The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-08-27
DEADLOCK HOLDS
ON FENCE ISSUE
AT LIGHT PLANT.
No Compromise Indicated Be-
tween Council and Board of
Public Affairs
Board Prepares to Proceed with
Installation of Barbed
Wire Fencing

Whether a barbed wire fence will
used to enclose grounds of Blufftons
municipal light and waterworks plant
continued to form the basis of sharp
difference between the board of pub
lie affairs and the town council. Both
bodies held to their previous position
and showed no indicationeof compro-
mise.
The board of public affairs in sup
port of its position pointed to letter
received Tuesday from the office of
the war departments Cleeland ord
nance district while Mayor w. A..
Howe stated that the letter was beside
the point and that the situation is un-
changed.
The mayors assertion is believed to
reflect views of the town council which
at it's meeting last week declared that
injunction proceedings will be invoked
if necessary to prevent erection of the
barbed wire fence.
Council Wants "Cyclone" Fence
The council thruout the controversy
has insisted that heavy steel wire
fence of cyclone type be used at least
for that portion of the grounds which
front Harmon road.
The board, however, expects to
erect a barbed wire fence, according
to its chairman, A. c. Burcky, who
made statement following arrival of
letter from First Lieut.. VIM. A.
Cosgrove of the Cleveland office of
the ordnance division of the war de-
partment.
In his letter Lieut.. Cosgrove stated
that it probably would be impossible
to obtain cyclone fence because of
critical materials involved and added
that orders from Washington have
made this fence no longer available
Barbed Wire on Hand
Burcky added further that barbec
wire sufficient to enclose the grounds
was now on hand.
In event cyclone fence is impossible
to obtain, the council has insisted that
portions of this type of fence now us
| ed to enclose water reservoirs at the
plant be removed and used for that
portion of the enclosure fronting or
Harmon road. Under this plan barb
ed wire or board fence would be useC
to enclose grounds at the rear of thC
plant.
Board of public affairs members re
| piled that this would not be feasible
and would not justify the expense in
volved in moving.
The councils stand in support o
the cyclone type of fence was on tn,
grounds of both appearance and ser
viceabil;ty. The board, on the othe
| favored the barbed wire fence as be
| ing more economical and insisted tha
! it was equally efficient.
| Representatives of the army ord
nance department and signal corp
have insisted on erection of a fenc
and posting of armed guards as
protection against possible sabotag
of the municipal plant which furnish
es power to local industries engage
| in production of war materials.
Add Another Guard
A suggestion contained in Lieu
Cosgrove's letter that another guar
be added for the plants day shift i
addition to two already employed fc
night shifts met with approval {
both the board of public affairs an
the council.
Board members indicated that tn
third guard to be appointed would b
, Fred Triblehorn, altho formal actio
has not yet been taken. Triblehor
, was formerly mayor of Bluffton an
resides on South Main street.