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BLUFFTON A Good Place to Live VOLUME LXXV Judging Will Take Place Satur day and Sunday Nights, December 23-24 Deadline for Mailing Entry Blanks in Contest is December 22 Bluffton’s Christmas lighting ano decoration contest moved forward this week with naming of the five judges who will select winners or the five cash prizes offered by tne Bluffton Junior Chamber of Com merce. In the list of contest judges will be W. A. Howe, ‘mayor of Bluffton Grover Soldner, Men’ Garden club representative Mrs. Gordon Bixel, president of the Women’s Garden club Prof. John Klassen, of the Bluffton college art department and Mrs. Russell A. Lantz, Bluffton artist. Judging of contest entries will be done Saturday night, Dec. 23 Sun day night, Dec. 24, and Christmas night. Only those filling out entry blanks will be considered for prizes. Clip out the blank on this page and mail to Junior Chamber of Commerce, Bluffton. Prizes will be 1st. $10 2nd, $5 3rd, $2.50 :th & 5th, $1 each. In determining -rtnners the fol lowing method wil. be used by the judges: General artistic effect, 50% originality, 20% ingenuity in utiliz ing the surroundings, 10% conform ity to the Christmas spirit, 10% and size, 10%. Robert C. Hamn an, chairman ot the community-wide contest, an nounced this week that the per person cost of participation in the decoration contest is small, yet everybody shares in the benents. Providing a fitting atmosphere tor church, school and civic holiday activities, the decoration of homes is a symbol of the instinctive good wilt the people of America have for all people. It requires little or no experience to create interesting and appropriate designs. A lighted Christmas tree on the roof, lighted wreaths, stream ers or garlands stretched across the front of the door, flood-lighted candles or bells—all work wonders and cast a magic spell in keeping with the season, it was explained. Entry blanks should be filled out and mailed to the Junior Chamber of Commerce. Entry is open to ail residents of the town. Entries must be postmarked before midnight, Dec. 22. Abe Wise, Former Merchant, Succumbs Abe Wise, 85, former Bluffton business man, died Wednesday morn ing in St. Rita’s hospital in Lima. His death followed a period of fail ing health and for the past ten days his condition was reported serious. For the past 27 years he had lived in Lima, moving to that place after he and his brother, the late Jule Wise disposed of their clothing and shoe store here, now the Steiner & Huser establishment. Born in Germany, he came to this country as a youth and for many years was engaged in business in Bluffton. He was married to Hattie Zehr b?.ch of this place who survives at the family home, 327 South Rose dale, Lima. Also surviving are a son I.obert of Lima and four daugh ters: Ur. Consuelo Newman, Youngs town dentist Mrs. Virginia Shalley, Kenmore, N. Y. Mrs. Elenore Deib ler, Conneaut, and Mrs. Miriam Renz, Lima. Surviving are two brothers in Cleveland and six grand children. Funeral arrangements are incom plete. Births The following births at Bluffton hospital: Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Amstutz, Jr., Bluffton, a boy, Michael Ray, Thursday. Mr. and Mrs. Byron Boehm, Dun ikrk, a girl, Anna Marie, Friday. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Simcox, Bluffton, a girl, Susan Mary, Friday. Governor Frank Lausche drop ped in unannounced to call on some Bluffton friends, Tuesday night and enjoyed an informal visit at the home of Mrs. Mary Diller on Cherry street. Mrs. Diller, the only member of the household at home at the time, was surprised when she answered a knock at the door shortly after 10 o’clock to find the governor, accompanied by her nephew, Ralph Locher, who is Lausche’s private secretary. The two were returning by automobile to Columbus from Lima where the governor ad dressed a banquet at the Elk's lodge earlier in the evening. DECORATIONS AND LIGHTS USHER IN HOLIDAY SEASON Bluffton Bright with Christmas Spirit of Approach of Yuletide Churches Prepare for Christmas Observance Mail Volume Higher In an appropriate Christmas set ting made gay by illuminated decora tions in the downtown district and the first appearance of Christmas bedecked homes, Bluffton’s prepara tions for the Yuletide were taking final form this week. Musical observance of the season will open next Sunday night in the high school gymnasium with the an nual presentation of Handel’s “The Messiah” by the Bluffton College Choral society. In addition to tne large chorus of local talent, promin ent soloists will appear in the rendition under the direction of Prof. Russell A. Lantz. First evidence of the Christmas mail rush was reported at the Bluff ton post office this week, with tne annual heavy flood of parcels ano greeting cards expected to swamp the office beginning next Monday. Post Office Windows Open To accommodate local postal patrons, windows at the post office will remain open next Saturday afternoon instead of closing at the usual 12 noon deadline, Postmaster Ed R. Reichenbach announced. Stamp windows will be open until 5:30 p. in. Saturday. Spurring the Christmas decoration of Bluffton homes, a residential holiday lighting program is being sponsored by the Bluffton Junior Chamber of Commerce. Five cash prizes are offered to winners. Public school children are looking forward eagerly to their usual Christmas holiday recess, scheduled to begin this year on Friday, Dec. zz. Vacation at Bluffton college will start on Thursday afternoon, Dec. 21. Elmer Stonehill In Honor Society Elmer Stonehill, son of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Stonehill, 212 S. Main street, is one of 38 Bowling Green university students who have been init ated into Book and Motor, schol arship honor society at the univers ity. To qualify for the society, mem bers must have an accumulative grade average of 3.4, between an A and for two years. Take Polio Victim To I Warm Springs Clinic Suu Murray, 18, a polio patient in Akron General hospital, will be re moved to the clinic at Warm Springs. Georg-ia, for further treatment after the holidays. Word to this effect was received by relatives here from her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Dwaln Murray of Ashland, former Bluffton residents. Sue and her 14-year-old Joe, b- th stricken with the last September have been patients In the Al on hospital since that time. Joe is iproving and will be removed to his ome after the holidays. Egg prices will not be gent supported next year. ^62.7 27% Name Judges for Christmas Lighting Contest BOARD OF FIVE Governor Lausche Drops in For Neighborly Chat With Bluffton Friends Tuesday Night WILL DETERMINE PRIZE WINNERS “If I had known that the governor was coming, I would have had the house straightened up,’* said Mrs. Diller a bit rue fully after her distinguished guest had departed, “but he didn’t mind a bit—just sat down and talked as if he were our next door neighbor.” Lausche for many years has been an intimate friend of the Locher family, having gotten his start in the legal profession in Bluffton’s tax rate of $18.20 for the 1950 collection is eighth high among Allen county’s 36 taxing subdivisions according to an announcement last week by Ray W. Barnett, county treasurer. Beaverdam village has the fifth highest rate, it is shown in the report which lists the following breakdown: Harrod, $21.40 Lima, Delphos and Spencerville, $20 Beaverdam, $19.40 Bath township, $19.20 Elida, $19.10, and Bluffton, $18.20. Bluffton village’s total tax rate of $18.20 is broken down as follows: Schools, $13.40 County, $2.40 Cor poration, $1.95 state, 20 cents and township 20 cents. School Rate High Treasurer Barnett reported Bluff ton’s school tax is third highest in the county, the $13.40 rate for Bluff ton being topped only by Bath town ship, $15.50, and Sugar Creek town ship, $13.70. Richland township in the Bluffton school district will have a rate of $17.45, consisting of $13.40 for schools $2.45 for the county $1.40 Bluffton’s Tax Rate High In County, Treasurer’s Report Shows With initial impetus in the Christmas mail rush becoming apparent in the volume of letters and parcels handled daily thru the Bluffton post office, service of the department will be stepped up between now and the holiday to cope with the rush. As a convenience for harried citizens preparing for the Yuletide, windows at the post office will be open Saturday afternoon of this week, instead of closing at noon, it was an Hundreds of emergency bird feed ing stations were established thru out the Bluffton community recently, as local bird lovers rallied to the support of “our feathered friends” during the six-day period that a 12 inch blanket of snow covered the ground. Cut off from their usual sources of food by the knee-deep snow, birds of the town and community had to de pend on “handouts” from area resi dents to keep alive. Bluffton Community Sportsmen’s club started the impetus for a com munity-wide feeding program when it provided 200 pounds of cracked corn and screenings, distributed free to all takers at The News office. Supplemented with suet or meat scraps, the corn and screenings pro vided a balanced diet for birds which otherwise might have starved to death, or frozen during the worst of the record November snowstorm. Nearly a barrel of grain was used in the program. Community Feeding Project Was Boon To Birds During Recent Heavy Snows Clip this Coupon and Mail to The Junior Chamber of Commerce RESIDENTIAL CONTESTANTS BLUFFTON JUNIOR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CHRISTMAS LIGHTING AND DECORATION CONTEST BLUFFTON, OHIO Gentlemen: I would like to enter my home (or apartment) in the Christmas Lighting and Decoration Contest for residences which the BLUFFTON JUNIOR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE is sponsoring this Christmas, 1950. THE BLUFFTON NEWS A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY BLUFFTON, OHIO, THl’hSDAY, DEC. I I, 1950 Swisher Resigns as Light Plant Head the office of Mrs. Diller’s broth er, the late Cyrus Locher, Cleve land attorney, former Cuyahoga county prosecutor and who later became United States senator. Ralph Locher, the governor’s secretary, is a son of. Mrs. Eph Locher of Cleveland sad the late Mr. Locher, a brother of Cyrus. Ralph’s wife, the former Eleanor Worthington is the daughter of Mrs. Helen Worthington of Cherry Street. Of $18.50 Is-Eighth for the township, and 20 cents for the state. Township residents in the Beaver dam school district will pay a rate of $16.40, consisting of a $12.35 school rate $2.45 for the county, $1.40 for the township and 20 cents for the state. Beaverdam village’s rate of $19.40 consists of $12.35 for school pur poses $4.20 for the corporation $2.45 for the county and 20 cents each for the township and state. Other Tax Rates Riley township in the Bluffton school district will have a total tax rate of $16.65 and Monroe township in the Bluffton district has a rate of $17.45. Lafayette village has a tax rate of $17.40, of which $10.20 is for schools. The Jackson township rate is $14.70 and the township rate in Jackson is $1.85, highest townshpi assessment in the county. The state levy in all subdivision tax rates is a 20 cents per thousand tax to retire World Wan Compen sation bonds. County levy of $2.45 goes into the general fund. Postoffice Windows Open Saturday Afternoon to Speed Christmas Mail Bird feeding stations not only at tracted the customary sparrows and starlings, but those cooperating in the feeding program also reported seeing Nut Hatches, Blue Jays, Cardinals and others. Melting of the snow on Saturday ended the need for the emergency feeding program, for when the ground is clear most birds in town can forage for their own food, officials of the Sportsmen’s club explained. With The Sick Tom Murray of Findlay, former Bluffton resident, suffered a para lytic stroke, Monday and is now in Findlay hospital. Mrs. Nina Fritchie has received word that her son Don is in a naval hospital in Yokosuka, Japan, recov ering from a severe attack of pneu monia. Peter Bixel, 87, is seriously ill at his home on South Main street. NAME .................................................................................. Address ................................................................................ Home or Apartment............................................................ Signature ..................................................................... EGGS PLUNGE 10 CENTS WEDNESDAY ON MARKET HERE Price of Top Quality Offerings Drops from 62 to 52 Cents Per Dozen Drop Is Sharpest Ever Exper ienced Here, Local Deal ers Declare Price of top quality eggs dropped 10 cents on the Bluffton wholesale produce market Wednesday morning in what dealers here said was the sharpest decline in their experience, if not in the entire history of the local market. Buyers who on Tuesday were pay ing producers 62 cents a dozen for large white eggs, tops on the mark et were paying 52 cents, Wednesday morning. The decline came abruptly, reflect ing Tuesday’s gyrations of the New York and Philadelphia markets which govern prices here. New York Egg Price 80c Top egg price of 80 cents a dozen dropped suddenly to 64 cents, for a net loss of 16 cents in a frenzied market in which speculators were said to have run eggs up to record marks in an effort to cover commit ments in futures when the supply suddenly was found short. The ten cent raise, which came, during the past week was cancelled by the sudden drop and Wednesday morning’s wholesale quotation of 52 cents for top quality eggs was the same as that quoted a week ago. nounced by Postmaster Ed R. Reichenbach. The afternoon window service will be available until 5:30 p. m. Additional employes will be added at the post office during the coming week, when the Christmas mailing rush will reach its peak. Major volume of outgoing mail and parcels should be over by next Wednesday, the post master said, but the rush of incoming deliveries likely will continue until the Saturday before Christmas. Jim Howe Earns Northwestern Letter Jim Howe, of Bluffton, last week received a varsity letter for partici pation on Northwestern university’s 1950 football team. The sophomore center saw considerable action, prin cipally on defense, during the suc cessful nine-game campaign. Howe, a graduate of Bluffton High school, is the son of Mayor and Mrs. W. A. Howe. A total of 46 letters were award ed to members of the Wildcat squad that won six out of nine games and finished fifth in the Big Ten with a record of three victories against three defeats. High point of the season was a 14 to 7 upset victory over highly favored Illinois in the final game of the season. Other Wildcat victories were scored over Iowa State, Navy, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, and Purdue. The Purple bowed to Wisconsin, Ohio State and Michigan. Northwestern ranked second in the Big Ten in offense and fifth in defense. Pirates Win Over Delphos St. John's Bluffton high emerged victor in a hard fought rough and tumble bask etball game to defeat Delphos St. John’s 52 to 46 on the gym floor here Tuesday night. The visitors were 1949 state class champions and the victory gave the Bluffton Pirates their fourth victory against a single defeat this season. Delphos which was out in front at the half 27 to 23, lost the ad vantage in the third quarter by a one point margin, 37 to 36, regained the lead early in the final period but a Bluffton surge of power saw the Pirates leading throughout the latter part of the fourth quarter. Garmatter, Oates and Hofstetter led in the scoring for Bluffton while Suever was high man for Delphos. Chorus Of Two Hundred Voices In Annual Messiah Concert Here On Sunday Night Appearing in the 54 th local rendition of Handel’s “The Messiah,” the 200-voice Bluffton College Chorai society will present the celebrated Christmas oratorio Sunday night at 8 o’clock in the high school gym nasium. Organized in 1902 the Choral society has grown from a 33-member organization to its present size oi 200 voices. It has a history of 54 renditions of “The Messiah,” for during a number of years two pro grams were given each season. Soloists for the oratorio presenta tion this year include: Dwight Welty, tenor, voice ana choral director at Gcshen college, Qoshen, Ind. Soloists Hilda Ohlin, soprano, featured soloist with the Chicago Opera Co. and symphony orchestras. Miss Ohlin was a soloist here in 1944 and was popular with the audience. Warren S. Allen, baritone, of the department of music at Bowling Green State university. Helen LeClaire, contralto, of New York City, a concert artist and form er member of the New York City Opera Co. Lantz Conducts Prof. Russell A. Lantz, conductor of the Choral Society for the last 21 seasons, will direct the group in next Sunday’s rendition. He is the eighth conductor of the society. Pearl Bogart Mann, professor ot piano at Bluffton college and ac companist for the oratorio since 1910, will again serve in that capacity. Also accompanying the chorus will be the Bluffton college orchestra, under the direction of Laurence Burkhalter. Organized in 1904, the orchestra has accompanied “The Messiah” renditions since 1913. Members of the Choral society are from the college, town and com munity. As usual, the audience is invited to sing the HalDlujah chorqs with the society singers. TOWN TO LOSE LARGEST CITY WATER ACCOUNT Page Dairy Plant is Drilling Well to Supply its Require ments 75,000 Gallons are Used Daily in Milk Condensing Opera tions The Page Dairy Co., largest indi vidual account of the Bluffton municipal water works is installing its own water supply by drilling a well east of the plant building near I the Nickel Plate railroad siding on in operation this month. Harry Turner, manager of the Bluffton Page plant, said the com pany expects to have the new well in operation this month. Its use in, dairy operations will re duce by about one-half the total volume of water now being pumped and sold by the municipal plant, which faces the loss of its largest single water consumer as a result of action taken by the Page firm. 75,000 Gallons Daily In present operations, the dairy plant is using about 75,000 gallons of water daily, principally for cooling in milk condensing procedure. Local plant of the Page interests is engaged largely in the condensing of milk trucked in from surrounding farms, a large-scale operation. During sum mer months daily water requirements of the plant are considerably greater than the 75,000 gallons now being used. Page operations here have used water from the municipal plant since the condensery first was established here in 1920. Its requirements have expanded over the years, and about I a decade ago a separate well was drilled by the w’ater works to provide water exclusively for Page’s cooling purposes. 1 Current water bill for the dairy plant currently averages from $250 to $300 monthly, and the total is higher in the summer. With their own well in use, the Page firm ex pects to effect a considerable saving in operation cost. New Installation Electrically operated pumps will be used in the new Page well, with a four-inch line connecting the well BLUFFTON A Good Place to Trade NUMBER 35 ASKS BOARD FOR RETIREMENT ILL HEALTH IS CAUSE Hiram Wenger Acting Superin tendent of Municipal Light and Waterworks Resignation Effective Last of This Month Successor is Being Sought John Swisher, superintendent of Bluffton’s municipal light and water plant for the last 28 years, has resigned the position effective on December 31 of this year. His resignation, in the form ot a request for retirement at the end ot this year, was accepted at a meeting of the board of public affairs, last Saturday. In retiring, Swisher will end more than a quarter of a century of serv ice with the municipal plant, during which it experienced its greatest growth. Swisher’s retirement follows a three months’ period of ill health since he suffered a heart attack last September 21. He is now conval escing at his home on East Kibler street. Wenger In Charge During his absence his duties were assumed by Hiram Wenger, assist ant superintendent, who will continue as acting head of the plant until a successor is named. Applicants for the position are now being consider ed, it was learned from informed sources. During his 28 years as superin tendent of the municipal plant here, the installation grew from a small town utility to one of the most modern in the state for a village ot Bluffton’s size. Over the span there were three major additions to the plant build ing, water and electric service has been greatly expanded and the electric current generating division changed from steam engine to tur bine operation. The plant now em ploys a force of 15 persons. Beaverdam Defeats Delphos Jays, 51-49 Undefeated Beaverdam last Wed nesday defeated Delphos St. Johns by a score of 51 to 49 in a game that was a thriller right down to the closing gun. In chalking up their fifth straight victory, Beaverdam led at each quarter mark, 16-8, 28-15 and 41-26. St. Johns, however, outscored the Beavers 23 to 10 in the last stanza to throw a scare into the ultimate victors before the contest ended. Leading the Beaverdam attack were Delbert Hall with 17 points and Bud Beemer with 15. BLUFFTON MARKETS Wednesday Morning Grain (bushelprices)—Wheat $2.17 corn $1.65 oats 95c soys $2.75. Poultry—Heavy hens 21c leghorn hens 19c heavy fryers 28c leghorn fryers 20c heavy stags 13c leghorn stags 12c. Eggs—Large white 52c large brown 51c medium white 45c medium brown 44c pullets 40c. Butterfat—No. 1, 62c No. 2, 57c. with the plant building. A five-inch line is used in the present supply system operated by the municipal plant. What the municipal water works will do with the well now used ex clusively for Page operations could not be learned immediately. In ad dition to the well pumped for Page requirements, the water works has four other wells used for the munici pal water supply. These are ade quate for all ordinary requirements and all have been certified by the state board of health as approved sources of supply. The well now supplying the Page plant never has been in use for the town’s drinking water. Municipal plant attaches said that negotiations to have the well certified were under way between the health department and Supt. John Swisher at the time Swisher was incapacitated by a heart attack two months ago. However, its use in the town system is not of immediate importance, for there is (plenty of water without it. Altho the Page plant in the future will pump its own water, the dairy would like to maintain its present connection with the municipal water works, according to Manager Turner. Presumably the connection would be on a standby basis for emergency use.