davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-12-31
REORGANIZATION
OF TOWN COUNCIL
TO TAKE PLACE
No Change Anticipated i'm Per-
sonnel of Municipal Gov
ernment this Year
Other Administrative Bodies i'm
Town and Township to
Re-0rganize Soon

No changes are anticipated in
Buttons official family when the
town council meets next Monday
night for reorganization and confir-
nation of the mayors appointments.
Under new state regulations in
cumbents of several municipal posts
continue unchanged following the
original appointment made by the
mayor. These include the offices of
marshal and night watch. Reap
pointment of Marshal Lee Coon as
street commissioner and Albert Ben
roth as caretaker of the town clock
is expected
NEW REGULATION
This will be the second year in
which the new state regulation is in
effect. Formerly the office of marsh
al was elective while that of night
watch was appointive on a yearly
basis. Selection of the street COM
missioner continues on the same
basis.
Another appointive position to be
filled is that of city solicitor, which
has been held for several years by
Francis Durbin, Lima attorney. This
appointment will be made at one of
the early meetings of the council, it
was stated by Mayor w. A. Howe.
New appointments to the positions
of clerk and caretaker of the cem-
etery board are not anticipated at
this time. Lee Coon as caretaker
and Elmer Diller as clerk We're tenn
porarily appointed to the positions
several weeks ago.
Wilford Geiger, Bluffton High
school instructor, will continue as
deputy clerk until the term of James
West expires. Geiger was appointed
by the council when West left for
ltraining in the armed forces in the
spring of 1941.
Local elections are not held on
even years and consequently there
VIII be practically no new faces in
the municipal government this year.
Election for local offices will be held
next fall.
Reorganization will be the prin-
cipal business at the meeting of the
council Monday night. Cleon Trip
lett is the president of Buttons
governing body. Present committees
of the council are:
COMMITTEES
Fiance-Charles Alderman and E..
S. Lape.
Streets and roads-Fred Hofer
and William Amstutz.
Fire and light-Cleon Triplett and
Jesse Yoakam.
Reorganization of other admins
trative bodies in town and township
government will be made during the
first meeting of the month. These
include: School Board, Board of
Public Affairs, Richland Township
trustees and Orange township
trustees.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-12-31
Funeral Services
For Samuel KOhler

Funeral services for Samuel Koh-
Ter, 70, retired farmer residing four
miles west of Bluffton, were held al
the Diller Funeral home Wednesday
morning.
He died at the Bluffton Community
hospital Sunday afternoon at 3
o'clock. He had been confined to his
bed for five weeks.
The son of Ulrich and Rachel
Roser Kohler, he was born Septem-
Der IL, 1870, in Richland township.
In 1904 he was married to Catherine
Luginbuhl, who survives.
He is also survived by three
daughters and two sons, Mrs. Evelyn
Fridley and Miss Madeline Kohler
of Bluffton; Mrs. Geraldine Dobson
of Ann Arbor, Mich; Rhuel Kohler,
of Bluffton, and Harley Kohler of
Toledo. There are four grandchild-
ren.
Two sisters and a brother, Mrs
Sarah Niswander, Mrs. Lydia Bad
ertscher and John Kohler of Bluff
ton also survive.
In recent years Mr.. Kohler oper-
ated a service station near his home
Rev. Emil Burrichter, of the
Bluffton Reformed churches and Rev
W. H. Lahr, former pastor, also
of Bluffton, officiated at the services
Burial was at the Maple Grove Gem
etery.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-12-31
II FROM DISTRICT
REGISTER in CALL
FOR IS YEAR OLDS
List of Those Registered An
nounced by County Draft
Board No. 3
Third Group of Is Year Old
Youths Being Registered
This Week

Twenty-one Blufftc area youths
were registered with he 1S-year-old
group during the past week under
the Selective Service act for possible
military service, it is announced this
week by Allen County Draft Board
No. 3.
The youths composed the third
group Of 18year-oids registered
since the lowering of the draft age
and were those who attained their
eighteenth birthday anniversary be-
tween Sept. l and CT. 81.
Registered were:
James Stratton, Russell Gratz
julie Basinger, Jr., Lssle Niswander
Byron Fritchie, Richard Berky, Rog-
er Howe, Robert Oberly, Denard
Loganbill, Norman Beidler, Bluffton
Kenneth Edwards, Evan Burkhold-
er, Arthur Martz, Don Renner
Stephen verhoff, Galea Struble, Rus
sell Bellinger, Columbus Grove.
Gilbert Breitigan, George Kauf-
man, Route 6, Lima.
Ernest Beery, Paul Mcclure, La
fayette.
Youths who have attained their
eighteenth birthday anniversary be
tween Nov. / and Zee. 81 are now
being registered until Thursday night
at offices of the draft board in ths
National Bank building in Lima.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-12-31

/ Funeral services for Walter Whit.
ney, 49-year-old section worker re-
siding northeast Of Bluffton, were
held at the Basinger Funeral homf
Sunday afternoon 1t ESQ O'clock.
He died in the Hancock county
home Thursday morning at z o'clock
following a three weeks illness with
a heart condition.
He was the son of George and
Mary Whitney. On Dec. "a, 1941, he
was married to Mollie Cook, of this
place, who survives with a daughter
Lille Daisey. There is one brother
address unknown.
Mr.. Whitney was employed by the
A. C. e. Y. railroad and worked out
of Bluffton.
Rev. ]. A. Weed, pastor of the
Methodist church, officiated at the
services. Burial was made at ely.
mer cemetery.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-12-31

In . twilight service performed at
the post chapel, j IS Zitella Gettles
daughter of Mr. az. 4,irs. Fred Get,
ties of South Main street, and 2nd
Lieut.. James A. Griffith, grandson
of Mr.. and Mrs. John Rogers OF
this place, were married at Morrison
Field, West Palm Beach, Florida
Sunday afternoon at $3.50 o'clock.
The double ring ceremony was per-
formed by the post chaplain. Lieut.
Griffith is in the army intelligence
division and is taking advance train.
ing at the Palm Beach School of tbs
Army Air Corps.
He was graduated from the Miam
Beach army air corps school il
early December at which time he
was commissioned with the rank OF
second lieutenant.
Mrs. Griffith is graduate OF
Bluffton High school in the class OF
1889 and attended Bluffton college
She has been employed in the offices
of the Triplett Electrical Instrument
company.
Lieut.. Griffith graduated from
Bluffton High school in the class o.
1887 and from Bluffton college il
the class of 1941. Prior to his en-
listment last February he was EN-
ployed at the Triplett Electrical In
strument company.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-12-31

per capita war bond sales to help
provide a solid financial backing of
the war. Tenants benefited when
all rents were frozen at March /
levels.
DISADVANTAGES, Too
There were some disadvantages.
Delivery of new fire truck for the
town was stopped by war measures.
Two mail trains, also providing pas
senger service over the Nickel Plate
railroad, was discontinued.
Buttons Photographic studio was
closed by the war. So also were
three gasoline filling stations, a
beauty parlor, haberdashery shop,
bakery, sawmill and barbership.
Button schools have two fewer
teachers because of the war; one
less school bus is being operated;
and athletic teams are experiencing
transportation difficulties as the re-
suit of a ruling barring them from
the use of school buses for their
trips.
Close to 100 young men from the
town and the surrounding territory
already are in the service. Many
are overseas. Two have been re
ported on the casualty lists.
And it is against this war-timr
background that Bluffton carries OF
striving to maintain the small
town ideals that are the strength o
Americas way of life, and preserv
ing for the future, freedom for
worldwide brotherhood of man.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-12-31
julius Caesar i'm Reform of Cal
endar, Changed First of
Year to January
Old World Custom of Seeing
New Year i'm Now General
Practice Here

Although most of the Christian
countries celebrate New Years Day
on anuary /, there are many parts
of the world in which different
date is used, and it has been only
recently that the celebration is a,
this time in the Christian countries
Russia and Greece, for example
who used the Julian calendar instead
of the Gregorian calendar celebrate
the day II days later. In these
countries New Years Day would
normally be celebrated on Jan. 13.
With considerable starvation and
suffering in Greece it is unlikely that
there will be much of any kind of
celebration there. And with all of
Russia's energies devoted to the war
it is expected that the celebrations
will be only nominal.
VARYING FIRST DATES
Throughout the history of man
kind, the first day of the year has
occurred at various times. The an
cient Egyptians, Phoenicians and
Persians began their year at the
autumnal equinox September % and
the Greeks of the time of Solon al
the winter Solstice, December 21.
The Romans reckoned the begin
ming of the year from the winter
solstice until Julius Caesar in his
reform of the calendar changed it tc
the first of January. The Jews be-
gan and still begin their civil year
with the beginning of the month
Tiser, which roughly corresponds tt
Continued on page 81
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-12-31
IT ALL HAPPENED IN BLUFFTON DURING THE YEAR 1o42

ed the year as a whole, however. In
June 15-year low of as degrees
was established, to be followed by a
July hot weather assault that gave
seven consecutive days of tempera-
lures at or near the 100' mark.
September was the coldest in this
century, with low of 28 reported.
Personalities also figured in the
news. A. E. Lichtenwalter captured
the prize for the gardening oddity
of the year when he bought three
peony bulbs paying 25c each for
two of them and Sc for the other, a
champion type. Finally when the
three bloomed he'd forgotten which
was his prize bulb, and was unable
to identify it.
UNUSUAL ACCIDENTS
The usual unusual accidents were
reported. ROLAND Matter fell in
front of tractor, was run over by
it, but escaped unhurt. J. /. Lugin-
buhl sneezed while working and
temporarily lost his eyesight.
Fatalities and mishaps were not
missing. Two Bluffton men died ir
automobile accidents, and two small
boys were suffocated in barn fire
A ton of milk flooded the College
avenue crossing of the Nickel Plat,
railroad when freight train hit {
Page Dairy truck.
Cleon Triplett started to look fol
insurance on his trees when thre,
times in the span of year automo
biles jumped the curbing and crashed
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-12-31

War and its effect on the every
day life of a typical American small
town takes the center of the stage
in review of the 1912 happenings
in Bluffton and its environs.
The usual oddities that help to
make up the warp and woof of this
community's pattern of living also
come in for their share of the at
tention, however, despite the war
time setting.
For one thing, 1912 gave the town
its first entirely quiet Fourth of
July in all history, new Ohio state
law assuring the complete absence
of fireworks of all kinds from the
celebrations.
Despite war censorship, the wealth
er really was something to talk
about.
WEATHER DErIEs CENSOR
The year started with a cold wave
climaxed by a six-below-zero reading
on the morning of Jan. 7. The clos
ing month of December also provided
plenty of frigid weather, four be-
low zero reading coming on Dec. q
at the close of a cold spell that
lasted for three weeks.
Then to demonstrate the ficklenesS
of the weatherman, warmer weather
came to the district on Dec. %, the
first official day of winter, anc
spring-like temperatures prevailed
for the most part during the res
of the month.
| Drastic temperature changes mark
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-12-31
SIEFIELD'S BAKERY
TO CLOSE DOORS
SATURDAY NIGHT
Business to be Discontinued Be-
cause of Labor and Ma
terial Shortages
Firm i'm Continuous Operation
Here Since 1919; Is 9th
To Close Here

Because of labor shortages and re-
strictions of materials another Bluff
ton business concern will close its
doors this Saturday night, the
ninth to be closed here as a re-
suit of the war.
Siefeld Bakery, in continuous OPP
seration here since 1919, will be
CLOSED indefinitely, it was announced
the hrst Of the week BY Herbert Sic
field, proprietor.
Prior to + , bakery here was
operated by Henry Ruhl. Mr.. and
Mrs. Siefield moved to Bluffton from
Toledo at that time and have been
engaged in the bakery business ever
since.
The business room, owned by
Charles Hankish, will be vacated
and the equipment will be stored in
the barn on Siefield's premises on
South Main street.
The present allotment of baking
materials is insufficient to maintain
an output adequate to justify con-
tinuance of the business, Sieheld
stated. His plans for the future are
indefinite.
This is the ninth business in
Bluffton to be closed due to the war
Others closed are: Swank's Barber
Shop, Neu-Art Studio, Cal Balmer
G. Son Sawmill, Suites Haberdash-
ary department. the Beatrice Beauty
shop, and the following fling stations
Gulf. Marathon and Johnson.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-12-31
BIG DEMAND
Births

The following births at the Bluff
ton hospital:
Mr.. and Mrs. James Patterson, a
girl, Virginia Anne, Saturday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Wayne Flick, Raw
son, girl, Gwen Deane, Sunday.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-12-31

answered six alarms in May a 20
year record was set, but the total
fire loss for the year was light.
RATIoNING ARRIVES
One of the most. pronounced
changes brought about in Buttons
way of living by the war was the
effect of rationing. Government dis
tribution of automobile tires started
last January; sugar rationing came
in May; coffee rationing in Novem-
Der, and gasoline and fuel oil ration
ing in December.
Everybody got up an hour earlier
during the year. War time went
into effect February 9, when all
clocks of the nation were set ahead
an hour for the duration of hostili-
ties.
Complying with government re-
quests, there was no Bluffton Mid
winter fair in 1912 for the first time
in 28 years. Fishing was stopped
last spring in the large National
quarry as wartime measure.
Strong protective fences bristle
about plants of The Triplett Elec-
trical Instrument Co., the Municipal
Light and Water plant, the Central
Ohio Power Co., and the Page Dairy
Bluffton was effectively modified
for Civilian defense. More than 20(
persons took first aid courses. Fir,
wardens, auxiliary policemen, fire
men, ETC., were trained for their du
ties in case of disaster.
The town set an Ohio record il
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-12-31
ReU. Pa1l1labecker
To Talk At Lions

An illustrated lecture on China
and the Far East will be presented
by Rev. S. F. Pannabecker, mission
airy returned from China, at meet
ing of the Lions club at the Walnut
Grill next Tuesday night at 6:15
o'clock.
Rev. Pannabecker took most of the
colored pictures himself which he
will project on the screen. He will
give an Interpretation of present
problems in the Far East as affect
ed by recent war developments.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-12-31
Council Raises Pay
OF Night Police Here

Salary of Albert Reichenbach,
Bluffton night police was advanced
to 1925 per month by action of the
town council, Monday night. Reich
enbach previously received $110
monthly.
Rate of common labor, employed
intermittently by the municipality
also was raised from 45 cents to so
cents per hour by the council, Mon
day night.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-12-31
Finishes Training In
Navy Hospital Corps

Jack Clark has been promoted to
hospital apprentice, second class,
after completing the course of in
struction in the naval hospital corps
at Great Lakes, Illinois.
Clark, the son of Mr.. and Mrs.
Paul Clark of Grove street, is now
stationed at the U. S. Naval hospital
at Quantico, Virginia.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-12-31
With The Sick

Noah Basinger who has been i'll at
his home on South Lawn avenue
since last Saturday is improving.
Elmer Ewing is improving at his
home on South Main street following
an illness of several weeks.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-12-31
BLUFFTON PLANS
TO WELCOME new
YEAR WITH GAIETY
Watch Parties and Bands of
Carolers Will Greet 1913
Thursday Night
Enthusiasm and Cheer for New
Year Little Dampened by
Clouds of War

With the fortunes of war having
taken a considerable brighter turn
than at this time last year, Bluffton
area residents will cast their cares
aside to the accompaniment of ring
ing bells, shrilling whistles and
blowing horns as watch parties pre-
pare to celebrate the passing of an
other year and the ushering in of
successor at midnight on Thursday.
As is the custom in the community
many bands of carolers will make
their traditional rounds of the town
and countryside adding color and
cheerfulness to the New Years OBJ
servance.
Caroling
Caroling on New Years eve is a
tradition of long standing in this
area and the many bands of singers
know most of the melodies by heart.
In past years carolers travelled
thruout the countryside in cars but
with the various restrictions on tires
and gasoline it is expected that this
type of activity practically will be
eliminated this year.
No limitation on the activities of
the many carolers who travel from
house to house by foot is expected.
Generally they are welcomed into
the MONIES tney serenade. oIten
mldngnt luncnes or snacks are
served ana the general galety OF the
occasion prevails.
Home on Furlough
Some Of the families In Bluffton,
having sons In the Army service,
will celebrate the New Year with
one or several 11aelnbexs of the
family absent. N other cases the
! a S1ylaas ho33il{s lozx6lla z have
been extended to permit the boys to
celebrate the holiday with their par
ents here.
Watch parties are another fav-
orite form of entertainment in
Bluffton and numerous get-togethers
are being planned again this year.
In some cases groups are arranging
theatre parties and in others they
are confining the celebrations to
their homes listening to the radio.
Climax of Yuletide
With the debut of 1943, the gay
Yuletide season will be brought to a
close. and the Bluffton district will
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-12-31
BLUFFTON MARKETS

Wednesday Morning
Wheat, s1.4O; new corn, Toe; old
corn, 8O1ac; oats, soc; soys, SLIGO.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-12-31
WMILL CLOSES
DOORS BECAUSE OF
LABOR SHORTAGE
Cal Balmer & Son Firm Ceases
Operations Temporarily
Despite Demand
Bluffton Without Sawmill for
First Time in Nearly One
Hundred Years

For the first time in almost a
century the community of Bluffton
is without the services of sawmill
in regular operation.
Because of labor shortages due to
workers being drafted into the mill
tary forces and attracted by the
high wages of war plants in nearby
cities, the Cal Balmer & Son saw
mill, located near the Nickel Pltae
Railroad at East College avenue
has temporarily closed its doors.
The firm has been operated By
James Balmer since the death of his
father the late Cal Balmer, last
April. Bluffton has had a sawmill
continuously since 1849. The late
Cal Balmer was operator of the mill
here from 1896 until the time OF
his demise.
BIG DEMAND
The closing of the mill has come
at time when the demand for ma
tive timber products is the greatest
in the history of the business. War
industries need millions of feet OF
lumber for shipping purposes and
in addition the numerous army
camps have considerable need of the
lumber for construction work.
In addition the use of steel for
Continued on page 81
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-12-31

into shade elms in his front yard on
South Main street.
When Bluffton's fire department
The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1942-11-20
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The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1942-11-20
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The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1942-11-20

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The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1942-11-20


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The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1942-11-20

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The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1942-11-20
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The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1942-11-20
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