The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1941-10-09
FEDERAL WPA AID
SOUGHT IN SEWER
SYSTEM PROJECT
Application Will be Filed This
Week with Toledo District
Office
No Vote on Bond Issue for
Proposal Before Next
March, Belief

Buttons application for federal
aid in the construction of a pro-
posed intercepting sewer system will
be submitted to government WPA
agencies within the coming week.
Announcement to that effect was
made by Mayor w. A. Howe follow
ing the completion of test borings
to determine types of subsoil which
would be encountered in the project.
Data obtained from the test bor-
ings will be made part of the
plans which will also include esti-
mates of the cost of construction.
Plans and estimates are being pre-
pared by Champe, Finkbeiner and
Associates, Toledo engineering firm.
No Vote Before March
Opinion expressed the first of the
week was to the effect that there
could be no vote on any bond issue
for sewer construction before the
first of next March.
This was based on that fact that
from 80 to 120 days are usually re-
quired to obtain decisions on re-
quests for WPA aid. With govern
ment attention largely absorbed with
defense, it is anticipated that the
longer, rather than the shorter
period will be required for an
answer.
Statutes provide that a special
election may be held thirty days
thereafter.
Court Action Deferred
Pending the outcome of the steps
being taken in the sewer project,
action in the $4,000 damage suit for
creek pollution filed against the
municipality in the Allen county
common pleas court is being de-
ferred, it was reported the first of
the week.
Answer to the complaint of Oliver
Locher and Henry Huber, landown-
ers who filed the action was due
last Saturday. City Solicitor Fran
els Durbin of Lima is representing
the town in the litigation.
Procedure in the request for fed
eral aid will require that plans and
specifications be submitted first to
the district WPA office at Toledo.
c. S. Finkbeiner of the engineering
firm stated recently that he had
conferred with w. B. Schmuhl, WPA
head who agreed to expedite the
matter.
State and National Inspection
From Toledo it will go to Column
bus for inspection and checking by
state offices of the WPA. With
their approval the plans will be sent
to Washington for final decision.
Any federal aid which might now
be available will come only thru
WPA channels, Finkbeiner said.
Aid thru PWA is no longer pos
sible since this was discontinued a
year ago. Under PWA there was a
federal grant of 45 per cent of funds
required for the project with work
done under private contract.
Aid thru WPA would be given
thru common labor being supplied
from relief rolls and paid by the
federal government. Assistance
from this source may be circum-
scribed thru the present reduction in
WPA rolls it was stated.
Priorities May Delay Materials
Delivery of materials required in
construction of the sewer system
also may be affected by priorities
resulting from the present defense
program.
Cost to the town of an intercept
| ing sewer system was estimated at
| 100000 by the firm of Champe,
Finkbeiner & Associates. This fig
ure, however, was given as an ap-
proximate total and on the basis
that WPA aid would be available.