davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1941-03-27
Bluffton High School Glee Clubs
Win Top HOnOrs At Bowling Green

Both boys and girls glee clubs of
Bluffton High school won the highest
rating in competition at the north
west high school district choral con-
test held at Bowling Green State
university Friday afternoon and
night.
Both glee clubs received superior
ranking in their respective divisions
at the Bowling Green meet which en-
titles the Bluffton clubs to enter the
state competition to be held at CO.
lumbus, April Is.
The Bluffton clubs participated in
the class BIB division which is for
schools considerably larger than
Bluffton. Normally Bluffton would
be placed in class C but has elected
to compete with the larger schools.
GIRLS GLEE CLUR
Members of the winning girls glee
club are: Dorothy Burkholder, Lois
Oyer, Helen Greding, Frieda Fritchie,
Jane Howe, Alice Santschi, Beverly
Biery, Mary Margaret Basinger,
Alice Oyer, Dorothy Anderson, Bar
bara Triplett, Mary Ellen Luginbuhl
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1941-03-27
Starts Construction
Of NeIU Residence

With excavation for a new house
started, spring residential construc-
tion in Bluffton was inaugurated by
Rev. Levi Mellinger, who is build
ing house at the rear portion of a
lot purchased from Mrs. Alma Bixel
of South Main street.
The new house will face the alley,
adjoining the property of the Trip
lett Electrical Instrument Co., and
overlooking Harmon road. Rev. Mel
linger, who is also an electrician and
carpenter, will do a considerable
amount of the construction himself.
He will be assisted by Albert Bader-
tscher and will later join the Bader-
tscher force of hands in their pro-
gram of spring building.
Rev. Mellinger and family moved
here from Lafayette, Ind, last No
vember and have since been occupy
ing an apartment in the Mrs. Bixel
home.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1941-03-27
ReU. Unruh To Help
Plan Mennonite Camp

Rev. H. t. Unruh, pastor of the
First Mennonite church, will leave
for Goshen, Ind, Thursday where he
will meet other Mennonite ministers
and peace workers, to make plans
for one of the Mennonite service
camps located at Angola, Indiana.
The camp, under the supervision
of the government, is provided for
the historic peace churches many of
whose young men have been register
ing as conscientious objectors under
provisions of the selective service act.
Although the government assists
in the organization of the camps
and bears some of the expense, the
denominations involved pay the ma
jor part of the expenses under ex-
listing arrangements.
Rev. Unruh and the committee will
inspect the camp site and select the
personnel for the operation of the
camp.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1941-03-27
-Four More BIuftOn
Men Called In Draft

Selective service draft calls dur
ing the last week took three Bluff
ton area men, and another will leave
next Tuesday for one years service
in the army.
Robert Dillman, of North Main
street, was taken to the Toledo in
duction station last Thursday morn
ing as a replacement for a draftee
rejected in a previous call from Al
len County Board No. 3, in which
Bluffton is included.
Among Is other young men induct-
ed last Saturday from Board No.
was Carl E. Tripplehorn, of Bluff
ton Route /.
Evan Eugene Amstutz, Blufftor
Route 1, an employe at the Bike
Motor sales here, was drafted Tues
day morning with a group of Il
from Hancock County Draft Boaro
No. 2.
Another Bluffton young man is in.
cluded among 10 to be inducted
Tuesday of next week by Board No
8. He is Donivan Berry, of Cherry
street.
Men taken next week will be in
| the 10th draft call, with total Of
27 going from the county's thret
draft boards. Including those il
the 10th call, 81 men have been in
Quoted into army service from Aller
county.
In Board 3, the highest order mum
Der for the 10th induction schedul,
is 872.
Mailing of questionnaires to Boart
3 registrants has passed the 150l
mark and classification is proceedin,
at faster pace than earlier in tn,
year, it was announced last week.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1941-03-27
Navy Man Relates Experiences
In Out OF Way Corners OF World
Visited Panama Canal Site
When Region was Inhabited
By Head Hunters
Was With Landing Party at
Vera Cruz, Mexico; Speaks
Here Monday Night

Exciting experiences in 28 years
service in the United States Navy
during which he travelled nearly 300,
900 miles to all parts of the world
were recounted Monday night at a
public meeting in the Masonic lodge
hall by Master Machinist's Mate
John E. Dial.
The naval officer was one of the
landing party which took over Vera
Vruz in 1914 because of trouble with
the Mexican government over hand
ling of the u. S. mail and the de-
tention of postal employe.
After capturing the city, the navy
released several hundred political
prisoners from San Juan prison, o.
medieval Alcatraz. va q
SHARKS INFEsT WATERS
Located on a small island in the
bay, no guards were used at the
prison. Walls were never patroled,
but anyone who leaped. over them in
to the bay was doomed to death be
cause of myriads of blood-thirsty
sharks which haunted the spot.
Sharks, which fed on the corpses
of those who died or were tortured
to death in the prison, were so thick
that boats could hardly make their
I way to the prison dock Rib, Ysts
T. Many of the ,emaciated prisoners
had been confined in underground
dungeons for so long that they went
blind upon seeing sunlight.
In the prison were torture cham.
bers reminiscent of days of the
| Spanish inquisition. Iron masks
were used to crush the skulls o1
some prisoners; others put on mas
sive boots into which molten leac
was poured, and there were countless
other torture weapons which were
dumped into the bay by the Ameri
cans.
Visiting the Panama Canal during
the time it was under construction
Dial travelled from one end to th'
other on a railway line that wa
laid on what is now the bottom o.
the waterway.
At that time savage head hunters
inhabited the area along most of tn,
| route, and souvenir heads could b
purchased at a reasonable price
Workers had to be careful not t.
venture too far into the wilds, how
! ever, or their own heads might b
lost.
In Trinidad, the officer visited
leper colony situated in a vale
Continued on page 81
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1941-03-27

damaged winter wheat.
Because of the lateness of blowing
few, if any, fields will be seeded in
oats during March, and as result
most spring tillage will remain to be
done during the month of April.
Should weather of an alternately
warm and cold variety be experienc-
ed within the next few weeks, horses
will have an advantage over tractors
for blowing, many farmers say.
This is due to the fact that horses
can be used on ground too wet for
tractors. Wet plowing likely will be
satisfactory until the middle of April
because alternate freezing and thaw-
ing will break up sod which otherwise
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1941-03-27
No Cleanup Days
Needed Here This
Spring, Mayor Says

A custom of more than
: decade will 20 into the dis
card this spring. as result of a
decision to abandon the practice
of holding a municipal cleanup
program in Aprifs
Mayor w. A. Howe said that
Buttons garbage and rubbish
removal service, established last
year, makes a spring cleanup
program unnecessary.
Garbage and all rubbish, in
Guiding tin cans and ashes, are
removed on a regular schedule
under a municipal contract and
no special town cleanup day will
be required. 80
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1941-03-27
NO GENERAL RULE
TO BE MADE FOR
DRAFT EXEMPTIONS
Each Case to be Considered on
It's Merits by Local Draft
Boards, is Word
Industries May Lose Some
Key Men; Check Cases of
Women Quitting Jobs

Warnings that industries must ex-
pect to lose some key workers and
that women who quit jobs for the sole
purpose of keeping their husbands
out of the draft may not succeed in
their purpose, were high lights of this
weeks news from Ohio selective SER
vice quarters.
Whether industrial workers in in
dustries working on defense items are
to be deferred from the draft must
be decided by local boards on indi-
lvidual cases, state directors of the
selective service program declared.
No "blanket'' rules have been estab-
lished for men in that class, and one
state executive said that even vital
defense plants must expect to lose
man occasionally"
Must Convince Local Board
Each registrant must convince his
local board that he is vital to the de-
tense program before he can hope to
be deferred, it was explained.
In one case state officials indicated
defense industries with registrants
who do not have dependents should
"play safe" by training requirements,
When Wives Quit Jobs
Another announcement indicated
that selective service officials are
checking closely on married men
whose wives suddenly quit jobs, there
by making them dependent upon their
husbands for support.
It is said that where it can be es-
tablished that women quit jobs only
to help their husbands gain defer
ment, the men are liable to the draft
as much as if the wives continued
to work.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1941-03-27
ReU. KlieIOer Accepts
West Coast Church

Returning to the west coast, Rev.
P. A. Kliewer, pastor of the Eben-
ezer Mennonite church since 1929.
has accepted a call to the pastorate
of the Grace Mennonite church in
Albany, Oregon.
Albany is only 28 miles from
Dallas, Oregon, the former home OF
both Rev. and Mrs. Kliewer. 1t is
1s miles from Pratum, Oregon,
where Rev. d. J. Unruh, former
Pandora pastor, is located.
A new Mennonite church was
built recently in Albany, a city OF
about 5000. The parsonage is To-
Gated near the church, in town. In
addition to serving the Albany con-
gregation, Rev. Kliewer will engage
in evangelistic work.
Rev. Kliewer and family expect to
leave Bluffton on April IA, and the
parsonage on Grove street will be
occupied by Rev. A. c. Schultz, new
Ebenezer minister.
From Bluffton Rev. Kliewer will
go to Barbourville, KY, to visit his
daughter, Mrs. Rudolph Larson. The
next stops will be at Wheaton, ILL.,.
to see his son, Paul; and at Elgin
H., to visit another daughter, Mrs
Calvin Kielsmeier.
In Joliet, Montana, Rev. Kliewei
will visit Rev. William Templin ano
conduct a series of meetings.
Rev. Kliewer began his ministry in
1905 as pastor of the Mennonite
church in Sunny Slope, Alberta
Canada.
From 1908 to 1924 he was a mis-.
sionary among the Cheyenne Indians
on the Tongue River Indian reserva
ton in Montana. He served a Men
monte church in Monroe, Washing
ton, from 1924 to 1929, and came tt
Bluffton in the latter year as pastor
of the Ebenezer church.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1941-03-27
In New Locations

Kenneth Chidester has moved from
the Mrs. John Fett property near
the Phillips school on the Lincoln
highway to the Chris Santsehi farm
south of Bluffton on the Dixie high
way which he recently purchased.
Rev. and Mrs. P. A. Kliewer will
vacate the Ebenezer church parson-
age on Grove street, April IA. They
are moving to Albany, Oregon, where
he has accepted the pastorate of a
Mennonite congregation.
Rev. A. C. Schultz who recently
accepted the pastorate of the Eben-
ezer church will move the latter part
of April from apartments in the
Armin Hauenstein residence on South
Main street and occupy the parson-
age vacated by Rev. Kliewer.
Millen Geiger and family will
move from the ROLAND Stratton
apartments into the apartments va.
Gated. by the Rev. Schultz family.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1941-03-27
Lions. To Stage Sixth
7 Annual Revue Tuesday

Outstanding amateur talent from
Blufftofs and surrounding towns win
be presented at the Lions Sixth An
nual Musical Revue to be given at
the Bluffton High school gymnasium
next Tuesday night at 8 o'clock.
Entries are being made this year
in three divisions: adult novelty,
adult musical and juvenile. Cash
prizes amounting to $50 will be dis
tribuated evenly over the three
classes, it was announced by Dr.
Gordon Bixel in charge of arrange
ments and entries.
Acrobatics, tap dancing, instru-
mental numbers, limitations, accordion
selections, comedy sketches, blues
singers, vocal and instrumental en-
sembles and many other attractive
novelties will be presented.
A committee from the Lions club
is combing the area for the best
talent which is being sifted for the
evenings entertainment. An unus-
ually large number of high quality
features has been coming in, mem
bers of the committee reported.
Award of the cash prizes will be
made solely by the decision of the
audience which will be given an op-
portunity to vote for the winning
numbers in the three divisions at
the conclusion of the evenings en-
tertainment.
A rapid system of tallying the
vote of the audience has been worked
out and in the brief intermission be-
between the announcement of prizes
and the program a number of enter
tanning features will be presented.
All proceeds of the entertainment
will go to the Lions club community
betterment fund.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1941-03-27
new INCOME SEEN
FOR AREA FARMERS
RAISING TOMATOES
Canning Factory to Open at
Pandora Now Contracting
For 100 Acres \
B. HI. Macke, of Wapakoneta,
Will Operate Establishment
Employing so Workers

Large scale tomato growing ap-
peared to be in prospect for farmers
of this area with the announcement
Wednesday morning that a canning
factory specializing in tomatoes will
open in Pandora this summer.
The new concern will be known as
the Pandora Canning Co., with the
factory to be housed in a building To-
Gated in the yards of the former Pan
dora Lumber Co. The building, now
owned by Hiram Schultz of Pandora,
has been obtained under terms of a
ten year lease. Installation of ma
chinery will start in May.
The building was used as a canning
factory about 35 years ago when a
Pandora company did a large bus
mess in that field.
Experienced Head
The concern will be operated by B.
H. Macke, of Wapakoneta, who has
been in the canning business for
about 35 years. About so people will
be employed during the canning sea-
son which will last from the middle
of August until October.
Contracts for 100 acres of tomatoes
will be let to farmers in the Bluffton,
Pandora and Columbus Grove areas.
Providing that the tomato season is
facorable. the firm expects to pack
$4,000 cases of tomatoes. Only to-
matoes will be canned this year.
Pays $40 Ton for Tomatoes
The firm will pay fiat rate of SO
a ton, fortomatoes delivered to the
plant. With the average yield in this
area estimated from to IL tons per
acre the new farm produce outlet has
considerable possibilities in providing
an attractive income source for area
farmers.
!. Macke is looking for place to live
and, probably will locate in either
Bluffton or Pandora.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1941-03-27
Farmers impatient as Cold Weather
Forces Delay in Starting Spring Work

Far behind in their customary
spring work, Bluffton area farmers
anxiously are awaiting a break in
the weather. to launch long-de-
layed pre-seeding campaign in un-
touched fields.
Only little plowing has been done
SO far in this district because of an
unbroken siege of cold weather lately
that has kept the ground frozen to
the extent that it cannot be worked.
Unreasonable cold weather of
March has been the principal factor
in holding up the start of the spring
farm program. In addition many
farmers have been worried that near
zero snap of week ago may have
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1941-03-27
CONTEST FRIDAY
BRINGS 400 HIGH
SCHOOL MUSICIANS
Nine Mort h estern Ohio
Schools Enter Orchestras i'm
Competition Here
Program will be Held i'm High
School Gymnasium; Win
ners go to Columbus

Nearly four hundred musicians rep
resenting nine schools will be in
Bluffton to compete In the Northwest
ern Ohio High school Orchestra con-
test to be held in the high school
gymnasium, Friday afternoon. High
school classes will be dismissed fol
the contest, it was announced by Supt
"A. J. B. Longsdorf.
= Winners of this contest will go tc
Columbus for state competition dur.
ing the latter part of April. Schools
to be present for the competition
thus far, include:
} Class CC-Middletown township
Haskins; Jennings Consolidated %
Ft. Jennings.
Class C--Ada, Spencerville, Ottaw;
Hills, Toledo.
/ Class B-Bluffton.
/ Class BB-Paulding; Shawnee.
Class A-Findlay.
N The Bluffton college music depart
ment is sponsoring the competition
and Prof. Russell Lantz, head of TIL
department, will prseide as chairman
As usual Bluffton is competin,
above its normal classification whicl
would be class C. Instead the loca
school has elected to compete in tn
state contest with the larger school
in class B.
The competition will start at on
o'clock with Ada High school playin
as the first competitor. The Bluffto
High school orchestra, under the di
rection of Prof. Sidney Hauensteir
will play at $3.50 o'clock. The Bluff
ton group will play Norma Overtur
by Bellini as the required number an
Adagio Pathetique by GODDARD as tn
Continued on page 81
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1941-03-27
SIDEWALK PROJECT
WILL BE INCLUDED
in WPA SCHEDULE
Enough Signers to Assure
Work this Summer; Others
May Make Application
Lack of Workers May Result in
Dropping Street Improve
ment Proposals

Construction of new sidewalks for
interested Bluffton residents as a
summer WPA project appeared as
sured this week after Mayor w. A.
Howe and the Allen county engineers
office reported there have been
enough signers to warrant including
the work on the area program.
Proposals for work on Huber, Jack
son, Geiger and Mound streets may
be dropped from the program, how
ever, because of the rapid decline in
the number of workers employed un-
der WPA.
Property owners have made enough
requests for sidewalks to assure the
program being included on the sum-
mer WPA schedule, it was pointed
out, and there is time for others ts
4 make application ! .gs
Forms may be signed at the
mayors office by those who want the
walks. In the WPA construction pro
gram the only cost to property own
ers is for the purchase of materials.
Four street proposals can be sug.
gested, but it is not likely that work
will be done, County Engineer Mu,
maugh reported this week.
Workers on the WPA are becoming
fewer all the time, the engineer said
So far, the decline in the county has
been marked by drop from 1,200 t.
a present staff of 200.
1t has been proposed to open VI
Huber street, from it's present junct
ure with Mound street, to Cherr.
street. Short stretches of Jackson
Geiger and Mound streets were to b.
re-surfaced.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1941-03-27
HEAD MENNONITE
RELIEF MISSION
SAILS TO EUROPE
DIR. NJ. c. Lehman, Well Known
Here, Resumes Relief Work
In War Torn Poland
Has Been Serving Overseas as
Head of Denominations
Relief Projects

Returning to Europe on the last
crossing of the American export
liner Exeter, DR.. M. c. Lehman, well
known in this community, will re-
sumo relief work among Allied war
prisoners as director of the Men
MONTE Central Committee working
out of headquarters located in Ber-
lin. He will arrive m Lisbon, Por-
tugal and take train to Berlin.
Soon after the outbreak of the
war he went to Europe as directing
head of Mennonite relief and con-
tinued in that capacity until late
last fall when he returned to this
country to organize more fully the
work of relief in the war stricken
areas.
DR.. Lehman has addressed Bluff
ton audiences on several occasions
and two years ago received an ap-
pointment as professor of philosophy
at Bluffton college. Impending war
conditions and other responsibilities
necessitated resignation of the ap-
pointment.
Picture in Life
A picture of DR.. Lehman appeared
in the current issue of the Life
magazine which describes the hand
full of passengers who sailed from
New York on the Exeter's last trip
leaving the harbor on March 8.
The State department issues pass
ports to passengers only for the
most urgent reasons. Included
among the passengers were coast
lContinued on page 81
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1941-03-27
Ebenezer Youth
Rally This Week

DR.. Theodore II. Epp, of Grand
Island, Nebraska, will be in charge
of the sixth annual young peoples
rally of the Ebenezer Mennonite
church opening at the church on
Thursday and continuing thru Sun
day.
Services will be held each night at
p. m, with DR.. Epp as the leader.
He is well known as a Mennonite
radio speaker and is author of a
book, "Should A Christian Go to
War;"
Mr.. and Mrs. Iner Basinger, Pam
dora musicians, will conduct the sing
ing during the services.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1941-03-27
LARGE BARN and
CONTENTS BURNED
WITH HEAVY LOSS
Team of Horses and Livestock
Lost at Albert Redick Farm
East of Town
Defective Wiring in Haymow
Believed Cause; Damage
Estimated at $500

Fire completely destroyed large
barn and most of the contents at the
Albert Redick farm, seven miles east
of Bluffton in Van Buren township,
near Route 103, Saturday night about
10 o'clock. Damage was estimated
at $8,500.00. The loss is partially
covered by insurance.
1t was believed that defective wir-
ing in the hay NOW was the cause OF
the fire. Members of the family
were home at the time of the fire
which was discovered by Doren Kem-
merly, Redick's hired man, who saw
flames leaping out of the window OF
the hay NOW.
A team of horses, bull and q
large number of hogs Were LOST in
the confiagration. Also lost were 40t
bushels of wheat and 40 tons CT hay
= Two wagons, milk cans, separator
and other farm machinery were also
counted among the lost items.
The fire departments of Blufftor
and Arlington were called and al
though the blaze had made too much
headway to save the barn, the nearby
shed, chicken houses and all other
buildings were saved.
Assisting Redick in cleaning up the
debris, SO neighboring farmers work
ed with tractors and spreaders, Tues
day afternoon. When the work wa:
finished forty of the men volunteered
to help cut timber for the construc
tion of a new barn.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1941-03-27

would remain in an unavoidable con-
dition.
When suitable weather arrives, how
ever, many farmers in this area will
make full use of tractors to overcome
the delayed start in spring plowing.
1t is estimated that an acre can be
plowed in 1.5 hours with tractor, as
compared with 4.5 hours needed to do
the work with horses.
Once the turning of earth is under
way, farmers will be found in their
fields from early morning until late
at night, in an effort to make up the
time that has been lost because of
unseasonably cold weather.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1941-03-27
Meetings In Progress
At Church OF Christ

Revival meetings are being well
attended at the Church of Christ this
week, with the pastor, Rev. Lee B..
Remaley, of Arlington, in charge of
the series.
The meetings opened Sunday and
will continue nightly at 7:45 o'clock,
except Saturday, until Sunday.
Carl B. Pearson, evangelistic sing
er of Dixonville, Pa, is conducting
the singing during the services.
Pearson is an experienced conductor
of e7angelistic music.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1941-03-27
O. S. u. Professor
To Talk At Lima

"Up From Main Street" will be
the title of the lecture dealing with
Harlan Thatcher, professor of Eng
lish at Ohio State university, al
Ohio history to be presented by DR.
Lima Central High school this We'd
nesday night at 8 o'clock.
The presentation is sponsored by
the Lima chapter of the American
Association of University Women
Tickets may be obtained locally from
Mrs. w. E. Diller of South Mair
street
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1941-03-27
Membership Canvass

Membership canvass is being made
this week by the women's auxiliary
of the Bluffton Community hospital.
Those joining the auxiliary are eli
gible to participate in the plan for
group disqualification insurance, If
desired, it was stated. Deadline for
joining is April 10, it is announced
by committee members in charge Of
the project.