farmer and
cabinet maker, was born in Riley
township, December 3, 1858, the
son of John and Anna (Steiner)
Geiger. He was married to Anna
Moser who died four years ago.
Surviving are three daughters,
Lydia at home Mrs. Clarence Gris
more, Pandora Mrs. Ellen Knight,
Sheridan, 111., and a son Monroe
Geiger, Pandora, together with 14
grandchildren and 12 great grand
children.
Also surviving are a brother Peter
Geiger, Bluffton, and sister, Mrs.
Leah Liechty, Pandora.
Man Injured In
Fall Improving
Condition of E. J. Wahlie, Bluff
ton hatcheryman who was injured in
a fall a week ago is reported im
proved. Walie received neck and
spinal injuries in a nine foot fall
from the attic to the first floor at
his new South Main street home un
der construction. He is a patient
at St. Rita’s hospital, Lima.
Movie On Japan To
Be Shown Sunday
“Japan Welcomes the Word,” a
documentary film on post-war Japan,
will be shown at an evening meeting
in St. John’s Reformed church Sun
day night at 7:30 o’clock.
Photographed in natural color, the
picture will be shown here by K. C.
Carman, a member of the field staff
of the Pocket Testament league.
Apart from its central theme
dealing with post-war missionary en
deavor in Japan, the movie also
has high entertainment value as a
travelog.
It depicts the natural beauty of
the Japanese countryside and moun
tains, and also the vast rubble heaps
which once were Hiroshima, Naga
saki and other bomb-flattened cities.
Evangelistic Meetings
At Missionary Church
Special services conducted by Rev.
Forest Kuhn, evangelist, will be held
in the Bluffton Missionary church
beginning Sunday and continuing
until Nov. 5, it was announced this
week by Rev. Robert R. Welch, pas
tor.
In the series of evangelistic meet
ings, services will be held at 7:30
p. m. each day except Saturday.
Rev. Kuhn will be remembered by
many as the young man who held
meetings in a large tent on the
Bluffton grade school grounds at the
inception of the local Missionary
church.
Lions Make Plans
For Football Fete
M. M. Triplett, vice-president in
charge of engineering at The Trip
lett Electrical Instrument Co., de
scribed the growth of television at a
dinner meeting of the Bluffton Lions
club Tuesday evening in the Wal
nut Grill.
Also given at the session was a
brief description of the reasons for
supporting the Allen county fair
grounds one-mill levy in the No
vember general election. Speaking
for the issue was Silas Diller, a
member of the fair board. Follow
ing his talk, the Lions club en
dorsed the issue as a necessary coun
ty project.
Initial plans for a football ban
quet honoring Bluffton High and
Bluffton college grid squads also
were laid at the meeting. The ban
quet will be held on November 7 in
the Ropp hall dining room on the
college campus.
THE BLUFFTON NEWS
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, OCT. 19, 1950
Council Buys Auto for Police Department
DRIVER DIES IN
CAB TRUCK GOES
INTO CORNFIELD
Semi-Trailer Stalls 500 Feet
From Road North on
Dixie
Sowing Green Trucker Believed
to have been Heart Attack
Victim
Donavan Monahan, 35, Bowling
Green, was found dead in the cab
of his truck in a cornfield on the
farm of Joe Slusser, 4 miles north
of Bluffton on the Dixie highway,
Wednesday morning.
The Findlay state patrol post
which investigated the accident said
his death was probably due to a
heart attack as there was no evi
dence of injury. Final verdict will
be given by Hancock County Coro
ner, Dr. B. F. Voorhees.
The semi-trailer with Monahan
slumped in the cab was discovered
by Slusser at 7 o’clock when he was
doing morning chores. The family
heard a crash about a half-hour be
fore but at that time attributed it
to noise of heavy traffic on the high
way.
Monahan, driving northbound,
without cargo, is believed to have
suffered the heart attack and lost
control of his truck which angled
off the roadway and crashed through
Slusser’s cornfield for a distance of
500 feet before the motor stalled and
came to a stop.
The body was removed to the
Perry Miles funeral home in Find
lay.
Rev. Beisheim Here
For Lecture Thursday
Rev. Arthur K, Beisheim, former
pastor of Bluffton £t. John^s and
Emmanuel’s Reformed churches, will
present his illustrated lecture on the
Oberammergau Passion Play at 7:30
p.m. Thursday in the St. John’s
church.
Rev. Beisheim visited Oberammer
gau in Germany this spring and
spent a full week visiting and tak
ing pictures of the community, as
well as having personal interviews
with some of the main characters in
the world-famous drama.
In addition to the pictures he took
on his visit, he also will show some
60 official pictures of the play.
Rev. Beisheim also is preparing
a book to be published under the
1 title, “The Old, Old Vow of Ober
ammergau,” showing the origin and
development of the world famous
event as recorded by the camera.
I He has twice seen the Passion Play.
I The Passion Play is presented
I every 10 years in fulfillment of a
vow made back in 1634.
Thursday’s presentation is spon
sored by the Men’s Brotherhood of
the St. John’s and Emmanuel’s
churches, and all residents of the
community are invited.
Births
The following births at Bluffton
hospital:
Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Spallinger,
Lafayette, a son, Wayne Melvin,
Thursday.
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Green, Bluff
ton, a boy, Donald Dow, Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. Domer Smith, Raw
son, a girl, Sheila Elaine, Tuesday.
Mr. and Mrs. Vinton Bucher, Pan
dora, a girl, Devon Jo, Tuesday.
Mr. and Mrs. Keith Brauen, Pan
dora, a girl, Tuesday.
Mr. and Mrs. Glover Webb, Bluff
ton, a boy, William Lee, Wednesday.
Mr. and Mrs. James Hilty,
Truckee, Calif., a girl, born at a
Reno, Nevada hospital, October 13.
Missionary Church
Conference Opens
A local missionary convention will
open Wednesday of this week at the
Bluffton Missionary church and con
tinue through next Sunday.
Speakers for the series of meet
ings will be: Rev. Daniel Dyck, of
Dominican Republic, 7:30 p. m.
Wednesday Rev. Chris Gerig, Ft.
Wayne, Ind., 7:30 p. m. Thursday
Rev. Kenneth Rupp, Sierra Leone,
Africa, 7:30 p. m. Friday with
I both Rev. Dyck and Rev. Gerig
speaking on Sunday.
Motion pictures of the Dominican
and African Missionary fields will
be shown on Wednesday and Friday.
A gala community Hallowe’en
party complete with free refresh
ments, liberal prizes for costumes
and stage entertainment by profes
sional talent will be held under the
lights at Harmon field Tuesday
night, Oct. 31, under auspices of the
Bluffton Business Men’s Association
and the Junior Chamber of Com
merce.
Everyone is welcome and every
thing will be free to those cooper
ating by appearing in costume. It
will be a repetition of last year's
successful party, which was the first
organized Hallowe’en observance here
in many years.
The evening’s program will feature
fast-moving entertainment for young
and old alike. One of the top at
tractions will be the grand parade
with all participants in costume.
Nine cash prizes will be awarded in
Pickerel Fish Fry
For Community Men
Lou Klewer, well known conserva
tionist and outdoor editor of The
Toledo Blade, will screen and nar
rate a color motion picture “The
Land of the Shining Mountain,” a
trout fishing expedition in Montana
and Wyoming, at a pickerel fish fry
for all men of the community at 8
P. M. next Monday in Bluffton
Sportsmen’s clubrooms in the town
hall.
In addition to the color film to be
shown by Klewer, a sound color
movie, “Ohio Waters” will be shown
by C. F. Blakeman, of Tiffin, pub
lic relations representative of the
Ohio Department of Conservation.
Bluffton’s 1951 “thousand dollar”
trout derby also will be outlined at
the session. Trout for the derby
which will begin next spring are on
order, and the event will be vastly
expanded over the successful derby
conducted last spring.
The session is sponsored jointly
by the Sportsmen’s club and the
churches of the community, with a
part of the emphasis of the program
on a nationwide interdenomins.tion
movement to strengthen religion in
American life.
Rev. L. W. McIntire will briefly
outline the movement, which carries
the endorsement of the Bluffton
Business men’s association.
Admission to the program is free
to all men of the community. A
lunch concession featuring fried
pickerel will be operated by the
Sportsmen’s club.
District Meeting Of
Legion Auxiliary Here
Delegates from seven counties will
attend a district fall conference of
the American Legion Auxiliary Wed
nesday of next week in the Bluffton
Legion hall.
More than 200 representatives
from 38 units in the seven counties
are expected here for morning and
afternoon sessions which will be
closed with a tea at 4 p. m. Noon
luncheon will be served in the First
Methodist church. Reservations for
the dinner should be in the hands of
Mrs. Vernal Corson, 124 South
Mound street, by this Saturday, it
was announced.
Presiding at the sessions will be
Mrs. Linus Schmelzer, of Delphos,
district president. Principal speak
er will be Second District Legion
Commander Elwood Young, of Sid
ney, with other talks by Mrs. Arthur
Palmer, department vice-president,
of Columbus, and Mrs. Lee Moore,
department secretary, of Zanesville.
Counties in the district include
Allen, Auglaize, Hardin, Logan,
Mercer, Shelby and Van Wert.
Former Janitor
Gets Deferment
Robert Fisher, former Bluffton
grade school janitor who was called
back into service as a navy reserv
ist in September, was discharged
from the navy last week on a de
pendency deferment.
Free Cider and Donuts at
Community Halloween Party
Walter Sommer, who replaced
Fisher as janitor at the grade
building, will continue in that posi
tion, and Fisher has accepted a job
at the Bluffton Cement Block fac
tory.
Bluffton Youth
Joins Air Force
Karl Frick, son of Mr. and Mrs.
George Frick of Mound street en
listed in the Army air force it was
announced Tuesday. After final
physical examinations at Toledo he
will be sent to Texas for training.
three costume classifications—three
top awards to each division.
Big Stage Show-
Entertainment will be provided by
professional talent, and music for
the grand parade and at other times
during the evening will be played by
the Bluffton High school band.
Refreshments consisting of cider
and doughnuts will be free to every
one attending.
Sponsors of the project are urg
ing all planning to attend to be in
costume, as the measure of success
of the party will depend on the
participation of community residents.
Committees Make Plans
General chairman of plans for the
event will be Paul Emmert. Ar
rangements for prizes and advertis
ing are being directed by Ed Cham
berlain.
On the special entertainment com
mittee are Francis Marquart, chair
man William Edwards and Maurice
Fett.
Paul Basinger is chairman of the
refreshments committee, and is as
sisted by Charles Main, James Dailey
and Robert Hursey.
PROPOSE NEW
MARKERS FOR
STREETS HERE
Junior hamber of Commerce
Gets Approval from Council
Monday
Total Cost of Providing All
Metal Markers is Estimated
at $700
A campaign to erect new all-metal
street markers was launched this
week by the Bluffton Junior Chamber
of Commerce.
Representatives of the Jayceew re
ceived municipal council permission
for the drive at a meeting of the town
governing body Monday night, and
active campaigning for contributions
to help defray expenses will be
started at once.
In addition to approving the move
for new street markers, the council
contributed $200 toward the $700
estimated cost of purchasing the en
graved metal signs.
Jaycees at Meeting
Jaycees were represented at the
council session by Robert Simcox,
club president, and Ropp Triplett.
Bluffton's present street markers
consist of metal standards with wood
signs. Names of streets are painted
on the markers, and an annual pro
gram of re-painting is necessary to
make the signs legible, it was ex
plained at the meeting.
Donations to defray the cost of
purchasing new markers will be
solicited from businessmen and resi
dents of the community. Installation
of the signs will be handled by the
Jaycees, councilmen were told.
Real Estate Deals
Miss Lillian Dillman has purchas
ed from Dave Reichenbach the form
er Dillman property on North Main
street between the Dillman News
Stand and Stauffer service station.
It is occupied by Merl Duffman.
James Oberly of Riley street has
purchased the Justin Gratz property
on Railroad street and will take pos
session next month. The deal was
handled by Mrs. H. W. Althaus.
Winkler Licensed
As School Fireman
Albert Winkler, maintenance em
ploye at the high school has passed
the state examination for fireman’s
license, it was announced the first
of the week. A license is required
to operate the 60 and 70 horsepower
steam boilers of the heating plant
in the high school building.
Bluffton Man Heads
Agriculture Teachers
Lorain Basinger, instructor in
Bluffton high school was elected
president of the Allen county voca
tional agriculture teachers associa
tion at a meeting at Lima, Saturday.
He will serve for the coming year.
Number of animal units to be fed
is expected to be about the same as
last season.
BLUFFTON
A Good Place to Trade
NUMBER 27
NEW PATROLMAN
WILL BE ADDED
TO OPERATE CAR
Crackdown is Planned on Speed
ing and Reckless Driving
Here
Car Will be Put Into Service
as Soon as it Can be
Delivered
A municipal crackdown on speed
ing and reckless operation of auto
mobiles over streets of the town was
assured Monday night when Bluffton
councilmen purchased a Ford police
car to, be used for patrol duty as
soon as it can be delivered.
In adding police patrol protection,
the council purchased a two-door, six
cylinder Ford from the Bixel Motor
Sales. Cost of the car was $1,259,
plus $57.40 for a heater. The Bixel
firm also had submitted a bid of
$1,319 for providing an eight-cylinder
ca r.
Only other bidder was the Steiner
Chevrolet Sales, which submitted a
bid of $1,150 for a six-cylinder two
door special sedan and a bid of
$1,210 for a two-door deluxe sedan.
To Add Patrolman
Council discussion prior to the de
cision to purchase the police car in
dicated that an additional uniformed
patrolman will be added to the police
force for operation of the car.
Police Chief H. L. Coon, who also
serves as service supervisor, is busy
enough with other details of his posi
tion to make it impossible for him to
be available for regular patrol duties,
it was pointed out by councilmen.
All cars on which bids were sub
mitted were specially designed for
police patrol work, including high
charging generators.
Bring Remains Here
For Funeral Service
Body of Mrs, Estella Amstutz, 77,
former resident of this place, and
widow of the late Jacob Amstutz
will arrive here Thursday from
Ramona, Calif., where she died last
Saturday following a year’s illness.
Services will be held in the Paul
Diller funeral home Saturday after
noon at 2:30 o’clock with Rev. How
ard Landis officiating. Burial will
be in the Ebenezer cemetery.
Surviving are two foster children,
Mrs. Josephine Newland, Lima,
and Noel Fruchey, Beaverdam a
brother, Frank Coon of Santa Mo
nica, Calif., and four sisters: Mrs.
Alta Van Pelt, Ramona, Calif. Mrs.
Hallie Reynolds. Mrs. Margaret Bu
sick and Mrs. Nora Petit all of
Los Angeles.
220 Enrolled As
Members Of PT A
Bluffton Parent-Teacher associa
tion has a membership of 220 is was
announced the first of the week by
officers of the organization. The
goal is 300 of the 309 families rep
resented in the schools, it was stated
in connection with the announcement.
The membership committee, Mrs.
Silas Diller chairman, will receive
dues at the next association meet
ing, November 13 at the grade
building.
College Junior Play
In Two-Night Run
Lorraine Ferguson, White Pigeon,
Michigan, and James Reusser, Wil
liamsport, Pa., play the leading
roles in “Blithe Spirit,” Noel Cow
ard’s successful Broadway hit which
will be presented this Friday and
Saturday by the Bluffton College
junior class.
The three-act production will be
staged in the Bluffton high school
auditorium, with both performances
beginning at 8:15 p. m. It is under
the direction of Addison Myers, a
junior and a dramatic student at
Bluffton, who is directing in the ab
sence of William Burbick, professor
of speech, now doing graduate work
at Ohio State University.
Corrinne Kamp, of Washington,
I Ill., portrays the “blithe spirit” in
this entertaining three-act farce.
Others in the cast of seven include
Burtis Meyer, Bern, Kansas Mar
garet Salzman, Upland, Calif. Do
lores Bolen, Souderton, Pa. and
Robert Riley, Vaughnsville.
1 Production details are under the
management of Norman White,
Bluffton, as stage manager, and Iris
Sauder, Grabill, Ind., business man
ager.