davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-08-27
Automobile Service Station Operators
Here Are Having Constant Headaches

With a greatly reduced volume of
motor traffic, difficulty in keeping
helpers and talk of gasoline ration
ing, Bluffton service station operat-
ors are now claiming the No. spot
in headaches.
His problems are so numerous that
even congress probably would throw
up it's hands in despair if confront
ed with them. Maybe we should
have a new draft law and start a
system of selective service for men
to pump gasoline and "check your
oil, mister?"
After one problem seems to be
fairly we'll solved new one pops
right up and the headache continues
One day they hear "rationing will
be here Thursday" The next day
somebody quits and the following, day
pump breaks and the operator is
informed that repair parts are nc
longer available.
With conditions so uncertain many
of the big oil refining companies nc
longer extend credit and are asking
for cash on the line when the bulk
oil products are delivered.
While some of the local stations
have experienced marked decline
in the volume of business, other:
have had sufficient Bluffton district
customers to make no noticeable diff
| ference in total sales.
All of the stations here have re-
ported decline in Sunday tourist
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-08-27
News Our Grandfathers Read
From Issue OF May q, 1913

Nearly loo Bluffton High school
students attended the Northwestern
Ohio oratorical contest at Findlay
on Friday in which the school was
represented by Louis Santschi.
School was dismissed at o'clock
and the students boarded the in
terurban for the neighboring city.
At Findlay they were met by the
city band and escorted up town.
The various delegations from dis
trict schools gave public exhibition
of their school songs and yells.
Born to Mr.. and Mrs. Clyde
Klingler girl baby, Monday morn
ing.
Miss Elva Moser was hired by
the Bluffton school board to teach
one of the primary rooms the en-
suing year.
Rev. J.. b. Baer left the early
part of this week to visit his mother
near st. Louis and to call on some
other friends at different points
further west.
Clint Franks of Newport, KY,
spent several days here with friends
the first of the week.
Emil Gratz of Van Vert, visited
his mother, Mrs. James Coon last
week.
An eight pound girl baby arrived
at the home of Mr.. and Mrs. C. A.
Huber Monday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Fred Bell who spent
the winter with relatives in Okla
homa returned Wednesday,.
w. A. Vermillion who left here
about six months ago for lower
California returned home Wednes-
day morning. He is fairly well
pleased with California but likes
Ohio better. Mrs. Vermillion and
daughter, who went with him have
been home since February.
Lie DdSCdlduICdtC oCINlICS at Tie
First Mennonite church Sunday
evening were well attended and Rev.
Ray Richards delivered an able dis
course.
DIR. Cliff Wetherill returned from
Columbus Saturday having COM
pleted his third year in the Startling
Ohio Medical college.
Geo. Niswander has started his
new power and gas engine on the
]. M. Niswander lease. No. 2 made
40 barrels, the first eighteen hours
The derrick for No. is being
erected and drilling will begin as
soon as possible.
The following orations will be
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-08-27
NEWS OUR FATHERS READ
FROM ISSUE OF NOV. IL, 1914

Miss Minnie Benroth, the efficient
bookkeeper at the First National
Bank, accepted position in the
county treasurer's office in Lima
Miss Sibyl Close is filling the va
cancy at the First National.
Mr.. and Mrs. Cyrus Locher OF
Cleveland spent over Sunday with
relatives here.
The Bluffton college quartet, as
sisted by Misses Pearl Bogar1
pianist and Gail Watson, violinisi
will make a two weeks tour OF
Ohio and Pennsylvania. The quarte'
is composed of G. A. and c. O
Lehman, Clair Huber and II. l.
Kohler.
Prof. and Mrs. Wilford Hilty are
the happy parents of daughter al
the home of Grandpa Beeshy or
Riley street since Tuesday morning
Ezra Bucher and wife are re-
joicing over the arrival of a boy
since last week.
Rev. j. A. Huffman preached al
the Ebenezer Mennonite church last
Sunday.
Surprise parties were given this
week on the birthday anniversaries
of Miss Lavina, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. d. H. Burkholder and Miss
Lydia, daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. j
B. Lugibihl.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-08-27

trade. Most evident is the reduction
in the number of Michigan tourists
who formerly made up large part
of the transient trade.
In the cities many of the stations
have gone into other lines of mer-
chandise, but this type of activity
would not be feasible in small COM
munity like Bluffton, operators here
stated.
The filling station business thru
out the state has reported general
reduction in business of about 1870,
which is more than the local figure,
it was pointed out.
Contributing to the greater sta
bility of the business in this COM
munity is the general employment
situation and the continued driving
of local residents for only short dis
tances, it was pointed out.
Several of the filling stations here
engaged in auto and tire repair work
as supplementary activity are finding
that this type of business is increas-
ing to such an extent that the gaso-
line business is taking a back seat
With young men being taken into
the army and others finding more
remunerative employment in war in
dustries, the problem of keeping the
attendants has become acute.
Many of the city stations are EN-.
ploying women for the first time
but as yet all automobiles in Bluff.
ton continue to be serviced by men
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-08-27
East Orange

Mrs. Iva Willeke of Dola. Mrs.
Esther Cook of Akron, called on
Mr.. and Mrs. Ralph Stager on
Thursday afternoon.
Mr.. and Mrs. Tom Wick spent last
Tuesday with Mr.. and Mrs. John
Carts.
Elaine Ream was a Sunday din
ner guest of Mary Lou Strahm.
Mr.. and Mrs. Edgar Luenack of
Arlington, Mr.. and Mrs. Will Stager
were Sunday dinner guests of Mr..
and Mrs. Ralph Stager.
Mr.. and Mrs. Harry Ream and
children spent Friday evening with
Mr., and Mrs. John Carts.
Mrs. Doris Inbody and children of
Ann Arbor, Mich, Mrs. Ethel Bout
well, Mrs. lilo Agin and son Evan
were callers in the B. J. Boutwell,
home the past week.
Mr.. and Mrs. B. j. Boutwell, and
son Byron Leo spent Saturday with
Mr.. and Mrs. Rayon Boutwell, and
family west of Bluffton.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-08-27
r. Howe Wins Allen
County Tennis Tourney
Continued from page u

Continued from page u
ins went into the final round by
turning back Woodrow Little, 4-6,
Go, 7-5, Cd.
QUARTER FINALS
In the quarter-fnals played on
Friday Hutchins beat Clair Fett,
6-1, 60; Woodrow Little defeated
Sidney Stettler, 6-3, 6-3; w. A.
Howe turned back Lou Zeamans of
Lima, 7-5, 6-3, and Roger Howe took
the measure of Norman Beidler, Ga,
81.
Roger Howe won the junior singles
finals on Saturday by defeating Rich
ard Berky 60, 6-1. The semi-fnals
were played on Friday between Dick
Berky and Bob Creviston of Lima
the former winning TO, 6-3, 1913.
Roger Howe defeated David Tosh,
6-1, 6-1.
Hutchins and Zeamans of Lima re-
tanned the mems doubles crown by
defeating Little and Charles Steiner
in the finals 6-3, 6-2, 40, 6-2. Steiner
and Little went into the final round
by defeating w. A. and Roger Howe
4-6, Ga, GA, 6-3.
| Hutchins and Zeamans defeated
Sidney Stettler and Arthur Amstutz
6-1, 6-1, 60 to reach the finals.
WoMEN's SINGLES
June Widener of Lima, women's
singles champion of last year, also
was dethroned when she was defeat
ed by Norlene Guthrie of Lima 6-3,
6-3. In the semi-finals Miss Widner
defeated Genevieve Fett, 6-3, Ga
and Miss Guthrie defeated Jeanne
Baumgartner 6-2, 6-3.
Trophies awarded Sunday were
sponsored by the following organiza-
tions: Doubles cup, Bluffton college;
second doubles cup, Ruff's Store,
Barnes Grocery, Steiner & Huser,
and tennis friend; mems singles
and runner-up, The Lima News; the
junior singles, Bluffton post office
employees; women's division, the
Lima City Recreation League.
A large crowd of spectators was
present to witness the final matches
played Sunday afternoon.
Ohio farm ponds with an area of
an acre should not receive the
drainage from more than % acres
of land. Rains are likely to wash
out dams of ponds which are plac-
ed in a big drainage basin. Dams
strong enough to impound large
volumes of water are too expensive.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-08-27

The most practical method for
making fence posts last long time
is to select the kind of wood that
will withstand weathering without
artificial treatment. Most Ohio farm
erS can pet black locust posts.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-08-27

Raising 104 bushels and 48 pounds
of corn on one acre of ground,
Gordon Bixel, son of Mr.. and Mrs.
d. C. Bixel, was declared winner in
richland township in the boys corn
growing contest and will represent
the township on the Buckeye Corn
Boys tour to Washington, ID. c., the
latter part of this month. Paul
Stettler was second with 811s bush
els. The final decision of the
judges, Harry Patterson and Samuel
Hilty, was made last week shortly
after young Bixel finished husking
his corn which was raised on the
Philip Hilty farm.
Miss Cleora Basinger, daughter OF
Mr.. and Mrs. Nahum Basinger, will
represent Allen county at Columbus
having won a competitive examina-
tion in Domestic Science.
Will Driftmyer, Union township
farmer, was killed in the woods OF
his farm when he was caught be-
tween a tree and a wagon crushing
him to death.
Floyd Everett is building an ad-
dition to his home on Grove street
Thomas Mohler is still enlarging
his greenhouse, having just finished
the third house.
Vespers at the college chapel will
be addressed by Prof. H. w. Berky,
Sunday.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-08-27
Where Our Soldier
Boys Are

Pvt. Roger A. Hauenstein
Detachment, Medical Dept.
Station Hospital, Barracks 245
Bowman Field, KY.
Cpl. Olan w. Herr
Batry. B, 158 F. A. Bn.
U. S. Army
A. P. 0. 45, CO Postmaster
New York, New York
Pvt. Donivan S. Geiger
Co. A, 705 P. H.
M. P. Battalion
Riverton, VT.
Pvt. Jerome w. Herr, 35327094
Co. H, 173 Inf.
A. P. o. 43rd Div, 1st Platoon
Camp Shelby, Miss.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-08-27
Recently Purchased Unit II
Regular Operation Since
Sunday Morning
Smaller Turbine Will be Opened
Soon for Insurance In
spection

Bluffton's recently installed 1Zoe
XIV capacity turbo-generator IS now
on the line delivering electric en-
ergy as a regular unit at the Bun
ton municipal power plant, it was
announced this week by John Swish.
er, plant superintendent.
Although the turbine has run sew
eral times in test runs, the unit has
been on the line regularly only since
Sunday morning. The generator has
been carrying a load of 700 to goo
XIV in the past several days.
LIGHT LOAD
This is rather light because of the
time of the year. A much heavier
load is expected in November and
December when it is anticipated thai
the recently purchased unit will have
a load of 1000 XIV.
1t is likely that the 1850 XIV unit
will run now for about month IN
order that the 750 XIV unit may be
examined by insurance inspectors,
1t was impossible to have Inspection
because of constant running of the
unit. except on Sundays, for the last
% months.
MORE FLEXIBLE Now
When the inspection is completed
the two turbo-generators can be used
alternately and the cleaning can be
done more thoroughly on week days,
it was stated
The recently purchased unit can
deliver almost three times the amount
of power being used in the normal
load here and the 750 XIV unit can
deliver about twice the amount of
current being used now on a "a
hour basis.
SMALL ENGINE SUNDAYS
On Sundays the small 800 XIV
Skinner engine will be used to take
care of the light load on that day.
With the 750 XIV turbo-generator
and the other two units the town
has a we'll balanced set of power
generating units capable of meeting
the varying demands of shifting
power loads.
1t makes for greater generating
efficiency to have several units of
different sizes available for the pro-
duction of electrical power, it was
pointed out. If the generator is too
large the machine runs under its
capacity and economy is lost because
more steam per kilowatt is required.
The most practical method for
making fence posts last long time
is to select the kind of wood that
will withstand weathering without
artificial treatment. Most Ohio farm
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-08-27
1850 XIV Turbo-generator Now On Line
Delivering Power At Municipal Plant
SOftb0H PldyOf
On Thursday Night

organized play in Buttons soft
bali league will end Thursday night
at Harmon field. Concluding activi-
ties in this sport will be a playoff
of the first half seasons competition
with the Bendix, Auditor and Grim
son Coach teams tied for first place
with five wins each.
Delco and Remy players also are
asked to report. Firestone won the
second half seasons play with a
record of seven wins and two losses.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-08-27
4-H Club News
Uncle Sans Workers

tHNTC kJufff VOfhCIS
The Uncle Sans Workers Al
club recently spent week camping
in an unoccupied house in Ada.
The girls prepared and served
their own meals along with other
details of buying and budgeting.
While at their camping session
they attended the movie, "Boys of
the Street" which is a study of New
York City slums.
They enjoyed swimming, took
short hikes and shopping trips.
Games of badminton and croquet
were played in spare moments.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-08-27
RECRUITING OFFICER HERE

+. M. Schwartz, recruiting officer
will be at Bluffton postoffice, Thurs
day afternoon from / to o'clock to
interview men interested in elistmeni
in tho navy
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-08-27

The Ohio State Safety Congress
meets in Cleveland, Wednesday,
September 23. One of the sections
will discuss ways of reducing farm
and home accidents.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-08-27
Willing Workers


The last meeting of the Willing
Workers was held at the home OF
Marilyn Stratton last Wednesday
Six member and five guests were pres
ent. hTe roll call was answered by
naming favorite flower. Vegetables
raised by members and sewing done
by the girls were displayed at the
meeting.
These were judged by Miss Ruth
Barnes, county demonstration agent
Guests included: Miss Barnes, Anna
Mae King, Emily and Marilyn Gratz
and Marlene Gleason.
A picnic supper was held in the r
A. Stratton woods.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-08-27
Sea Gives Magnesium

Magnesium from the sea is now
used by farmers to take the place
of magnesium fertilizers formerly
imported from Germany.
The daily monitor. (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1940-1942, 1942-04-02

and then had killed Potter for
fear that the latter might iden-
tify him.
COMMANDERS CAR
The confession went on to say
that Thorpe was then seized and
his car Communicated, Perkins
said.
The third man to die, McKen-
zie. was shot on his iarm. yester-
day afternoon because he had
seen the license number of the
automobile, Perkins said the
young man told him.
Further questioning of Piccone
was undertaken to fill in the
gaps and explain how he seized
Thorpe and kept him with him
for the approximately 80 hours
he spent In flight and hiding.
Thorpe. q Pontiac defense work
er was q neighbor of Potter and
Barber.
When the arrest was made,
Thorpe was at the wheel of the
car, Perkins said. He said q %
calibre rifle, believed the wea-
pom In all three Sayings, and a
80 revolver were found in the
car.
Trooper. Perkins said Piccone
told him he didn't want to kill
all three men, only Barber-be-
cause of something he held
against him."
EMPLOYED BY FARMER
The farm r. had employed
Piccone as a juvenile. Officers
said that Piccone at that time
had come into conflict with au-
thorities and had been turned
over to work for Barber under
an arrangement for such care of
young offenders.
Thorpe, red-eyed from lack of
sleep and still bewildered, told
reporters of a fantastic drive
with Piccone through most of
two nights and a day and with
only two stops for rest.
DROVE 900 MILES
The factory worker, who said
twice thought l was going to
be killed." estimated that he and
Piccone had driven 900 miles.
Now and then, he said, Piccone
threatened his life unless he did
as he was told.
Thorpe's story on the shoot
ings differed in one respect from
that of Trooper Perkins, although
the latter made plain that he
could not be exact as to detail
in his account.
The daily monitor. (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1940-1942, 1942-04-02

According to Thorpe. Piccone
said that Potter was the first to
be shot. The alleged young kill
er's unwilling companion aid
Piccone told him he had shot
Potter upon entering the farm
er's home Tuesday night to It
his feet dry.
Piccone at the time was walk
ing along the road with his rifle,
Thorpe said he was told. When
he entered the Potter home. the
elderly farmer apparently
thought him q robber and tried
to grapple with him and was
shot, Thorpe said.
Thorpe. q frail, little man who
looked even smaller beside his
muscular. keavy-set captor as
they entered the sheriffs office
here together with State Police.
recounted that Piccone had &C.
costed him about 8 / m. Tuesday
night.
STOPPED ON .:OAD
Driving home from Oxford.
two miles distant, Thorpe was
hailed to stop by q man at the
road side short distance from
his home, he said.
The man, carrying a rifle,
came up to the running board,
pointed the gun into the car,
Thorpe said, and ordered:
IF you. make a mismove,
you're a dead man."
From there on Thorpe's story
ran like this:
At Piccone's command, they
drove to the Barber home and
entered with Thorpe ordered to
60 in ahead of his companion.
There's one lard tub I'm 60
ing to kill" Piccone had said
at the door.
As they entered the home,
Barber came to meet them and
was shot once, then twice more
as he fell to the floor.
Piccone ordered Thorpe into
an. adjoining room where they
encountered Mrs. Elizabeth Muir
ply, 91-year-old mother-in-law
of Barber.
"Gramma." said Piccone, "you
just sit over there and ! won't
hurt YOU"
Ordering Thorpe to go into
another room and bring out the
drawers from a dresser. Piccone
removed from these the revolver
which later was found in his
possession.
Then began the random drive.
The daily monitor. (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1940-1942, 1942-04-02

Piccone wanted TO "see q girl In
Cadillac" but when they got
there, he changed his mind ana
they drove back 10 Oxford.
One night had passed by then.
and they drove to the vicinity
of Concord.
STOP FOR REST
Here Piccone picked ont the
shack on the Mckenzie farm ana
decided to stop "for q rest"
Meanwhile, the confessed killer
amused himself with target
practise" Mt the birds,
Thorpe related that Mckenzie
appeared and demanded to know
whats going on here?" He
came up toward the car, Thorpe
said, & nd Piccone shot him.
Don't shoot me any more"
don't shoot me any more-Ive
got enough" Mckenzie cried out
as he stumbled away.
Piccone ordered Thorpe back
into the car and they drove of
again.
A truck driver meanwhile
found Mckenzie on the road.
bleeding from his wounds and
nearly unconscious. The driver,
Russell Steeby of Albion.
brought help and Mckenzie was
taken to doctors office in Con-
cord where he died soon after
ward.
Taking up Thorpe's account
again--he and iccone drove to
Detroit, then to within six miles
of Oxford where they stopped
for their second rest.
PATROL DRIVES UP
Again Piccone decided to 60
to Cadillac. Twenty-three miles
north of Flint, near the town Of
Otisville, a night patrol from the
State Police post at Flint drove
up alongside at $3.50 am.
Captain Perkins said that Pic
cone, after a brief gesture to re-
sist, readily admitted his iden-
tity.
"He started to resist" Perkins
said, "but changed llis mind"
Exhausted from his ordeal,
Thorpe tolL questioners that he
was thankful to have escaped
with lis life.
II was plenty scared, he said.
Twice ! thought / was going to
be killed-at the Barber home
and when we stopped at that
shack"
Thorpe related that he spoke
little with Piccone. The two went
without food but had a bottle of
pop each when they stopped for
gasoline at a filling station,
Thorpe said.
Asked whether he might at
that time have brought the at
tendant's attention to his plight.
Thorpe said that piccone kept
him covered with a gun.
II couldn't talk-my mouth
was SO parched," he said.
The daily monitor. (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1940-1942, 1942-04-02

whom Perkl1s described as
livery nervous" were returned
tn Pontiac.
Trooper Perkins said that his
youthful prisoner spoke little at
the time of his arrest but admit
ted he had shot Barber because
che had something against him"
The daily monitor. (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1940-1942, 1942-04-02

Roy Thorpe, 50. q neighbor OF
the Oxford victims who was be-
lieved being held a. q hostage
by the killer.
Trooper Perkins said the car
was overtaken and stopped. Pic
cone was seized without Q strug-
gle and both he and Thorpe.
The daily monitor. (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1940-1942, 1942-04-02

cone had been sought since Tues
day night. II was then that Bar
Der and Potter had been killed.
Early today = State Police car
containing trooper Perkins and
companion officers was cruising
in the vicinity of Otisville, a
Cenesee County town some As
The daily monitor. (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1940-1942, 1942-04-02

miles from here. A car drove by
with its tail light out.
SHORT WAVE REPORT
A few minutes later, Perkins
said, the short-wave radio from
headquarters instructed them to
look for such q car as one sus-
pected to be bearing Piccone and
The daily monitor. (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1940-1942, 1942-04-02
Killer

i (con1lnsed ffsm rage ~
Formally charged with muir
dorin4 Barber. his former en-
rDoyof, and wanted as suspect
1n ~ other two shootings, Pic
The daily monitor. (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1940-1942, 1942-04-02
Chorles Stuort at Greet
Lakes Troiuinq Stotion

Charles Stuart, FL, son Of Mr..
and Mrs. William Baker, IT'S
Little road, has been accepted at
the Great Lakes Naval Training
Station.
The daily monitor. (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1940-1942, 1942-04-02

A few drops of oil should be
applied to the starting motor of
an automobile every 5000 miles.
Evening star., 1942-11-15
U-Boat Toll Rises 10 524
In Western Atlantic

By the Associated Press.
The Navy announced Yesterday
that a small Norwegian merchant
vessel was torpedoed and sunk by
an enemy submarine about the mid
die of September In the Atlantic
off the northern coast Of South
America.
Survivors have landed at a United
States East Coast port.
Seven crewmen were reported
missing, presumably killed when two
torpedoes exploded against the ves-
sci, but 81 others were picked up
by British naval vessel 81 hours
after the attack.
The captain, who was taken
aboard the raider for questioning,
was permitted to rejoin his men.
The latest U-boat victim raised
to 524 the Associated Press count
of announced, Western Atlantic ma
rine losses since Americas entry
into the war.